Excelsior 1935 Manxman 250cc 1 cyl ohc

 

The Coventry firm of Bayliss and Thomas was as old as the two-wheeler industry, trading from the solid-tyre bicycle era.
Early manufacturers in both the motorcycle and the car fields, they were an established firm well before the Great War:  In 1913  an 800 cc single cylinder motorcycle was brought out, the biggest production single ever to be made.
In common with many manufacturers, the company used proprietary engines made by Blackburne and JAP. Post-war, to avoid confusion with the American Excelsior, Bayliss and Thomas christened their products “ British Excelsior”.
In the twenties the Midlands  company of Reginald Walker and his son Eric took over the firm and moved the plant to Birmingham. Eric Walker was a racing enthusiast and he promoted the use of Excelsiors in races.
This led to the development of  a Blackburne-made four valve pushrod operated  racing engine in 1933 – which won the Lightweight TT- ,  but which was superseded by a less complicated and sturdier engine of their own design, the Manxman.
This engine was produced in capacities of 249, 348 and 498 cc.
The 248 cc model was the most highly developed and the most successful one. With racing specifications it won many races, even after 1945. The restorer of  this machine has done a fine job!

$30,000

Harley Davidson 1927 Model B-350cc 1cyl SV

 

Harley Davidson had ended the production of  the    585  cc  singles  at the end of the model year 1918.
The company tried to win customers in the 600cc class with the flat twin model W Sport Twin that was produced from 1919 up to including 1923.  Sales were relatively modest, but it was clear that especially in the European markets a small-capacity HD would be a selling point, if only to act as a “starter model”.
In 1926  several 350 cc class models were brought out; the OHV versions were rather exotic machines mainly meant for competition use, but the side valve models 26A  ( magneto ignition)  and B ( battery and coil ignition) were good sellers: more than 7000 machines found a home in the first year of production.
From 1929 on a 500 cc engine was also available in the 350 rolling chassis.
In 1934 the production of these singles ended.
New features for the 1927 model year were strengthened frames and improved fuel tanks.
Amongst further small alterations was a new exhaust with reduced back pressure to permit the engine to breathe more easily.
3711 machines of the “B” type were sold in 1927. ( source: Matthias Gerst, “Harley Davidson, all the motorcycles 1903-1983”)
This Model B is a well maintained older restoration.

1934 Harley VLD – Sucher Collection

 

1934 Harley VLD — Sucher Collection

This 1934 Harley VLD is a pedigreed motorcycle from the Harry V Sucher collection. Harry’s main avocation which he pursued all his life was finding, restoring, and riding antique motorcycles. He wrote the definitive histories of the Indian and Harley – Davidson motorcycles and has been called the foremost American motorcycle historian. He was one of the early members of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America, SoCal Chapter.

Harry authored Harley-Davidson, The Milwaukee Marvel (August 1981). While writing this book and doing the requisite investigation of the fact by talking to dealers and factory members, Harry found all of the parts necessary to restore this 1934 VLD using all original new old stock parts off of the shelf. Johnny Eagles was doing the restoration and when in need of a part he would ring Harry up, inform him of the need and wait for the mail! The bike has minimal miles and has just been retuned by Eagles so that she is “show and GO ready”

Inside American Motorcycling (1995); pg 186.
Harley-Davidson, The Milwaukee Marvel (August 1981); Photo & story pg 243.
SuperCycle Magazine  (January 1986); pg 7.

$33,000

1940 Indian Chief w/1947 Engine

Overview

1940 Indian Chief w/1947 engine. Export model w/ metric speedometer from British Columbia. 3 year restoration with 37 break in miles. . . .This Indian Chief was purchased in Oregon in 2010 but leaked everywhere it could. Owner took the bike apart, sent the motor and trany to Kiwi and he did the remainder of the work. Very nicely done!

Complete history is unknown. Engine has brass emblem from “Otto Dragers Motorcycles, Seattle WA.” Otto opened his first dealership in 1935 and his grandson is still in business. He was a racer and specialized in police contracts in the northwest. He had a buyback program and rebuild and sell old bikes. His rebuilds had brass emblems on the engines. He founded the Jolly Rodgers MC club which sponsored races and the club is active today.

The cost of restoration far exceeds what this bike will sell for. Too many knee operations have made it hard for the owner to kick over this bike. But it is really fun to ride. and a real eye catcher especially with the non Indian paint color and finishing fit.

Mileage

37 miles on the restoration. Bike needs to be ridden in correctly.

Paint

All sheet metal rebuilt by expert body man w/ 45 years experience. Tanks and fenders are original. Gun metal finish is not a factory color.

Sheet Metal

Frame was sand blasted and a bad arc weld repair to the clutch casting was found. Arc weld repair on a brass brazed frame is prohibited. Frame was sent to Jeff Grigsby @ Indian Motor Works, the best Indian frame man there is. Frame was jig straightened and another clutch casting from a 1940 frame was brass brazed in. Frame was powdered coated and all new bushings pressed in. All other parts were powdered coated and exhaust was ceramic coated.

