Today in motorcycle history, February 7, 1942

  

  


  

  

  While still at the helm of Harley-Davidson, Walter Davidson, Sr. dies in Milwaukee.

  Along with his brothers, William and Arthur, and their childhood friend William Harley, Walter Davidson, Sr. was one of the founders of Harley-Davidson and would become the company's first president. 

  Walter Davidson actually assembled the very first Harley-Davidson motorcycle that was built, but not yet assembled, by his brother Arthur and William Harley.  Legend has it that he was so excited by the new machine that he immediately left his railroad job in the southwest and found work as a machinist in Milwaukee so he could help build the business.  During the early (pre-employee) days of H-D, Walter assembled the motorcycles at night while continuing his job as a machinist during the day.

   He would give the company its first major racing victory by earning a Diamond Medal in the 1908 F.A.M. New York endurance run.  His performance in that butt-chafing run gave Harley-Davidson a great boost in name recognition and was a major selling point for a young motorcycle company trying to get a leg up. 

  Years later, as the president of Harley-Davidson, he became known for his charitable contributions but, at the same time he was known for his frugality, or cheapness, when it came to the company spending.  Once, after a business luncheon at a New York City hotel, Davidson looked at the tab, deducted his own meal and listed only the meals of his associates as a business expense.

  Davidson insisted on the highest quality standards in the motorcycles bearing the Harley-Davidson name.  He was noted for reminding his co-workers that their real employer was the purchasing public not the dollar bill.  Someone should remind Willie G.

  Harley-Davidson models up to Walter Davidson's death were - Model's 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7D, X8D, X8E, 9A, 9B, 10F, 11F, D, J, J-solo, JA, JB, JD, JDA, JDS, JE, JS, R, RL, RLD, E (knucklehead), W, WL,WLA,WLC, WLD, WR, XA and Servi-car.  Excuse me if I missed one. 

Today in motorcycle history, February 6, 1990

  

   

  Billy Idol - 'Greatest Hits' takes on a whole new meaning when he collides with a car in Hollywood, suffering a broken leg and wrist.

  Another celebrity with a bike to match their ego (too big).  While riding his 1989 Harley-Davidson, Idol allegedly ran a stop sign and hit the car about 8:30 a.m., police said.  Luckily for 1985's "Sneer of the Year", the 31-year-old woman driving the car was not hurt, Officer Don Lawrence said.

  Idol, one-time leader of the British punk band Generation X, was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he was in serious but stable condition after seven hours of surgery for a break in his right leg between the knee and ankle and a fractured left forearm. Hospital spokesman Ron Wise said the injuries were not life-threatening.

  Lawrence said police plan to file a complaint against Idol, alleging that he failed to obey a stop sign.  Hey, he's a rebel.

   

  Talking to a British tabloid reporter afterwards Billy cheerfully told them, "I had been celebrating the night before - it could have been a lot, lot worse.  My foot landed on the pavement and it tore off my heel.  But my head just missed the curb or it would have burst like a melon."

  A little punk rock trivia.....Billy Idol’s first band was actually Chelsea. In August of 1976, the kind of creepy singer, Gene October placed an ad in the British music paper, Melody Maker, leading to replies from Billy Idol (guitar), bassist Tony James and drummer John Towe. Their first gig was supporting the "avant-garde and experimental" band Throbbing Gristle at London’s ICA (Institute of Contemporary Arts). Two months later, the band split, leaving October to carry on Chelsea, while Idol, Towe and James formed Generation X.

Today in motorcycle history, February 4, 1970

  

  

  Motorcycle ice-racer, IMCA champion, Sigurd Olson “Sig” Haugdahl dies in Jacksonville, Florida, at 79.

  Born in Verdal, Nord-Trondelag, Norway, Sig migrated to the United States in 1910 making his home with a machinist uncle in Albert Lea, Minnesota.  He began his racing career in Norway on an Austrian Bock and Hollander 5hp V-twin he converted to race on the ice.  After arriving in the States, a then unknown Sig immersed himself in building a champion ice-bike.  In 1912 he introduced himself by reaching 70 mph on a custom-built 1909 Indian V-twin. 

  Switching to automobiles, Haugdahl began dirt track racing in 1918.  He would become the IMCA (International Motor Contest Association) champion six years in a row, between 1927 and 1932.

