The Motorbike Era

[hoofhearted]

I'm with you Keith. I appreciate the historical significance of these bikes but the full boogie ballooners such as the big tank Shelbys, Super Streamline Huffmans, the Bluebird, and full boogie canti Autocycles are what really gets me excited. Unless its dirt cheap I'll never buy a restored or pieced together Merkel, Indian, or HD. Way too many of these are faked or started off as a different brand even though it may have the same frame. V/r Shawn

Shawn ... help me to understand your position.

Would you buy a full-boogie ballooner that was restored
or pieced together with correct factory parts ?

I can understand not buying a Michigan City, Indiana
(let's say, Excelsior) ... that was badged and ringed
as a H-D .. then restored as a H-D.

I can understand not buying a Merkel that was built
using a frame from (let's say, Schwinn or Reading-
Standard) but had a correct F-M ring.

I can understand not buying a H-D bike with sidecar
if I believed it to be built of non-Davis parts.

FOR EVERYONE ..........

Below is a 1917 H-D Motorcyke ... during auction at
Bonham's in 2015.

Bonham's claims it is the real deal. Is it ?

Following this are a few more Davis Motorbikes ....

Now Let's Peep A Few More Davis Machines Of The Era ......

 

[Mark Mattei]

Schwinn Admiral.

 

[Goldenindian]

It is NOT. No tank door either on 1919 tank Harley.

 

[Mark Mattei]

2 Mead Ranger Motorbikes.

 

[Freqman1]

Shawn ... help me to understand your position.

Would you buy a full-boogie ballooner that was restored
or pieced together with correct factory parts ?

I can understand not buying a Michigan City, Indiana
(let's say, Excelsior) ... that was badged and ringed
as a H-D .. then restored as a H-D.

I can understand not buying a Merkel that was built
using a frame from (let's say, Schwinn or Reading-
Standard) but had a correct F-M ring.

I can understand not buying a H-D bike with sidecar
if I believed it to be built of non-Davis parts.

FOR EVERYONE ..........

Below is a 1917 H-D Motorcyke ... during auction at
Bonham's in 2015.

Bonham's claims it is the real deal. Is it ?

Following this are a few more Davis Motorbikes ....


View attachment 336444


View attachment 336445



View attachment 336446



Now Let's Peep A Few More Davis Machines Of The Era ......

Patric,
The motorcycle related bikes usually have a substantial price difference between them and their lesser branded siblings. Its just hard for me to rationalize the thousands of dollars in price for a badge and chain ring on a restored bike. For ballooners it really depends. For instance I passed on a restored Firestone (Colson) Bull Nose because the serial was not for a Firestone bike even though the frame was identical. V/r Shawn

 

[hoofhearted]

Patric,
The motorcycle related bikes usually have a substantial price difference between them and their lesser branded siblings. Its just hard for me to rationalize the thousands of dollars in price for a badge and chain ring on a restored bike. For ballooners it really depends. For instance I passed on a restored Firestone (Colson) Bull Nose because the serial was not for a Firestone bike even though the frame was identical. V/r Shawn

Good thoughts - Shawn.

I appreciate your input .....

.......... patric

 

[hoofhearted]

Just found this foto of my 1917 H-D Motorcyke Model 417 that
I restored back in 1996. A major, local motorcycle dealer bought
it from me, during the restoration process. Only machine I ever
restored.

It has been in the possession of Mid-Ohio Harley-Davidson, in
Springfield, Ohio .. since that time.

The machine is shown in a store display.

...... patric

 

[Oldnut]

One of my newest 24 in emblem motobike wood wheels

 

[Eric]

Here is my 20s Schwinn Built Motorbike.

 

[Eric]

And my 1934 balloon Schwinn b10 motorbike. Its repainted and some parts are missing or wrong but it is a fun rider