Hendee 4 Valve Track Racer

 Indian Hendee 4 valve boardtrack racer.  Most overhead valve Indians were 8 valve motors but a few were 4 valve OHV

I just purchased this 4 valve top end set and plan on using them on the Hendee Belle motor.

An 8-valve Indian was a very fast bike for the early 1900's but I have spoken to several people who have ridden them and the 4 valve bikes are pretty quick as well.  

Think about it...a minimum frame, no brakes, no clutch and no throttle.  You set the throttle at the beginning of the race and slowed using the kill switch or retard the magneto.  Pretty hairy stuff....

Indian Hendee Race Bikes

I really like a patina build but its almost impossible to get right when piecing a motorcycle together.

An 8 valve twin

Another 8 valve twin

An F Head Hendee single

 

1911 Indian Hendee

I built this 1911 Indian single years ago for a client and always wanted one of my own.

I am just starting on a 1912 Hendee single but it will be a boardtrack racer.

I still have the paint sample from this build and will most likely use the same color.

 

Hendee and the Lady

As per my usual motorcycle builds this one started with a simple encounter.  My wife Laurie and I were driving down the 91 freeway one Saturday, honestly I was minding my own business.  Up ahead in the distance I spied a bright yellow 1940 Ford pickup with a 1913 Indian motorcycle in the back.  Traffic was slow so I rolled down the window and started chatting with the driver.  Interesting story for the next installment.  It planted a seed to build an old Indian Hendee boardtrack bike.

I went home and started looking for parts, either an engine or a frame.  I came across a listing on Etsy for an Indian Hendee motor case.  I reached out to the owner and met Tiff.

She had been perusing through some old junk several years ago and spied these cases.  She likes old stuff which is very cool in itself.  When she saw the name Hendee she knew she was onto something.  Like she says "if you know then you know"...she knew.  She had them for a couple of years and then put them up for sale.

After we came to terms on the price I sent her some funds and some trade goods and she sent me the Hendee cases.  Thank you Tiff !

Tiff and Annie

Hendee Belle on my bench.  110 year old miracle

I just purchased this frame and gas tank, time to start building Belle

 

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Building

 Zen..........to be peaceful and calm

When restoring, building or repairing a motorcycle it really helps to be peaceful and calm.  Step back for a minute and breath deeply.  Look at what you are building and grom on it for a few.  With patience you won't wreck that bolt, carb or whatever you're working on.

When any motorcycle was created at the factory the engineer had to step back and feel what he or she was building.  They didn't always get it right and sometimes they got it right but the bean counters got involved.  Afterall they had to make a profit.

If it's your machine that you are working on it doesn't hurt to take a few liberties.  You may want to really breath deep before you take that torch to a Crocker frame!  Somethings can't be reversed.

Above all make it an enjoyable experience.. you may go the the national Vincent rally and be the one who stands out.  Afterall, it's not difficult to make a cookie cutter restoration if you have deep enough pockets.  Have fun or drive a Toyota!

John Donavon Built Indian Chief

Absolutely perfect !

 

Custom BMW R51 Build

If you have been following my blog posts then you know that I am building a 1952 BMW R51/3.  I am almost at the point where I need to decide how to to proceed...it's a tough call because the R51 was an almost perfect motorcycle from the get go.

The motorcycle pictured is an R51/2 so it's a bit different from mine, but not by much.  The bike that is pictured was built by Kontrast Kreations out of Switzerland.  It has been posted all over the internet so I will use the pictures taken by Marc Schneider.

I have always had a problem with doing a total concours restoration-there is always  something to change on a motorcycle.  Jeff Decker built a Vincent Black Lightning a few years back which really perfected the lines of an already beautiful motorcycle.  Some folks liked it -me included- and some folks hated it.  Oh well, it wasn't their motorcycle!

Jeff Decker built Vincent motorcycle

I have always loved Indian motorcycles, especially the 74" Chiefs-the real ones- not the new ones.  When I lived in Vallejo a guy named John Donavon built a custom Chief that I really liked.  I have to admit that I almost abandoned my BMW the other day to pursue a Chief but the bike by Kontrast saved me !  I will move forward in a non-traditional vein but will not alter any of the existing bike in any way.

Afterall...it is my motorcycle

I really like the rear fender set up, however, I do know from past experience that you can get the fender too close to the tire.  When you ride the bike for any distance  it gets hot and will expand.  I may not get this close.  I have a brand new fender left over from our Harley WL build and I just purchased a BMW R51/3 tank from Jeff Moore so all of a sudden I have my tins!

Photo by Marc Schneider

The leather seat on this build is perfect.  The rubber covered BMW seats are nice as well.  I believe that I will try to duplicate this seat but with aged black leather.  Kind of like an old Harley K Model seat.

Photo by Marc Schneider

Photo by Marc Schneider

I have done similar rear fender struts before so that's not too big of an obstacle.  If you look closely you will see that the fender support is attached to the final drive and not to the frame.  They solved the front mount by using a hinge that moves with the tire.  I may do something a bit different because I intend on riding this machine.  Soon I hope ?  I'll be 64 in October

Photo by Marc Schneider