About 3weeks ago 87lowrider, kjriv, Inforit and his wife and I took a ride up to Bear Mountain & Harriman State Parks in Rockland County, NY. We had a great day riding around in the parks including riding down what I like to call "The Bear Mountain Dragon" and "The Bear Mountain Trail of Tears" (inside joke, ask 87lowrider about it if you want to know lol). We also rode some of the roads in the surrounding area such as 9W, Route 17, etc before heading for home.

On the way back we stopped at the Mobil gas station located at the traffic circle where Routes 6/202 and 9 all meet. After gassing up we were standing around talking for a few minutes when we hear this strange sound coming from the direction of Route 9. We all turn and watch in amazement as this guy comes riding south down Route 9 and turns into the gas station as we are all staring. This guy was riding an ancient bike, I'm talking a real museum piece here. None of us could believe that this guy was out riding around on such an old motorcycle. So of course we all mob the poor guy at the pump and are staring in disbelief at this old jalopy of a bike. This thing looked like it had been left outside rotting in some cornfield some where for 50 years, and maybe it had been. I mean it was solid rust from end to end and had plenty of dings, dentsand other damage too.Turns out this thing was a World War I era 1917 model HD.

We couldn't believe this thing was road worthy and that this guy was actually riding it around. Bad shape or not this is thekind of bike you see in a museum not pulling into the local Mobil station for gas. Now here is the kicker (pun intended) to the whole story. We finally give the guy a break and are nice enough to let him leave . He pulls out the bicycle pedal kicker and is attempting to kick it over. Would you believe this crusty, ancient, rusted, banged up mess of a Harley fired up on the second kick!!! [sm=jawdrop.gif]I about fell over right there. I thought the poor guy would have been there for at least 5 - 10 minutes trying to get it started again. If I hadn't seen it fire up on the second kick and the guy ride it away with my own eyes I don't know if I would have believed it.

So anyway, here is the reason for my post. I was just telling a friend this story the other day and it got me thinking. I wondered how many other HDF members might possibly have had a similar experience in the past. So if you have seen a really old bike actually being ridden on the road somewhere tell us your story. Where did you see it? If you can remember, what was the year, make and model?

 

Here is the oldest one that I have ever seen. I am not even sure it was a Harley. They have a company here in Europe that looks alot like a Harley called Moto Guszie (Or something like that) I just thought it was a cool looking bike.

 

A friend of a friend has a 52 Panhead that he rides almost daily.I did a nice 200 mile day with him and a couple of other guys this summer.I wish I had a pic of it.It's a very cool looking bike.It's all flat black with a rigid frame.It's got fishtail type pipes on it and the thing is loud as hell.The Panhead runs like a champ too.He's an indy that works out of his garage,mostly on older bikes.

 

That sounds like a good friend of mine, any chance that guy had a jocky shift and his name is Randy?

My buddy has had his old pan head since high school. I remember him taking off for sturgis on itafter his graduation. Rides it to work daily unless it's rainin or snowin. It was a old PA state police bike, he even has the original side car.

Damn Cool Bike!

 

last year I met a guy riding a beautifully restored 1964 XLCH Sportster like the one below. He did all the work himself.

 

1938 Knuckle! OTR

 

THAT'S A KNUCKLEHEAD!!! It'smydream bike. My grandpa rode a 1945 knuckleafter the war. The oldest I've ever come across was a guy on a '46 knucklebroken down on the side of the road in a neighborhood one night. I almost couldn't believe I was seeing it. It was actually the first time I ever saw one in person. I pulled over and asked the guy if he needed help. He already had a buddy on the way to help and he only lived about half a mile away. He invited me to come over to his place and I shot the **** with him for a while and he let me sit on his bike. He also had a fullydressedearly 60s pan and a drag bike in his garage. I was as giddy as a school girl. The girlI was with took some pics but they are now MIA. I'll get them up one of these days when I find them.

 

A friend of mine in Cincinatti has a 1913 Indian and a 1914 Flying Merkle. Both of these bikes run and I've seen him ride them. He has many other antiques but I think these are the two oldest.

I owned a rode a Stone Stock 1959 Panhead for about eight years a long time ago.

 

I didn't notice if it was a jockey shift.His name is Rob and he lives right outside of Reading,PA.He's about 6' with long hair and a long beard.At least I think his name is Rob.I only met him three times in a four year span.

 

Smitty worked on a fewrides I use to have and I've seen plenty of sweet old bikes in the shop, and they would ride them down the alley or around the block. Not sure what the earlist one was but they are all fine rides. I need to stop by and talk to him this week.

http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/hall...age.asp?id=361