You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Nice ride Bud! With great original paint and nickel. Love those Cali Bars too... would love to see those flipped around racer style!
General question to Davis folks:
Why don't any of the Davis built/badged bikes share any of the features of the Harley bikes they supposedly built. Drop-outs, forks, fork crown, rear stays, lugs etc??? Or is there something I'm missing here?
Thanks!
This frame is lugged and has "HD" looking chain adjusters...Not sure though about the other issues. I suppose HD could've had some pretty specific designs that they wanted their bicycles to have to set them apart from the rest?
I do have another Davis built Victor that is not lugged but of the same era so I was kind of wondering the same thing....
Thanks!
This frame is lugged and has "HD" looking chain adjusters...Not sure though about the other issues. I suppose HD could've had some pretty specific designs that they wanted their bicycles to have to set them apart from the rest?
I do have another Davis built Victor that is not lugged but of the same era so I was kind of wondering the same thing....
bud poe and many others ... some specifics regarding the biggest differences between the Dayton Motorbike Frame
AND the DAVIS Motorbike Frame are addressed in these pics. The DAVIS was purchased by this writer .. after a hot
tip from Dave The Wave ... thank you, again, Dave !!!
bud poe .. chitown .. and many others .. The H-D rides were based on the DAVIS formula for fabrication. DAYTON bicycles
had DAYTON-ONLY features ... with the exception to the 1918 model year, when some DAVIS bicycles had a single lug (like
the Dayton) at the top of the seat mast AND Dayton SLEEVED ADJUSTERS at the drop-out plates.
Thanks for the illustrations. So Davis had multiple fork, drops/chain adjusters and frame building process' at a time when most of the plant (60%) on war efforts? Besides the fact that the bicycle department was trying to fill the government orders for the Columbia Standard military model bicycle. To me that Harley you've got looks more Mead than anything else.
Not to mention the fact that the plant was set to close down in 1917 for "considerable new machinery" for making tractor parts:
Then there is this article taken from the Davis Daily News, Oct 9th 1932:
Then along about 1914 the automobile sprang into widespread popularity, and the bicycle was forced to give ground. Following closely on the heels of this new vehicle’s appearance came the World War, and while no one in Dayton realized it at the time, it really sounded the death knell of this famous old industrial plant.
At the command of the government, the Davis halted its production of bicycles and sewing machines and converted a large part of its machinery into the manufacture of munitions. Again the payroll boomed, but it was not the solid, substantial prosperity that had attended its peace-time years. Munitions were provided to meet the government’s demands. But each day that the machinery was on that work it was growing farther away from the time when it could again be utilized for producing the things for which it was originally intended. The regular business of the company suffered. The electric sewing machine came in and was marketed by several competitors at a time when, through force of circumstances, the Davis was unable to meet and cope with such competition. The cry was for munitions and more munitions. The world was being made safe for democracy—but at the cost of the Davis reputation and markets.
So Harley may have had a contract to fill bikes with Davis Sewing Machine co, but when the war broke out and Davis was pushed into defense contracts, is when they may have struck up relations with Mead to take up part of the contract to fill those orders. We know there was a relationship with George Lewis and Horace Huffman when they formed the Dayton Rolled Metal co, in 1925 but there is little evidence of their relationship before that "merger".
WWI had companies pledging unity and support for the government. I think this is a key time in bike manufacturing. In the late teens, there was a movement to "standardize" the bicycle manufacturing process under one government run department. Horace Huffman was one who thought "standardizing" the bicycle would benefit the industry.
James Mead was not on board with this philosophy... mainly I guess because he already had a thriving company with several patents on manufacturing techniques.
Davis had some patents too, just not ones that were practical:
In 1916 they were still designing the lug/fishmouth joints:
CHRIS (chitown) ... your ability to bring up documents related to what we are discussing is remarkable.
You have great ability in the research arena !! Good stuff. i do need a clarification, tho. What HD do i
have that looks more like a Mead than anything else ?
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.