Black Hawk Motorcycles

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  • Chris Haynes
    Curmudgeon
    • Jul 2002
    • 5939

    #1

    Black Hawk Motorcycles

    A friend of mine recently dug up an engine for a Black Hawk Motorcycle. I have never heard of anybody who had an original Black Hawk Motorcycle. He would like to build a motorcycle around it. Does anybody know of any parts for this rare bird? Anybody have any information what proprietary parts were used in their construction?
    Be sure to visit;
    http://www.vintageamericanmotorcycles.com/main.php
    Be sure to register at the site so you can see large images.
    Also be sure to visit http://www.caimag.com/forum/
  • bobbyt
    Member
    • Mar 2008
    • 98

    #2
    There was an article on rebuilding a Blackhawk in the club mag, around the fall of 2004. The
    chief engineer for Blackhawk had been the the chief engineer at Excelsior previously.

    ------------ Bob Turek
    #769

    Comment

    • c.o.
      Senior Member
      • Feb 2003
      • 5353

      #3
      You might want to try this guy Chris... http://flashbackfab.com/other-vintag...912-blackhawk/ That's very cool that an engine showed up!
      Cory Othen
      Membership#10953

      Comment

      • Chris Haynes
        Curmudgeon
        • Jul 2002
        • 5939

        #4
        Thanks guys.
        Be sure to visit;
        http://www.vintageamericanmotorcycles.com/main.php
        Be sure to register at the site so you can see large images.
        Also be sure to visit http://www.caimag.com/forum/

        Comment

        • duffeycycles
          Senior Member
          • Apr 2010
          • 2007

          #5
          There were three known motors , two found in Rock Island dump by Blackhawk wives!The one restored was Gagan and incorrect according to Mike Smith[Who had one from the dump]..My friend just sold one this week[from the dump]
          Smitty & Bob McLean said a complete sold in the early 70s in CA..This pic is SF CA Dealer
          Blackhawk.jpgblackhawk mc.jpg
          Attached Files

          Comment

          • duffeycycles
            Senior Member
            • Apr 2010
            • 2007

            #6
            chris -national museum anamosa has a BH catalog

            Comment

            • sirhrmechanic
              Vigilis
              • Dec 2010
              • 1147

              #7
              I am confused... is the Blackhawk an Indian model? Is it a racing team? Were they motors made by Indian for the Blackhawk???

              Neat any time a rare piece surfaces. I'd love to know the back story of the company and the bike(s) they built. Can someone fill in the blanks?

              Cheers,

              Sirhr

              Comment

              • fillibuster
                red dog
                • Aug 2009
                • 934

                #8
                Originally posted by sirhrmechanic View Post
                I am confused... is the Blackhawk an Indian model? Is it a racing team? Were they motors made by Indian for the Blackhawk???

                Neat any time a rare piece surfaces. I'd love to know the back story of the company and the bike(s) they built. Can someone fill in the blanks?

                Cheers,

                Sirhr
                Built in Rock Island Ill. Guess in the 00's. That makes them "dinosaurs".
                I have a book, "Yesterday's Motorcycles", by Bob Karolevitz of Mission Hill SD, which gives short description or just an advertisement of about 200+ different-named motorcycles manufactured prior to 10930. The Black Hawk add is shown full-page on page 100. Wish my scanner was up.

                How about a little distraction here? If I brought a current-day publication to the AMCA Library, would they have trouble with "rights" to offer it for downloading or review? Would we need author's consent?

                Comment

                • duffeycycles
                  Senior Member
                  • Apr 2010
                  • 2007

                  #9
                  BH built '12-'13?The SF dealer was Indian and BH.

                  Comment

                  • c.o.
                    Senior Member
                    • Feb 2003
                    • 5353

                    #10
                    It seems to me that they may have ran from '11-'14. Is this similar to the ad you mentioned Phil? It was easier to get to my stack of ads than it was to dig out my copy of "Yesterday's Motorcycles"! It's been awhile though and I should round it up for another read through. Oh, and I'm thinking you just might need the "author's consent".

                    Cory Othen
                    Membership#10953

                    Comment

                    • fillibuster
                      red dog
                      • Aug 2009
                      • 934

                      #11
                      That's the one, Cory! ... and I like the book! Does bicycle stuff too, good primer.
                      Author must be deceased by now, but I will attempt to get permission. There are a few connections in the neighborhood, and the author is local in SD.

                      Comment

                      • duffeycycles
                        Senior Member
                        • Apr 2010
                        • 2007

                        #12
                        amoto3.jpg
                        The whole pic that sold for about $280 ebay

                        Comment

                        • c.o.
                          Senior Member
                          • Feb 2003
                          • 5353

                          #13
                          That's a cool photo.
                          Cory Othen
                          Membership#10953

                          Comment

                          • silentgreyfello
                            Senior Member
                            • Nov 2006
                            • 861

                            #14
                            Originally posted by Chris Haynes View Post
                            A friend of mine recently dug up an engine for a Black Hawk Motorcycle.
                            I don't know if "dug up" is the correct term! It was sitting in an AMCA member's living room for many years, and prior to that in Smitty's shop in Rock Island. If you are going to build a bike around the motor, DO NOT copy Pete Gagen's. There are so many incorrect things.

                            Comment

                            • Paulvenne
                              New Member
                              • Mar 2007
                              • 24

                              #15
                              It would be interesting to know what is correct/incorrect. Might help others in these more difficult builds. I salute it either way since my primary objective is always just to get a bike together and running and then address the perfectness issues. Look at paint for an example. Has anyone ever done an authentic paint job on a pre 1916 bike. Not that I have seen. And what about spark plugs and wires and fittings? I noticed that the Bosch ZEV has a rubber boot over the wire as it comes out of the Bakelite fitting. Never seen one restored though.

                              Comment

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