Horex:

A technical history

By Ralf Kruger

(3/31/2008)  

 

Horex is best known today for its Regina and Imperator models of the 1950s. However, the brand has a rich history dating back nearly 85 years. For an excellent overview of this history, one need only visit "Horex," an exhibit in Bad Homburg, Germany, the town where the motorcycles were designed and built. The exhibition was organized by Michael Wiring's "Central-Garage" and Frank Böttcher. President of the Horex Club Taunus. Most of the motorcycles on display were supplied by Reinhard Jutzi from Trebur. This widespread exhibit well illustrates the history of the brand, some of the milestones and exotic examples of which are described below.

 

Horex was founded in 1923 by tradesman Friedrich Kleemann, the owner of Rex, a preserving glass company, and his son Fritz. Fritz was interested in car and motorcycle racing, and he persuaded his father to buy Columbus-Motorenbau AG, a small subsidiary of the famous Columbus Flugmotorenbau, located in nearby Oberursel. Columbus Flugmotorenbau had built the nine-cylinder rotary engine Ur-II for Fokker Dr-1 triplane that Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen used in WW I. Among other things, Columbus-Motorenbau company manufactured auxiliary engines, and it became the assembly facility for the newly-founded Horex company, so named from the first two letters of the city of "Homburg," plus Kleemann's company "Rex."

 

1923 Gnom: This auxiliary engine might be considered the germinal seed of the Horex motorcycle brand. Designed by Eduard Freise, chief-engineer at Columbus, this little OHV four-stroke motor was very light and technically advanced, although simple. As pictured here, the single-casting cylinder/head was screwed to the cases with the help of a revolving thread and fixed with a counternut, so compression could be varied. Its capacity was 63cc, with a 40mm bore and 50mm stroke. The parallel valves for inlet and exhaust were driven by short pushrods from a pivoted camshaft mounted high in the cases, located behind the cylinder. Power was 1HP@3000rpm.

The engine was a slow seller and not profitable, exacerbated by hyperinflation of the German currency of the period, which contiued until mid-November, 1923. Even when the economy was stabilized by the newly-created Rentenmark, sales did not improve much because the two-stroke engines of the era were cheaper. Production of the Gnom ended in the middle of the year in 1924.

 

1926 Horex 500 SV: This model was the first 500cc in Horex's early history, inspired by the 4¼ horsepower Sunbeam engine, an example of which Friedrich Kleemann had imported from from England. The Horex SV engine made use of two cams. Its long-stroke crank is 110mm and its bore is 76mm. Power output was a gentle 10HP@3500rpm, and together with its three-speed gearbox it could reach a speed of 56mph. Of special not is its "Druid" front fork.

 

1928 Horex T5: In 1927, senior-chief Fritz Kleemann hired a young designer named Herrmann Reeb. To Reeb, Kleemann handed over the Sir Harry Ricardo "bible" for the design of modern, fast-running internal combustion engines, and encouraged him to create for Horex a more modern engine. Today, Reeb is to be considered a designer of great ability who always took risks to provide advanced and modern engines, but a man plagued by limited resources. His work was innovative, but could have benefitted from more development time, as proven later by Richard Küchen's development of the extremely successful SB35 engine. One of Reeb's first contributions was to design a new frame, front fork, and a detachable aluminium head for the well-proven 500SV, in which the valves and valve springs were enclosed. With these improvements, the model designation changed to T5, which delivered 12HP@3500rpm.

 

1930 Horex S5 500 Sport: Although Reeb worked on a new 500 ohv sport model in 1927 and 1928, it would have been too expensive to build in the small quantities the company was likely to sell. Sturmey & Archer engines were a lot cheaper and readily available, so they they were used by Horex in 1929. With the decision to use a British engine, Horex found itself in good company with other German brands, such as Zundapp.

They also used the Rudge "Phyton" engine in their 500cc Sport model since the British OHV singles of the 1930s were considered as the benchmark for performance. The S&A engine produced 20 horsepower, and its top speed was a sporting 81mph.

 

1932 Horex S8: Around 1931 and 32, Reeb started the secret development of a parallel twin with single overhead-cam and a center-bearing for the crank! By year-end 1932, he demonstrated this bike to his superiors. Kleemann's first reaction was lukewarm, because he thought it would be too soon to introduce such a big bike, since the Great Depression was not yet over. Industrial production had been off since 1929 when the stock market had lost two-thirds of its value. But suddenly, the market began to recover in the spring of 1933, and Kleemann approved production of the new model. Two versions were manufactured. The 600cc S6 (65mm x 90mm) produced 24HP@5000 rpm, and the 800cc S8 (75mm x 90mm) produced 30HP @5000rpm.

This engine, in my opinion, is worth a closer look. It has a aluminum alloy, three-piece, vertically-split crankcase with an integrated oil tank in the rear case. The center case accommodates the middle bearing of the fully-built crank, which uses roller bearings throughout. The separate throws of the 360 degree crank are pressed and screwed together on cones. The primary drive is on the left side of the engine. On the right is the chain drive to the single camshaft, which runs in a separate casting mounted on top of the heads. A second chain drives the oscilating oil pump and magneto, which is mounted on the rear of the cylinders to provide the spark for an even fireing order. The valve train is hidden and sealed from the outer elements, as is the cam chain, which runs in a case on the right. Tension is done by a "Weller-spring," which automatically compensates for expansion of the engine caused by heat. The transion from the vertical chain case to the horizonal camshaft case and rockerbox is devided and sealed, to resist the different expansion rates of aluminium chain case and the cast iron cylinders and heads, which are screwed down by eight stud-bolts to the crankcase.

 

One problem with this engine is its shortage of oil supply and distributition to the cam and rockers when it is first started. This deficit led to premature wearing of the cam lobes and rockers. But one must consider the lack of adequate valve guide and stem seals of the period, which would have led to high oil suction ond over-oiling of the valve train. This why early OHC engines were seen as oil-suctioners by customers for a long time.

 

My first thought about this engine was to compare it to Val Page's more conservative 1933 Triumph 646cc twin, which established the typical "English-School" vertical twin, which Edward Turner leveraged to a breakthrough in 1936 with his famous Speed Twin. One of the few things both the designs of Page and Reeb have in common is that they were built primarily for sidecar use, and neither had resounding success in its field. Less than 150 Horex S6 and S8 motorcyles were built, and an additional batch of engines was sold to Tornax, another German motorcycle company.

 

The 1933 600cc engine with bronze head and aluminium cylinders (pictured above and to the right with super-charger) is an even rarer engine, built for racing. With such a motor, streched to 1000cc and outfitted with a supercharger, racers Braun and Badsching won the 1935 German Championship for sidecars. This engine offered many possibilities for power-boosting modifications.  On the left side of its cases you see an additional screwed on steel-plate, which does not appear on the standard engine. This can provide provide protection against breaking primary chains, which were not uncommon, especially with the high load of a sidecar.

