Mighty fine 1909

[jurassic]

[jurassic]

[c.o.]

Awesome!!!

[Northwoods_Maine]

That will cause a lot of drooling. Can't read the name of the Police Dept. Looking at the landscape it's definitely a western state - California or Colorado?

[jurassic]

[JohnR]

Its a very nice Wisconsin Bike shown

[gary.h]

Awesome!!!

ill second that motion..

[BPK!!]

1909 police m/c

FYI---this is the earliest known example of a police used motorcycle. H-D first started offering m/c's to police depts in 1909 from the research I did some years ago. This 1909 belonged to the La Crosse Historical Society for many years and was displayed at the local Harley dealer in a glass case for years as well.. It has a good home these days and I'm sure Lonnie will make it even better!

[Chris Haynes]

It appears that the engine has been freshened up. Will it be in the Century Race?

[jurassic]

[jurassic]

aside from being a 1909,this police bike has some unique features. notice the motor pulley.it appears to be some sort of centrifugal force clutch.what i couldn't understand is how do you pedal start the bike,with no way to engage the clutch.then i noticed the addition of a hand crank hole on the cam cover.this bike also has left hand throttle.there is also a nifty little battery kill switch on the left side of the tool box. on the rear left of the bike there is some sort of bracket mounted to the frame ,that i think may be some sort of belt guide.check out the reinforced rear stand.the bike also had a rear wheel drive gear for the speedo.the speedo was missing ,but thanks to dave lietner was replaced with a perfect example.it looks like the motor was removed from the bike at one time ,but it was never taken apart.all i did to the bike was install the speedo , fix a broken stud on the pedal crank ,add new inner tubes,and some other minor sorting out.something interesting to note is the police lettering.although you can barely make it out in the photos,if you look close,you can see that the gas tank pinstripe stops at the police lettering and makes it way around the top and bottom of the lettering.in my opinion this lettering was done at the factory,and i believe all the other modification were too.this machine now belongs to john parham ,and is on display in anamosa.

[koanes]

As a LaCrosse native I couldn't have been more disappointed to learn the historical society was selling the bike to finance some silly remodeling project on an old house the society owns. I was certain it was buried away, to be enjoyed by a select few. To see it looking good, getting proper attention, and possibly some road use, that makes me smile big. Thanks for the pictures Lonnie.

[pete reeves]

It’s possible that the left hand throttle was standard in 1909 as the prototype 1909 single at the H-D museum and an other original 09 that I know of also have left hand throttles. The one year only cable coil clamps mounted on the head stock make it difficult and untidy to route the throttle and advance coils for the controls the other way around

Pete Reeves 860

[HarleyCreation]

FYI---this is the earliest known example of a police used motorcycle. H-D first started offering m/c's to police depts in 1909 from the research I did some years ago. This 1909 belonged to the La Crosse Historical Society for many years and was displayed at the local Harley dealer in a glass case for years as well.. It has a good home these days and I'm sure Lonnie will make it even better!

There are a couple earlier police H-D references.

MC Illus. Sept 1, 1908, tells of Detroit PD buying an H-D. However, given that date that might have been a 1909 model.

That brings up the question: Back then when did the new model year start? Offhand I don't recall.

Also, in 1953, H-D said that "2 or 3" communities bought Harleys for police use in 1907. That's not a primary source thus not certain, but still possible.

By early 1908 Milwaukee PD had a motorcycle, but I think it was a Milwaukee built Merkel, not Harley.

Yes, this is a very fine machine and looks like you could take it out and ride it right now. A real beauty!

[indianut]

.it looks like the motor was removed from the bike at one time ,but it was never taken apart

Very Cool Bike. I have never though, understood how anyone could say such a thing. That Engine could have been taken apart in 1921 for some reason or another, and to look at it today, EIGHTY EIGHT years later, it could like like it has been together Forever.