Searching for info on Joe Leonard KHRM

Racing K Models

Searching for info on Joe Leonard KHRM

Postby torinopat » Fri Mar 31, 2017 1:14 am

I'm searching for information on a KHRM that my dad owned in the late 50s, maybe early 60s. He was from the San Jose CA area and supposedly owned a KHRM that htd previously been raced by Joe Leonard. It had been converted for street use after being raced and sold through a dealership in San Jose. My dad fell off while trying to wheelie it and it was damaged. The bike was sold after that. He used to talk about it a lot, just recently I have been building an SR500 based street tracker (sorry, can't afford HD) and I got the idea to try and see if this bike still exists. Does anyone have a bike that fits this description? I can't say what year the bike was or even exactly when he owned it. He's not around to ask anymore, but there can't be many bikes around that fit the description. Anyone have any clues?
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Re: Searching for info on Joe Leonard KHRM

Postby EKHKHK56 » Fri Mar 31, 2017 1:45 am

I think Joe mentioned he lost it in his shop fire along with many treasures.
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Re: Searching for info on Joe Leonard KHRM

Postby thefrenchowl » Fri Mar 31, 2017 2:53 am

That's the beast in late 1954:

( images removed by Admin )

It was a 1955 KHRTT, with the then brand new Fairbanks Morse magneto, a sudden departure from the VERY tall Wico magneto, which gives us a hint the Sportster was on its way.

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Re: Searching for info on Joe Leonard KHRM

Postby torinopat » Fri Mar 31, 2017 10:21 am

Does that mean that there was only 1 Joe Leonard KHRM?
My dad was no liar or story teller, but he could have been mistaken about the origins of his bike. I'm certain that my dad said it came from a shop that Joe Leonard owned/ran in San Jose , but there may have been an owner between the shop and my dad. Maybe whoever sold it to him made up a good story. He was always positive that it was a KHRM and that meant that is had a larger displacement that other K models. I think he said it was red, but I really can't remember that either.
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Re: Searching for info on Joe Leonard KHRM

Postby EKHKHK56 » Fri Mar 31, 2017 11:34 am

There is a fellow on InstaGram that I believe claims to have owned it at one time. Search #Huntingharleys. I don't know the guy. When I visited Joe last time at his house he mentioned losing his K in the fire but I am not positive it was the KHRM. He did say 55. Joe raced and worked for Tom Sifton H-D in San Jose at this time 1954. Joe never had more than a personal garage. I don't think he ever actually raced the off road KHRM bike. Erik K
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Re: Searching for info on Joe Leonard KHRM

Postby dealinwhls » Mon Apr 03, 2017 11:19 am

I have 55KHRM2125. I think what you need to do is find race programs with preentry lists that contain VINs to see what bike was actually Joe Leonards. It is a project. Good luck
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Re: Searching for info on Joe Leonard KHRM

Postby EKHKHK56 » Mon Apr 03, 2017 1:50 pm

Joe raced a KHR not a KHRM in the 80" class. The KHRM was his personal bike as far as I know.
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Re: Searching for info on Joe Leonard KHRM

Postby torinopat » Mon Apr 03, 2017 11:26 pm

My dad always said it was a KHRM, but after seeing that picture, it looks like the KHRM was more of an off road bike than a TT bike. He told me that it was a TT race bike, so maybe it was a KHR? Or again, he could have been mistaken about the origins of the bike, maybe it had nothing to do with Joe Leonard. Then again how many K model TT race bikes could there have been in San Jose in the late early 60s. Does anyone know the whereabouts of any Joe Leonards KHRs? I think my dad would have owned it in 1960 or 61. After crashing it, he old it and his mom bought him a brand new 1962 Ford Galaxy 406 tri power, (lucky guy, but he didn't keep that either).
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Re: Searching for info on Joe Leonard KHRM

Postby EKHKHK56 » Mon Apr 03, 2017 11:47 pm

Master tuner restorer Marsh Runyon owned one of the KHRs that Joe raced for Tom Sifton who owned all the Harleys Joe raced. He sold it a couple years ago. He worked for Tom and when Tom became too busy with his cam business Marsh took over as Joe's tuner for Joe's 56 and 57 AMA Championships. Erik K
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Re: Searching for info on Joe Leonard KHRM

Postby hugoct » Sat Jul 07, 2018 3:59 pm

Joe Leonard raced KRs and KHRs for Tom Sifton.
When Sifton moved on to other things Joe Leonard raced for Monte Miller who owned Harley of Fresno.
Marsh Runyon worked on Joe's bikes at Monte Miller's dealership.
The racing department built a one of one KHR for Leonard in 1958
The 1958 KHR survives as do a number of other Leonard KRs.
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