 

1934 Horex S64: With the limited success of the expensive models S6 and S8, Kleemann decided to provide a more economical engine. He may have been influenced by Rudge's impressive racing results and good sales in Germany. Reeb's solution for a cheaper, modern engine was to use a modified T5/6 crankcase for a new 600cc single with an OHV, four-valve head. This engine had a reduced stroke of 103.5mm and a bore of 85mm to provide more space for the four valves. The first generation of heads located the sparkplug on the left side of the combustion chamber, which resulted in slow burning and excessive heat, a problem Reeb hoped to solve with extensive finning of the head and cylinder. It did not work because heads cracked between the two wide-spread exhaust valves. The relocation of the sparkplug to the center of the head reduced the problem. A second generation of heads with fully enclosed valves and rockers again had problems with overheating. Curiously, the spark plug was located on the side of the head again, then was later relocated to the center.

 

It should be mentioned that despite these problems, which occured mostly with sidecar use, the S64 was a rather imposing motorcycle in its day, known for its flexible and smooth-running engine and a very robust frame. And it was the first German four-valve engine produced in serial-production. After two years of production the motorcycle was discontinued. In this connection, it is important to note that there was not the demand that Kleemann had hoped for such a luxurious motorcycle. There were rivals like BMW and Zündapp that already shared a small market. So the 24HP motorcycle underwent no further development. Less than 1,000 of the S64 were built.

 

1938 Horex S5 500 / 1939 Horex S6 600: Kleeman did not give up, and Reeb designed a new, much simpler design, designated the S5 and S6, which was explicitly influenced by the "Schell-Plan," a pre-war plan that organized production and for standardization of machinery for military use. This Plan dictated that all fancy design elements had to be abandoned. Pictured here are the 1938 S500, which developed 22HP, and its big brother, the 25HP S600. The OHV engine uses once more the crankcase from the T500 and T600 side-valve engines. These engines ran flawlessly, and were comparable and competitive with most English designs of the period. A distinctive mark is the smooth pushrod cover, which may remind one of the contemporary BSA singles. Today, it is considered as the most beautiful engine of the brand.

 

1939 Horex SB 35 Racer: In my opinion, the accolade for beauty is owed to this model as well. The SB35 was a team effort between Reeb and Richard Küchen, known as a master of smooth line and elegant looks, who worked for the Bad Homburg brand until the outbreak of the Second World War. Previously, Küchen worked for Zündapp, where he created 200cc and 350cc two-stroke singles and the K-series boxer twins as well as the 800cc boxer four. Küchen also designed for TWN, Ardie, DKW, Victoria, Hoffmann, and Tornax/Opti.

 

The SB35 was a groundbraking model for Horex and became the forerunner for the successful Regina and Resident lines. Approximatly 11,000 engines were sold to Victoria in Nürnberg for its KR35 Pioneer, a dispatch-motorcycle for the German army. The engine is a 350cc unit-construction, producing 18HP. Its valve train is totally enclosed and of a markedly smooth appearance. The SB35 shown on display is still taken to motorcycle races today. It has been increased to 20HP and can reach a speed of 94mph.

1949/1950 Horex 500 DOHC Twin-Racer: The DOHC-engine of this racer has nothing to do with the nearly simultanous developed of the first Imperator engine. Soon after the war, it became clear at Horex that the single-cylinder bikes of Friedel Schön and development engineer Harald Oelerich would have no future as racing motorcycles. So, a new 500cc DOHC twin was drawn from scratch during 1948 and 1949, and built in 1950 as a one-off product. This engine is enormous! Its head protrudes so much that there is no further space to accommodate a fuel tank, which had to be relocated under the seat. Unfortunately, the first attempts to find the engine's limits were marked by serious mechanical problems. In consequence, the engine was put aside and Reeb's new Imperator 500cc twin designed for a street motorcycle, got priority. Some of these were prepared for racing.

 

The DOHC engine was relinquished to privateer racer Ernst Hoske, who introduced it in competition in spring, 1952. By mid-season he had already developed an improved engine, using molding blanks and some finished provided by Horex. In many respects, it was a fully re-designed engine. Fortunatley, the one-off original engine was saved, and it appears today in the exhibit in a recreated chassis built accurately from factory-drawings. The engine has the same dimensions as the Imperator twin, thus 65mm bore and 75mm stroke. The included valve angle is 83 degree, and the steep inlet port is correspondingly arranged so the flow is advantageous against the valve disk. The cams are driven by intermediate gears from the crank, which also drives the two magnetos - one for each cylinder – then with a central chain to the cams. The gearbox, by Hurth, is a racing transmission that can be fitted laterally into the cases. The power of the engine should be 45 to 48HP@8500rpm.

 

1951 Horex 500 SOHC Imperator Prototype: Pictured here is the 500cc OHC prototype that was announced to be produced for 1952. After some time delay, it was shown at the International Bicycle and Motorcycle Show in Germany in September, 1952. But still, it was not yet ready for productin. Development of the 500cc SOHC twin ran into a lot of trouble. There was a problem with the pressed-cone fittings for the crank, which tended to twist with high engine speed. There was trouble also with oil delivery and supply, and the primary gear was a field of constant sorrow. Additionally, the chassis was weak. Reeb struggled for solutions to all of these problems. This, along with the development of some racers based on the new Imperator twins, had serious financial consequences, and finally the whole development was stopped.

 

The earliest possible date for production of the new Imperator twin would have been 1953. That falls in an era when the sales expectation for large motorcycles was declining in the occupied market, which was already shared mostly by Zündapp and BMW. Instead, Horex concentrated on its 350cc Regina once more (pictured below), then the Horex Imperator 400cc twin, a totally new design by engineer Rudolf Gunkel was launched in 1955, which was too late for a newcomer in a declining market in West Germany.

 

1951 Horex Sport and 1956 Horex Resident GS 250: The first efforts to gain a foothold in "Geländesport" were made with Reginas in 1949. Special-built single-port cylinderheads, made from bronze or cast iron, were tried on these bikes. In 1950, Harald Oelerich, a well-known Enduro rider, was hired to supervise the new off-road department of Horex. He was the top works rider at the same time, and together with fellow works rider Hugo Schmitz he developed a chassis with Earles fork in front and a new aluminium-alloy cylinder head, which appeared for the first time on the 1951/52 Regina Sport. Although the duo claimed many gold medals and other good results in competition, the factory program came to an end in 1954.

 

At the beginning of 1954, engineer Heinz Radtke got the task of developing a new four-stroke single as a replacement for the Regina. The Resident prototypes, built in 250 and 350cc capacities, were ready within a year and presented in the spring of 1955. While the 350cc engine developed a class-leading 24HP@6500 rpm, the smaller 18HP 250cc sister model overstrained with its hefty weight of 170kg. Consequently, the 1956 Horex GS250 was built in a small batch of only 30 units, and these were sent to United States only, except for a few that were allocated to local German competitors. The new German National Enduro Championship, which was launched in 1955, was dominated by the lighter and more specialized two-stroke "Sportmaschine," like the 250cc Maico.

