How much vintage 36-80 harleys are in japan?

[Panhead_Bobber_11C]

All I hear on forums and fb groups is how much 36-80 harleys left for Japan. Is this true? Some dude on fb group says 95% of them are In japan. I lived in japan for a while when I was in the service. Had a shovelhead I rode and went to harley meets in Tokyo and all over Japan only seen a few knuckleheads and pans. If it's true it's a dahm shame all that history being sold over there for greed.

[surfdude]

Yeah, kind of a bummer. No way to know how many but there are a bunch over there for sure and you can see a lot of them on Instagram. I think for a while before the Japanese took a liking to them the Europeans were - still are? - collecting them. I look at it as there is always someone who is going to be able to spend more than me for that tall gas cap, the correct tanks or entire bike so can't let it get to you that they went away. One thing about the Japanese who are into the old Harleys - they are really into them. That group of guys has a deep appreciation for the past American culture and style and Harley styling and history in particular so better that they're riding them and enjoying them than having them locked up in a garage not getting used. If they're having fun with the bikes then that's great. There are a number for sale over there that can come back!

[Panhead_Bobber_11C]

Very true when I was stationed there they are obssessed with harleys and even Americans In general especially the women. However I thought when I went there I thought I would be swimming in knuckleheads and pans but didn't see to many was very surprised and I searched high and low. Went to vintage harley bike meets and masas cheap thrills and talked to him hes got the biggest collection in japan has about 50 high end knuckles. He says japan probably has 50% of the old American stock. The prices are crazy in japan though way higher than the U.S. just a panhead motor goes for 15k and not even all original. Knuckleheads go for over 100k-200k. Just a shame though that we didn't try to preserve our history better everyone just seen dollar signs. Now the limited supply is very low. I remember back in 81 the stuff was everywhere and right around about 1990 is when the Japan boom hit. You used to be able to get an OP knuckle off the old farms back in 90 for like 10k and the jap were buying for 75k!!

[larry]

It costs maybe $15k to build a big flathead bobber of the type seen at TROG. Go to sell it and you'll get offers of $11k. Not a new problem, but a problem nevertheless.

[Panhead_Bobber_11C]

That's with cars and bikes in general you never get back what u usually put into it. Unless you get the bike for dirt cheap to begin with

[T. Cotten]

... If it's true it's a dahm shame all that history being sold over there for greed.

What better export, Panhead_Bobber_11C;n284666,..

Would bring the rest of the world around to value our way of life?

....Cotten

[41craig]

A friend of mine called me in 1986 and said that a German was in town ( with a lot of cash ) buying motorcycles. He had just sold him his 1947 Knucklehead, that had issues, a LOT of Issues! The bike wasn't stock ( shaved glide front end, cut up frame and heads jumping around the last time I saw it fired up ). It sold for $2500.00. He came by to look at a '41 EL basket job that I had. It was put together with swap meet parts, non matching cases, correct gas tanks, uncut frame, aftermarket rear fender. uncut springer rear leg, trans., about 80% bike with title. I told him $3000.00 and it's his. We made the deal in my living room. He went to the bathroom and was in there quite a while. He came out and pulled the money out of his bank bag. It was hundred dollar bills wrapped in bands from the bank. I counted the money that he gave me and it was short $100.00. I told him that he was short $100.00. He asked "what do you want to do?" I told him that the bike was $3000.00. Not $2900.00. He said that I must have done something with the missing $100.00 bill. I told him that I'm no magician and when I sell something for $3000.00, it's $3000.00, not $2900. I told him that I don't need to sell the bike and told him that he can have the cash back and leave. He finally choked up the $100.00 and we made the deal. I put a down payment on my house with that money. At times, wish that I had kept it. In the next few days I noticed that a small carton, with 4 fork spring ball bushing retainer plates was missing. So he still got me.

[Rubone]

I personally think those percentage numbers are nonsense. I would be surprised if over 10% of the existing survivors are in Japan. My guess would be even less. Probably fewer than 50% of the knuckleheads ever built still exist in some form, most likely less than that. They were just old junk for a long time, and many were scrapped, stolen, or otherwise destroyed. Of the survivors many went to other parts of the world for years before the Japanese got interested. The Germans, Swedes, Dutch, French, Brits,Aussies, all had their turns long before the current Japanese fad. H-D dealers were some of the worst profiteers selling container loads of vintage H-Ds to the Europeans for decades. The funniest part of it all is that everyone is all about the "American way of life", which is Capitalism, which means profit above all else. You can't have it both ways Panhead Bobber_11. Step up or step back!!

[T. Cotten]

... The funniest part of it all is that everyone is all about the "American way of life", which is Capitalism, which means profit above all else. You can't have it both ways Panhead Bobber_11. Step up or step back!!

Can we agree, Folks,...

Not just Americans enjoy our way of life?

