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Thread: Quite a bike...

  1. #1
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    Quite a bike...

    Not really being a two-wheeler guy, I am unfamiliar with a lot of the older names in motorcycles...My daily spin through YouTube turned up this episode of Jay Leno's Garage in which he takes us on a ride with his unrestored 1931 Henderson police bike...I never even heard of Henderson, but it was apparently the premier choice for law enforcement until depression jitters caused the company's owner to shut down production, and concentrate instead on his other two-wheel company, Schwinn...

    Far ahead of its time in engineering, it featured an 80 CI, overhead valve, five main bearing, four cylinder engine with a top speed of around 110 MPH...Jay says his has so much torque he can accelerate smoothly fro 10 MPH up to top speed in third gear...This one has a reverse gear for sidecar work...

    Two fuel tanks, magneto ignition, springer front fork and a sprung seat made it reasonably comfortable and reliable for long-term riding, although Jay said the brake is a little dicey at times...It was the fastest production vehicle commonly seen on American roads, which made it very attractive for police work...Quite a machine...Jay says he's owned this one for 30 years without ever having to turn a wrench on it......Ben

    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

  2. #2
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    That's a neat motorcycle & cool part of history......

  3. #3
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    That is beyond cool! I don't even know if I've heard of a Henderson but I like it!!!
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    Pretty amazing that it is in good enough shape to ride out on the roads at that age. Really says something about how they were built in that era.

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    Quote Originally Posted by TxMusky View Post
    Really says something about how they were built in that era.
    I was watching WC Fields in "The Bank Dick" the other day, and there was a car chase involving police motorcycles...They were obviously genuine cop bikes from the equipment they had, but I did not pay enough attention to notice whether they were inline fours, V-twins or something else...After I finish my current Amos 'n' Andy marathon, I'll break out the Bank Dick DVD again and check...I couldn't find that sequence on YouTube......Ben
    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

  6. #6
    Wannabe is offline Nov 5, 1946 - Nov 19, 2018
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    Kinda curious as to the price to get one of those in that shape today. I am sitting down and holding on.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Wannabe View Post
    Kinda curious as to the price to get one of those in that shape today. I am sitting down and holding on.
    Dunno...All I find are a bunch of parts and books...I suppose you could buy all those and wrench them together, then challenge Leno to a street race for pink slips......Ben
    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

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    Quote Originally Posted by Truckman View Post
    Dunno...All I find are a bunch of parts and books...I suppose you could buy all those and wrench them together, then challenge Leno to a street race for pink slips......Ben
    Indian also made an in line four at the same time.
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
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    This is your mind on drugs!

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    There is a very charming movie based on a real man, an Australian, who customized a 1920 Indian motorcycle to try for a world record on the Bonniville Salt Flats In 1967, and succeeded! Stared Anthoney Hopkins, The World’s Fastest Indian (2005). Highly recommended. As I recall, it got Academy Award recognition.

    https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0412080/
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  11. #11
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    I've watched that film and enjoyed it.
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    I also have an inline four cylinder, transversely mounted.

    I haven't ridden it in years. It is a strange bike to ride since the mass of the engine extends so far out from the center of gravity. It does not want to come up on its own as you come out of a corner---you have to "lift" it back up. It isn't as bad when riding solo but with someone on the back it can become a bit dicey.
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  13. #13
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    I had a Honda 750 Nighthawk which looked very much like Dave’s earlier in-line 4 cylinder, and I had none of the balance issues he mentions. I really enjoyed that bike until I swapped bikes with a friend and wrecked his Honda Goldwing ending my days of motorcycling by decree from my wife.
    ...............
    “You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out.” — Too fundamental to have an attribution


  14. #14
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    Here is a view that will give you an idea of how much the motor extends from the center line.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

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    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Grubb View Post
    Here is a view that will give you an idea of how much the motor extends from the center line.
    I'm sure long pants were advisable for the rider......Ben
    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

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