 

1964 Horex Petith-Special 700: The year 1964 hit rock bottom for sales of motorcycles in West Germany. Only about 4,000 units were sold, and the brands that did not disappear were struggling to survive. In 1956, there was the "Elefantentreffen" (elephant's meeting) at Solitude near Stuttgart, and from 1961 to 1977 at Nurburgring, initiated by journalist Ernst Leverkus. Originally, he just wanted to see whether there were still other enthusiasts with Zundapp KS601s, a bike he owned at that time that he called the "green elephant," who would like to rally. At the first meeting, there were 20 participants. The main topic they discussed was the segregation of motorcyclists. The second topic was what should be the ideal motorcycle. They imagined a bike that would be strong and dependable, and to rival an automobile as much as possible, it probably should carry a sidecar for accommodation of a small family. The concept of a motorcycle "buffalo" was born. This idea was on most German motorcyclists' minds for more than a decade, distinct from a different view held by a younger generation that came with the onset of a motorcycle sales boom in West Germany in the 1970s.

So with this sociocultural background in mind, it is no wonder that not only Friedel Münch had plans for a "Mammut," but Alfred Petith also for his "Büffel" 700special. Petith was a former employee at Horex, working in the research and development center, and had bought many spare parts when Horex was absorbed by Daimler-Benz in 1960. For his "Buffalo," cylinders, heads, and pistons came directly from the 350cc Resident. Centercases are from the Resident, but are heavily modified, rewelded for the accommodation of two cylinders. It has a homemade crank with a crankpin for two connecting rods. To cool down the rear cylinder, which is blocked by the forward cylinder, Petith installed a multi-step oilpump for more flow. The clutch is originally from a Resident 350 and was a weak point, as it was overstrained with the power that has been increased to at least 40HP. A complete new frame was designed, but the result was worth the effort, since the frame nestles so nicely around the elegant engine. This one-off motorcycle reminds us that there were still dreamers and motorcyclists of conviction in West Germany during the 1960s when most manufacturers had abandoned the two-wheeled market.  

All photos by Ralf Kruger.

 

Brooklands veterans to return

for 100th birthday celebrations

By Mick Ducksorth

(3/29/2008)

 

The machine that won the first official motorcycle race on England's Brooklands circuit (pictured here) will return to the historic venue in full running order precisely 100 years later. It was on April 20, 1908 that the 944cc NLG, ridden by fearless Will Cook (pictured below), trounced Britain's best to win a two-lap race on the banked 2.7-mile track by a half-mile, averaging 63mph. To commemorate the 100 th anniversary of the inaugural two-wheeler race on the world's first closed motor racing track, a Brooklands Motorcycle Centenary meeting will be held on April 20, with 200 racing machines of all ages in action.

 

Fortunately, the first winner has survived, but not without an heroic effort by Britain's National Motorcycle Museum. The single-speed NLG V-twin was kept by Cook's family until the Sixties, when it was acquired by Motor Cycling staffer John Griffith. Griffith restored it, but did not believe it could ever run again. It resided in three museums, the third being the National Motorcycle Museum located at Birmingham, which acquired the NLG after Griffith's untimely death in a road accident. A victim of the 2003 inferno at the Museum, the badly burned racer was meticulously restored by London-based early motorcycle specialist Simon Miles. He rebuilt the Peugeot Frères motor, which started out as an 80 x 98mm (985cc) unit that had its stroke shortened by 4mm for racing. Renewing the main bearings and the ‘knife and fork' big-end, all with plain bushes, he noted early 20th century tuning in the form of lightening holes drilled through the rods and the iron pistons. Ports are cut in the lower cylinder walls, apparently to vent the crankcase, and the cylinders are copper-plated to aid heat dispersion. The original ignition coils were long lost, so Miles used modern items in cases that match old photos showing twin coils on the frame top tube. He also made a period points assembly to replace the burnt-out original.

 

NLG stands for North London Garages, the automobile repair depot where Cook worked for his sponsors, the Forster Brothers. The 130lb Brooklands winner was built with cycle fittings from Chater Lea, a leading supplier at the time (To read a brief account about the Chater Lea, go to Motohistory News & views 1/18/2008). The rigid bicycle-type front fork is braced with extra tubes and the seat is set well back to allow a suitable crouch for maximum speed. Speed-hungry Cook built an NLG with a 2713cc JAP engine for 1909 and hit an unofficial 90mph at Brooklands, but found the monster difficult to hang onto. It may have been the pounding he received that led him to join Air Springs Ltd, where he helped develop the ASL motorcycle with front and rear pneumatic suspension.

 

Another historic Brooklands racer from the National Motorcycle Museum will join the Centenary festivities. It is a 500cc Blackburne-engined Grindlay Peerless (pictured here) used by rider-tuner Bill Lacey to average 100mph for one hour at Brooklands in August 1928. Rescued as a heap of parts in the seventies, it was restored by Brooklands historian Gerry Belton before acquisition by the Museum. Miles is preparing it for its April 20 outing, when it will be tended by Belton, who wrote the recently-released “All the years at Brooklands.” This superb 272-page hardback is a sequel to the late Dr. Joseph Bailey's 1968 book “The Vintage Years at Brooklands,” and is published by Centennial Publications (ISBN 978-0-954 679828). Grindlay Peerless also built a batch of Lacey replicas with nearer-stock engines, and a surviving example will be in action at the Centenary. Lacey's own record-breaker was bought by another Brooklands legend, Eric Fernihough, who rented it to riders seeking the prestigious Gold Star lapel badge presented to anyone lapping the banked circuit at over 100mph. Bill Lacey later became a Norton Manx tuner, preparing Mike Hailwood's 1961 Senior TT winner, and worked on development of Jaguar's 5.3 litre V12 engine, launched in 1971.

 

For information about the Brooklands Museum, click here. To contact the National Motorcycle Museum UK, click here.

 

Photo of restored NLG courtesy of the National Motorcycle Museum UK.

Photo of Will Cook with NLG courtesy of the Brooklands Museum.

Photo of Grindlay Peerless courtesy of Gerry Belton.

 

(3/27/2008)

 

For photos of the 24th Annual Arizona Antique and Classic Enthusiast's Motorcycle Show of March 16, taken by Doug Klassen, click here. Klassen is also the author of the always interesting and entertaining motorcycle blog “Forty Years on Two Wheels.” To check it out, click here.

 

“Indian Wrecking Crew,” a motion picture to be narrated by Jay Leno, is in the works and should be released around September. For more information, click here.

 

For a YouTube movie of Jody Nicholas at Laconia, click here. There is a series of four segments, so be sure to click to the others as well.

