Little Bertha ?? Anyone heard of it?

[Travis]

Hi there fellow enthusiasts !
Has anyone in the "older" crowd ever heard of a "Little Bertha" motorcycle? Any information would be greatly appreciated. thanks Travis

[c.o.]

I've heard of a "Big Bertha" but then again maybe I'm not old enough....

[silentgreyfello]

I've heard of a "Big Bertha" but then again maybe I'm not old enough....

quit talking about my mother-in-law

[c.o.]

quit talking about my mother-in-law

My apologies!!! I couldn't help myself....

[rashd]

What a bag ...

[gharper]

Travis,

The Big Bertha in question is not a female family member, at least not my family! Excelsior made a few hill climber racing machines that were dubbed the "Big Bertha". This was a Super X bottom end (unit construction) with Type M big valve cylinders fitted. It kicked ass for a couple years! These are pretty rare machines indeed. I'm not sure what years they were made but I'm guessing about '25-'28 or so.

I've never heard about a "Little Bertha" motorcycle, but I'm not that old either.....

Gene Harper

[bobbyt]

The original Big Berthas were M type cylinders on regular bib Ex hill climbers. Wells Bennett and Ed Ryan
rode 'em at Capistrano around 1922 and '23. Joe Pertali then built similar engines for the 61 inch class
using a Super X lower end. These were used in the late twenties. He and Gene Rhyne won the '29 and 30
natinal championships with them, and the OHV 45s.

Bob Turek
#769

[Travis]

Thanks for the replies guys,
I have seen a couple of the original Big Berthas and actually laid hands on one back a couple decades (just to fondle tho;>) But this supposed bike was built by Louis Puckett. I have yet to actually see it........I was approached by a fellow who bought out Pucketts shop about 20 years ago or so and I bought a bunch of the Puckett Harley Hummer race parts from him but he held on to this bike and has kinda offered it to me recently, but it is buried in his shop and I am still waiting for pictures and so thought I would try to find any info on it I could in the mean time, thanks and hope to see some of you all at the Fremont NE. meet in a few days.
Travis

[exeric]

You should have mentioned Puckett's. I remember that motorcycle, but I remember Buddy Puckett calling it "Big Bertha". I grew up in Orlando and visited Puckett's H-D often. The motorcycle was a drag bike painted bright yellow. It was a dual linkert Panhead but I don't recall if it was stroked (I would assume it was). Louis' son Buddy, and the top mechanic at Puckett's restored the bike in the late 70's and put it on display. There was a placard that listed specs., and included an article from a 50's vintage hot rod magazine. I recall it stated that the bike was turning 9 second quarter mile runs, and there was a quote from Don Garlits saying he hated that motorcycle because he was never able to beat it. The only other detail I remember is the fork was from a 21" single.

[indianut]

And it has NO oil tank. The trans ids the Oil Tank. I also know that bike and have wondered what happened to it since I last saw it at Bill Puckett's pawn shop in the early 90's.
http://108.163.194.210/~dbbpcom/dbbp...bigbertha.html

[exeric]

Danny, thanks for posting that link. In my mind, I remembered the bike as being all yellow. I'm glad I got some of the facts straight. In the bottom picture of the 2 fellows standing behind the bike; the guy on the left is Louis Puckett's nephew Richard. There are some incredible stories involving Richard and the last days of Puckett Motors, but they are too slanderous and bizarre to go into here.

[koanes]

I got a good tour of Puckets in 1981 and saw the Big bertha drag bike on display. Visiting from the vintage parts starved city of Phoenix AZ, I thought I was in heaven. Left with a nice pile of NOS pan and knuck parts. Years later when Ken and Dave Fultcher bought them out, I was amazed at the quantity of parts they sent home. We almost lost Dave, cleaning out the warehouse he became very ill from inhaling the rat feces laden dust clouds.

[indianut]

Speaking of Puckett's. look closely at the plate on the front of Sonny Pelaquin's HD 45" Ballyhack!

[exeric]

When Buddy Puckett was alive, it was near impossible to buy any vintage parts from them. Before he died, Buddy was developing an addiction to antique bikes and had some very big plans for the future. I venture to say that if he had lived, he would have built a great collection and probably would have cleaned out Florida for good bikes. He was just getting interested in pre-1930 motorcycles. Kyle, I had heard that Puckett's inventory went to Arizona. Was there any kind of family connection to the buyers?

[indianut]

I had heard that Puckett's inventory went to Arizona. Was there any kind of family connection to the buyers?

Yeah....the GREED of Bill Puckett.