# American



## Sambikeman (Jan 27, 2022)

Original 65


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## Sven (Jan 27, 2022)

Sweet!


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## rollfaster (Jan 27, 2022)

Love it!


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## OZ1972 (Feb 4, 2022)

Man that bike is clean !


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## Goldenrod (Feb 4, 2022)

It looks like a tough, fast ride.


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## Adamtinkerer (Feb 5, 2022)

I really like that chain guard, compared to the simpler version used on later '60s and '70s models!


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## Gully (Feb 5, 2022)

Man that IS clean!  Very nice!


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## Jorgesk8erdie (Apr 4, 2022)

Sambikeman said:


> Original 65
> 
> View attachment 1557838



man i love this color and how clean and siimple it is 
also do you know if those fenders could accommodate a balloon 2.125 tire


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Apr 4, 2022)

Jorgesk8erdie said:


> man i love this color and how clean and siimple it is
> also do you know if those fenders could accommodate a balloon 2.125 tire



I have seen it done balloons on a middleweight. The older middle weights have slightly wider fenders then the later years. I think in about '61/'62 they slimmed them down a bit. The balloon tires often look stuffed into the bike. The smaller S-7 seem to present better in that the lines of the tires edge and WW line if you use them lines up really nicely and evenly. Also if you do try to fit balloon tires your rims had better be dead straight. I have seen it done but it is very tight and I would think the profile of the tire would also come into play. Let us know if you get it done and as always no pics then it didn't happen hahaha


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## Jorgesk8erdie (Apr 4, 2022)

ok do you know if the later ones with the long style reflector are wider 

maybe i’m just better off going with the ones i have that are ballon and then buy the rivets to make them look cleaner and then drill the reflector hole


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Apr 4, 2022)

Jorgesk8erdie said:


> ok do you know if the later ones with the long style reflector are wider
> 
> maybe i’m just better off going with the ones i have that are ballon and then buy the rivets to make them look cleaner and then drill the reflector hole
> 
> View attachment 1600966



Those are the later skinny fenders no dimples where it meets the frame. I'm almost certain they will not fit a balloon tire. I think the last dimpled middleweight fenders were early "60s not exactly sure. That reflector is late '70s maybe even early '80s


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Apr 4, 2022)

That bike will look sweeeet with out fenders and balloon tires. The HD Cruiser


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## bloo (Apr 4, 2022)

1965 has the narrower fenders and I too am pretty sure 26x2.125 on S2 wont fit. You might get away with 26x2x1-3/4 extra-wide S7 tires on S7 rims if you true up the wheels real good. You would have to pay close attention to chain length, axle position, etc and might have to give a fender brace a slight tweak here and there. It would probably work, but I am not sure.

My 61 Speedster had some Wald fenders on it that were narrow like 65 fenders, and I just took them off rather than messing around with it.


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## Rivnut (Apr 6, 2022)

Great looking bike. I have a couple of Americans, both of which look like yours. I bought a 3rd one last year, a 1964, from the original owner.  It was a rust bucket that I bought ($30) just for the kick back coaster brake. But it was one of the few that still had the front rack and headlight.  The body for the lamp had been destroyed by battery acid and the rack was a total rust bucket. Why is it that so many Americans, as well as others, are missing the lights and racks?


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