My Big Flathead
My and the motorcycles history

I discovered Harley Davidson at the end of the 1980's. In the beginning as a restoration object, later I found out that you can really drive them. I had seen an original 74 cu.in. Flathead in a magazine and was immediately fascinated by the appearance.

A colleague at that time, who was riding Harleys told me of a friend, who had such a thing and probably wanted to sell it. He really wanted to sell "it". However it was a Chopper with a later telescopic fork with which he had an accident. As a replacement and his daily ride he had built already a Pan Head Chopper, that needed to be financed. He knew what he had so we had a longer discussion on the price. In the end we found an agreement, because he still had some of the original parts, like the Springer Fork with Handlebar, the Solo Saddle, the rear Fender the fuel tank, oil tank and all trim pieces. I never had the feeling to have robbed him, but even later I never regret buying this motorcycle fragments.

Later I visited him from time to time to get some hints (valuable for me, as I had no experience with motorcycles at that time) and lent his Swedish MCM-magazines. His way of life in a wooden hut in a forest had fascinated me at that time. I disassembled everything completely then. The steel parts were aluminum-oxyd blasted and primered. The rigid frame and the fork also had to suffer in the past. So we (my father and me) built a rack and straightened them with the help of a hydraulic jack. Then each technic part was examined, brought back to life, often with a very high expenditure of time, or purchased if available.

Finally I have bought a lot of needed parts at J.W. Boon in Holland J.W. Boon in Holland or via a friend from von V-Twin in USA. The painter who was recommended did not provide progress to the project. So my father painted the parts for me in a small shed. Of course I stood next to him and told him how to spread the paint and where. Now the parts were put together and it already looked like something. However it should still take some more years, until the engine provided a sound on its own. Many parts were straightened, grinded and then polished as the preparation for final chrome plating.
The Linkert carburetor had the wrong venturi for the 1300cc engine installed. I even could not get the correct part from the USA. An old master in a machine shop, who still had a "sense " for such an old rubbish, made the venturi after a drawing I prepared. I am sure the final product did not look different than the original part. With this venturi installed the engine started after the 3rd Kick and ran from then on without problems.

Taking that motorcycle for a ride is something special, even after years of ownership. Getting used to foot clutch and tank shifting is relatively easy done - practicing helps a lot!. Often I have the impression, that the Flathead engine has more power than just for pulling me around. So I hope that one day I will be able to find a sidecar in a reasonable shape and make a big rig out of it.
I learnt a lot during this restoration and if someone is willing to spend a lot of time and money with this outdated technology and has the space and the tools to disassemble such a motorcycle I would advise him to own and restore such a motorcycle.

Because not only "old Indians never die"!!