Early 1900's HD shop in Stockton

[bikeama]

Saw this great picture on FB

Elaine Burke
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Here's a photo of my great grandfather's bike / motorbike shop at 531 E. Market St in Stockton, CA. I'm guessing this is sometime between 1906 and 1912, but I'm having a hard time pinning it down. Those are very early model Harley-Davidson motorcycles in front of his shop. The time estimate is based on those bikes, those look like the model first produced in 1906. This would make him one of the first Harley-Davidson dealers on the west coast. Probably not 1906, the company didn't expand to dealerships until a few years after that. That is great grandpa in the center, my estimate would make him between 19 and 25 years old.

 

[budman]

Cool find Bill.

Love that historical stuff. :thumbup

 

[1962siia]

That is cool. Did the handle bars come off of those bikes? Looks like the bars aren’t attached but are just hanging between the tank and steering stem.

 

[SFMCjohn]

Cool find Bill.

Love that historical stuff. :thumbup

That is cool. Did the handle bars come off of those bikes? Looks like the bars aren’t attached but are just hanging between the tank and steering stem.

+1, so fun to see Stockton ... E. Market Street looks unpaved?

bikes are 1912 Harley-Davidson 8A "Silent Grey Fellow"s, maybe, fresh off the boat or boxcar? seats also still un-mounted, in addition to the bars ... :dunno

the cover with the four circles is for the magnito gear chest ... the 1912 was the last model with that feature, I think ... pics of a 1909 have the top two circles sort of Siamised, and reading H-D made a lot of 1912s, so that’s my guess ...

edit: OK, I’m wrong, not 1912s ... look at the back of the tank, the 1912 was the first model where the back of the tank angled down to the seatpost, so the bikes in Bill’s pic are 1909-1911 ... maybe. arty

 

[SFMCjohn]

here’s a 1911 Harley-Davidson Model 7A:

and a Facebook link to a pic of a 1909 ...

 

[1962siia]

Front fenders in the Stockton pic look like the 1911 model above. The bike on the far left has what looks like a tool box or case right behind the seat post tube. I dont see it on other ones. May need to geek out on the google later.

 

[bikeama]

That is cool. Did the handle bars come off of those bikes? Looks like the bars aren’t attached but are just hanging between the tank and steering stem.

Look to the right, the bikes were just uncrated. Bars and the seats still need to be installed. Can you imagine what those 9 bikes would be worth now?

 

[1962siia]

No I can’t. Really cool stuff. So I haven’t been able to figure out the difference between the one on the left and the others but that little box seems to hold wiring and there is a large coil on the down tube of that bike. Thanks for posting the pic! I wonder what dealer cost and mark up was in 1911.

So looks like the one on the left is a model 7 and the others are model 7a.

 

[SFMCjohn]

Front fenders in the Stockton pic look like the 1911 model above. The bike on the far left has what looks like a tool box or case right behind the seat post tube. I dont see it on other ones. May need to geek out on the google later.

good call on the fenders ... :thumbup

No I can’t. Really cool stuff. So I haven’t been able to figure out the difference between the one on the left and the others but that little box seems to hold wiring and there is a large coil on the down tube of that bike. Thanks for posting the pic! I wonder what dealer cost and mark up was in 1911.

So looks like the one on the left is a model 7 and the others are model 7a.

is the toolbox the difference between 7 and 7A?

something going on with the one on the left, can’t understand why we can’t see the magnito cover ... thought it might be the twin (7D), but that has the same magnito cover ... :dunno

anyway, fun stuff ... :ride

 

[bikeama]

One of the local motorcycle restorers in Stockton commented on the small box. From the FB link "found on the battery ignition models only."

 

[CDONA]

Looks like 4 on end crates to the right, next to the hardware store.
Definitely unpacking.

 

[SFMCjohn]

One of the local motorcycle restorers in Stockton commented on the small box. From the FB link "found on the battery ignition models only."

boom, there we go ... lack of magneto cover explained, wolf-style! :laughing:thumbup

 

[SFMCjohn]

:ride

 

[1962siia]

My buddy built a few of these a couple years back. Super fun to scoot around on. This one lives in a pizza place in Berkeley.

 

[budman]

:cool

:thumbup

 

[SFMCjohn]

My buddy built a few of these a couple years back. Super fun to scoot around on. This one lives in a pizza place in Berkeley.

very cool ... :thumbup

battery ignition system?

 

[1962siia]

You know I'm not sure, but I don't think so though. Its a pull start motor. Not sure who made the generator but as I recall he picked up several of them from a military surplus place.

 

[SFMCjohn]

You know I'm not sure, but I don't think so though. Its a pull start motor. Not sure who made the generator but as I recall he picked up several of them from a military surplus place.

very pretty motorcycle ... did he make the frames?

looks like it would be perfect for my six block commute through the city ... :ride

guess we call the ignition system on old lawnmowers a "breaker point ignition system" with flywheel magnets and a stator? Kalle has generators/battery on some of his Indians and the generator is sort of easy to see, driven with a pulley/belt ... :dunno

reading the Model 7 had a 6 Volt Dry Cell/ Coil & Points ignition system, having fun trying to figure out how they kept the battery charged ...

 

[CDONA]

My dad spoke of using 6 volt dry cells, lantern battery, during his JD ride time
which makes it total loss ignition system.
I think they must last close to a week of riding as the only load using it.