  He built the infamous "Wisconsin Special" to specifically unseat then champion Tommy Milton. The car was named after its 836 cubic inch Wisconsin Airplane 6-cylinder motor, which was directly connected to the rear wheels.  The car was 192 inches long, yet only 20 inches wide, and had a liver-quivering 250 hp. On April 7, 1922 he reportedly hit an unverified 180 mph on the Daytona Beach road course.

  Sigurd  Haugdahl was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1994. 

Today in motorcycle history, February 3, 1959

   

  

  The day the music died.  Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "Big Bopper" Richardson are killed when their plane crashes outside of Clear Lake, Iowa.

  Buddy Holly had bought a 1955 500cc Triumph TR5 Trophy in 1956 only to be forced to sell it due to The Crickets constant gigging in pursuit of stardom.


  On May 13,1958 the "Lads from Lubbock" were just coming off an extensive tour which had taken them to Australia, England and across the States.  They were worn out from the long tour, but their pockets were full of cash and they were ready to spend it.  Buying new motorcycles seemed like the only logical thing to do.  They flew into Love Field in Dallas, Texas, figuring their choice of bike shops would be far better than in Lubbock.

  Calling a cab, Buddy, J.I. and Joe B. first went to the East side of Downtown Dallas where there were numerous shops on Main and Elm Streets. The story goes that they first visited a Harley-Davidson shop where the salesman told them not to touch the machines and insinuated that they leave the store.  He allegedly said they were "...a bunch of dumb kids who couldn't even afford the monthly payment."  It never occurred to him that these boys might have pockets full of money and he made no effort to find out or sell them anything.  Not much has changed at new bike/H-D dealerships.  Fucking salesman.  Three of the most popular rock and roll musicians in the world walked out in disgust, with their pockets still full of cash.

  The trio jumped into another taxi and asked the driver to take them to a different dealer.  The cab-driver, who also didn't know who they were, dropped them off at Miller's Motorcycles, a multi-marque British motorcycle dealer a few blocks away.

  Having just been treated like shit, Buddy took no chances this time and introduced himself and his two cohorts to owners Betty and Ray Miller...and showed them a rather large wad of cash.

  Seeing all that cash and sensing that he had the sale of three new motorcycles at his finger tips, Ray told the boys to pick out any bikes off the floor they wanted and take them out for as long as they needed.  After trying out just about every bike in the shop for the better part of the day, the choices were finally made.

  Buddy Holly bought a 1958 Ariel Cyclone which had that unique Ariel beige seat.  It had higher handlebars and a hotter engine with high-compression pistons and a Spitfire cam.  It was basically a Huntmaster twin which used BSA's 650cc A10 40 bhp engine.  The attention-grabbing Cherokee red and black paint job with white striping was designed specifically for the American market and was produced for only one year.  According to factory records only 174 were made and all were exported except one.

  Drummer Jerry Allison chose a red and white 1958 Triumph TR6A and bass player Joe Mauldin picked a red 1958 Triumph 6T Thunderbird.  Holly also bought some saddle bags for the Cyclone and all three bought gloves and motorcycle caps as well.

  The "dumb kids" paid cash for everything, about $3,200.

 

  "...something touched me deep inside/ the day the music died..."

Today in motorcycle history, January 28, 2000

  

  


  

  Titan is named the Motorcycle of Choice for the Indianapolis 500.

  Titan Motorcycles and Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials announced as part of the agreement, Titan would produce 100 limited edition "Indy 500" Y2K Gecko Rubbermount motorcycles.  The bikes would be "available to motorcycle enthusiasts and Indianapolis 500 fans alike as the ultimate collector's piece".  The winner of the 2000 Indianapolis 500 would receive a free Indy 500 Titan Gecko Rubbermount.

  "Since Titan was founded in 1995, our mission has been to provide each customer with a unique motorcycle," said Titan Motorcycles Chairman and CEO Frank Keery. "Our products are for people who have the strength to set their own course, pay attention to detail and demand a top-quality ($$$) product. The Indianapolis 500 is the world's largest one-day sporting event thanks to people who have maintained the same principles for almost 90 years. Titan Motorcycles is very proud to be affiliated with this great American tradition."  And in another great American tradition the company went bankrupt a year later.

