Henderson made the finest motorcycles in the '20s. Does it ring a bell ? You can even see that EE crank !!!
What awesome machines. I never knew about these, but now I want one real bad.
I NEED one!
Erich,
For about 7 grand you could have bought a rusty frame: http://www.auctionsamerica.com/events/feature-lots.cfm?SaleCode=LH11&ID=r1393
For a running one they seem to go for around 200K
I think I'll stay with my shovelhead.
Jim
I was afraid of that Jim. I may never see one, let alone ever own one.
I would love to have just the engine, like this 1912......
Tom Lovejoy a forum member rode his Henderson in the Holiday Motor Excursion. I'm sure he'll have something to add about these motorcycles.
When I was in Oslo in 1959 I saw several Hendersons on the streets. I think every one I saw had a sidecar.
In about 1940 or earlier my cousin in Saint Paul bought one. She had some trouble at first with the rear cylinder getting too hot.
I don't remember what the cure or prevention was but after the war I never saw one again, except in Norway.
Spell check does not like Hendersons
Leno has a couple of these, here are the videos:
http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/categories/henderson/1367195/
Pretty neat bikes.
How about the Nimbus bikes? Another inline four, but not as spendy. Great looking bikes, a pair of them made an around the world trip a few years ago. I think it was called the Dumb Way Round.
Ya suppose a few Hendersons got model A or model B cranks.
What did they use in the thirties for a crankshaft?
Wasn't there a conversion available so you could use the Henderson engine in an airplane? The name Hatch or Heath or something like that sticks in my mind.
I am currently helping to restore a 1929 KJ Henderson, and also last year did some work on this 1912.
Yep, their great machines and their the best bargain for the money of all the American fours. You can git a pretty nice one for around $25,000 with a little looking, but prices are only going up. Deluxe's are the best deal, that's what I have. They made the most of them, really cranked them out pretty good in the twenties. Law enforcement loved em. Both the earlier and later machines, prices go up - they produced less, so their rarer. I got mine for 9 grand a total baskit case, took 5 years to git it done. Been riding it now for 15 years, 6000 miles. Mostly weekend fun. They are powerful machines and well git up and go, mine has run 70mph with no problem. But as with our T's, the brakes are not up to those speeds. Mine likes 35mph, much like our T's and at that speed it feels like it will last forever ;-) I have a friend with atleast 5 Henderson's, mostly Detriot Henderson's - much rarer and expensive! The old motorcycles have left model T prices far behind and seem to be approaching unbelieveable prices. Yes Jay has atleast 2, he came right over to me on my Henderson on the Holiday run the other day. Anyways, they are a great machine - a rough quote from a book - and why I bought mine. If you ever git the chance to own a Henderson, do it, restore it ride it, cherish it, for you have one of the finest motorcycles ever built! Golden age of the fours :-)
A neighbor of mine has rebuilt a few of those engines in his machine shop. I remember him saying that the crankcases were often warped or twisted and it was a pain to straighten and true them so the crank would "bed" properly.
John S do you know who I'm talking about?
Bill
Went to an auction a few years ago and took this photo.
Is this Henderson?
Ake-The 4 cyl motor in your photo looks like a very early FN (Fabrique Nationale from Belgium).
Henderson 4 bangers went like a bat out of hell.
Back when I lived in Ventura (Ca.), I knew a gal we called "Indian Lil" because she rode an Indian 4 banger with a side hack. She had quite a collection of early American motorcycles, including a 30's era Henderson.
Thanks Christopher for mentioning the "Dumb way around" - didn't hear about that adventure before.. in 2006 a couple of crazy norwegians drove from Norway through eastern europe and the middle east to Singapore on 70 year old danish Nimbus 750cc bikes - their bikes were just assembled after restauration - not much tested, and they didn't have any large budget either, but they had lots of luck and lots of fun, it seems: http://kccd.no/chronicles_2006_en_part1.html
They followed up driving around the rest of the world in 2010, http://kccd.no/media_en_94.html
Someone told me once while looking at a Nimbus at a local show, that the cranks in them don't have a centre main bearing, just one at each end, true?
Nimbus are great inline 4's! Over head cam, Hemi. Head, shaft drive. So good they made the same motor and bike from 1934 to 1959.
Hi Kerry, your correct they don't!
