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Description


Harley-Davidson has a proud competition heritage dating back more than a hundred years, with the original V-twin providing the basis for a number of independent racers in the early days. However it wasn't until the establishment of a factory racing department in 1914 that things really began to hot up, with the development of an eight-valve 61-cid device used to devastating effect by the so-called Harley “Wrecking Crew”. Crude but highly effective, these racers were devoid of brakes and could reach fabulous speeds for the time, whether on oval dirt tracks or the banked wooden board tracks popular at the time. Although Harley's eight-valve was technically available to the public, few could afford the $1500 asking price, with the price kept deliberately high to avoid competition for its stable of factory riders. Although based on the production F-head engine, Harley's racers - catalogued with a simple R designation - had a better breathing cylinder head developed by Harry Ricardo, with two exhaust and two intake valves for each cylinder. With a single carburettor and Bosch magneto iginition, the motor was mounted low-down in a so-called 'keystone' frame and many lacked a clutch or gearbox as such, relying instead on a second chain alongside the primary one. In 1916 Harley went one step further by creating a twin-cam version of the racer and it was soon famous the world over, with the likes of Freddie Dixon and D H Davidson setting records at Brooklands in Britain and Arpajon in France in the early 1920s. In 1921 a Harley-Davidson became the first motorcycle to win a motorcycle race with an average speed in excess of 100 mph, an achievement widely lauded at the time. By the mid-1920s, Harley-Davidson's F-head Two Cam racers formed the mainstay of the factory race team until the AMA introduced its new “Class C” for production-based 45-cid motorcycles. The new rules rendered the old Two Camers obselete and ultimately led to the development of the famous “Peashooter”. Given the rough treatment meted out to on the tracks of the day, it's hardly surprising that few original Harley-Davidson racers survived the passage of time and those that remain have often been extensively modified. Finding an unrestored example of a period board-track racer is becoming all but impossible, making the motorcycle offered here a wonderful opportunity for the Harley collector.

History


- Fabulous time-warp Harley-Davidson race bike
- One family owner from new
- Complete with period slipper racing sidecar


This incredible time-warp motorcycle is an example of Harley-Davidson's rare factory race bike, the FHA being the twin-cam magneto model built specifically for competition use. The engine can be dated to 1927 and has the low production number of 81. Reputedly sold through Milledge Bros. Pty Ltd of Melbourne, Sponsored by AP Penn, a prominent oil distribution company, the owner competed in sidecar events in and around the Melbourne area until the early 1940s and although the actual race history is still being researched at the time of cataloguing, old photographs of the bike in period are included in the history file. Modifications for racing included changes to the tank to allow for cylinder bracing, the addition of a fuel cap breather tube and an adapted timing cable bracket to adjust the advance and retard. The bike shares some unique features with a stock 1927 Oval Port 8-valve racer depicted in “American Racer 1900-1939” outside the Harley-Davidson factory, including a hexagonal shaped rear stand stop quite unlike the rounded item found on other surviving examples. The hand tooled Troxel seat also shares the same characteristics as the bike shown in the period image, making it entirely conceivable - given the small numbers built - this may be the same bike shown in the photo. But this can not be confirmed. The motorcycle is understood to have last raced over 50 years ago and has been carefully conserved in the same condition ever since by the original owner's family, making this the ultimate barn find. Still covered in the oil and grit from its last outing, the bike remains in time warp condition right down to the paint and tyres and it hasn't been started or cleaned since retiring. Some of the Harley script and olive green paint are still legible, with the name Rex hand painted on the tank in white lettering. A wonderful artefact, this FHA offers an unrepeatable opportunity for the astute collector or enthusiast to acquire one of the last unrestored examples of Harley's twin cam racers. To be sold unregistered at No Reserve.


Note: Shannons advise that all potential buyers research and inspect motorcycles before purchase to authenticate originality and condition as a pre purchase inspection report is not carried out on these vehicles.

But has it got a Title..........???

Thanks JRD, I should have used.... (Lot of talk on here about titles!~)

But has it got a Title..........???