Help Identifying Year of Motorcycles in Photo

[ihrescue]

Good Morning Folks:

Charlie Westmore from Ogallala, Nebraska asked for help in identifying the year and make of the motorcycles in the attached photos. I am seeing Prest-O-Lites or similar carbide lights so obviously a clue. Could you all comment on things you see and I will compile a response from the forum to Mr. Westmore? Here is the quoted text from his email.

"I have inherited some old family photos and am trying to verify when some was taken. Some were of motorcycles.

I hope by determining the model of cycle and when the cycle was made I can get an approximate date or range of dates the photo was taken.

I have enclosed one of the photos below."

image001.jpg

I thought we could work through this photo first and hopefully he will share the others.

Mike Love
AMCA Forum
Moderator

[duffeycycles]

I'll guess the right bike is a 1913 Reading Standard

[Steve Swan]

judging by front forks on the 2 bikes on left are Indian i'm guessing.

[exeric]

Duffeycycles is spot-on. Definitely Reading-Standard, 1913, maybe '14. The Indians are a bit tougher but I'm going to say 1912. The fender tip appeared in 1912, and the bike on the far left is a rigid frame, (the "cradle frame" came in 1913). My opinion only applies to the Indian on the far left. The Indian in the middle could be a cradle frame.

Thanks for posting that picture, Mike. Pictures like this are a treasure.

[ihrescue]

Thanks to Duffeycycles, Eric Smith and Steve Swan for info on the motorcycles in the photo. I am hoping Mr. Westmore will share additional photos from his inheritance.

Mike Love