harleyKmodel

In my opinion there is just no viable argument to be made for any of the 1954 KH/KHK motorcycles having steel fork tube covers. Attached are three pictures of early 1954 KH's. The one came from the September 1953 issue of "The Enthusiast" the other is from the October 1953 "Motorcyclist" and the last is a factory photo of what I also believe is an early example. On the original scan of this photo, I can blow it up far enough to see the first two numbers of the serial number, 10??? BTW, all these pictures are on the website for your viewing pleasure. If one or two did somehow slip out the factory door with cowbells on them, that would be as Dave H. says, an anomaly. The September 1953 issue of The Enthusiast clearly states " Black, oil resistant synthetic rubber boots, with 9 accordion folds each, replace the former fork steel covers" This was in Sept. of 1953, the beginning of the new 1954 model year production. An extraordinary claim usually requires extraordinary proof. A picture of an unmolested 1954 KH with fender emblem and '54 tank trim ( to prove that it really is a '54) that sports the steel cowbells would do it.

Hi All
The frame rake changed with the 54 model year with the -52 frame neck casting angle being increased. Initially this was done by cutting, reworking and then rewelding the early -52 neck castings. By September of 54 the -52A neck castings with the same profile as the early reworked -52 castings was showing up. What is interesting to me is the earley reworked -52 neck casting were used even for some of the early 55 model year frames. The point of all this is to say that the Ks geometry changed twice in the 54 model year. First with the increase in the frame neck angle and then second with the change in the trees at VIN 2250.

Correction to my previous post. I should have said the -52A neck casting first appear on frames with September date codes, not on bikes that sold in September. (As best as I have been able to determine)

From the -56 H-D Spare Parts 45963-52 Fork Tube Cover 52-53 Model K KK. NO KH! 45999-54 Fork Boot Kit 54-56. THATS ALL FOLKS

Also note the rubber boots were available from the 1953 model year, on the KRMs. So they had been around for a while before the 1954 season. The 1954 KHRMs certainly sported them as well, throughout the model year.

Simon wrote:Also note the rubber boots were available from the 1953 model year, on the KRMs. So they had been around for a while before the 1954 season. The 1954 KHRMs certainly sported them as well, throughout the model year.

Look over at the Competition page. The 1953 KR, KRM, and KRTT all had boots!

Top Trees...I haven't checked our Tree section but I think I have an odd Top tree bracket. I have early, -52 Top Raked. Than I have a Top that is like -54 to -58 heavier style however not welded and Raked. Im going to look a bit more on this...any ideas? Erik

3 styles of top clamp. Early one that only fits the -52 bottom tree. Interim one which is a modified version. The boss is still there but it's obvious that the hole for the stem is now drilled in a different location. Third form where the boss is again matching the hole location.
Not sure how long they used the "interim" clamp.