Duoglide Police Bike Hand Lock question?

[Grahame Maker]

Hello everyone. I'm a new member and this is my first thread. I have been reading the Forum for some time and i'm astounded by the depth of knowlede out there. I have a 1964 Boston, Mass P.D. Duoglide in England and need help and advice with lots if issues mainly surrounding the Police equipment. I have the Palmer and Genat brothers books and a few others including HD parts manual from the period. But the first question I have is regarding the reset knob for the Speedo Hand Lock. The riveted 'post' I have on the spring is only around 1/2" long and the end of it only just sits flush with the dash cover making if difficult to reset, and would be just about impossible if wearing a glove. But, I have seen that it does look almost identical to the drawing in the parts book, and I realise that if it was much longer it would be difficult to install the dash outer cover because the mile trip knob on the Stewart Warner police special speedo is fixed in place with a tiny roll-pin on the other side and it would be hard to get the cover to fit over both? On the very end of the hand lock reset there appears to be a faint circle in the metal that made me think that there was once a screw-in type knob that could have been broken off, but the parts book doesn't suggest that a screw in knob was fitted? Can anyone tell me, or post a good up close picture of what this should look like? I would be extremely grateful. I would also like to get in touch with any specialists in the AMCA on Police bikes for advice on equipment, trim, Motorola 6v Dispatcher radios and decals etc. Thanks!

[Rubone]

The reset post is just as you have, no knob or anything else was ever fitted to them. If your dash and handlock are set up right the post should protrude about 1/8th inch. All it does is release the locking lever on the handlock solenoid which requires very little movement. And if assembled correctly even with gloves it is no issue, a slight pressure in releases it!
Robbie

[dstrieter]

Motorola Information

Welcome to the forum. This link has excellent Motorola information:

http://www.wb6nvh.com/CHPcycle.htm

I totally agree with Rubone on the reset post. Its the same on my 1963 motor.

Dale
Member 12775

[Grahame Maker]

Hi Robbie. Thanks for the confirmation! It just looks unfinished somehow! Glad to know it's how they are.
There is no one in England I could even think to ask on this as we don't have Harley cop bikes here! I am determined to get this wonderful piece of Americana as correct as I can. I have a head full of questions I shall be asking soon and with you and your fellow experts help I'm sure getting my bike as correct as possible will get much easier. Thanks again! Grahame.

[Grahame Maker]

Hi Dale. Great link, thank you! Some great info on there. I have the radio set but not the antenna, and i'm not sure what that would look like? The fender mounted hinged type rear steel box has a hole in for it. Yours and Robbies confirmation that my button is OK is good to know, and I am very grateful to you both. Regards, Grahame.

[dstrieter]

Antenna

DSC00109.jpgCHP[1].jpgHere is a CHP example and the one on my bike. I'm sure it had to do with frequency.

Dale
AMCA 12775

[Chris Haynes]

I can tell you where that old CHP picture was taken. It was behind Santa Monica Harley-Davidson in West Los Angeles.

[Grahame Maker]

Wow Dale. What a gorgeous bike! Did you get it complete, or did you have to find the parts the hard way? With mine I have found some items original and genuine and other parts seem oddly wrong. For instance, I have the correct police Jiffy stand with the pad for soft ground, and the wiring between the generator and regulator has the screen for radio interferance and yet I have a front fender siren, which isn't technically year-correct. I think I have the fender from a servi-car as it also doesn't have 'DuoGlide' badges? Research suggests this could have been an officer preference, or maybe all that they had around after the bike was in a minor accident? I have found out that what was technically correct for any given year cannot be taken too literally because police depts may have bought 'bare' replacement bikes and refitted earlier radios, siens and lights removed from the bikes the police dept's were taking out of service. I have some paperwork regarding the Motorola Dispatcher radio which shows different antennas for different frequencies but these are shown on separate brackets. I've not seen much information on the antennas for the steel box that you and me both have. I would love to see some if anyone has some?

[Grahame Maker]

Thanks for the links Chris. Your VAM site is very interesting, and I didn't know there was a Vintage American Iron magazine or website, so thanks for making me aware! Grahame.

[Chris Haynes]

DSC00109.jpg

I have never seen a CHP bike with a rotator or a hand shift in the '60's.

[dstrieter]

DSC00116.jpgDSC00110.JPG

Grahame -
It was fairly complete when I got it with the exception of: the correct Jiffy-stand (now on the bike in correct padded black), no radio gear (the 3 rear boxes were there but I had to find a transciever, antenna and had to fabricate the front radio head unit from an old motorola speaker box), new knurled knob for the siren, fix the rotating Cycle Signal Lamp, as well as a few other odds and ends. Still looking for the correct control cable end connector to attach to the transciever and remove the chrome from the footboards.

