Harley Davidson mod. R from 1935

Got mail from a friend, Sigurd with a couple of pics showing his recent find, a 1935 Harley model R 45" (750cc).
Congratulations in getting this great bike, look forward to see you on the road with this.

Its spring and time to get around.

Been another cold but nice weekend. Have got lots of miles on my trusty ol bobjob, way cool every minute.




Spent an entire day driving up the valleys to the snow and then heading east down to the sea just to see and feel the difference in how nature is affected by spring at various altitudes. This pic is taken by the sea where grass have stated getting green and flowers popps up. Reached home just in time for darkness to come. What a day.



Saturday early up heading South to join the local vintage motor club AMK`s spring gathering. Bloody cold when driving off from home, like 4-5 degree C. Loads of cars and quite a few bikes too, BMW`s, Zundapp, Puch, Vespa, Norton, Ariel, Gnohme & Rohne, Tempos (loads of, sigh!), Triumph`s and one American Motorcycle, guess wich!


Vintage events end early (most of the guys are very old, maybe they need to have a noon nap?). Time to get on.
Had a really great 2 hour drive back north up the valley to Evje treff (motorcycle meet) where there where close to 400 guys and girls with bikes and booze. Spotted bikes in a varity from Boss Hosses to Urals (wonder how many kroners they differ in price tough I think the Ural owner have more fun).




One could say my 70 years old WL stod out of the crowd at this event, most people seem to drive brand new boring motorbikes.



This is some dangerous stuff, Stroh Rom at 80% and some Russian technical Spirytus at non less than 95%. Would think there is loads of headache stored in those two bottles.
I prefeered to get home before dark.






Sunday, time to go West on narrow roads looking for old stuff and talking to old people, you never know if there is more will to sell this year, grin.




This garage has loads of history, at this location used to be a scrapyard and used parts sale back in the 40ìes and 50ìes. Here have been butched loads of American cars and motorcyles from early teens to late fifties. Now there is nothing left unless those two pinupgirls since long faded by the sun.



New location, those are the ones interesting.



"The one who search will eventually find" (didnt say it had to be an american made bike tough)



New location. Its way cool looking into a old workshop full of boobs and bits where the lathe is frozen by rust more than 30 years ago.

American Motorcycles Norway

This bike is ane arly model ACE with sidecar. Quite an impressive cicle for bringin your family around. This bike have been in operation in the eastern part of Norway at the time when the photo was taken.

Worth to notice is spotlight mounted on the handlebars, some sort of propeller behind the headlamp? and finally what seem to be a club brass tag mounted on the mirror stem.
Why dont anyone reproduce this beatiful styled mirror as used on this ACE??

American Motorcycles Norway

This pic is from the Lappland part of Norway. In the foreground a Henderson approx 1919 model with sidecar. In the back a Harley. One cool detail are the consecutive registration numbers on the two bikes.
The cabin house the local motorcycle club.

American Motorcycles Norway

Those two pictures pretty much describe the destiny of many an old american motorcycle.



At this point a pretty nice Harley J 61" (1000cc) from 1928, supposedly brought to Norway by an american tourist?



Some years later, chopped to parts and used to motorize a home made tobogan, sigh!

American Motorcycles Norway

Got this cool photo in my mailbox the other day. Thanks a lot.



Again we see snowchain on rearwheel and skies. What a rough life those old bikes lived. This 61" (1000cc) Harley would be approx 1917 model.

American Motorcycles Norway

Just to remind myself that there was snow falling today, another great shot of a 1928 Harley ready to tow some people on skies.



The observant viewer will see from this pic that again there is a manual clutch leever mounted as was standard up to the 1925 models. Obviously those drivers used to the earlier models had a preference for this hand operated clutch in various situations.
Cool.

