# Is this a harley davidson bike ???



## lazerboat (Jul 9, 2011)

have this old race bike with wood wheels  Bsa crank and pedals  front of frame says H D any help with I D would be great


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## redline1968 (Jul 9, 2011)

it is a british made bike. a B.S.A  insignia is on the sprocket.  nice bike but not a harley.


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## 66TigerCat (Jul 10, 2011)

Can you post a pic of the fork crown from the side ? Looks like there are stars cast into it. Very nice bike.


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## lazerboat (Jul 13, 2011)

not stars on fork but i will post a pic ,any idea of make


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## redline1968 (Jul 14, 2011)

its a B.S.A


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## RMS37 (Jul 14, 2011)

From the teens through the early fifties BSA produced a line of track components that were the “Campy” of the day. Many U.S. manufacturers and hand builders used BSA components on their top of the line racing bicycles including the track bike produced in the teens for Indian.

The BSA crank and pedals don't necessarily mean this bike is a BSA and it is unlikely it is with the H and D cutouts in the lugs unless it was specially built for a team racer with those initials. 

Racing frames are by nature built to an international period standard rather than a national one and it can be difficult to differentiate the country of origin of a bike. I would say that this bike looks American to my eye and I did come up with the following picture of a Wastyn frame with identical rear drops. 

http://www.classicrendezvous.com/USA/waystyn/wastyn_by_emil.htm

I wouldn’t rule Harley Davidson out but another avenue is to search for racers from the teen through twenties with those initials.

And, what is the boss sprouting from the head? I hate to venture a wild guess (oil port is more likely) but is it a steering damper to add resistance to the steering for sleep riding during a six day?


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## videoranger (Jul 15, 2011)

Some good reply's. I would rule out any Harley connection, but this is a very nice vintage racer. It also appears quite different from other BSA bikes from the early days and is most likely just using BSA cranks.  It has great original "patina" and would need nothing but tires from the looks of things. My first impression is that the frame was likely made in a small shop that would be common many years ago. An early 1900's bike would have block chain and this has a skip tooth that is pointing toward the 1920's. It's impossible to tell what is original to when the bike was built without some access to it's history. I like this bike alot.


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## kccomet (Jul 15, 2011)

i collect old track racers and have a dozen or so. i would like to buy this one. that said im sure this bike has no connection to harley, i dont see the d, in my pic looks open on the letter even if a beautiful d again no harley. as already said these old racers are hard to identify as there were many builders some very small numbers. these bikes are usually worth around what the componets will bring, wood rims, adjustable stems,  nice drop bars, ect. while your frame is unusual it looks like it has a pretty good crinkle on the top tube which doesnt help it. like the other post says, i like it. it does have some charm. im not sure why but i think its australian. im always looking for old wood rim racers, if you have one drop me a line im a fair buyer


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## lazerboat (Jul 16, 2011)

*thanks*

Thanks for all your help the dial on the neck is a stering lock for long races , i do wounder if the H D on neck is the racer it came from a family with last name Dewise , here is also a cool pic i found, the wheels are made in MI I bet American bike


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