H-D Production IoE V-twins 1909-1929

[T. Cotten]

Just conjurin' Eric,..

But if the legend that Ole Evinrude used a tomato can has any basis at all, wouldn't it have been for a float 'bowl'?

Using one for a body would certainly have invited a melt-down.

And it would have been one very, very large "'venturi'"!

....Cotten
PS: I admitted I'm clueless about pre-George Schebler designs, so any pics or literature would be appreciated!

[exeric]

It looks like the '09 double may have a H model Schebler, but there is no way to verify the '08 did. Also, there is no way to know if the '09 originally had a Schebler. There were many different carburetor manufacturers in those days, including Harley-Davidson. As for an automatic carburetor, I know that in those days, some carbs were very crude so perhaps it refers to a carb with a float. As for atmospheric intake valves, they were very common in the early days. Indian went mechanical in 1908, H-D went mech. on their twin in 1911, but not till '13 on their singles. Atmospheric intake valves were simple, and efficient for the slow speeds, and poor roads of the day.

[T. Cotten]

I've got no clue about earlier carbs, Steve!

Nobody has trusted me with one.

But the advantage of an 'automatic' snuffer should be obvious.

....Cotten

[Steve Swan]

Good question, Folks!

Hopefully 'automatic' meant it put itself out when it caught fire.

....Cotten
PS: Before Folks think I am just being flippant, please consider if it has a Schebler H Model with an airvalve.
(I hope so.)

Thanks Tom, for your comments. When i read the 1907 featured an "automatic" carburetor, i wondered if "automatic vs. non-automatic" had something to do with mixing air and fuel in a ratio suitable for efficient combustion....? in years past, i seem to recall reading very early, primitive types of carb design somehow regulated the rate fuel dripped into the carburetor, not too much to flood the combustion chamber but enough to allow combustion when raw fuel and air were drawn in to the combustion chamber.....? or, am i just having a fanciful idea.....?

and, back to Robbie's comment on atmospheric intake valves, this design had no direct mechanical actuation...... ?

[Steve Swan]

I am sure you mean American Machine & Foundry, not AMC.

Thanks Chris ! of course, AMF, is what i meant !

[T. Cotten]

Also, what made an "automatic" carb different from a "non-automatic" carb ?

Good question, Folks!

Hopefully 'automatic' meant it put itself out when it caught fire.

....Cotten
PS: Before Folks think I am just being flippant, please consider if it has a Schebler H Model with an airvalve.
(I hope so.)

[Chris Haynes]

I am sure you mean American Machine & Foundry, not AMC.

[Steve Swan]

The '07 double used atmospheric intake valves and was neither a mechanical or sales success. Very few were actually built. The mechanical intake and IOE design changed things dramatically for H-D.

Do we have any RH views of the engine and the machine. Specifically, do we have any pictures of the atmospheric intake setup ?

Also, what made an "automatic" carb different from a "non-automatic" carb ?

[Rubone]

The '07 double used atmospheric intake valves and was neither a mechanical or sales success. Very few were actually built. The mechanical intake and IOE design changed things dramatically for H-D.

[exeric]

Just an observation; note the '08 double has a belt tensioner, but H-D's museum '09 does not. In it's defense, the '09 has probably been monkeyed with by many hands, over many years.

[Steve Swan]

Eric, thanks for the info from "the Motorcycle Illustrated." Amazing, the bike only weighed 275 pounds !

Was this new model simply known as "the double" ? What feature(s) made the carburetor "automatic" ? Battery is "three cells;" was the battery a dry cell type ? Are any 1907 twins known to exist ? I really can't imagine the excitement riders must have felt, leaving the horse behind for a motorcycle. Really must have been an age of awe and wonderment.

[Steve Swan]

Good idea Steve.
Vtwin production start in 1907 not in 1909...

Well.... There we go ! I learned something already ! 1907 was first year of twin production !

[exeric]

This is a picture of a 1908 twin, or double.



Sorry for the poor quality of this scan. As you can see, the date is January of '08 so it was made in '07 as Eric stated. Also in the text it mentions the '07 double.

[Eric]

Good idea Steve.
Vtwin production start in 1907 not in 1909...

[Steve Swan]

Hi Eric ! I was so glad to hear in the "Irma Thread" that you largely missed the wrath of Hurricane Irma.

Really looking forward to what you can share on the IoE twins. I thought it would be fun to go through each model year; present one model year at a time over a month or two period, see how much information gets shared, then move on to next model year.