1956 KHK Project

[DaveSwanson]

After 6 years of tracking down parts what started out as an extremely rough basket is coming together.

[HarleyCreation]

After 6 years of tracking down parts what started out as an extremely rough basket is coming together.

Looks like the time and effort was worth the effort. You're going to have one of Harley's all-time most interesting models ever built when it's finished.

And it's a KHK on top of it! Cream of the K's! Special K!

Do you know where the bike was originally sold and ridden? What shop it came out of? How did you find and get it?

I am very envious. You have REAL special bike there!

[DaveSwanson]

Thanks for your interest.

It's been a most fascinating project. I have little knowledge of the history regarding this bike. I bought it 6 years ago from a fellow AMCA member who rescued it from a pole barn. It was, for all intent and purposes, as close to the motorcycle graveyard as it gets. It was torn apart laying on the ground in the pole barn, subjected to flood waters. Did I say rough basket! It did possess the bare necessities; a correct 1 year only frame, and a correct numbers matching, although utterly worn out (but not busted), motor. Tins, headlight, taillight, speedo, handlebars, key switches, nacelle, dash, shocks, and many other tough to find items were missing.

What followed was a intense study of K models and a painfully slow, but sure acquisition of parts. Although finding the needed parts was a very exciting hunt, the most rewarding part of this project was getting to know some of the rarest of AMCA members; the K model experts. Without their help it would have not been possible to accomplish this restoration.

[HarleyCreation]

Dave, it sounds like a fascinating project. The pole barn story is a good one. I started out my old bike career with similar "old junk" finds that I resurrected from motorcycle graveyard status. I can imagine that correctly piecing together a KHK model takes extra skill but what a fine collector item when done. Your bike is gotta be one of the more desireable of all the K models. At least I would rate it so.

You have the very last production model sporting flathead ever built in America!

I don't know if you would risk it after all your hard work and expense, but it would be very interesting to do a timed top speed run with a KHK just to verify what it is capable of.

Care to share all/part of your bike's serial number?

I'm interested in matching Harley's "official" production numbers against production figures gleaned from serial numbers. KH models seem to be one area where "official" numbers do NOT match serial number production numbers. That is, more known bikes than printed "official" numbers lead us to believe is correct.

Thanks!

PS: any pix of your '64 "CH"?

[DaveSwanson]

S\N is 56KHK1957

Thanks for the nice comments. I recognized that it was quite a special bike and thought it was deserving of a serious resto.
Probably won't be doing any high speed runs. It will be ridden though.

The CH is in bits waiting for the K to be finished. It wasn't nearly as ambitious of a project. Fairly original but not original enough to warrant leaving alone. A number of incorrect bits and a not so great re-paint job.

[HarleyCreation]

S\N is 56KHK1957

Thanks for the nice comments. I recognized that it was quite a special bike and thought it was deserving of a serious resto.
Probably won't be doing any high speed runs. It will be ridden though.

The CH is in bits waiting for the K to be finished. It wasn't nearly as ambitious of a project. Fairly original but not original enough to warrant leaving alone. A number of incorrect bits and a not so great re-paint job.

That's a very cool serial number!

Your number #1957: the 1,958th Model K produced that year, puts it above the 1,266 TOTAL production of all K varients listed in H-D's "official" production numbers, including racing bikes. IOW, you own a bike that by Harley's logic, does not exist.

Your number is also special in another respect: 1956 was the LAST year that Harley serial numbers began at #1000.

If you ever need a Harley trivia question, that one will stump even some experts.

I don't blame you for not wanting to put your KHK over the hurdles after so much time and effort, but maybe after you get it running you'll change your mind. At least enough to compare it with the CH's roll-on highway performance perhaps.

Never had a K, but I've ridden 45's and a VL, and I always enjoyed their smooth quiet power, simplicity, and easy-starting abilities, plus they look cool and like Uke said: "So mighty." In spite of the K motor being an obsolete antique right out of the bag (making it an unusual top notch collector dream bike today), it has the futuristic KL unit crankcase and chassis. And H-D also quite successfully gave the antiquated top parts an equally sharp futuristic look. Nothing else quite like it.

Will you restore the CH to like-new stock?

[DaveSwanson]

Yes I will restore the 64 to the same level as the 56.

And it was my understanding that it is the 958th k model produced that year, out of the total.

[HarleyCreation]

Yes I will restore the 64 to the same level as the 56.

And it was my understanding that it is the 958th k model produced that year, out of the total.

Thanks for the correction

Of course you're right. They started at 1000, not at zero like I calculated. Duh! That ain't the first (nor last) stupid mistake that I'll make. That puts your bike inside of Harley's "official" production numbers.

[Coolbreeze]

If you are interested in engine serial numbers, mine is 56 KHK 1341. I can trace my bike back to the factory. I figured the number means my bike was the 341st KH made in 1956 and that it had the optional "KHK" power treatment.

[Powerlifter626]

In regards to the VIN.....Just because the numbers are 1341 does not mean that it was the 341st produced....I thought the same about my motorcycle when I bought it and I called Harley Davidson in Milwaukee and spoke to someone regarding VINs and I was told that there were no patterns to these VINS...a lot of times Harley mixed them up in order to throw off the competition as to how many motorcycles they were producing. I have also hear that the vin could possibly signify the day and number that day your motorcycle was produced. 1341 could mean that in 1956 on January 3 your motorcycle was the 41st produced that day. This is not fact just speculation as far as I can see....I have not found anyone who knows for sure regarding these VINS but I am sure there is someone somewhere who is still alive that may have assembled your motorcycle who could tell us all about it and other Harleys of the day.
How is it you are able to trace your Harley back to the factory? Is it just because the motorcycle has been in the family? I'd love to trace mine back but the guy who I bought it from could not even tell me who the guy he bought it from was.

-Paul

[vph-d]

Herb Wagner's book about "Revolutionary Motorcycles and Those Who Rode Them" talks about Knucklehead serial trends. So many engines to the cart, so many engines needed that day for production, etc. Apparently, there was no strict orders to how the engines were pulled out of the engine room and sent to the production line. Hell of a book, too!
VPH-D

[Chris Haynes]

I started out my old bike career with similar "old junk" finds that I resurrected from motorcycle graveyard status.

I have heard rumors about some kid rummagin' through the scrap parts outside of the MoCo untill the security guards chased him away. :-)

[pete reeves]

Herb.
I have a 56KH with a serial number above 2400, The serial number on the 1944 navy knucklehead that was advertised on ebay and discussed on this forum recently was higher than the 44 production total.
I have also seen a 42 U with a number higher than the reported production total.
Could it be that the production totals recorded are for financial years and not model years?

Pete Reeves. 860

[vph-d]

As the story goes, that is exactly what happened. A personal assistant to John Davidson compiled the totals from accounting records or something. I know several people here know about this ... Help!
VPH-D

[Chris Haynes]

The production figures were compiled by Midge Kimball using the Presidents Quarlerly Reports. But she computed them using calendar years.
The Federal Govt. has all the correct figures if you know how to find them.
Also the correct figures are inside the walls of the MoCo if somebody would take the time to get them. The Service Department has a numerical list of every line bore number ever issued. Next to the line bore number is the serial number that was applied to that case. Now to get the MoCo to send a couple of bodies down there for a week or two to sort things out.