Kerry: True, only two ball bearings on each end of the crank shaft
it's called "krumtap" in danish http://www.sodan.dk/nimbus/page4.html
It was very modern with an overhead camshaft and a telescopic front fork in 1934. Only about 12000 were produced but there are still over 4000 registered in Denmark. With others preserved in museums and hundreds in other countries the survival rate is extremely high. Like with the Model T parts are plentiful. Even though I find the flat steel frame butt ugly, I wish I had bought one while they still were affordable..
Boy, the members here have some beautiful bikes! Yowsah!
http://www.auctionsamerica.com/events/event.cfm?Salecode=LV12
Lots of motorcycles for sale this weekend in Vegas. Scroll the list, you'll get past the modern stuff and get to the goodies along toward the end.
Have a Henderson engine for sale. Not complete and possibly modified for airplane.
Mmm, lot 674 to 717 is pure porn Unavailable for normal incomes, though.. http://www.auctionsamerica.com/events/all-lots.cfm?SaleCode=LV12&search=&categor y=Motorcycles&make=&model=&collection=&day=&order=lotnumber&noreserve=&page=19
Hey, they make replicas of ol' Harleys nowadays:
http://www.auctionsamerica.com/events/feature-lots.cfm?SaleCode=LV12&ID=r522
Well, not so many parts, so it's viable - hard to find a '10 nowadays
And another Nimbus has crossed the ocean: http://www.auctionsamerica.com/events/feature-lots.cfm?SaleCode=LV12&ID=r312
Still in the Model T range in price - well, maybe some day..
The Harris airplane used the four cylinder Henderson engine in 1930.
Many years ago, I read a library book about the Granatelli brothers (Andy & Vince). Sorry, I don't remember the exact name of the book, but I sure remember a chapter that contained a very detailed passage about a terrible accident one of the brothers had with a Henderson X. I'll never forget it as it was hysterical! Can't remember for sure if it was Vince or Andy that had the accident, but after several paragraphs of detailed description of what it felt like to go "head-over-heels" down the concrete stairs leading down to a Chicago subway, the description ended with something like,......"and what happened to the Henderson X? Oh,.....it was com'n....." crashing down the stairs right behind him!
As I remember, it was a very well written book; maybe one of the motorcycle guys on the forum might have read it and remember the name of the book. This Henderson X thread reminded me of it!
Nimbus engine very interesting, but the frame of the bike.......Veeeeeerrry basic indeed.
Here I thought you was making fun of my cousins, Harold !
If I was gonna' do that Steve, I'd wait 'till "AFTER" I get the final bill!
Looks like a Bosch DU4 magneto on the 1912 tandem Henderson above. Not only that, it looks like the correct early DU4. Of course, with a cycle that beautifully done, one would try to have the right magneto on it. So is it? Just curious.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2
Yes, it is the correct magneto on the 1912. This first production year Henderson tandem setup had the passenger seated in front of the driver, with foot pegs mounted on the front wheel. The fender guards hopefully kept their feet out of the spokes. In the 1913 models, the tandem arrangement placed the passenger behind the driver instead.
Some really strange things were tried in the first decades of motorcycles and automobiles. I can hardly imagine being a passenger in front of the driver on something like that. And I rode on bicycle handlebars as a kid.
I would think that would be difficult to steer.
Thanks!
Frank, Was that airplane built by family? (I won't ask if you built it!) What is it's story?
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2
I must say I find it amusing to note the interest and knowlege among US and Australians to the danish Nimbus motorbikes. There is a lot of "Model T" in the Nimbus. It was used for many years by both the military and the postoffice with closed sidecars. They where used to empty mailboxes around in the cities. These postmen where incredible to drive those bikes. They could lift the sidecar and turn around in narrow streets.
If you want a Model T era Nimbus, you should look for the "Stovepipe" model from the 20's:
Only 1300 where made so these are very rare, but as drivable as a model T. There is one in the Copenhagen area that just drives it - not as a daily driver - but as often as any Model T owner drives his T.
Nimbus was build by Fisker & Nielsen whose main product was the Nilfisk vacuum cleaner.
The company still exists
Almost looks like a NH carb, or at least as simple as one.
International trade was sparse so I doubt it to be an NH type. I really do not know what carburetor they used. It could be of own blend.
We are very familiar with the Hendersons, having built a number of the engines in our shop.
The crankcase issues(straightness) normally come from the number of repairs and welds they have been through(motorcycles crash often). I don't think we have ever worked on one that hasn't been welded.
The crank is a bit shorter than the Model T or A crank. It was made by Henderson themselves.
Melissa
Earl's Machine Shop
www.earlsmachineshop.com
At an event at the danish tram museum this Nimbus showed up:
Unrestored and just driven.
very cool!