....Cotten

[Jerry Wieland]

I guess I cannot find myself mad about it - they do wonderful things with them and they do ride them. Jerry

[Panhead_Bobber_11C]

I personally think those percentage numbers are nonsense. I would be surprised if over 10% of the existing survivors are in Japan. My guess would be even less. Probably fewer than 50% of the knuckleheads ever built still exist in some form, most likely less than that. They were just old junk for a long time, and many were scrapped, stolen, or otherwise destroyed. Of the survivors many went to other parts of the world for years before the Japanese got interested. The Germans, Swedes, Dutch, French, Brits,Aussies, all had their turns long before the current Japanese fad. H-D dealers were some of the worst profiteers selling container loads of vintage H-Ds to the Europeans for decades. The funniest part of it all is that everyone is all about the "American way of life", which is Capitalism, which means profit above all else. You can't have it both ways Panhead Bobber_11. Step up or step back!!

I agree totally. There's still tons of **** at AMCA meets here in the states way more than I ever seen while I lived in japan. I love this country and capitalism However when it comes to history that is LIMITED like vintage harleys witch are about as American as Apple pie and baseball. AMCA should have tried to step in and talk guys out of selling 36-80 bikes by the ton to foreigners. Like I said its sad ****. Because there's nothing cooler to me than a knuck pan or shovel going down the road.

[T. Cotten]

.. AMCA should have tried to step in and talk guys out of selling 36-80 bikes by the ton to foreigners. Like I said its sad ****....

The AMCA , Panhead_Bobber_11C,..

Was too busy encouraging metric tons of History to be ground to dust in the quest for cosmetic over-restoration, so truly original machines are now hen's teeth.

The vast majority of enthusiasts couldn't care less about what the AMCA decrees.

....Cotten

[Panhead_Bobber_11C]

The AMCA , Panhead_Bobber_11C,..

Was too busy encouraging metric tons of History to be ground to dust in the quest for cosmetic over-restoration, so truly original machines are now hen's teeth.

The vast majority of enthusiasts couldn't care less about what the AMCA decrees.

....Cotten

Totally agree my friend

[MojoJunky]

Very interesting discussion. I have been to Japan and was lucky enough to personally see some incredible personal collections of very rare pre-war stuff as well as generally amazing original paint matching numbers good condition bikes. I think that many of the bikes that are over in Japan are actually in private personal collections so it may not be obvious how many bikes are actually there. The ones I saw were almost all running bikes meticulously and respectfully restored while preserving as much of the original condition of the bikes and their components and paint as possible. Everything period correct, absolutely incredible stuff. In my opinion, if you truly value the history of these machines and want them to be preserved, well maintained and well respected they are in good hands in Japan. On the other hand I also really hope that there are still a decent amount of American made machines in America. As a Canadian I wonder how many original harleys there are here, it seems extremely rare to see any original bikes up here these days. Shovels are around sometimes but pans, knucks, flatheads, basically anything pre ‘69 I never see, and if I do they have been stripped and repainted and re-chromed, and usually people think that increases the value somehow.
Anyway, very interesting topic of discussion. In my opinion where ever these bikes end up, as long as they are being done right by, I can dig it. (But I also want to believe there are still some hidden gem barn finds waiting for me out there!) hahaha

[Panhead_Bobber_11C]

Very interesting discussion. I have been to Japan and was lucky enough to personally see some incredible personal collections of very rare pre-war stuff as well as generally amazing original paint matching numbers good condition bikes. I think that many of the bikes that are over in Japan are actually in private personal collections so it may not be obvious how many bikes are actually there. The ones I saw were almost all running bikes meticulously and respectfully restored while preserving as much of the original condition of the bikes and their components and paint as possible. Everything period correct, absolutely incredible stuff. In my opinion, if you truly value the history of these machines and want them to be preserved, well maintained and well respected they are in good hands in Japan. On the other hand I also really hope that there are still a decent amount of American made machines in America. As a Canadian I wonder how many original harleys there are here, it seems extremely rare to see any original bikes up here these days. Shovels are around sometimes but pans, knucks, flatheads, basically anything pre ‘69 I never see, and if I do they have been stripped and repainted and re-chromed, and usually people think that increases the value somehow.
Anyway, very interesting topic of discussion. In my opinion where ever these bikes end up, as long as they are being done right by, I can dig it. (But I also want to believe there are still some hidden gem barn finds waiting for me out there!) hahaha

well said my goal over there when I was stationed there was to go find a knucklehead and bring it back home. I went to vintage bike meets and masas cheap thrills who has the biggest knucklehead collection in japan he has about 40 original knuckleheads. I talked to him and asked him where I could look. He said that the americans think japan is loaded with vintage harleys he says maybe about 20-30% is in Japan. And probably another 10 or 20 in europe. Alot of knuckleheads and pans over here are the same thing rich private owners own alot of the old iron. Same in japan and Germany. My guess is we got probably 50% of the 100 still here in the states. So all the old iron is scattered throughout the world. Back then you used to be able to find bikes and parts everywhere in the U.S now you have to really dig and find.