How many 1952 K Models were produced?

[Ferrous_Head]

And why does no one ever mention the XLB ?

[hennesse]

Two Harley employees, Ken Osterman and Sharon Bach, persuaded management to detail them to producing a series of "Antique Literature" books (as listed on the Hummer Club website), which are still available today through your Harley dealer. These two did a tremendous job of digging through 90 years of Harley's archives to produce these books, which were designed to help Enthusiasts (that's us) restore our bikes. Did they get every last detail right? No. But they did a darn good job. Much of the information would not be available anywhere else without these books.

And they're very inexpensive. In particular, the Part# 99414-93 1950-1957 Operations / Maintenance / Parts Listing / Specifications has copies of the 1952, 1954, and 1957 K/XL Owners Manuals, 1957 K/XL Parts Book, 45/61/74 Owners Manuals and Parts Book - and the same (and more) for the Hummer-series and Topper lightweights. Go to eBay, and see what any one of these Owners Manuals or Parts Books will cost you. These Harley books are a real deal.

The Legend Begins - as they state in the Introduction, the photographs and illustrations are from the original sales literature. When Harley sent a new model year bike to Pohlman Studios to take photos for advertisements, it was often done months in advance, due to the photography and printing technology of the time. Sometimes the new year's fenders were not available yet - so they mocked up a new year bike with last year's fenders. Take a close look at the tank decals on the 1955 Hummer in these two Pohlman Photos. The first one, HD-20535, has the 1955 Model 165 decal. The second one, from a cover of The Enthusiast, has the 1955 Hummer decal. Remember - in late 1954 they were trying to sell motorcycles, not produce history books.

1955 Hummer with 1955 Model 165 decal

1955-hummer-wrong decal.jpg (100.18 KiB) Viewed 11042 times

1955 Hummer with 1955 Hummer decal

1955-hummer-correct-decal.jpg (71.62 KiB) Viewed 11042 times

Take Harley Spare Parts Catalogs. Every one contains multiple errors. Should we throw them in the trash just because they have a few mistakes? No, they are the best documentation we have.
Just like our wives, we have to accept them the way they are, flaws included.

-----

P.S. hugoct - you say Harley never made a KHR or XLR?

I tend to disagree...

khr-xlr.jpg (46.12 KiB) Viewed 11042 times

[hugoct]

All of the Racing Department Motor Test Cards (engine build cards) and Dealer Destination Cards (shipping records) list all XLRTT and KHRTT with an XLRTT or KHRTT model designation and with XLR and KHR serial numbers.
There is no XLR or KHR model listed on any of the Racing Department Motor Test Cards or Dealer Destination Cards.
The XLRTT and KHRTT were the model designations in the Racing Model Brochure, Instruction Book, Parts Supplement, annual Race Department pricing announcement for racing motorcycles and motors, and Race Department Order Form.
There is no XLR or KHR model listed in any of these Race Department publications.
An XLR or KHR would have had to have been a KR dirt track chassis with an XLRTT or KHRTT engine installed.
There would have been no place for that motorcycle to race except a non AMA outlaw flattrack event.
Harley Davidson was known to terminate support for riders who raced outlaw events so the odds of them building a bike for those events are very slim.
The photo that one sees, on the internet, in the the 1969 Sportster 750 brochure, and in books, of an XLRTT brakeless rigid bike is often cited as proof of the XLR but those photos are of the prototype 1969 Sportster 750 that was never produced.
I've discussed this matter with Clyde Denzer who was the Number 2 in the Racing Department.
He confirms that there was never an XLR or KHR model only the XLRTT and KHRTT.

[Rubone]

All of the Racing Department Motor Test Cards (engine build cards) and Dealer Destination Cards (shipping records) list all XLRTT and KHRTT with an XLRTT or KHRTT model designation and with XLR and KHR serial numbers.
There is no XLR or KHR model listed on any of the Racing Department Motor Test Cards or Dealer Destination Cards.
The XLRTT and KHRTT were the model designations in the Racing Model Brochure, Instruction Book, Parts Supplement, and Race Department Order Form.
There is no XLR or KHR model listed in any of these Race Department publications
I've discussed this matter with Clyde Denzer who was the Number 2 in the Racing Department.
He confirms that there was never an XLR or KHR model only the XLRTT and KHRTT.

As with all H-D numbers the "TT" portion was never stamped on the cases however the KHR and XLR were to identify those models. WRTT was never stamped as such either, nor were designations like FLHF stamped with the last F, those auxiliary digits designate a build variation, not a model.

[hugoct]

Thank you. Buddy Elmore's 1966 Daytona bike has surfaced in the US. The English claimant is an imposter.

[hugoct]

The Harley Davidson Aermacchi 250cc Sprint Road Racer from 1961 through 1967 is a CRTT model on the Race Department order form, Race Model Brochure, and Instruction Manual. The serial number
on the motor and frame is XXCRXXXX.

[Rubone]

Thank you. Buddy Elmore's 1966 Daytona bike has surfaced in the US. The English claimant is an imposter.

Wow, That I'd love to see!!

[hugoct]

Currently disassembled.
It's had a long hard life.
Parts are being acquired.
There were 5 Team bikes at Daytona in 1966.
3 have been located.
2 are still in the wind.
Only one 1967 is unaccounted for.
The 1968/9 bikes are another story.

[hugoct]

One hypothesis that is promoted by some as to why there would have been XLR and XLRTT is that the XLR is delivered as a "motor only" and the XLRTT is delivered as a "complete motorcycle".
That hypothesis seemed reasonable to me and we felt it was worth investigating as to whether there was any documentation to support that theory.
The Race Department engine assembly records "Motor Test Cards" label all of the assembled XLRTT motors as either "motor only" or "complete motorcycle".
The Race Department shipping records list all of the XLRTTs shipped as either "motor only" or "complete motorcycle".
There are no records mentioning an XLR or KHR.
The above mentioned hypothesis is reasonable but is not supported by the historical records.

[Rubone]

Currently disassembled.
It's had a long hard life.
Parts are being acquired.
There were 5 Team bikes at Daytona in 1966.
3 have been located.
2 are still in the wind.
Only one 1967 is unaccounted for.
The 1968/9 bikes are another story.

Wish it was mine since I have all of Buddy's related stuff. The leathers he wore at Daytona, trophies, posters, etc. Even his winning check stub!