Check out this motorcycle - Printable Version +- Twitchin Kitten - conversation community (https://twitchinkitten.com) +-- Forum: Twitchy's Garage (https://twitchinkitten.com/forum-24.html) +--- Forum: Cars, Trucks, Bikes (https://twitchinkitten.com/forum-34.html) +--- Thread: Check out this motorcycle (/thread-1547.html)

Check out this motorcycle - Twitchin Kitten - 07-18-2010 Link: http://www.bikeexif.com/art-deco-custom-motorcycle Every few months, a bike comes along that completely stops me in my tracks. Like this one: an Art Deco-influenced machine that could have come straight from the pen of Harley Earl. The bike caused a stir last month when it appeared at the Rhinebeck Grand National Meet, a popular motorcycle show held a couple of hours drive north of NYC. Word started to spread. And with the help of a few Bike EXIF readers, we’ve tracked down the details—and got some shots thanks to Grail Mortillaro of the excellent grassroots chopper blog Knucklebuster. The machine is apparently based on a 1930 Henderson—presumably the 100 mph (160 km/h) Streamline model—and was built in 1936 by a gent called O. Ray Courtney. Today the bike is owned by Frank Westfall of Syracuse, a motorcycle collector and local identity, who was seen happily riding this extraordinary motorcycle around the showgrounds. According Mortillaro, “The craftsmanship is absolutely stunning and it’s surely more of a museum piece than a daily rider. Frank has obviously spent an incredible amount of time meticulously restoring and rebuilding the bike to its current gorgeous state.” As a marque, Henderson is unfortunately consigned to the annals of history, despite a short-lived attempt to revive the name in the late 90s. But until its demise in 1931, the Excelsior Motor Mfg. & Supply Co.—the owner of the Henderson brand—was one of the ‘Big Three’ American motorcycle manufacturers, along with Harley-Davidson and Indian. There must be more remarkable Henderson customs out there—if you know of any, drop us a line. [First four images by kind permission of Grail Mortillaro, © Knucklebuster. Final image located by Pete Plassmann. Thanks also to Bill Tikos, Benjie Flipperboi, Scott Ruffalo and Twitter denizens Fuzzygalore and qcmw.] PS: Sign up to our free daily email to get a bike in your inbox, six days a week. You can also join the Bike EXIF Facebook page, which has over 10,000 fans. RE: Check out this motorcycle - twisteroo - 07-19-2010 I can't decide if I like it or not. RE: Check out this motorcycle - Twitchin Kitten - 07-19-2010 I like it as a novelty piece. Something cool to sit in the shed, maybe give it a spin at shows. I can't see it as an everyday ride. It looks like a royal bitch to clean. RE: Check out this motorcycle - Rhubarb - 07-19-2010 Hmm, not sure, wonder how it handles. I'll ask No1 son what he thinks RE: Check out this motorcycle - LKTraz - 07-19-2010 Nice to look at but doesn't look too rideable. RE: Check out this motorcycle - Twitchin Kitten - 07-19-2010 Looks perfectly ride-able to me, kind of like those bikes they build for the salt flats.