Who said old bikes were boring...............

[Gino]

It's a 1930 Henderson that was customized before WW2 by a fellow called O. Ray Courtney and fitted with 'streamliner' bodywork.

​

One night O. Ray Courtney worked until two a.m. And drove home discouraged. He was trying to design a better motorcycle. He wanted one with the seat forward, with better cooling, better springing and a more beautiful body Discarded sketches littered the floor of his shop. That night in a dream he saw a streamlined beauty skim across a flowered field. Too excited to report for work the next day, he hastily put his dream on paper - and he is riding that dream cycle now through the streets of Pontiac, Mich.
​

It's all the more unusual because the mechanicals are hidden: even at the height of the Art Deco movement, most motorcycles were a triumph of form over function, with exposed cooling fins, brake drums and suspension springs.

The bike is now owned by collector Frank Westfall of Syracuse.

​

 

[surf city]

Cool bike Gino.

 

[Marlene]

that is really cool looking. I wonder how well it worked without the air being able to cool the engine.

 

[jiarby]

how do you change a flat tire?

 

[laserman70]

That is a piece of art. Amazing work and a true gem.

 

[wes70]

Very cool bike! Maybe that is where Honda got the inspiration for the Honda Rune?... na!

 

[Gino]

​

Henderson was a Chicago brand and one of the American 'Big Three' (with Harley-Davidson and Indian) until the onset of the Great Depression. It went bust in 1931.

But you can see the influence of the 'streamliner' style on another contemporary North American brand : Victory.

If there's a spiritual successor to this Henderson custom, it's the Victory Vision Tour, a gargantuan cruiser with completely enclosed bodywork and not a leather tassel or saddlebag in sight.

 

[Billct2]

Really great looking bike.

 

[Red Ball]

 

[surf city]

Gino, totally agree with you on the Victory similarities. I still want a Flying Merkel though. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HxzHoAoA5E

 

[Gino]

By the way.... the narrative isn't mine. It's all from an e-mail from someone. The facts belong to I believe this fellow: Chris Hunter of motorcyle design website - Bike EXIF.

And yes.... the word 'motorcyle' is spelled that way.... don't ask me why ​

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

Don't why Gino your pictures don't show up been a bunch the last few post grrr others pictures show up but not yours.

 

[phototec]

1911 Flying Merkel 50/50 V-Twin

Gino, totally agree with you on the Victory similarities. I still want a Flying Merkel though. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HxzHoAoA5E

Here ya go, you can buy this one:

http://www.classiccars.ws/sales/1911flyingmerkel5050vtwin/index.html

 

[Cross Signs]

Man: That's beautiful

 

[SlightlyChilled]

looks like the new tron light cycle

 

[Gino]

Don't why Gino your pictures don't show up been a bunch the last few post grrr others pictures show up but not yours.

Cause I don't like you.





:ROFLMAO: No, I like you... really. There's others here that have the same problem as you. This actually came up in a thread a short time ago and either Fred or Stacy explained to them how to fix it and it works fine now for them and they can see all the garbage I post. Some people actually say they're sorry they did it..........

Maybe a PM to Fred or Stacy can help you.

 

[AUTO-FX]

A flying merkel or an old indian would be cool-that's what i'd ride, too.
That thing with all the body work on it, if it got a scratch on it I'd be freakin out....

 

[artsnletters]

View attachment 59794


​

Henderson was a Chicago brand and one of the American 'Big Three' (with Harley-Davidson and Indian) until the onset of the Great Depression. It went bust in 1931.

But you can see the influence of the 'streamliner' style on another contemporary North American brand : Victory.

If there's a spiritual successor to this Henderson custom, it's the Victory Vision Tour, a gargantuan cruiser with completely enclosed bodywork and not a leather tassel or saddlebag in sight.

Technically, Excelsior AND Henderson were owned by Ignaz Schwinn (yes that Schwinn) and the company Arnold, Schwinn and co.If you look real close on some Excelsior and Henderson bikes of that era you can see the familiar round Schwinn quality decal, not unlike what you may have found on a Chicago era Sting-Ray! After suffering losses of friends/colleagues and racers on motorcycles and seeing the impending great depression he supposedly had a meeting and said, "Today we stop building motorcycles". If i'm not mistaken, some of Hendersons' designs ended up being produced by Indian. That bike you posted is an absolutely beautiful example of old style craftsmanship.
Thanks for posting that. Killer find.
Tim

 

[Dave Drane]

Awesome machine! Is it on show to the public? It would make a great canvas for some airbrushing.

 

[ratchet]

that's an awesome looking bike.