Henderson De-luxe gearbox repair

OK, having finally got my Henderson on the road last year I soon realised I had a problem with heat building up in the gearbox area.
God grief!!!
Until last week nothing happened, but hey spring is here, better get started.
Got motor pulled out and into the workshop. After splitting the cases I realised the scenario was worse than expected. One of the bushings for the gearbox output shaft had got severely fu¤#"¤¤ed.
Now all parts are remade and I am getting everything back together.



Cases are splitted.



Removed gearbox internals.



gearbox output shaft with bewel gear and the fu%"¤¤%ed bushing next to the new one.

Will try to post some more pics when reassembling.

Spring rides

Both Saturday and Sunday where great for rides tough wind was cold as &**#¤¤%%ck.
Our Norwegian country roads are quite a thrill during spring as sand is commonly used to spread on the ice and snow during winter. This means you have to be awake in curves not to slide.
Then add loads of bumps from frost leaving the ground together with a hardtailed rearframe, you will not get bored :-)

Speed deamon

OK, sure this pic is not from the Scandinavian motor scene. It is however one of my "all time high" favourite photos. Bought a huge copy of this at the HD factory museum, never get tired of looking at it when in my workshop.
This photo talks speed & simplicity. Throtle & cutout switch, what more do you need.

Early banjo style twin cam motor in a Harley Keystone frame.

A killer bike.

American Motorcycles Norway

Indian from the early twenties.
This is another bike having a Splitdorf DU-5 or 7 added in front of the engine to run electric lights. This mod. is seen on many bikes in the old photos.

Super X Tobogan

Here is a cool pic of a Super X motorized Tobogan (wonder where they did throw the bike chassis?).

1929 Super-X special, "Always make god"

As I am a fan of the Scwinn produced Excelsior brand of motorcycles I convinced Geir to share a few pics of his 29 Super-X project.
These beauties have casted aluminium tanks as do the Henderson KJ`s from the same period of time.
Super-X`s where fast and furius in their hay-days, a powerfull lightweight motor in a stiff cradle frame with easy handling.
A factory Super Sport hop-up kit was availiable for those willing to pay for reaching the 100Mph mark.
Unfortunately those bikes where driven hard and hence there are less survivors.

Keep in mind; Super-X is what scared Indian to come up with the 101 in 1928 and Harley to eventually release the DL in 1929.

Look forward to start wrenching on my own Super-X eventually.

Threads or not to thread

Ever thought about threads, how important part of your hobby with old motorbikes those are? They are all over and for those into older oddball motors it gets even more interresting, how to get them made for that spesific application.

I`m lucky enough to know a thread fetishist, hereby proved by a pic of his altar

The real deal, accessories !!

I`m not the one to laugh about the fact that earlier days native people could be bought by coloured glass pearls and fake jewels.



Jeweled speedo light dome covers



Electroline bullet marker lights

American Motorcycles Norway

This happy fella got himself a brand new 1921 Harley model "F" (magneto ignition and acetylene lights) with skiis and snowchain at the rear wheel, ready to go where-ever, when-ever. To carry his neccesities a periodic "doctors purse" is firmly tied to the rear rack.

American Motorcycles Norway

These two happy people pictured on "his" motorcycle is from a local photo album. Brand of motorcycle is not told and I cant really figure myself. It`s neither HD or Injun, maybe an Exceslior?



I just love the look of mechanical controls from handlebars to throttle and magneto advance. By no means will ever simple control wires give the same appearance.

American Motorcycles Norway

What a day, splitted the Henderson engine and found an unpleasant surprise.


Real nice photo of early twenties Harley magneto model equipped with gas lights front & rear.
Pic found on the www.

American Motorcycles Norway

A Harley VL touring the mountains of mid Norway, foto session at 1026 meter above see level. Mountain "Snøhetta" in the far back of the view.

American Motorcycles

Aint she sweet, twenties barefoot swimsuit nymph and Harley. Whoever improved the front fender didnt care to much with design.



Baby Harley, 500cc sidevalve late twenties.

