Archives Warehouse — Harley-Davidson Museum — Milwaukee, WI
Before jumping into the nuts and bolts…
Disclaimer: Some of the names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.
This article is the first in a series of planned posts about a collection of vintage motorcycles in the northwest and the man whose work was steeped in the craftsmanship necessary to become proficient at restoring this collection.
Outbuildings, Workshop and Showroom
I’m not a motorcycle archivist, but definitely a fan of reflections in a classic motorcycle headlamp. Vintage motorcycles turn heads wherever they go.
You might find on a typical road trip to Sturgis, a classic motorcycle rattling along in it’s own space in the slow lane. You’ll roll up along side to pass then with a nod to the rider, be momentarily distracted from the road as the vibrating antique parts try and reach out to tell their story.
I came to know about this remarkable collection of classics in the northwest and was most fortunate to interview the family. Getting a tour of this private collection is a slow-walk through motorcycle history in America. I was not only impressed with the number, but also the significance and uniqueness of them.
January 1937 H-D Enthusiast
As a general rule, bloggers are impatient and eager to illuminate a story, especially when it comes to finding a rare stash of motorcycle history. But, I wanted to be deliberate in the research of the bikes and truly capture the ‘soul’ of the story — the man who is behind the restorations and who made the magic.
Let’s call this man, Robert (Bob) — the heartiest of men with a large stature, a strong handshake, a friendly smile and a genuine love of wrenching on classic motorcycles.
There’s something a little magical about taking an old, neglected, forgotten motorcycle, bringing her back to life, and restoring it to her former glory.
Why do classic motorcycles grab us fiercely by the heartstrings?
There is no simple answer to that question, but one thought is they intersect with our own history. If not you, then your father or granddad, all who would’ve been lucky to ride one of these works of art and as is often the case, it triggers a flood of fond memories.
1937 Harley-Davidson Model UL
To provide some historical context and mental imagery — it was a time when there were far fewer people around, fewer laws and regulations, when gas was cheap, when driving was a pleasure, and if you owned a powerful two-wheeled machine you could point the chrome headlight down an empty road and go!
In 1937, the San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge opened to traffic — at about the same time, a new generation of side-valve engines were introduced from the Milwaukee motor company. Replacing the V series which had a “total loss lubrication” system, the new U series motors in 1937 were dry-sump oil designs. Most of the motorcycle parts were made in common with the Model E 61 inch OHV motorcycle that debuted a year earlier. As it turns out, Bill Harley was granted patent 2,111,242 for this oiling system on March 15, 1938.
1913 Harley-Davidson Model 9B
The completely revised engine had many upgrades that separated it from the earlier V motor including new cases, cylinders and now had roller bearings throughout the lower end. New forks, frame and sheet metal improved the image of the new bike, with styling cues heavily influenced by the Art Deco movement, something that the flowing lines of paint and emblems reflected.
Fast-forward to 2020 and my private tour was finally here!
1948 Harley-Davidson Model 45
I’ve aspired to attain eminence in photography and my bucket list includes photographing motorcycles in a professional studio. But, finding a studio with a large white soft-box that’s big enough to ride a motorcycle into is an obstacle. Well, it is for a regular guy and renting a commercial studio with light stands, multiplex flash strobes, drop clothes and diffusion panels to eliminate reflections in the paint wasn’t in the budget.
But, I’ve digressed…
I stepped through a side-door entrance and onto the wooden floor of the showroom that houses the motorcycle collection. The space is huge and it’s open and airy with an industrial aesthetic and light pouring in through multi-paned windows. There is a lingering smell of oil and I noted a few drops on the polished floor.
1916 Indian Power Plus
A beautiful collection!
I didn’t want to be that annoying “tourist” snapping too many photos, but I was that irksome camera-happy dude on this day.
It was a “ride through history” on rare and collectible motorcycles. More significant, were the remarks about the attention to detail and listening to the fascinating backstories, anecdotes, folk-lore and the restoration tales that my “tour guides” shared on each of the motorcycles.
A panoramic scan of the showroom is an overload of storytelling. Side-stepping across the wooden floor finds a person gazing across more than a dozen motorcycles stacked side-by-side. Set up like an academic library, against an outer wall are multiple bookcases and shelves, where hundreds of engine manuals and parts catalogs were filed away.
The only item missing in this showroom was an onsite cafe!
1925 Henderson Four
There is even an old draughtsman drawing board complete with an articulated protractor head displaying some vintage documents. The illustrations contained a collection of various engines schematics from their earliest incarnation.
Deep breathing makes a person more aware so, I quickly exhaled, then took another big breath while meandering my feet slowly across the showroom floor.
A bright Teak-Red restoration caught my eye; it was a stunning 1937 Harley-Davidson Model UL flathead. It’s a little like seeing a childhood photo of someone you miss. Then I turned to look at a bicycle form of mechanical sculpture…a tribute to the original “Silent Grey Fellow” was gently positioned in the corner — a rare 1913 Model 9B single cylinder… the very essence of simplicity!
Engine Manuals and Parts Catalogs
These old motorcycles were made when clunky was normal and oil leaks were expected. It’s oddly endearing.
Gleaming in the middle was an Azure Blue over Silver 1948 Harley-Davidson Model 45 and at the far end of that row was a shiny Dark Blue 1925 Henderson 4-cylinder. And placed at a right-angle near the Henderson was a beautifully weathered 1916 Indian Power Plus that looked as if it had just been pulled out of a barn for the first time in many decades.
I’ve listed only a few of the motorcycles in this gem of a collection.
It’s striking and every motorcycle reaches out to tell a unique story of the time, money and effort required to be restored. Imagine how often you’d want to call in sick to skip work so that you could tinker with these bikes. It speaks volumes of Bob’s discipline, persistence and the decades long practice of his craft.
If you are like me, old things make you feel young. Admittedly, I have a fascination with dusty items and will be posting several articles on these vintage motorcycles, the workshop and the man behind the restorations.
Stay tuned…
UPDATED: February 27, 2020 — The second post on this vintage motorcycle collection is a deep dive on a restored 1937 Harley-Davidson Model UL Flathead (HERE).
UPDATED: March 8, 2020 — The third post on this vintage motorcycle collection is at: Every Restored Motorcycle Has A Story — The 1913 Single
UPDATED: October 21, 2020 — The fourth post on this vintage motorcycle collection is a deep dive on an original 1916 Indian PowerPlus (HERE).
Photos taken by the author and courtesy of Harley-Davidson. Cover of the 1937 Enthusiast is courtesy of Harley-Davidson Museum.
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