# Prewar motorbike I'd?? Help?



## Antney (Apr 18, 2015)

Just picked this up this evening. Has a Latonia badge from Arkansas? 26" triple drop rims and stainless gutter fenders. H chain ring makes me think Hawthorne ?? Is it supposed to have a tank? Thanks for any help...


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## cds2323 (Apr 18, 2015)

Chainring, paint, fork point to H.P. Snyder as the manufacturer. Probably from around 34-36. It's possible it had a toolbox tank, they fit that frame. Any marks on top tube from clamps used to hold tank?


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## Wcben (Apr 18, 2015)

Cool bike, I know Miami made Latonia pre motobike era....


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## ohdeebee (Apr 19, 2015)

Latonia was not specific to any brand.  The Latonia was a private label bicycle distributed by the Boren Bicycle Company, which was operated by a father and son team (Ben E. Boren, Sr. and Ben E. Boren Jr.) from 1929 to 1957. The bike above is HP Snyder/DP Harris built (Rollfast). Here is a pic of my '37/'38 Schwinn with a Latonia badge:


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## Rebel_56 (Apr 19, 2015)

i have a 34 hawthorne motobike and a mid 30s rollfast motobike and both of em had horizontal mounting holes for the headbadge. I know Snyder made excelsiors from 34-38 and they had vertical mounting holes on the headtube. I'm just a bike hoarder not an expert but I thought I'd chime in. That bike does have the black and red paint scheme of a mid 30s excelsior.


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## Wcben (Apr 19, 2015)

Thanks Ohdebee, good info....Miami was long gone by then but they did build Latonia badged bikes.


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## ohdeebee (Apr 19, 2015)

My understanding is that Boren Bicycle Co. would buy bikes and bike parts wholesale, probably pre-drilled for their badges and then do the final assembly in house. I had another article on them but I think it was saved on my old computer. Their is no specific brand or manufacturer tied to Latonia or Boren badges. Miami may have sold bicycles with any manner of configuration to Boren/Latonia, but it is unlikely that they were exclusive or specific to that badge. As was the case with Snyder, Schwinn, etc.


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## Antney (Apr 19, 2015)

Can you tell me if this is supposed to have 26 or 28" rims??


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## ohdeebee (Apr 19, 2015)

Antney said:


> Can you tell me if this is supposed to have 26 or 28" rims??




It looks like there is a spacer for the rear fender making this bike a 26" model.


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## Antney (Apr 20, 2015)

So the triple drop rims are probably original???


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## cds2323 (Apr 20, 2015)

Triple drops are from the right time period. Very possible they could be original.


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## moparrecyclers (Apr 22, 2015)

Love the license plate!


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