  The Indy 500 Gecko Rubbermount featured custom graphics, including the 2000 Indy 500 logo and an orange-and-checkered flag paint scheme. The bikes had a 70-inch wheelbase, 34 degree rake and polished billet aluminum wheels.  The engine is an 1833cc, four-stroke, 45-degree V-twin.  In other words, it looked like every other Harley clone.

  Titan Motorcycles.  Gone, but not forgotten.  Well, actually, they kind of are.

Today in motorcycle history, January 27, 1970

     

  

   

  "A town called Sincere."  Episode #43 of The Mod Squad airs on ABC.  The grooviest gang of television fuzz that ever wore a badge.

  Pete and Linc, while on a peaceful motorcycle trip to Mexico, find themselves detoured by a savage biker gang into a border town and held hostage along with all of the town's residents. The gang refuses to leave until they find out who in the town killed two of their members.  Plenty of groovy, solid, fist-flyin', motorcycle action. 

  The "gang" rides a couple of Triumphs, a Sportster and a badly customized AJS (why?).  One of the members, Chubb, has a super sweet knucklehead chop with upsweep exhaust and apes.  Perfect time piece.  It's 1970 don't forget.

  Michael Cole's military-fort flogging in the 1967 film "Chuka" ranks #15 in the book, "Lash! The Hundred Great Scenes of Men Being Whipped in the Movies".

  Peggy Lipton revealed in her memoir that she had a tryst with Paul McCartney and a "relationship" with Elvis Presley.

  Tige Andrews released a 45 on Tiger Records called "The Modfather" that has a wild looking shovelhead chopper on the sleeve.

  The Fuzz-hating, bad-ass, ex-con "gang" member Chubb is played by Lee De Broux who was, ironically, a cop in the movie Chinatown.

  Kurt, the "prez", is actor Tom Stern who starred as Chuck in "Hell's Angels '69".

  Gregory Sierra appears as a Mexican villager, Zamaron.  Sierra would go on to play the role of Detective Sgt. Chano Amenguale on Barney Miller.  He had a role in Papillon with Steve McQueeen.

  Ivan Dixon, better known as "Kinch" on Hogan's Hero's, wrote an episode of The Mod Squad. 

Today in motorcycle history, January 24, 1907

  

  

  

  Glenn Curtiss sets an unofficial land-speed record on his V-8 motorcycle.

  Aviation and motorcycling pioneer Glenn Curtiss designed and built the 269 cubic inch, F-head, V-8 motorcycle that sets an unofficial land-speed record of 136.36 miles per hour on January 24, 1907.  The air-cooled engine was originally developed for use in zeppelins!

  The forty horsepower engine was the two carb version of the Curtiss Model B-8 aircraft powerplant, one of thirteen engines listed in the May 1908 "Aerial and Cycle Motors" catalog. The engine allegedly weighed only 150 lbs and was offered for $1,200 but it didn't sell, in spite of the engine's notoriety from the speed record.
  Pretty impressive for a guy who began his career as a Western Union bicycle messenger.  In 1901 he developed an interest in motorcycles when internal combustion engines became more available.  A year later Curtiss began manufacturing motorcycles with his own single-cylinder engines.  His first motorcycle's  carburetor was adapted from a tomato soup can containing a gauze screen to pull the gasoline up via capillary action.  When E.H. Corson of the Hendee Manufacturing Company (manufacturers of Indian motorcycles) visited Hammondsport, New York, in July 1904, he was amazed (and annoyed) that the entire Curtiss motorcycle "enterprise" was located in the back room of the modest machine shop.  Especially because Corson's motorcycles had just had their asses kicked the week before by "Hell Rider" Curtiss in an endurance race from New York to Cambridge, Maryland.  "This is it?!", Corson was quoted as saying after seeing the garage for the first time.

  Glenn Curtiss remained "the fastest man in the world," the title the newspapers gave him for going faster than any vehicle, on land, sea or air, until 1911, when his record was broken by the Blitzen Benz automobile that topped-out at 141.7 mph. No motorcycle surpassed the record until 1930.

  It has been suggested that the literary character Tom Swift was based on Curtiss.  "Tom Swift and His Motorcycle", the first of over 100 books in the Tom Swift series, was published shortly after the V-8 record setting run.

  The record setting V-8 motorcycle is now in the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. The Air and Space museum lent it to the Guggenheim for the 1998 The Art of the Motorcycle exhibition in New York.