J.C. Higgins Color Flow Batwing Headlight

[shutterbugKELLY]

Do the batwing lights attach to the fender using the same holes as the fender brace rivets? I really don't like the look of the batwing headlights, but if every color flow ever made came with one, then I'll put one on. Though I think that it looks cleaner without it.

How long were color flows made. I'm guessing this one is from around 1950, based on the springer. I can't wait until it's restored! We also picked up a late 1950s Jet flow with a slightly different springer and a really great headlight. The horn was missing from inside the tank, but it still has the cool rack with the really cool blue / red reflector. Unfortunately it's a girls bike

Are there any repop metal J.C. Higgins emblems available for the rack? Just about every vintage one I've seen is broken.

- Kelly

 

[J.E]

Hi Kelly.I think the boy color flows had the round light and the girls bike had the bat wing.E-mail me and i'll send you some pictures of my j.C higgens [email protected]

 

[shutterbugKELLY]

Hey J.E.,

The e-mail I sent to your address bounced back. I'd love to see pics of your bikes, feel free to post them here if you want.

- Kelly

 

[Mybluevw]

Color Flow Lights

I have seen color flows with a variety of lights. The bat wing light was an option in the Sears catalog, but I don't think it was standard. Lots of people didn't like them because they were so heavy that they made the bike tip over when it was on the kick stand :eek:
I have a couple of Higgins ballooners, one has a large chrome ball light that I think is original. It mounts to an eye on the fork casting (doesn't attach through the fender). My other bike had holes for a fender light so I put a Rocket ray on.
One way to tell what was on your bike would be to look at the fender to see if there are any mount holes. The bat wing light is attached with a bracket that mounts to the two holes where the front fender brace hooks on.
If you find a source for the rack emblems let me know cause mine are broken too and I don't know of anyone repopping them.
I will take some pics and post them in a couple of days.
Mark

 

[shutterbugKELLY]

We think that it probably had a batwing originally, because it doesn't have additional holes in the fender, the braces are not riveted on but held on by screws, and there is a slight indentation above each of the fender brace holes. Our girls bike, which looks almost identical to this one here, http://www.bikeicons.com/images/1950e%20J.C.%20Higgins%20Color%20Flow%20Girls.jpg has a light that is mounted to the springer. Though the girl's bicycle has a notch in the base of the springer, that our boy's bicycle does not.

If batwings were optional, then I won't worry about replacing it, which makes me happier. Quick question, should the piece beneath the tank be chromed or painted?

- Kelly

 

[J.E]

Try this again. [email protected] peice under the tank should be chrome.

 

[J.E]

[email protected]

 

[37fleetwood]

the Ol Tin Bender has a bunch of Color Flow stuff and should be able to get you photos of the "Batwing" bracket. I'll ask him to get you the info.
Scott

 

[shutterbugKELLY]

Thanks for the pics. If I do decide to add the light, at least the bracket would be easy to fabricate. There's no way I'd spend that much on a bracket and light, that'd be more than what I spent on the entire bicycle lol!

- Kelly