Chrome

All brite work has been nickel plated.

Mechanical

Engine was overhauled by Mike Thomas of Kiwi Indian. Built to stock specs including new flywheels. Old flywheels would not balance to his specs. This motor needs to be broken in correctly for 500 miles. All internals were replaced and the final parts list is 4 pages long with a cost of $11,200. Paperwork goes to the new owner. Motor was broken in by Kiwi on his engine stand.

Wheels & Tires

New 450 x 18 tires and tubes. Wheels and drums powder coated and spokes cad plated.

Title

Clean, clear, and Restored 1940 CA. plate registered to the bike.
Engine #: CDG7829
Frame #: 3401624

Nada

This would be rated as a 2 because of the non Indian color.

Accessories

Original shift knob, chummy seat, crash bars and luggage rack. Also, aftermarket mirror, light switch, fender light, tools, manuals, receipts and photos.

Harley Davidson 1943 WLC 750cc 2cyl SV

Harley-Davidson began producing the WLA and WLC (for the Canadian Army) in small numbers during the early Forties, as part of a general military expansion.
The later entry of the United States into World War II saw significantly increased production, with over 90,000 being produced during the war (along with spare parts the equivalent of many more) and would also supply smaller numbers to the UK, South Africa, and other allies, as well as filling orders for different models from the Navy and Marine Corps.
Many WLAs would be shipped to allies under the Lend-Lease program.
The largest recipient was the Soviet Union, which was sold over 30,000 WLAs.
Production of the WLA/WLC would cease after the war, but would be revived for the Korean War during the years 1949 to 1952.
Most WLCs in western hands after the war would be sold as surplus and “civilianized”; the many motorcycles available at very low cost would lead to the rise of the chopper and other modified motorcycle styles, as well as the surrounding biker culture.
The US Army would use motorcycles for police and escort work, courier duties, and some scouting, as well as limited use to transport radio and radio suppression equipment.
Allied motorcycles were almost never used as combat vehicles or for troop mobility.
Nevertheless, the WLC acquired the nickname “Liberator”, since it was seen ridden by soldiers liberating occupied Europe.
The engine of the WLC is a 45 cubic-inch or 750cc side-valve design, which is reliable though not particularly efficient however was popular in applications needing reliability more than power.
The engine develops around 24HP and the transmission is a hand-change 3-speed and foot operated clutch.
All standard WLC engines were medium-compression.
In modern terms, the WLC’s compression ratio of 5:1 is very low.
Due to this low compression, a WLC will run on 74 octane gasoline, necessary due to the poor quality of refining at the time, although fuel technology would improve rapidly during the war.
The WLC also features springer front suspension. Harley-Davidson would not adopt telescopic front forks until after the war.
The rear wheel had no suspension, giving this type of motorcycle the nickname “hard tail”.
This 43WLC 45 cubic inch, 750cc has been civilianized at some stage and is cosmetically well matured.
She runs however still well.
She comes complete with toolbox, crash bars, rear view mirror and a rare original luggage rack.

Indian 1923 Scout 600cc 2cyl SV

 

Indian Scout 1923 600 cc side valve V-twin Frame #v 54V272   engine # 54V272

After WW I the Indian factory decided it was time to market a somewhat lighter model than the 1000cc Powerplus.
The new model was labelled “Scout” and it created a sensation when brought out in 1920.
The strong points of the new design were easy handling, lightness, ample power for the 1920s roads and unbeatable reliability.
The new middleweight was also appealing to the prospective motorcyclists who were put off by the usual heavyweight big twins.
The Scout features a semi-unit construction power plant with a 3 –speed transmission bolted on to it.
Primary drive is by a set of helical gears that are enclosed in a cast aluminium cover and run in an oil bath.
The clutch is foot-controlled.
A new feature for 1923 is the compression release rod that is activated from the top of the petrol tank.
Note also the sprung seat post.
This practical Indian is restored some years ago.

1923 Beardmore 348cc 1cyl SV

 

At one time Frank Baker’s Birmingham-based  Precision company  rivalled JAP as a supplier of engines to Britain’s motorcycle manufacturers.
The first Precision engine went on sale in 1910 but it was not until after the Fist World War that the firm got around to building a complete motorcycle.
It was launched as the “Beardmore Precision” because the Scottish Beardmore Engineering Group had gained control of Baker’s company. That first machine was a two stroke with leaf sprung suspension front and rear. Soon the range was expanded with side valve models, a Barr and Stroud sleeve valve model and OHV and OHC works racers.
Production models were very successful in trials events of the day, but the firm had to close down in 1924.
This rare Beardmore Precision has a number of unusual features, the most notable being the fuel tank integral with the frame construction and the leaf sprung front suspension.

This machine is equipped with a side valve Precision engine with outside flywheel. It has 3 speed Sturmey Archer gearbox, BTH magneto and Brown&Barlow carburetor.
It has Acetylene lighting and  bulb horn and is an older restoration.

