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pisten-bully Hi Harry, please pardon my long tardy reply. agreed on the use of that rack... I put it back on as it really eases my 73 years old self for hanging on to the rack as a i maneuver to the rear of the bike to lift it onto the center stand. As much as its absence shows off its sleek lines, i appreciate having it there.
An update, i purchased a 1929 exhaust set from Marcin who manufactures them in Poland. There's a story behind my decision to go with the '29 setup as well as i like their unusual appearance.
Also, i crossed the 2,000 mile mark on Frankie this past Sunday. I don't think it's my imagination, the engine is running differently. I thought I'd noticed a difference the last 2 times I've rode the bike, seemingly more appparent during this evening's ride. I believe the engine is more or less fully broken in, because it seems to have more compression at the kick pedal. It seems to accelerate somewhat more quickly up to speed, seems to pull steep grades with less effort and and does hold a bit more speed on steep grades in High (4th) gear. Idle rpm has increased, so i turned out the idle screw slightly less than 1/8 turn. The engine also seems to idle more evenly. Interesting stuff.
I think i've shared this story in the past, but here's perhaps a bit more context for why i went with the 1929 exhaust.
Dad had to leave his mechanical engineering studies at the Univerity of Cincinnati to help out on the farm because his brother had tragicaly died from a ruptured appendix. Dad traded in his '27 to Billy Wolff Harley-Davidson in Lincoln, Nebraska for a new '29 which was partially afforded on credit. Although there was heavier snowfall the latter part of winter in early 1929, the '29 farming season brought the beginnings of drought that didn't bode well for being able to have money to continue paying for the bike and despite Dad being a naturally born salesman there wasn't any sort of products that he could sell to financially conservative farmers in rural NE Nebraska during a year when prices had dropped on crops. Because of this, Dad had to return the '29 to Billy Wolff. Dad, being a man of pride and integrity, I can only imagine how difficult it was for a 23 year old to have to have to give up the bike because he could no longer afford to make payments so he could keep it. It seems Dad never forgot that time nor that '29 Harley.
1970, was my 1st semester of college, Dad came down to visit me and looked in the phone directory to see if Billy Wolff was still in business. Turns out, Billy still was in business...
A little about Billy, Billy worked with his brothers in their Indian dealership before WW1, and when WW1 broke out, Billy joined the fight in Europe. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/177399124/william-wolff When Billy returned from the war, he went back to working in the dealership and at some point apparently no longer sold Indians and became a successful Harley dealer in the '20's on up to the outbreak of WW2. Wolff Harley-Davidson was known in the community for being not only civic minded but also local racing events, but also putting on motorcycling activies out of his shop and had an account with the Lincoln Police Department during those years. https://www.lincoln.ne.gov/.../vehicles/motor-history.pdf
At some point, Billy no longer sold motorcycles and became an established bicycle dealer, https://www.facebook.com/.../1531.../posts/3609335742664660/ and again being civic minded became thoroughly involved in the bicycling community to the point that there is today the Billy Wolff trail in Lincoln https://www.gptn.org/.../billywolff-billy_wolff_trail.html
Back to the fall of 1970, Dad and i went to Billy's bike shop, Dad introduced himself to Billy and told his story of having to return the '29. Amazingly, 41 years later, Billy remembered my Dad having to return that '29. So, this is why i purchased one of Marcin's beautiful 1929 exhaust setups to remember Billy and Dad. 2002 miles 9.19.2025.jpg 8.31.25 Frankie Excellent.jpg
An update, i purchased a 1929 exhaust set from Marcin who manufactures them in Poland. There's a story behind my decision to go with the '29 setup as well as i like their unusual appearance.
Also, i crossed the 2,000 mile mark on Frankie this past Sunday. I don't think it's my imagination, the engine is running differently. I thought I'd noticed a difference the last 2 times I've rode the bike, seemingly more appparent during this evening's ride. I believe the engine is more or less fully broken in, because it seems to have more compression at the kick pedal. It seems to accelerate somewhat more quickly up to speed, seems to pull steep grades with less effort and and does hold a bit more speed on steep grades in High (4th) gear. Idle rpm has increased, so i turned out the idle screw slightly less than 1/8 turn. The engine also seems to idle more evenly. Interesting stuff.
I think i've shared this story in the past, but here's perhaps a bit more context for why i went with the 1929 exhaust.
Dad had to leave his mechanical engineering studies at the Univerity of Cincinnati to help out on the farm because his brother had tragicaly died from a ruptured appendix. Dad traded in his '27 to Billy Wolff Harley-Davidson in Lincoln, Nebraska for a new '29 which was partially afforded on credit. Although there was heavier snowfall the latter part of winter in early 1929, the '29 farming season brought the beginnings of drought that didn't bode well for being able to have money to continue paying for the bike and despite Dad being a naturally born salesman there wasn't any sort of products that he could sell to financially conservative farmers in rural NE Nebraska during a year when prices had dropped on crops. Because of this, Dad had to return the '29 to Billy Wolff. Dad, being a man of pride and integrity, I can only imagine how difficult it was for a 23 year old to have to have to give up the bike because he could no longer afford to make payments so he could keep it. It seems Dad never forgot that time nor that '29 Harley.
1970, was my 1st semester of college, Dad came down to visit me and looked in the phone directory to see if Billy Wolff was still in business. Turns out, Billy still was in business...
A little about Billy, Billy worked with his brothers in their Indian dealership before WW1, and when WW1 broke out, Billy joined the fight in Europe. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/177399124/william-wolff When Billy returned from the war, he went back to working in the dealership and at some point apparently no longer sold Indians and became a successful Harley dealer in the '20's on up to the outbreak of WW2. Wolff Harley-Davidson was known in the community for being not only civic minded but also local racing events, but also putting on motorcycling activies out of his shop and had an account with the Lincoln Police Department during those years. https://www.lincoln.ne.gov/.../vehicles/motor-history.pdf
At some point, Billy no longer sold motorcycles and became an established bicycle dealer, https://www.facebook.com/.../1531.../posts/3609335742664660/ and again being civic minded became thoroughly involved in the bicycling community to the point that there is today the Billy Wolff trail in Lincoln https://www.gptn.org/.../billywolff-billy_wolff_trail.html
Back to the fall of 1970, Dad and i went to Billy's bike shop, Dad introduced himself to Billy and told his story of having to return the '29. Amazingly, 41 years later, Billy remembered my Dad having to return that '29. So, this is why i purchased one of Marcin's beautiful 1929 exhaust setups to remember Billy and Dad. 2002 miles 9.19.2025.jpg 8.31.25 Frankie Excellent.jpg
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