Otis Chandler "1907" Harley in Fall Issue

[sveger]

Drop forged fork on JD`S

I know what picture describes my fork best, Wolfgan Wiesners book again where threr is a photo of the European OHV 45" racer at page 60. This is the fork!!
This is one of the nicest bikes ever!!!
There should be pictures of this on the Harleysons web page as well, but I cant scroll the menu threr to give you an exact link.
Sverre

[sveger]

Another pic of the special JD`s fork

Check out the pic in "American racer 1900-1939" by Stephen Wright, page 194. You cant get any better pic than this of this fork.
Sverre

[Harleyson's]

Paul Weyres H-D 45 OHV Racer

Here's the link to Paul Weyres:

http://www.harleysons.de/2000_Paul_W...20Memorial.htm

Fritz
www.harleysons.de

[Perry Ruiter]

Like Sverre I've heard that these forks were for 1929 JDHs, however, my 31 parts book doesn't list separate forks for the JDH (and it lists lots of JDH specific parts) so I think it's more likely that they're 1930s supplied replacement forks.
A couple more photo references. Girdler's "Harley Davidson The American Motorcycle" has a nice looking 1926 J with a set of these forks on it. And maybe something most of us will have - the 2007 club calendar - I believe July's centre left photo shows a bike with these forks ... Perry

[Earl]

So here we have an example of a later part being supplied as a replacement part for an earlier part replacement request.

Hmmmm.........

Why does that make so much sense??

Because Harley was in the business of selling MOTORCYCLES !!!

Their main business WASN'T in selling parts !!

Now go back to 1910 or 1912 for a minute with me......

A person has an accident with their machine and they bust something up. Let's say they need a gas tank or a front fork for their 1907 model motorcycle.

What do you think they got?

All the 1907 tanks and forks are gone......
How about a replacement part that functioned properly so that they could get back on the road.

Does that make sense?

So they might have been sold a 1908 model gas tank, or a 1909 model fork,......because that's what HD had on the shelf, and it would work.

Hmmmm.....

And guys 100 years later would be discussing how those parts got on those machines.

The machine functioned properly, but it wasn't a 100 percent exact replacement part. It was Factory authentic, but not a 1907 part. It's not how it left the Factory.

If that machine would be entered for judging at one of our meets today, how do you think it would or should be judged?

[Earl]

Re: One Additional Detail.....

Originally posted by HarleyCreation


Oh no?

You forgot to mention that his pet name is "Walter."

That's right. My twin project is named Walter.

IF you give your projects a name, they sort of develop their own personality............

[c.o.]

Yeeee-Hawww! I finally got the book! The mushers dropped it off at the igloo this morning Thanks Herb!!! Let the studying begin!!!

I'm tending to agree with the train of thought that in the early days if something was broke you went out and got a new part to replace it. Harley Creation has shown that they did sell off motors in 1905. But do we have any proof of forks, fenders...etc...etc...? I think Earl that your accident/replacement parts theory is bang on. Can you imagine how new and exciting a motorcycle would have been in those days. I'm sure it took a few years for the law to implement rules and regulations of the road. I can just imagine the trees, wagons, buildings, fences (insert your favorite obstacle) that were ran into resulting in bent forks, dinged gas tanks....etc....etc.....

Earl, I wish you the best of luck with Walter! That's a bike that would be something to see when it's finished!!!

[HarleyCreation]

Re: Drop forged fork on JD`S

Originally posted by sveger
I know what picture describes my fork best, Wolfgan Wiesners book again where threr is a photo of the European OHV 45" racer at page 60. This is the fork!!
This is one of the nicest bikes ever!!!
There should be pictures of this on the Harleysons web page as well, but I cant scroll the menu threr to give you an exact link.
Sverre

Yeah, that 45 OHV roadracer is one of the nicest bikes ever. I've looked at those photos a hundred times, but that fork didn't register. Too busy staring at the OHV motor I guess. Thanks again to Fritz for identifying German race champion Paul Weyres as the guy in some of the photos of that bike.

If this is the same fork that we are all talking about, it seems to be an "in-between" model with a more JD-style front fork but with an I-beam VL style rear fork. A distinct model fork in its own right used both on some racing jobs and maybe original on a "few" JD(H) road bikes, but esp. as a JD replacement fork. Very cool to have this style fork on your JD as it would boggle minds of those trying to figure it out.

Does it show up in any Harley parts book at all?

[HarleyCreation]

Originally posted by Perry Ruiter
Girdler's "Harley Davidson The American Motorcycle" has a nice looking 1926 J with a set of these forks on it. Perry

I don't have that book, but you prove again the original point. Just because a bike shows up today wearing a different type fork that is not sufficiant reason to believe that it is original equipment. Supporting evidence is needed, esp. for bikes that have been gathering a nice patina for 80 years or more.

Of course when we are talking about "official" Factory collection bikes like the 1908 model with its 1909 model fork the "awe" factor enters the picture. Once you get over that hurdle, however, your thinking becomes liberated and it's amazing how many new discoveries are out there to be made.

[HarleyCreation]

Originally posted by c.o.
Yeeee-Hawww! I finally got the book! The mushers dropped it off at the igloo this morning Thanks Herb!!! Let the studying begin!!!

I'm glad it finally made it. Lack of snow slowed the dogs down and they had to stop and feed them frequently due to this deep freeze "global warming" we are currently experiencing.

[petri]

Originally posted by HarleyCreation


I don't have that book,

I have the Girdler book Harley Davidson the American Motorcycle and here are the pics of the 26 JD we have been talking about, one at a time.

Herb I read your Harley Creation when it came out but it looks like it's time to re-read it to help get up to speed here.

And yes, any hypothesis is false until substantiated by some proof.

Howard

[petri]

Here's another pic of the 26 JD from the Girdler book.

Howard

[Tommo]

The I beam forged fork was fitted to late 1929 JDH's and have enough small differences that make them a fork that is, for want of a better phrase, a one year only item. If you have a copy of the Dealers supplement leaflet that covers the 1929 JDH models you will find them there. No doubt they can be retro fitted but they were intended for the 1929 JDH's. I have two sets of these forks and almost none of the parts interchange with the VL forks.
Tommo

[Harleyson's]

Paul Weyres, Aachen/Germany

750 cc OHV Road Racer

1930/Milwaukee

http://www.bilder-hochladen.net/files/1qq5-21-jpg.html (*)


Fritz
www.harleysons.de

[HarleyCreation]

Originally posted by petri


I have the Girdler book Harley Davidson the American Motorcycle and here are the pics of the 26 JD we have been talking about, one at a time.

Herb I read your Harley Creation when it came out but it looks like it's time to re-read it to help get up to speed here.

And yes, any hypothesis is false until substantiated by some proof.

Howard

That is a really nice photo of that fork. Plus the color of that bike is very pleasing to the eyes. That view of the JD-era fork and its equipment shows how "gawky" Harleys had become and how by the late 1920s they needed a thorough restyling to bring them up-to-date.

Yes, the time was right ("100th") so I figured it was my chance to tell it all. So I put everything into At the Creation, including Mother Davidson's kitchen sink. What everyone else tells in a couple of error-filled paragraphs took me 200 pages to unravel with yet more to discover as the thread demonstrates!

Yup: Nothing wrong with theories or a hypothesis, but they gotta have some proof or evidence behind them.