$17,000

Indian 1938 438 1265cc 4cyl IOE

 

Early in 1927 Indian bought the entire assets of the famous ACE motorcycle corporation.
Indian proceeded to manufacture the Indian –ACE until 1928 when the Indian Four took its place.
The 1265 cc engine has overhead inlet valves and side exhaust valves and delivered in the late twenties form around  30 HP. About ten years later this had grown to about 40 HP and tuned examples were known to put out some 50 HP! But with output also the weight grew: a 1929  4 would weigh about 455 lb, a 1941 model  weighs 568 lb. For the model year 1938 a new engine was presented.
The cylinders were cast in pairs, the  heads were made of aluminum instead of cast iron and they were removable.
The cooling fin area was greatly increased  and  a newly designed inlet manifold gave extra  power.
The valve mechanism was fully enclosed and automatically lubricated.
This new engine could be run at a consistent speed of 100 mph, yet could be throttled down to walking speed in top gear.
The styling of the 1938 models  was  also highly improved by the fitting of a tank-top instrument panel.
This, together with the graceful mudguards and wide range of colour choices made the 1938 Four the most handsome Indian Four model in its 11- year history.
The 500x 16 Coker tyres on this beautiful Four are an optional extra: many riders fitted these tyres instead of the standard 450 x 18 because the former gave a much softer ride.

$75,000

1905 Harley Davidson

 

This is a perfect example of the 1905 Harley Davidson. 1905 was the first production year of this iconic American motorcycle and there were only 3 motorcycles and one motor produced.

In the mid 1990’s a group of enthusiasts from across America banded together to create a small quantity of the best quality, technically correct, structurally strong, mechanically correct machines that would represent far into the future what was originally made long ago. The mechanical artisans that were invited to participate were the best in the country in their fields and the most knowledgeable of the actual workings and make up of these machines.

The attention to detail in the creation of the individual parts was precise down to the smallest detail. An example would be the gas tank bung and filler cap. The caps on this machine are so correct that you could remove them and screw one into an original bung on a 1905 machine if you could find one. The sizes of the caps and bungs are not at all common today so new taps and single pointed threads were used to duplicate that which was used in the factory at the time. In the early 1900’s this was called the “poor man’s patent”.

Although this machine has never been started, it was prepared exactly to be operable. The builder’s belief was that it was unrealistic to expect to ride this machine and it was prepared and assembled with an expectation of preservation. A coating of Cosmoline was used in the engine build to protect the innards from the elements found in display areas like an air conditioned office or museum. This preparation method was used so that the machine (artwork) would not damage its potential living quarters with oil or gas stains nor would the engine components and plating deteriorate through time.

At first glance the engines from 1905 and 1908 are very similar but there are changes in design that were employed to upgrade the machines. Engine cases were held together with 6 studs in 05 and 8 studs in 06, 07, and 08.

This fine machine has rarely seen the light of day. The extremely minimal number of machines created by this group is rarely offered for sale to the public. They are normally exchanged between collectors on prearranged options. Estate problems provide this excellent opportunity to the buying public.

1929 French Made “New-Motorcycle” 500cc

 

New-Motorcycle ca. 1928  500cc OHC Chaise frame #NM 158  Engine # 615

The New-Motorcycle is the brainchild of French designer Georges Roy.
Roy comes  from Orléans and he starts experimenting in the early twenties to design a motorcycle that does away with the conventional tube frame.
Roy considers a tube frame not suitable for a motorcycle because of its tendency to flex at higher speeds and  break because of repetitive vibration.
A sheet metal carcass will overcome these drawbacks; a further advantage of  pressed steel chassis  is a better  weather protection  for the engine  and  at the same time it will protect the rider from oil and grease.
After experimenting with a prototype Roy applies for a patent in December 1926.
On the patented design there are removable side shields with openings  on both sides of the engine, but it seems these shield are not used on the production models.
On a surviving photograph Roy poses with a prototype  that is fitted with a 350 cc Train two stroke engine but  apparently for production models other engine types are used: at the 1927 Paris Salon we find a New-Motorcycle with a 350 cc OHV JAP engine, at the 1928 event the machine is fitted with a 500 cc  OHC Chaise power source.
Not much is known about  Roy’s production facilities: On another known New Motorcycle, the Kervoline  plaque  on the right hand side pressed steel fork blade gives 13, Rue du Parc ,  Orléans as company address, a 1928  advert in Moto-Revue  mentions 77, Avenue d’Antony, Chatenay (Seine).
These two places are more than 100 miles apart.
The New-Motorcycle  was not a commercial success, it seems Roy didn’t have a good  sales and service organization but that didn’t  stop him from designing and marketing  an even more unusual motorcycle, the Majestic.
But that’s another story…One thing is for sure: this exotic machine is a rare beast.
This New Motorcycle is a very presentable older restoration.

$40k