Tandam Seat Value

[Mark Jennings]

I was asked by a friend to sell this seat but not really sure what the value may be. I have additional pictures but for some strange reason they would not load. Thanks in advance for any information. Mark.

[cdndewey]

I was asked by a friend to sell this seat but not really sure what the value may be. I have additional pictures but for some strange reason they would not load. Thanks in advance for any information. Mark.

If you come up with a price, I'd like first crack if it isn't spoken for already please.

[Mark Jennings]

Hi cdndewey, No one responded with a value. Sent me a private message on an offer and maybe we can work something out.

[exeric]

I had one on a VL years ago and thought it was the most dangerous accessory (next to ape hangers) you could put on a motorcycle. If you like the way they look, that's fine; but if you give a ride to an inexperienced heavy person the balance get's thrown off to the point of abject terror. I know that is true with any seat on a motorcycle, but the tandem puts that weight too far back and makes it harder to compensate. I don't mean to screw up a sale, but I think people should be aware of the potential hazard.

[sirhrmechanic]

I have one of these on my JD... and the only time I ever had a rider on it, the person was a cameraman who was taping the meet and wanted to get a "motorcycle eye view." What a mistake. No, we didn't crash. I kept the bike up ok. But it was not easy.

But I think they are unbelieveably cool! If you think about how people rode tandem back then, it's amazing on all the dirt and rough roads that they didn't crash all the time. Either they were amazing riders... had very good passengers... or they DID crash a lot.

So CDN... buy one! They are awesome! But be careful about 'using' it.

Cheers,

Sirhr

[Sargehere]

The Tandem offered is an aftermarket accesssory, "universal fit" for rigid-frame bikes in the twenties-thirties, probably a "Majestic," but I can't tell. Here's details of a couple of Harley-Davidson factory versions. The first is PN11235-36, which actually is based on what came out in 1930 for the VLs. There's even allowance on the fender bracket for the ribbed rear fender (filled with a special spacer plate after 1933) The saddle was a dash-25 identical to the driver's seat.


(thanks, Paul!)

Still carried in the 1949 Spare Parts catalog:



During WWII, the Canadians called for a tandem seat on their 45 military WLC contract bikes. The MoCo provided their standard rear saddlebag/luggage rack with the top removed, basically:

(thank you, Bruce!)



The saddle on the WLC Tandem was special, PN52015-42, a "snub-nosed" solo seat that also served as the operator's saddle on all the variants produced of the XA.

I have a 11235-36 on my '37UL and couldn't be happier. It's attached to a sidecar most of the time, but I have driven it solo with a passenger on board with no ill-effects. The passenger loved it, and I had no trouble driving. The rest is urban legend/bad reputation mostly attributable to misuse/overlarding in service. The Tandem you could say is perfect for what it was designed for: your one-hundred-ten pound soaking wet girlfriend.
Perhaps if you don't put a wiggling 250 lb. photographer on it you will have few handling problems. I love mine!

[AFJ]

Gerry,
A note on the Canadian Army WWII H-Ds and the pillion saddles.
The 1942 WLCs had a pillion saddle which resembled a British-style solo seat and mounted lower than the standard H-D accessory type. Early 42 WLCs had a black pillion saddle cover, later ones had a brown cover. (1942 WLCs have the 42 serial # prefix and the headlight mounted above the horn. The 1943 WLC models (43 serial # prefix (production from Oct. 1942 to Feb. 1944) were produced (as were the 1942 series) in export (European theatre) and Canadian home use versions. H-D photos show the home version prototype with the H-D pattern pillion saddle. whether the 1,000 home version 43 WLCs had this type of pillion seat or not they all seem to have disappeared. The 7,000 "export" 43 WLCs appear to have been fitted with the luggage carrier instead.
The 1942 ELC bikes produced for the Canadian military had the 1942 WLC type of English-stye pillion saddle. There were only 44 ELCs produced, all with left hand sidecars.

AFJ

[sirhrmechanic]

s if you don't put a wiggling 250 lb. photographer on it you will have few handling problems. I love mine!

I think you hit it on the head... Though I think he was more like 180. But with swinging a camera around to capture 'cool stuff' it was a bit un-nerving!

We have to remember that today's American's are 4" taller on average... and about 80 pounds heavier than your average 1920's/30's rider. Things that worked well with a pretty 5'2 100 lb waif... don't work well with a 6' oaf. Mongo like candy!

Good call Sarge!

Cheers,

Sirhr

[Jerry Wieland]

My wife and I have tandem seats on 3 motorcycles and they handle us great and we would not be without them. Jerry

I had one on a VL years ago and thought it was the most dangerous accessory (next to ape hangers) you could put on a motorcycle. If you like the way they look, that's fine; but if you give a ride to an inexperienced heavy person the balance get's thrown off to the point of abject terror. I know that is true with any seat on a motorcycle, but the tandem puts that weight too far back and makes it harder to compensate. I don't mean to screw up a sale, but I think people should be aware of the potential hazard.

[gharper]

Eric,

That experience of abject terror must have been before you met your lovely wife! Perhaps your passenger "Left deep footprints in the sand" as Harry Dawson would say when describing a lady of full figured features! Just be careful about who you take for a ride!

[exeric]

I think she preferred to be called cherubic Gene

[Mark Jennings]

Thanks to all for the great information but I am still looking for an idea on what this item may be worth.

[fillibuster]

Thanks to all for the great information but I am still looking for an idea on what this item may be worth.

I shall suggest that it will sell for $600 at Wauseon. If not there, D-port should bring the same.

[sirhrmechanic]

They rarely come for sale... but I have seen a few on eBay over the years.

I'd suggest that they also are highly-influenced by the condition/value of the saddle itself. Those have gone crazy over the years. And the saddles alone can bring somewhat insane dollars if they will fit a bike independent of the tandem bracketry.

So the one's I've seen on eBay (and a couple at Rhinebeck) have been priced in the $600 - 850 range. Which is (in some cases) like buying a seat and getting the tandem stuff for free. So I have wondered at times why they don't fetch more. But I think they are an acquired taste or an "I love them or I hate them" accessory. Personally, I love them! But not all do.

Maybe this helps... but maybe not so much. These are rare birds... and the buyers are just as rare. For the right buyer, a grand is probably nothing. But for most riders/restorers, you could not give it away. How's that for fuzzifying the muddification?

Cheers,

Sirhr

[Tom Lovejoy]

I have seen em for about 700 - 1500, they are cool. I bought one about 20 years ago for 150, still don't have it on a bike yet :-) good luck