Would you or wouldn't you ....Excelsior?

[decotriumph]

Interesting, so this Schwinn Excelsior badge appeals to the Motorcycle clan as well, well Excelsior motorcyclce collectors anyway.
Very interesting, wonder why Schwinn would by a motorcycle company out?
I understand the Whizzer and the Simplex angle, were Excelsior motorcycles like these Schwinn models? rather than full blown Motorcycles...I'm not into motorcycles....yet

Schwinn bought both the Excelsior and Henderson motorcycle companies and also used those names on some bicycles. In 1931, they abruptly quit building motorcycles and concentrated on bicycles but they retained the rights to use the names for bicycles. Excelsior motorcycles were on a par with Indian and Harley-Davidson and they were the "Big 3" of motorcycles in the first 30 years of the 20th century. Excelsiors were v-twins and won many races, including hillclimbs. Hendersons were inline 4-cylinder motorcycles and their engine design was the forerunner of the Ace and Indian 4-cylinders. Hendersons held several endurance and cross-country records. They were also popular with police departments.

 

[spoker]

dougfish is right on i have a couple old bikes,thats enough old ones for me rhe rest are prettynew,i enjoy an old bike but im donebwith the restoration and imkeadiatly going upside down on value

 

[Obi-Wan Schwinnobi]

dougfish is right on i have a couple old bikes,thats enough old ones for me rhe rest are prettynew,i enjoy an old bike but im donebwith the restoration and imkeadiatly going upside down on value

Why would you restore this?.. Its a BA97 with really good paint!... Its complete too. The,frame alone is worth 180 bux on a good day. This isn't your typical,straight,bar. This is a FAT BAR ... Ie postwar,autocycle in great shape.. Id,be all over this...if you wanted to build a postwar AC you would need this,frame!. A panther hornet frame is incorrect to build one of these...

 

[kos22us]

 

[jd56]

Well....I did it again

I Have to sleep in the shop again tonight......just kidding.
But, I have been cutoff on all funds, well....until I can sell some bikes and stuff.

So against some better judgements and then with some ideas that this wouldn't be a bad deal, I went back to get the bike.

Here is what happened. I called the guy saying I was heading back, he said OK. Before I made this decision and weighing the options....really? I had options. I was notified by a member that this exact bike was on ebay, for $450 as a starting bid. So not wanting lose out on the great condition and watching it get sold on ebay, or even yet get a bid at all, (it hadn't yet), I knew I need to get there before that bidding started.

When I got there and was peeling the 50's from my pocket, he mentions that he just found out his internet nephew had called after I left the first time, to say he posted it on ebay. Needless to say he was informed there were a number of watchers. No bidders but watchers. He said that that just meant they were getting ready to bid and the price could go out of sight.
Yes the asking price was raised while I was gone and that the offered $350 final sale was null and void. It was now back to $400.
I bought the bike for more than the $350 but haggled the new price down a bit.

I'm still stoked and pleased and probably won't get my investment back but, who knows. When I ever decide to let it go.
Looking forward to the minor cleanup as I think that's all that is really needed. Besides the rims and or a new spoke. 2 dents in the rear fender and a kick stand that seems to now be acting up (over extends).

Thanks for all the feedback everyone, including your honesty dougfish.
And the history lesson on the Excelsior.

Seat needs repair but nothing some tacky spray won't fix.

OH yeah, the Goodyear tires had this single "S" on the sidewall....any ideas what this means?

 

[dougfisk]

....OH yeah, the Goodyear tires had this single "S" on the sidewall....any ideas what this means?

They used to grind the name / letters off of some tires identified as "seconds".... Could this be whats left of "Speedway"? ...Does the Goodyear lettering remain?

Does it get cold at night in the shed this time of year???

 

[jd56]

Not that cold yet and it's a shop dagnabbit....lol
Actually we're supposed to hit mid 30's tomorrow night. Our first frost for the season. 65 today.

That would suck if they were seconds, as they appear to be in great shape.
And it does have GOODYEAR in block lettering.

 

[greenephantom]

In my mind the Excelsior badged bikes tend to fall under the "hardware store" bikes, different badges but largely the same model configuration. But this bike that you just picked up is somewhat unusually configured. With the spears style paint scheme, and the straightbar (as opposed to DX) frame one would expect a non-skiptooth drivetrain and a different fender treatment, at least for this time period. But this bike has the skiptooth drivetrain (which would have been a DX thing) and the fender tips also have the DX treatment (this style of wide white tips with straight lines is commonly seen on the 24"ers). The straightbar frame and the chrome rims are Autocycle caliber, and the drivetrain and fender treatment aren't. And I would bet money it left the factory that way. All sorts of new weird stuff I get to learn every day. Neat bike, and well worth the sub-$400.
Cheers, Geoff

 

[DonChristie]

300 would of been better, but 400 you still done well! Chalk it up to a lesson to buy it when it is first in front of you! Glue the seat leather back on, clean it up and ride it like you stole it! Nice ride! Ride on!

 

[jd56]

I didn't want to ruin the Troxel leather that was originally on the seat pan for this bike by gluing it back in place. And with the frayed edges as this is a double pan, the wear would only get worse.
So...I had the pan re-leathered and just got it back. A beautiful dye job and the price was better than reasonable. Thanks for the great work. He wants to stay anonymous...or he can chime in if he doesn't. It's a hobby for him not a business.
But he did an awesome job. All it needs now is a "Troxel" stamping.
He did another lighter double pan for the wife's Columbia 5 Star Superb.