Former Antique Motorcycle Club of America President Peter Gagan reports that he is launching a new television show called "Pete's Garage," which will cover motorcycle restorations and special events, such as the Legends Concours, the Davenport AMCA meet, the 50th Anniversary Brough Rally, and England's pioneer run.  For a sample, click here.  Gagan says, "If it doesn't work out, I'll at least have some great home movies.

 

Ken Gross is best known as a respected historian and columnist in the four-wheeled world, but there is a warm spot in his heart for the motorcycle. For example, as a director of the Saratoga Automobile Museum, he was instrumental in organizing that institution's first motorcycle exhibit last year. And, he sometimes introduces his four-wheeled readers to the joys of motorcycling. To read his “Ducati Dreaming: That Certain Sound of a V-twin,” click here. For “The Beeza in the Bedroom,” click here. And for “Me and my (Vincent Black) Shadow,” click here.

 

Jay Leno was so taken with “Flat Out,” Jerry Hatfield's new book about Rollie Free, that he recently invited Jerry by his garage for a video shoot. After the video session, Jerry and wife Ella got a tour of Jay's cars and bikes. To see the video on “Jay's Leno's Garage,” click here.

 

To see a YouTube video of bronze sculptor Ric Stewart discussing his bust of John Penton, click here. Stewart is also the creator of BMW's Icon Award, which you can read about at Motohistory News & Views 11/30/2006. The same parties, Ted and Reb Guthrie, have also posted a video about Doug Wilford explaining how Penton motorcycles got their model names. To view it, click here. The Guthries are the official videographers of the Penton Owners Group. To contact the Penton Owners Group, click here. 

 

To see a YouTube video of Jim Hoellerich's vintage motorcycle museum, click here. Hoellerich, a dairy farmer in western Massachusetts and a great fan of the Spanish brands, played host to the 30th anniversary of the American ISDT, conducted in 2003.

 

You don't have to be able to read Italian to enjoy Oberdan Bezzi's wonderful retro renditions of modern motorcycle technology. Click here.

 

For that spare $35K you have lying around, you can have a new board track repli-racer. Click here.

To read about Roland Pike, the man who made BSAs go faster and live longer than they probably ever should have, click here. 

 

 

IJMS arrives

(3/25/2008)

 

The Spring 2008 edition of the International Journal of Motorcycle Studies has arrived, on your screen. In addition to video and book reviews, the main features include Lisa MacKinney's analysis of the Shangri Las' song, “Leader of the Pack,” Barbara Broadman's account of her recreation of the motorcycle odyssey of Che Guevera, and Matthey Biberman's reflection on the iconic and personal significance of the Vincent Black Shadow. To read it, click here.

 

 

Vintage Triumph Roadshow

set for Vintage Motorcycle Days

(3/23/2008)

The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum reports that it will host “The Vintage Triumph Roadshow” during 2008 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, and invites the participation of all Triumph owners in this noteworthy event. The event will take place July 25 and 26 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, and will feature Triumph expert Randy Baxter, who will appraise both correctly restored and original unrestored Triumphs, and share restoration trends and tips with the audience. Triumph owners who would like to participate are invited to contact Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum Executive Director Mark Mederski mmederski@motorcyclemuseum.org. Participants must register in advance to have their Triumph motorcycles or memorabilia appraised by Baxter. To reach the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, click here.

 

(3/22/2008)

 

Whitehorse Press has just announced “BMW Racing Motorcycles: The Mastery of Speed,” by Laurel Allen and Mark Gardiner. This is the story of how BMW, maker of the best aircraft engines of World War I, used its technical edge to build a racing performance image to build brand name and reputation. The text is amplified with fascinating historical photos, many of which are from the BMW archives. At $29.95, this book is 176 pages with 130 illustrations and photos. Allen is a Senor Editor for Raod Racer X, and Gardiner's work has appeared in Bike, Classic Bike, Performance Bikes, Cycle Canada, Road Racer X, and Cycle World. To order a copy of “BMW Racing Motorcycles,” click here.

 

Legends Concours announces
its legendary attendees
(3/21/2008)

Organizers of the Legend of the Motorcycle International Concours d'Elegance have announced that a truly legendary group of people from around the globe are committed to attend this year's event, scheduled for May 3 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Half Moon Bay, California. For example the, honorary judges include eight-times Grand Prix World Champion Phil Read, eight-times ISDT winner and star of the film “On Any Sunday” Malcolm Smith. The official panel of Industry Award Judges will include E rik Buell, Claudio Castiglioni, Tom Purves, Matt Chambers, and Michael Lock. Among the 41 international experts comprising the roster of class judges will be Don Emde, Craig Vetter, George Beale, and Mick Duckworth. In addition, 15-times Grand Prix World Champion Giacomo Agostini will be there to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Tickets for the Concours d'Elegance are $50. To purchase tickets, and for more information about the Legend Concours, click here. After the Concours, limited seating is available for a special Legends Dinner for $200 per person. To inquire about availability of tickets for the dinner, E-mail info@lotm.com.

 

Lambert & Butler's

vintage motorcycle cards

(3/19/2008)

 

Here are more motorcycle cards, distributed with Lambert & Butler's cigarettes in the United Kingdom in 1923, from the Ken Weingart collection.

 

Nineteen in a series of 50:

F.N.

The text on the back of the card reads:

8 h.p. four-cylinder sidecar outfit, with overhead valve engine in line with frame; fly-wheel outside and containing multiple disc clutch; three-speed gear box behind this, and final transmission by shaft and bevel gearing. This machine is of Belgian make.

 

 

Twenty in a Series of 50:

Harley-Davidson

The text on the back of the card reads:

The Harley-Davidson motor cycle, which is built in Milwaukee, U.S.A., has been on the English market since 1914. It possesses many interesting points in design: Mechanical oiling, automatic carburetter, combined electric lighting and ignition unit, and car type brakes. The illustration shows a 9 h.p. model with English coach-built sidecar.

Wayne Rainey to be inducted

into Motorsports Hall of Fame

(3/18/2008)

 

Three-times world road racing champion Wayne Rainey will be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America on August 12 at the Fillmore Detroit Theater in Detroit, Michigan. Rainey won the 1983 and 1987 AMA Superbike Championship, the 1987 Daytona 200, and the 1990 through 1992 500cc FIM World Road Racing Championship. For tickets, call 800-250-7223.

 

 

(3/16/2008)

 

More about the Hägglund

Our Motohistory Quiz #52 (see Motohistory News & Views 3/14/2008), which featured the little-known Swedish Hägglund, designed for military use, got a lot of response. Hägglund was not first and foremost a motorcycle company, but its design and production of sophisticated all-terrain personnel carriers left it well-positioned to respond to a Swedish Army RFP for a military-use motorcycle for Swedish and NATO use. Adept at building huge, complex vehicles with hydraulic drive, Hägglund might have though cranking out a little motorcycle would be dead simple. Hägglund developed motorcycles for five years (1973 through 1978) before it decided there was no future (and even less profit) in the enterprise.

