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Local bikes rule

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... Local shed find ...
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this has prob been discussed before, but here goes. I've got a soft spot for local found bikes, it's cool, to me to find something that's never left your hometown or state. in 35 or so years I've bought 8 or 9 really great bikes, great to me anyway and way more than i want to think about because it was in my backyard so to speak. it's alot harder to find something good with the internet. once it's posted that local estate sale or hometown auction...chances are it's going to Cali if you don't step up. show us your hometown bikes you've found local, or within a few hours drive. it doesn't have to be great or a grail bike, just something you were happy to get without being shipped or driving across country. here's a local one to me I bought quite a few years ago

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OUTSTANDING!!!! Especially if was local, MAN!!!
 
I purchased my O.G. paint MOTROBIKE locally only in late January 2023, and only 20 minutes from my home in CANADA. It had been on the local CL so long the ad had expired with no takers at a very reasonable price.

I'm just in LOVE with the old girl and so happy to have taken the leap into owning it, I'm also very thankful nobody else stepped up to purchase it locally.


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cool posts, I should have named this thread back yard beauties. picked this up today where it had sat on my local craigslist for a few weeks. would I have bought it at a swap, no. would I have bought it online, no it would cost half as much to ship as it's worth. it's missing the good stuff, it's just a backyard beauty

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I have a few local bikes, but this was the most recent and has the best story.....I posted this story in December.
Happy Holidaze! This is my gift to all Cabers……a cool old story about an old bike……

This bike popped up on my local Craigslist, Monterey, Ca., I was immediately drawn to the double bar frame, and it was only a mile from my house. I did not know that it would be a rare bike/badge with a cool old Monterey story. I have a collection of historical items from Monterey and this bike fits right in.

When Howard Hodges was 14 years old he had saved up enough money, from working at his father's gas station, to buy three bicycles, one new and two used. He set the bikes against the side of the gas station with a "For Rent" sign. During WWII, many people didn't have bikes of their own, but for $0.25 an hour, Howard was able to share the joy of the wind in your hair, to anyone able to pay. Neighborhood children, and GI's with their gals, would rent a bike for a trip around town or even down 17-Mile Drive. To accommodate the growing demand, Howard gradually built up a fleet of 32 bicycles and consistently had a line of customers. In 1944, when Howard was drafted, his father maintained the business. When his service ended two years later, Howard was discharged and returned home to discover his business had been bowled over by someone renting newer, and faster, motor scooters. Rather than feel discouraged, Howard learned that if you had the right item, the customers would come. He began building up his inventory and included everything from building equipment to party gear. By 1957, he was able to build his first store, located two blocks from Cannery Row. The bikes took a back seat to the growing rental business and were put in storage down on the Row. Cannery Row was the scene of many questionable fires in the 60’s-70’s and the bikes were ultimately destroyed by one of them. Most likely the ’77 fire across the street from Portola Packing Co. which is now the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

I purchased the Savage badged bike from Howard’s son, Hal, and it is the last of his father’s bikes and one of a few survivors that were not in the warehouse fire. From the condition, we guessed that it had never been used in the rental fleet, but did make it to the paint dept. where they would paint tools, equipment, etc. The bikes were painted for identification and as a theft deterrent, this bike retains its original paint underneath the blue overspray. I can see the original front fork darts, and pinstripes under the overspray and will keep the bike as is because it tells the story. The chainguard was dipped in OA by Hal but he did not want to strip the whole bike, thank goodness. I was shown a couple of private family photos of Howard with some of his bikes in the original rental fleet, and it was Iver Johnson Motorbikes and DBR’s, he had even ordered some custom-built tandems, and all were lost in the Cannery Row fires. I have a few steam valves and an original wooden conveyor roller from the Hovden Cannery which is also part of the Aquarium property.

This Savaged badged bicycle has some features I have not seen before. To start, it is a bigger frame than most. I have been parking the bike next to my KSHD and noticed they were both sitting at the same height, so I measured it out and the Savage is the same sized seat tube, 20”, and ½” shorter on the headtube. I have been riding the Savage for a few weeks now and it rides as nice as the KSHD. Besides the larger frame, here are the other observations…..the serial number is stamped about 6” down from the top tube on the seat tube, #C073215….the seat post has a funky tapered top….the rear dropouts are forward facing for an early bike….nice undermount bolt on kickstand. I know there is some Rollfast, aka Snyder/D.P. Harris associated with this bike, and maybe a west coast connection to the Baker, Hamilton & Pacific Co.

If you have any info related to the Savage, please post up….there is very little info out there…..
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Here is the bike hanging in the middle of the rental shop....I used to look in the window on weekends but never went in when they were open. If I could have seen that shiny straightbar above the front door, I might have made an effort. I remember seeing the bikes in the middle of the room and was not impressed enough to make the effort, I thought the Savage looked like a 24" bike. Lesson learned...
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Here is Howard, on the left, and his father...
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The Savage....
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