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Noticed in photo of 1938 motorbike!

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mr.cycleplane

Riding my Motorbike
I am posting this as it may be of some interest to my fellow Schwinn collectors. I am the second owner of this 1938 Schwinn motorbike. When I got the bike it came with an original picture(approx 8.5x11) of the owner proudly sitting on the bike. The bike was sold through one of the Chicago Cycle Supply stores in Chicago where the owner lived. It bears a 'Lincoln' head badge and the downtube has the Lincoln decal. In the photo you can see he is wearing a wool jacket and matched wool knickers to keep him warm. This could be a clue as to when the bike was purchased. Christmas time? I have had the bike and picture for some time and everyone that sees them is fascinated that an original bike and photo have stayed together so long. I've looked at the photo hundreds of times as I have it blown up to small poster size and mounted on the wall behind the bike. Just this morning though I noticed something odd in the photo. Behind the owners left leg in the photo there seems to be a rectangular area-like a piece of paper. Can you guess what it is...…its the Schwinn Guarantee hang tag! I went and pulled one out and compared by size and its relation to how it is hanging-its a match. It is probably a solid guess this picture was taken the day he got the bike-which explains the smile on his face!
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For display I now have tried to re-create that moment hanging the tag as in the picture-tied to the top portion of the seat tube. Just goes to show you the more you study a picture-the more you see!
 
I am posting this as it may be of some interest to my fellow Schwinn collectors. I am the second owner of this 1938 Schwinn motorbike. When I got the bike it came with an original picture(approx 8.5x11) of the owner proudly sitting on the bike. The bike was sold through one of the Chicago Cycle Supply stores in Chicago where the owner lived. It bears a 'Lincoln' head badge and the downtube has the Lincoln decal. In the photo you can see he is wearing a wool jacket and matched wool knickers to keep him warm. This could be a clue as to when the bike was purchased. Christmas time? I have had the bike and picture for some time and everyone that sees them is fascinated that an original bike and photo have stayed together so long. I've looked at the photo hundreds of times as I have it blown up to small poster size and mounted on the wall behind the bike. Just this morning though I noticed something odd in the photo. Behind the owners left leg in the photo there seems to be a rectangular area-like a piece of paper. Can you guess what it is...…its the Schwinn Guarantee hang tag! I went and pulled one out and compared by size and its relation to how it is hanging-its a match. It is probably a solid guess this picture was taken the day he got the bike-which explains the smile on his face! View attachment 1108329

View attachment 1108330

For display I now have tried to re-create that moment hanging the tag as in the picture-tied to the top portion of the seat tube. Just goes to show you the more you study a picture-the more you see!
After looking at your pictures it looks like I can say my tank is a 1938!
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Man, everyone wishes they had original period photos of their collectable bikes like that. That's really special, similar to having the original receipt like this one (not mine:(

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December of 1938. Note the front tank strap location that the folklorists will claim was only in 1939 despite the change being noted on an engineering drawing as early as late 37.
 
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SO ONCE AGAIN TO BE PERFECTLY CLEAR THAT TANK WITH THE STRAP BACK IS MOST COMMONLY FOUND ON 1939 MODELS!!!!
 
HERE IS AN EXAMPLE...SAY YOU ARE RESTORING A 1939 MOTORBIKE MISSING THE TANK.....WHAT WOULD BE THE TANK YOU WOULD PREFER TO FIND?......THE TANK WITH THE STRAP BACK BECAUSE THAT IS HOW MOST OF THEM COMMONLY CAME!!!!!
 
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