 

Dick Lague, who was Director of Marketing at Can-Am from 1973 through 1976, wrote, “ We had one in our R&D shop in Valcourt, Quebec to study it for our Can-Am military bike.  As I remember, there is a very interesting feature on this bike.  I believe the variable belt drive is enclosed and pressurized.  They had a fan that pumped air into the enclosure.  It was engine-powered and took air from high on the bike.  The pressurizing was to cool and keep water and dirt off the belt and pulleys and centrifugal clutch.  This was always a problem on the Rokon, to which the Hägglund was similar.”

Leo Keller sent us from Germany some very interesting photos of Hägglund's first interpretation of Swedish Army's specs. The motorcycle pictured in our quiz was the XM74, and considerably more orthodox in design than the company's first attempt, the XM72 which, as shown here, had a backbone chassis, shaft drive, disc brakes, and single-sided suspension, both front and rear. Keller also advised us that Hägglund is now a division of BAE Systems and supplies the THOR 8x8 military vehicle used by the U.S. Army. To reach Hägglund's web site, click here.

Tosh Konya reported a fascinating urban legend about the problems Hägglund had trying to design a motorcycle, resorting finally to a clandestine meeting between a Hägglund engineer and an engineer from Husqvarna in an out-of-the-way diner. Was that meeting to seek advice on motorcycle design, or was it to plead, “Please take this thing off our hands!” No one except the participants of that alleged meeting (if they really exist) will ever know, but it is a fact that after Hägglund quit the enterprise, the Army contract went to Husqvarna.

Thanks, all, for sharing some fascinating motohistory about the Hägglund.

Motohistory Quiz #52:

We have a winner!

(3/14/2008)

 

We have a winner of our Motohistory Quiz #52, and it is none other than Torsten Hallman, 250cc motocross world champion from 1962, '63, '66, and 1967, who identified the motorcycle as a Hägglund, made in Sweden. Torsten is still fast after all these years, because he got in just ahead of several responders from around the world. Quite a few probably had the correct motorcycle in mind because they knew it was Swedish, but had trouble with the spelling, offering answers like “Hogland” and “Heglund.” Torsten wrote, “ It's a Hägglund army bike made in  Sweden, developed by Bill Nilsson!”

 

The motorcycle pictured is the Hägglund Model XM74. The Hägglund was manufactured from 1973 through 1978. This highly-innovative motorcycle was designed for the Swedish Army. It had a monocoque chassis, which contains its fuel tank. It was powered by a 347cc two-stroke Rotax with Tillotson carb and Bosch magneto. Its transmission was a Hägglund/DAF variomatic torque converter with shaft drive. The front forks were Ceriani and the rear shocks by Koni, and it had pressed steel wheels. Its weight was 135kg. In 1976, the Swedish Army switched to Husqvarna, and Hägglund stopped making motorcycles in 1978. In the same period, Hägglund also developed highly-sophisticated, enclosed all-terrain vehicles. For more on this, click here and here.

 

Our photos of the Hägglund were supplied by St. Louis-area enduro rider and photographer Dave Armbrust, whose photographs from the early-1970s Six Days' have appeared several times on Motohistory. They were given to him by Henk Raaphorst, a fellow ISDT enthusiast and retired Royal Dutch Air Force officer. Thanks, Dave, for giving us good material for a quiz, and congratulations, Torsten, for becoming another Motohistory Know-It-All. Your diploma is on its way.  No doubt, it will take a place of great honor among your world championship medals!

 

Philip Conrad Vincent:

A special Motohistory tribute

(3/14/2008)

 

Today, March 14, 2008, is the centenary of the birth of Philip Conrad Vincent, the entrepreneur and motorcycle designer who – along with colleague and engineer Philip Edward Irving – gave the world The Vincent, a masterpiece of motorcycle engineering and design. In honor of the man and his machine, we are proud to present a special Motohistory tribute in the form of a monograph featuring writings for the occasion by thirteen leading Vincent experts from Great Britain and the United States. They include Sid Biberman, Jacqueline Bickerstaff, Kevin Cameron, Marty Dickerson, Roy Harper, Herb Harris, Jerry Hatfield, Bill Hoddinott, Somer Hooker, Stuart Jenkinson, Bruce Main-Smith, Glenn Shriver, and David Wright.

 

To access the Motohistory Vincent Centenary Tribute, click here.

Philip Vincent profile image by Roy Harper.

Black Lightning photograph provided by Bill Hoddinott.

 

Motohistory Quiz #52

(3/14/2008)

 

Okay, kids, here's another Motohistory Quiz. Be the first to tell us the brand and nation of origin of this motorcycle and we will send you your own personalized Motohistory Know-It-All Diploma.

 

Here's a process-of-elimination hint: No, it was not made in America. 

 

Rush to your keyboard now, and send your answer to Ed@Motohistory.net.

 

 

The Vindian:

A swan song for two grand brands

(3/12/2008)

 

At the end of the Second World War, Indian was down to only one civilian model in its line, the Chief, and since the arrival of Harley-Davidson's Knucklehead ten years earlier, it had become a monument to styling and old technology. After Ralph Rogers acquired Indian in November, 1945, he set out to modernize the brand by acquiring Torque Manufacturing, a company that had a range of overhead-valve engines under development. When Indian introduced its new Dyna-Torque models in 1949, it discontinued the venerable Chief, which created uproar among its dealers. Long in the tooth though it might have been the Chief still had a following, and its absence left Indian dealers with nothing directly competitive against Harley-Davidson, their traditional rival. The Chief was brought back in 1950, but even when restyled and with improved suspension, the old side-valve engine of the new Roadmaster Chief was woefully out of date. Besides, by this time, Indian had a disaster on its hands with its underdeveloped and poorly-built Dyna-Torques, and the company desperately needed something to improve its flagging fortunes.

 

In the mean time, on the other side of the Atlantic, Philip Vincent was looking for opportunities to improve the sales of his motorcycles. Though they were widely known as a benchmark of technology with a reputation for speed, Vincent sales in America had always been weak, due to a nearly non-existent dealer network. Phil Vincent traveled to the United States early in 1949 to study the situation. Indian still had a strong dealer network in need of a modern motorcycle that would compete against Harley-Davidson's new Panhead, and Vincent had just such a machine, badly in need of dealers who would deliver it into the vast American market. It could have been a marriage made in heaven.

 

Vincent met with Ralph Rogers and others at Indian. With John Brockhouse – a British motorcycle entrepreneur – in the mix, Vincent and Rogers came up with the audacious idea of creating a new motorcycle that would combine Indian's classic styling with Vincent's powerful engine. Seemingly, it was a dream machine that would “run Harley-Davidsons into the curb,” as Indian partisan Rollie Free was fond of saying. With a modern touring big twin, Indian believed it could sell 2,500 such machines a year, and this was just the kind of production that Phil Vincent needed to buoy his company out of the financial crisis it had been in for most of its existence.