American Motorcycles Norway

Why dont they use Harleys as school transport these days. Early 20ìes Harley with european sidecar of unknown brand, teacher is driving his pupils home after school.

American Motorcycles Norway

Early model Indian Power Plus, stylish rider with driving cap and leather gloves.

Heroes

I`ve allways admired people driving their old bikes as if it was "this years model" with full throttle and no fear for technical mishaps.
Ola is one of these guys. His dedication to old motorcycles in general and Harley Davidson in particular IS 100% true.





Ola shoot in action on his 1920ìsh Harley with sidecar.

Road action

Went up early this morning, bright outside but still cold, 3 degree C. Time to get my bobber ready to hit the road when the sun gets up.
Rolled up my sleeves and got my my rear chain changed from the "normal" after market crap chain to a piece of chain excellence, Renold Grand Prix Motorcycle racing. There is just enough space in the gearbox to allow the use of this chain wich builds far more, hence its strength and durability..
Greased all lube joints, adjusted valves, reset ignition to spot on, drained the cranck case from a long winter rest, re-parkerized my footboard extensions (played with the drill on those erlier this winter), greased the leather on both seat and pillion pad, filled gas and checked my oil, ready to go!

Hit the road up the valley, planned on a roundtrip that would get me home before sun goes down (got sick last year on my first spring drive after getting home with temperature beeing 1 degree C).

Aint life wonderful, got so excited that I scraped both my footboards at several occasions, cool.




When getting further up the valleys there where plenty of snow along the roads still. White mountains in the end of the view.



Why dont they make roadsigns in cast iron no more? Hand painted nd riveted to a huge block of stone.



No need to bring fishing rod yet, could most likely have driven on the ice still.




Did I reach home before sun went down?, NO.
Did I get cold?, YES.
Am I going to get sick this year too?, time will show.

American Motorcycles

OK, today I was hit by spring. Suddenly you where warmed by both sun and wind. One could leave doors and windows open and there where both butterflies and bumble bees around. I love spring.





Here is a spring photo with four happy guys and gals on a Harley from either 25 or 26. When seen from the right side its hard to tell if this is a J or JD (61" (1000cc) or 74" (1200cc)). I think the guy at the rear use this setting as an opportunity to get a fair grip on certain body parts of lady in front :-)!!

American Motorcycles Norway

This is what apppears to be a pretty new 1928 Harley Davidson (first year with front break, 1929 had the twin headlamps). Even the handpump on the left forkleg is still there.
What is the purpose of the lever in front of the gearshifter???
The rider and owner of this bike is Svein S. Wammer in charge of carrying post from Oppdal to Sunndalsøra.
Capture is taken at Stasjonesveien in Oppdal.

American Motorcycles Norway

Early indian Power Plus from Oslo. Electric model with Dixie magneto.














Another Power Plus

American Motorcycles Norway

This trusty Harley with sidecar is pictured as late as in 1937. I find the bike in a well maintained and unmolested condition after lets say 15 to 18 years use. Most of those earlier bikes went out of service after WWII as well as it became hard to get parts for maintanance.

American Motorcycles Norway

It`s late evening and eastern is over. Still no motorcycle riding weather seen, snow still present, ahhrgh!!!!!
A couple of images from Yesterdaze motorcycle scene, and lets hope tomorrow bring some sunshine.



Early Indian Power Plus, approx 1915-16



Harley with sidecar

American motorcycles (with a Norwegian touch)

"Bigger is better" is a common phrase. This saying must have come trough the mind of a Norwegian engineer working at a factory in Rjukan during the twenties.
This bike is a Norwegian made Spanjola. Having said Norwegian, it`s based on Indian parts added to a bunch of homemade stuff like gearbox and transmission. Engine is a pair of Indian Power Plus motors placed in a row giving the visual look of a V-four engine.
The remains of this giant motorcycle resurfaced like 15 years ago and is now under restoration. To check out the story (in Norwegian) check out; http://www.spanjola.no/