I'm not so sure your front siren is incorrect. My 1963 HD Supplement Accessory Catalog for police and servi-car indicate the front siren (Part # 91133-58A) is for both the servi-car and the "74". (But I am far from an expert).

As far as the antenna goes, I just obtained a double female PL-259 through-chassis type connector (should fit the hole you have) and then used a male PL-259 to any type adaptor and you can find a lot of antennas in the 18" - 24" range that will fit.

To my knowlege, Police equipment is not judged unless they are period incorrect or significantly detract from the overall appearance of the motorcycle, so I wouldn't worry too much about "correct". PL-259 connectors have been around forever.

Good luck! Police radio gear has been some of the hardest items for me to locate. If I see any, I will try to stay in touch.

Dale
AMCA 12775

[dstrieter]

Chris - I would agree with you on the CHP bikes in the 60's, I've never seen any either. It seems that a lot of the literature indicates that the CHP always did things a little different. Didn't their early bikes have a right-side siren and some with white frames? I have a chain of title for mine and it was originally from Johnson County, Kansas Sheriff's Department. (Don't mean to hijack the thread, Grahame)

Dale

[Grahame Maker]

Thanks again Dale. I will investigate The PL-259 connector in the UK in case it's a universal part no' thing! If not i'll order some from the States, no problem. I don't have any specific Police parts information apart from the parts in the stock parts book. I have been keeping a look out for some, but have never found any yet. I was under the impression that the front sirens were discontinued in 1962 but I don't know now where I got that idea from? I had a certain amount of luck with my radio. I found the transceiver on ebay for $40 and was the only bidder??? The lady selling it had no idea what it was, and was selling off her late fathers old Radio Ham collection from his basement! Then I got talking to a guy called John Kelly from Chicago, who just happened to be the guy that wrote the Communications/Radio chapter in the Genat brothers book on Police Motorcycles. I was asking him to confirm what I actually needed to be correct for my bike and it turned out he had the complete head with clip-on waterproof handset, the handlebar clamp bracket for it, the NOS stepped studs for the handlebar clamp and the complete wiring loom with plug for the transceiver. It wasn't cheap, but it was a price I was happy to pay. And he was really knowledgeable and helpful which in itself was of great value. The only thing apart from the antenna that I still don't have is the bracket inside the box that retains the transceiver. I don't know how long I will have to wait to find one of those on its own? I will be making one until I find the real thing.
Grahame.

[cdndewey]

Thanks again Dale. I will investigate The PL-259 connector in the UK in case it's a universal part no' thing! If not i'll order some from the States, no problem. I don't have any specific Police parts information apart from the parts in the stock parts book. I have been keeping a look out for some, but have never found any yet. I was under the impression that the front sirens were discontinued in 1962 but I don't know now where I got that idea from? I had a certain amount of luck with my radio. I found the transceiver on ebay for $40 and was the only bidder??? The lady selling it had no idea what it was, and was selling off her late fathers old Radio Ham collection from his basement! Then I got talking to a guy called John Kelly from Chicago, who just happened to be the guy that wrote the Communications/Radio chapter in the Genat brothers book on Police Motorcycles. I was asking him to confirm what I actually needed to be correct for my bike and it turned out he had the complete head with clip-on waterproof handset, the handlebar clamp bracket for it, the NOS stepped studs for the handlebar clamp and the complete wiring loom with plug for the transceiver. It wasn't cheap, but it was a price I was happy to pay. And he was really knowledgeable and helpful which in itself was of great value. The only thing apart from the antenna that I still don't have is the bracket inside the box that retains the transceiver. I don't know how long I will have to wait to find one of those on its own? I will be making one until I find the real thing.
Grahame.

You could get either front or rear siren in 62.

I'm looking for Police radio stuff for my 62 so if you come across any extras could you keep me in mind please.

[Grahame Maker]

Thanks for the confirmation! Thats good to know. I'm loving the help and information i'm getting here. I will definately let you know if I get anything extra along the way. It would be good to help someone else out if the opprotunity arises. Everything I have had to get has been from eBay. Prices have been nuts, (except the Transceiver I got lucky with,) but what can I do? I won't find anything police at a swap meet in the UK. Love ebay, or hate ebay, I probably couldn't rustore this bike without it over here. Not in less than 15-20 years anyway! Thank you again.