 

Actually, the plan called for two Indian-Vincent hybrids, one that would appeal to the American touring market and one that would attract more sporting riders. The “Vindian” would be a Chief with a Vincent Rapide engine. The “Indian-Vincent” would be a Rapide with Indian handlebars, controls, lighting, and its shift and brake levers swapped to an American configuration (pictured above is a reconstruction of the Indian-Vincent prototype, flanked by two replicas of the Vindian). It was believed the market could support the sale of 30 Vindians and 20 Indian-Vincents a week, and a blue Chief was shipped to England so Vincent's engineer, Phil Irving, could begin development (Pictured at the head of this story is Phil Irving aboard the Vindian prototype).

 

The problem with this ambitious plan was that it would require a huge capital investment. In no way was Vincent capitalized to produce 50 additional engines a week, and Indian, which was already tapped out on its ill-fated Dyna-Torque project, lacked the money to launch such a venture. Enter John Brockhouse, the man with the money. Brockhouse did not want to give the money – nearly £400,000 – to the Indian Manufacturing Company, but required that a separate corporation, the Indian Sales Company, be created to receive the funds. Whether he planned it at the time, this corporation would later be the vehicle through which Brockhouse would take control of the bankrupt Indian and gain its dealer network for the benefit of his collection of British brands.

 

In the mean time, Phil Irving made quick work of prototype development. The OHV Vincent engine was a tight fit in the Indian frame, but the results were promising. The motorcycle was 80 pounds lighter than a Chief, and reportedly capable of 104 mph in the quarter mile. It was also a fair handler, comfortable, and quiet (pictured above and below is a replica of the Vindian). The Indian-Vincent was built from a Touring Rapide. Wider American-style handlebars were provided by Indian and the shift lever was moved to the left and the brake to the right. The use of Indian lighting on the prototype included the Chief-type running light on the front fender, a nice touch. Both prototypes were so promising that the British Board of Trade approved transfer of Brockhouse's funds to America, and Vincent moved ahead with ordering materials to ramp up engine production.

 

However, at this point, Brockhouse became cautious and demanded an appraisal of Vincent assets to see if his risk was adequately collateralized. It was not, he concluded, and the whole project was scuttled, sending Vincent into receivership and leaving Indian without a high-performance motorcycle and no hope of competing with Harley-Davidson in the heavyweight touring market. Did Brockhouse ever intend to go through with the plan, or was it all a ruse to create the Indian Sales Company through which he could later acquired full control of Indian? Whatever his intentions at the time, when Indian failed and manufacturing in Springfield ceased in 1953, Brockhouse took control of the company's dealer network, which he used to distribute Royal Enfield, Matchless, and other British brands. In fact, Phil Vincent got his wish of distributing his motorcycles through Indian's dealer network, although by this time the network was much diminished.  Within three years his own production would cease.

 

When the Indian-Vincent joint venture was scuttled, the Vindian Chief was stripped, its Indian engine reinstalled, and it was sent back to Springfield. Its Vincent engine went back to the donor bike (It is rumored that Indian later assembled a replica of the Chief-Vincent hybrid in America). The Indian-Vincent Rapide was converted back to its standard configuration and kept by Phil Irving as a personal motorcycle, with a Blacknell sidecar attached. Irving took it back to Australia when he returned in October, 1949. In 2001, Aussie Phil Pilgrim bought a Vincent in pieces with no idea that it was the same Phil Irving motorcycle that had been used for the Indian-Vincent prototype. Later, through research into serial numbers, he confirmed this fact, and decided to restore it in the configuration of the Indian-Vincent prototype (pictured here). Note the Indian running light on the front fender.

 

There are also in Australia two Vindian Chief replicas. One, owned by Peter Arundel, was built about ten years ago, and the other, owned by Peter Borthwhistle, was constructed within the last year. Pictured above are Phil Pilgrim (right) and his Indian-Vincent reconstruction, and Peter Borthwhistle, owner of the Vindian replica pictured in this story.

To read Bill Gordon's story about the Vindian, click here.  To read another treatment, including a description of the construction of Peter Arundel's replica, click here.  To read about a latter-day Vindian on the Cycle World Staff Blog, click here.

 

What if?

How would motorcycle history have changed had the Indian-Vincent project come to fruition? While its planners believed the Vindian Chief would have been the better seller, in hindsight one might argue that it could have been the leaner, sportier Indian-Vincent Rapide that would have made the greater impact. Consider that after the war, Harley-Davidson was desperately trying to develop a modern motorcycle to compete head-to-head against the British “lightweights” that were flooding the American market. The result was the Model K, which proved an under-achiever, even after being hopped up through its KH and KHK permutations.

The K was only a stopgap project, intended to buy time for development of the ambitious KL, a high-cam V-twin (sound familiar?). With disappointment, Harley dealers saw the KL project bumped from a '53 introduction to 1954, then from 1954 to '55. The truly “modern Harley” never appeared, but was eventually abandoned due to insurmountable overheating problems and escalating development cost. With its dream KL on the scrap heap, Harley-Davidson installed overhead valve heads on its K and introduced it as the XL Sportster in 1957. The Sportster, although it began life as an engineering compromise on an unpromising platform, proved spectacularly successful. It could outrun its British competitors, mainly because it had them outsized by over 200ccs, and it proved robust enough to handle a lot of heavy tuning. On fuel, it became the great dragster and flat-out speed machine of its era.

 

But think what might have happened had Indian introduced two 1,000cc overhead-valve models as early as 1950, hot on the heels of the Panhead and seven years ahead of the Sportster. The Vindian could have been the benchmark for luxury touring, decades ahead of comparable FLH development, and the Indian-Vincent would have been a sporty speedster that might have rendered all of Harley's K/KL/XL development quite pointless. Such motorcycles in the American market might have even restored Indian's reputation and sales to the point that it might have survived the teething problems with its Dyna-Torque motorcycles. In fact, many Indian enthusiasts insist that the 500cc Warrior TT was a good, competitive motorcycle, but it alone was too late and not enough to overcome the bad reputation created by Indian's self-destructing Dyna-Torque 220cc singles and 440cc twins.

 

Indeed, an Indian-Vincent marriage might have changed history and created a long future for both companies. But of course, this is fantasy. Real history went in a different and less happy direction for both of these legendary brands.

 

Our thanks to Sid Biberman and Phil Pilgrim for assistance with research for this story. Photo of Phil Irving provided by Sid Biberman. Photos of the Indian-Vincent Rapide recreation provided by Phil Pilgrim. Photos of the Vindian Chief replica provided by Biberman and Pilgrim.

 

Note to readers: Phil Pilgrim has an interest in selling his Indian-Vincent. Serious parties can contact him at unionjack@unionjack.com.au .

