The Back Room
   Prepared by Onions   Up dated last  01/13/02

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Letters to the Onion:Beware that if you send me a pic of your scoot I might just put it up on the site. Right  here! Like some of the ones below. Some nice rides to be sure. Keep the Rubber Side Down My Friends. Be ready for some big changes here in the backroom. I going to gut the place and remodel so keep watching and riding.

Here's the T-Shirt winners stable. A dual VL owner when one just ain't enough and one sportin a sidehack to boot.

Robert's got some nice rides here let your eyes enjoy!

Here's old Honest John's version of the VL
John sent me this pic of his UL/VL Nice lookin scoot, that VL front Fork is the best thing going. A set of 45 tanks, Oil tank included makes for a righteous ride no separate oil bag needed. Ain't old bikes cool. If I say so myself, and I do Looks like a good Remotorcycling job to me. Thumbs up and a 6 pack to you John.

Here's another shot. Bet that's john, Lookin good bro!

Thanks John for your pics and your buggin me. It's good to hear from the people that look at my site. Even if it take's me a couple of centuries to get things out to the world. I'll get it out there somehow. Now I gotta go see if I can pick Indian Jeff for his VL building secrets. Man I wish Al K. were here he was the VL Nut of VL Nuts. Knew a lot about the old beast he did. Ride free AL! On a VL!

Holy Indian Flathead Ralf! This is a beautiful machine, An Indian to be proud of. A flathead bobber! Big twin! How could you lose. Nice Ride Bro. Thanks Ralf for the pic

Flatheads Forever!  This is a fine lookin scooter if I ever saw one!

Letters Answered

Marian Wrote: BOTH OF MY JUGS ARE CRACKED @ THE BOTTOM OF THE BORE.I KNOW THAT THERE IS AFTER MARKET JUGS OUT
THERE BUT I WANT TO KEEP MY BIKE ORIGINAL.I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY SUGGESTIONS THANKS.

I do not know the extent of the damage but these will have to taken to a professional  repair person to see if they are repairable. A lot of times the cylinders were bored out so much that they got thin on the bottom if that is the case you may be on the search for new barrels and in possession of some fine bookends.

Marc Wrote: I was wondering if you knew what the last year was for springers on
servi-cars and Did Harley ever make servi-car with a flathead 80" motor in it ?

The Fork Question is a good one. I have the answer to the question and it is 1957.  1958 had the first 45 Hydra-Glide. That is the official poop!

The 80 Inch Servi-car  No Sir! The only factory Servi-car made is in a museum or collection somewhere in Ohio. Al Kapone was the one who told me about it because he saw it. It had a knucklehead motor. I guess the 45 proved to be the solid trustworthy cycle it was they didn't need to build another model. The depression and poor sales in the 20's and 30's
had a lot to do with the 45 being the only servi-car.

A lot of prototype stuff has been seen and the home builder is a source of the big twin trike's.

Rubber Side Down Marc

Development in the answer to this persons quest for 45 custom parts!

Steve Wrote: Anybody making cog belt drive primarys for 45's? My brake drum rivet holes
keep elongating from the power pulses, and I'm thinking a belt drive primary
would be a good idea. I can only get about 50,000 miles out of a brake drum
before the rivet holes are trashed.

Onions answered:
Now that's a cool idea and the only belt drives I have seen on 45's have been custom made.I don't think anybody makes that just for 45. Face it the big parts makers never did make much hot rod stuff for 45's anyway. It's time to ask a good motorcycle wrench to help you modify a system to fit. NOT ANY MORE

Check this out some 45 stuff you did not think existed! http://www.wwag.com/MIE-Liste-e.html Go looking for the 45 stuff. A Primary Belt Drive and a ratchet shifter are listed. Your 45 chopper will never be the same. Check it out!

Onions say's: "Thanks to mjbrauninger for the link to this site."

The rear brake drum problem is a common one. I have seen a score of ripped out holes. There are a few things you can do to lessen the effects 1. Keep the chain to the correct tightness & lubed. 2. Keep an eye on the rear drum if the rivets start loosening you will have to pull the wheel and re-compress them or if they look tattered replace them. 45 restoration has the kit for that. You can get rivets from other fastener suppliers too. You may have to oversize them but don't go to far there is not much material to work with.

Here is one more old time trick. I don't recommend it unless it is a stopgap measure, Parts are so worn it don't matter type of situation. Weld the ring to the drum it is an old time trick but it works. Of course you will ruin the stock parts and I recommend finding a good welder to do the work. Course that means another trip to the chrome shop too or your favorite painter.

Thanks for the mail write any time it takes a while but I will answer questions I can or I will just bend your ear with some more old stories I got from Crusty old biker dudes.

Rubber side down. Steve

Here's that link to the 45 stuff again just in case you missed it.  http://www.wwag.com/MIE-Liste-e.html

Beyond lies the Back Room Shelves. Feel free to browse thru what's there.        Click on the image to take you to the entire document!
Forty Fives Forever Forever Forty Fives

Harley Davidson 45 cu. in. Flathead Twin 1936-1974        Onions 45 Paper

Did you know that the 45 Cubic Inch Harley Davidson was the longest running model of motorcycle engine manufactured anywhere in the world. 1936, Up to the 1952 model year with solo's, Up to the 1974 model year with Servi-car's.

The W, WL, WLA, WLC, WLD, WLS, G, GE Models shared the same engine with the difference being. Heads, Iron & Aluminum  High & Low compression, Cams, Carburetors and Minor other parts but the basic engine is the same and 99 % of the parts will fit one another.

That's 38 years of H-D 45's, Any takers on that longevity streak.

Click the motor for more

VL Remotorcycling The before story where did it come from. What did they do to it before you got it.

Is your dash a little deficient. Are there holes you don't know why they are there. Do you find small pieces of license plate holding bondo in place to fill holes. the wiring system is another story. A suicide story. you will see why when the story unfolds. More to come. A lot More I just know it. You will find out the truth in the statement.        "Just take enough of these apart to fix then and nothing surprises you" Jack Allen

http://www.onionwerks.com/Remotorcycling.htm   This will get you to VL Remotorcycling.

Onions old time tech shop:6 volt to 12 volt swap

Click the tank for more

Copyright Stuff: All photos are © D. Cibulka, Onionwerks, Onionwerks.com and/or their respective Owners or Photographers as stated. Pictures may be downloaded for personal viewing only. No Use, Reproduction, Alteration or Distribution Without Documented Permission from said copyright holders. Thank You.

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