Otis Chandler "1907" Harley in Fall Issue

[Harleyson's]

sorry, here the GAN 9-53 Page 2 - Detail

[Earl]

Thanks for posting all those line-up photos. If you look closely, in some, the 1906 model is missing, and in the later shot, it's present.

Makes a person wonder.........

But does anybody have a picture of just the "1906" model all by itself? I've got one, somewhere in my piles of stuff. If nobody can post one before the weekend, you guys are gonna force me to clean up and find it, because it's a good shot from the side, showing all the details I'd like you to see.

But if I find it, I'll have to email it to Herb so he can post it, because I still can't post a picture.

[c.o.]

I found this pic on e-bay. It's a shirt transfer and claims that it's an '06. But it looks like it's got an 8-stud motor. My eyes could be fooling me, but the fenders look ribbed as well. Possibly wrong fork??? I've got to dig deeper in my own archives for something accurate.....

[Earl]

Originally posted by c.o.
I found this pic on e-bay. It's a shirt transfer and claims that it's an '06. But it looks like it's got an 8-stud motor. My eyes could be fooling me, but the fenders look ribbed as well. Possibly wrong fork??? I've got to dig deeper in my own archives for something accurate.....

Thanks c.o., but that's the Chandler machine before it was restored.

What I'd like to get posted is the "1906" bike that is in the Harley Factory collection, and wears a "1906" tag on the front fender.

Not just any old 1906, just the Factory "1906".

[Harleyson's]

Harley-Davidson 1906 tag

Found this Pics from the R.C.Gott-Museum,
around 15 Years old:









Fritz

AMCA ECIM 2007 Dinkelsbühl, Germany
http://www.harleysons.de

[Harleyson's]

1929/30 Pic of the 1906

Found this Picture in a Harley-Davidson Brochure from 1929/30
for Germany (German Language):




Fritz

AMCA ECIM 2007 Poster:
http://www.harleysons.de/AMCA07Plakat.pdf

[petri]

1906 Harley York, PA

1906 Harley_York, PA

Here's a shot of the 1906 Harley at York, PA from a private collection of pictures I found on the internet.

Howard

[c.o.]

Wow, there's some good pics!!!!!!

Earl, I found one of the line-up, but I don't think it'll scan very well. I guess your gonna have to get your pic sent off to Herb.......

[Earl]

Originally posted by c.o.
Wow, there's some good pics!!!!!!

Earl, I found one of the line-up, but I don't think it'll scan very well. I guess your gonna have to get your pic sent off to Herb.......

The first posting by Harleyson's is the bike that was tagged by the Factory as their "1906" when it was on display at the York factory museum.
The German picture is a different bike. Hint. Count the motor studs. Interesting that it is listed in the write up as a 1906. ??Maybe we should talk about that one a little later. First, let's put our attention on the first set of pictures, the bike with the "1906" tag on the front fender.

Indeed, those are some very good pictures of the Harley "1906".
Couldn't ask for anything better.

That's the same bike that's in the picture that I have, if I could ever find it. But since Harleyson's posted it already, there's no need for me to have to find it. Whew. Thanks for not making me dig through my piles this weekend.

I guess we can start to look at the features of this "1906" model motorcycle.

What does everybody see?

What do we know for sure?

And Herb, please jump in with your knowledge of the Factory collection.

[petri]

York "1906" Harley

I just reread this thread and tried to collect all the identification information we have been using in one place. To summarize, and I hope accurately:

1906 and earlier.....6 stud motors, no serial numbers
1907 and later........8 stud motors, serial numbers appear

1906 smooth fenders
1907 ribbed fenders

1907 Sharp edge at bottom of gas tank
1908 Rounded edge at bottom of gas tank

1905-1908 Same frames as far as is known

1907 Gas filler on side (and earlier?)
1908 gas filler in front

1908 exhaust cut out appears

Again, I hope I this is correct.

What I see:

An 8 stud engine
Ribbed fenders

Thus, it would NOT seem to be a 1906 Harley.

Is it an '07 or an '08? A lower edge gas tank analysis would probably reveal that but not having seen rounded edges compared to sharp, I'm reluctant to guess from that information.

But the gas tank filler seems to be forward located to me and that would indicate a 1908 model.

My guess is this is an incorrectly badged 1908.

So what do our experts say?

And, thanks Herb and Earl and others for the education. This is really very interesting material. Setting the historical record straight is truly a very worthy mission.

Howard

[Earl]

The Frames ARE NOT the same from 1905-1908.

So let's leave the frame out of the discussion at this time for this thread.

[Earl]

Can anyone zoom in on the picture that shows the motor numbers and read what they are?

[c.o.]

Well Howard that was ambitious to re-read the whole thing.....but certainly worthwhile.... I think you pretty much nailed it with the '08 theory.....At least my eyes lead me to believe this as well. It is missing the Sager fork, but I think Earl has already weighed in with a probable explanation for why that could be... I too am having a little trouble with the gas tank. It is a beat up on the bottom and has got me a little confused. The fuzzier picture that Fritz posted is definitley the sharp version.....but I can't say for the other two....

[c.o.]

Earl.......it was a hard zoom and I may not be very accurate, but it looks like 2299 on the engine case........ Am I out to lunch anyone????????

[Earl]

Maybe somebody jotted down the number when they saw the bike in person. That's one thing I failed to do when I saw it.

Does anybody have the accurate motor number to the Factory "1906" ??