 

Greetings from Daytona, 1948

(3/10/2008)

 

Pictured here is 1972 Daytona 200 winner Don Emde, posing at the Daytona 200 Monument on March 5, 2008 with a recently-completed replica of the Model 648 Scout – commonly referred to as the “Big Base Scout,” – on which his father, Floyd Emde, won the Daytona 200 sixty years ago. Floyd Emde raced Daytona four times, from 1947 through 1950, and rode the factory Indian only in '48. In the rest of the races he was on a Harley-Davidson. His victory in 1948 was the last time an Indian would win the prestigious event.

The famous Big Base Scout was produced by the Indian racing department just in time for the 1948 Daytona race. Although it is believed that 100 engines were built to comply with AMA Class C rules, probably no more than 25 or 30 complete Big Base factory machines were ever assembled. Not only was its debut in 1948 a spectacular success, but it delivered victories in AMA national competition in the hands of Bobby Hill, Bill Tuman, and Ernie Beckman until 1953. The actual motorcycle on which Floyd Emde earned his 1948 Daytona victory still exists in the collection of John Parham, and is currently on display at J&P Cycles at Destination Daytona in Ormond Beach, Florida.

 

With the 60th anniversary of his father's victory approaching, Don Emde embarked in 2006 on his Big Base replica project. To his surprise, he located and was able to acquire two of the very rare machines. He says, “Neither of my two bikes could definitely be traced as one of the 648s built for the 1948 Daytona 200, but both had true Big Base engines and many of the authentic parts. From these two machines, I had the makings of a correct 648 Big Base Scout.” Emde next recruited noted restoration expert Steve Huntzinger to do the mechanical work for the project. Emde continues, “My goal was to make as exact a replica of Floyd's bike as we could – not just an approximation – and we turned the project into an FBI-style forensic study." For example, Emde wanted even the correct Firestone tires used in 1948. Luckily, one of his Scouts had the correct rear tire, and he found the front among the extensive store of spares at Dale Walksler's Wheels Through Time Museum. Some parts had to be fabricated, such as the special automotive-type air cleaner that Floyd Emde and his mechanic, Noel McIntyre, built. Another unique part was a tool bag that Emde attached to the tank of his bike. Don says, “I don't know if he ever put tools in the bag, but its main purpose was so he could rest on it down the long straights.” Tom Seymour, of Saddlemen, was recruited to create an accurate replica. Emde explains that his father also strapped a little quart can of fuel to the front of the frame in case he ran out of gas at the far end of the course, and this too was replicated.

 

Emde rode the replica of his father's motorcycle on parade laps around Daytona International Speedway at the AHRMA races on Monday and Tuesday at Bike Week this year, then displayed it at the Daytona 200 Monument Party on Wednesday. He says, “For me, seeing the bike in front of the monument with the beach in the background was worth all the time and money it took to complete the project.” The motorcycle will be displayed at several events during 2008, including The Legend of the Motorcycle International Concours d'Elegance at Half Moon Bay, California in May.

 

Photohistory,

from Jack and Dottie V. Coincidentally, just before this year's Daytona 200, Jack Vanino sent us a photo of Red Wolverton (left) with Cannonball Baker at Daytona Beach in 1948, the year Floyd Emde won. Wolverton, a hill climber and enduro rider of note, was an engineer and test rider for Excelsior-Henderson, then later for Ace. He became a national hero when he piloted a four-cylinder Ace to a speed of 129.61 mph on a stretch of highway near Philadelphia on November 23, 1923. Then, with a sidecar attached, he achieved a speed of 106.82 mph. Wolverton later became a Harley-Davidson dealer and owned a shop in Reading, Pennsylvania from 1925 through 1956. About the photo, Jack Vanino explains, “Most people make notes on the back of their photos. Red liked to put his information right on the front.”   Vanino's wife, Dottie, is Red Wolverton's daughter.

 

To read Don Emde's official Motorcycle Hall of Fame bio, click here. To read Floyd Emde's bio, click here. To read Red Wolverton's bio, click here. To read Cannonball Baker's bio, click here. Motohistory has published a series of articles about Cannonball Baker. They can be located at Motohistory News & Views 2/13/2008, 1/29/2008, 12/7/2007, and 9/12/2007.

 

Photo of Don Emde by Paul Danik.

 

Wheels Through Time Museum

announces sweeping changes

(3/9/2008)

 

The Wheels Through Time Museum has announced that it will leave Maggie Valley, North Carolina, that its collection will be significantly downsized, and that it will launch a new initiative named "Wheels Around the World" that will provide motorcycles and curatorial services to other institutions interested in assembling exhibits about the history and culture of motorcycling in America.

The Museum reports that it has entertained over 280,000 visitors since it opened in Maggie Valley in 2002, but founder and cruator Dale Walksler (pictured above) explains that its future vision will place more emphasis on outreach than on location, stating, "Through Wheels Around the World, we will offer full-service exhibit development, construction, and curatorial support on a worldwide basis to organizations that have an interest in displaying the history of the motorcycle culture and sport that has influenced our society for 100 years."  In addition to offering its own resources, the Museum will collaborate with other museums and collections to spread the story of motorcycling's rich history. 

In downsizing its expansive collection, Wheels Through Time has contracted with RM Auctions to offer for sale approximatley 150 rare motorcycles at its Maggie Valley location September 25 through 27, 2008.  Even after disposing of so many motorcycles, the Museum's collection will still number around 200. 

Walksler reports that the Wheels Through Time initiative to more widely disseminate information about the history of motorcycling will also include a program aimed at its future, in the form of a scholarship fund that will provide assistance for education to students dedicated to contributing to and developing the motorcycle industry.  Walksler says, "We are all very excited about these new initiatives and the potential that lies ahead for Wheels Through Time.  Having the opportunity to broaden our impact on American motorcycling and provide assistance to those who desire to contribute to the culture and sport we so dearly love is something we look forward to." 

 

The Museum has been featured in many national and international publications, as well as on national television on over 30 occasions.  Walksler reports that it may reopen as a destination facility in a different location in the future, but that no final decision has been made in this respect. To reach the Wheels Through Time web site, click here.  To reach the RM Auctions web site, click here.

 

 

Motocross America exhibit

moves to San Diego

(3/8/2008)

 

The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum reports that a large segment of its popular Motocross America Exhibit, which is currently being dismantled to make way for a new exhibit at the Pickerington, Ohio facility, will move to the San Diego Automotive Museum where it will appear from April 1 through June 25. An official dedication party will take place on May 10. Utilizing about half of the fixtures and graphics that have been on display in Ohio since 2006, the new exhibit will be entitled “Motocross America: The Early Years,” and will be curated by Tom White. White is well-qualified to plan and execute the new display because his own Early Years of Motocross Museum has one of the leading collections of 1960s and ‘70s era motorcross machines in America. For more information about the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, click here. For more information about the San Diego Automotive Museum, click here. For more information about Tom White's Early Years of Motocross Museum, click here.

