What year / model are these bikes?

[NicoNP]

A close friend is writing a Bio of her Great Uncle. We're trying to figure what year/model these 2 bikes are. The close up seems to be a '36 to '39 based on the tank emblem. I'm thinking a Flathead.

The other I just don't know . . . I know there are guys on this forum a lot smarter than I am about ID's. Look at that interesting primary on the early bike in the field. Looks like he was ready for some kind of competition.

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear Nico, the second picture looks like a 1931/2 VL. You can see it is a Big Twin because the drive is on the left. It has the flat lens Motolamp used only in 1931/2. For 1931 the generator end cover is stepped and there is no helper spring on the clutch pedal. 1932 is the first year of the good old Model 32E generator with the plain end cover, and also the first year for the clutch pedal helper spring. Maybe you can get some clues with a magnifying glass on the original photo. On the other side, 1931 had a one-year-only chubby muffler with a perforated fishtail, while 1932/3 had a more conventional longer muffler still with the perforated fishtail. These are probably the two VL years hardest to tell apart, as few technical changes were made.

[Jerry Wieland]

I think the first picture is probably a 1938 UL. Paint and the rocker clutch appears to be the early one.

Jerry

[Steve Slocombe]

Looks like the VL rider was also keen enough to lash out the extra 50 cents per wheel for cadmium rims.

On the first picture, there were no ULs in 1936, and 1938 was the last year for that taillight, so that narrows it down to 1937/8. I don't know enough to get any closer, but I'm sure someone else does.

[NicoNP]

Thanks, that's funny. She got a kick out of that, "rider was also keen enough to lash out the extra 50 cents per wheel for cadmium rims"