 

 

Penton 40th anniversary celebration

set for September

(3/7/2008)

 

The Penton Owners Group has announced that a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Penton motorcycle, and the tenth anniversary of the POG, will take place in Amherst, Ohio September 20 and 21. The Penton was introduced early in 1968 when the first container of bikes arrived in Amherst in late February, just in time for the Stone Mountain and Alligator Enduros that year. The organizers of the anniversary celebration are planning to create the largest gathering of Penton motorcycles ever assembled. For more information about the Penton Owners Group, click here.

 

(3/6/2008)

 

Before you drink too much beer and decide it's a good idea to see if your old Gold Star will still do the ton, click here.

 

One of America's motorcycle history mysteries is the Traub, currently on display at the Wheels Through Time Museum. To see a SpeedTV story about the Traub, click here.

 

Want to see a YouTube interview with John Penton and Bob Hannah? Click here.

 

There is an abundance of vintage racing activity in the southeastern United States. For the Southeast Vintage Motocross Club, click here. To reach the southeast AHRMA web site, click here. For Florida vintage motocross racing, click here. We are indebted to Brian Kirby for compiling this information on the Penton Owners Group Message Board. This is a fun board with a lot of wit, wisdom, and only the occasional tirade. To check it out, click here.

 

“Awesome-Ness” coming

to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum

(3/5/2008)

 

Legendary custom motorcycle builder Arlen Ness will be honored by the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum with “Awesome-Ness,” a new exhibit scheduled to open July 24. Photographer Michael Lichter, who has chronicled custom motorcycle culture and written a book about Ness, will curate the exhibit which will feature eleven of Ness's famous motorcycles, including "Nesstalgia,” pictured below.

More than four decades of groundbreaking designs have earned Arlen Ness his status as an authentic legend.  He began his career in the 1960s by customizing a 1947 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead.  After entering the Knucklehead in local motorcycle shows, Ness's work was noticed by the press, as well as by potential customers.  Soon he was able to start a business custom painting bikes.  Not long after, Ness began selling custom parts and created a catalog to keep up with customer demand. 

As business boomed, Ness continued to create custom motorcycles, with a stretched and lowered style and high-performance engines becoming hallmarks of his designs.

“Awesome-Ness” will feature many of Ness's significant creations, including “Untouchable,” the 1947 Knucklehead that launched Ness's career.  Additionally, the exhibit will spotlight “Two Bad,” his 2,000cc twin-engine Sportster, “Ness-Tique,” a modern custom inspired by a 1903 Harley-Davidson depicted on a Cartier trophy he won at a Harley-Davidson ride-in show, “Red Flame Chopper,” a straightforward, high bar bike inspired by his first Knucklehead, “Top Banana,” winner of top honors on the Discovery Channel's “Biker Build Off,” “Overhead Cam Sportster,” a one-off 1200cc with sportbike styling that Ness keeps in his office, and “Mach Ness,” his helicopter turbine-powered bike.   “Awesome-Ness” will also feature three designs inspired by classic cars, “Smooth-Ness,” modeled after a 1932 Bugatti Roadster, “Ferrari Bike,” which evokes the iconic Italian automobiles, and “Nesstalgia,” inspired by a classic 1957 Chevy.  Together, Ness's creations form a timeline of the custom-bike movement in America.  His work has influenced everyone from other bike builders to factory engineers. To read Ness's official Motorcycle Hall of Fame bio, click here. To read more about the exhibit, click here. To read more Arlen Ness history, click here.

 

"Nesstalgia" photo by Michael Lichter.

Lambert & Butler's

vintage motorcycle cards

(3/4/2008)

 

Here are more motorcycle cards, distributed with Lambert & Butler's cigarettes in the United Kingdom in 1923, from the Ken Weingart collection.

 

Seventeen in a series of 50:

Dunelt

The text on the back of the card reads:

The 5 h.p. Dunelt is a powerful motor cycle combination. It makes a strong appeal to the family man. The Dunelt engine is the largest air-cooled single cylinder two-stroke on the market. There are only three moving parts, therefore the possibility of trouble is reduced to a minimum.

 

Eighteen in a Series of 50:

Excelsior

The text on the back of the card reads:

The Excelsior sidecar combination is equipped with the JAP engine, three-speed gear with kick-starter, and all-chain transmission with a shock absorber. The wheels have internal expanding band brakes. The sidecar gives ample room, with accommodation in the rear portion for luggage, which is entirely protected.

 

 

(3/3/2008)

 

It's a small world, and apparently

the Panama Canal Zone is at the center of it

On January 1, 2008 we published a photo of Bill Weigle, Floyd Clymer, and Clois Duffie (pictured here) at the Miraflora Locks in the Panama Canal Zone, taken in 1966. The photo was supplied by Motohistory contributor Mick Duckworth, who was hoping to locate Weigle. Not only did it turn up Weigle, but two other Motohistory readers who knew him, Clymer, or Duffie, and were in the Canal Zone at or around the same time responded. Weigle writes:

 

Floyd Clymer visited the World Wide Cycle Club (of which I was a member) in Panama in 1966. We enjoyed having him visit and had many discussions with him about building his own motorcycle. I still own the Velocette Thruxton pictured at the Miraflora Locks. I also have one of the ten Velocette Thruxton Squish Head Racers manufactured by Veloce on which I won the Panama Grand Prix in 1970. Clois Duffie was president of the World Wide Cycle Club and made the arrangement for the Velo Squish Head Racer. I am presently building one of Clymer's Indian Velos with a Thruxton engine in it.

 

Motohistorian Jerry Hatfield also wrote, reporting that he was stationed with the U.S. Air Force in the Canal Zone from 1969 through 1973, and met Duffie, who strongly influenced his interest in Velocettes. He placed a deposit on a Thruxton upon his return to the U.S., but production had already ceased. He writes:

 

I ordered a new Triumph TR6, but my heart was never in it, so I sold the Triumph for a profit six months later. Since I didn't get a new Velocette, I went down a different path. I got immersed in the Indian motorcycle culture and went on to write 14 books, six of them about Indians. Maybe my life took a good turn because of missing out on that Velocette, but who knows what adventures I might have had on that different path.

 

A response also came from Bruce Rainey, who writes:

 

I was a military brat in the Canal Zone from '66 to '68. I met guys who had British bikes, and they said they had bought them through Clois Duffie for a dollar a cc, plus shipping. Bill Weigle was a Canal Zone employee, a police officer I believe. The motorcycle club used to put on lots of events; enduros and drag races. The best were scrambles at Rio Chilibre. They graded a track around the roadside cantina. You could run several laps, then stop and have a cervesa!

 

Thanks, Mick, Bill, Jerry, and Bruce for your interesting feedback.