[thefrenchowl]

This KRTT is part of a barter agreed some 20 years ago... It left Phoenix Arizona last week and landed in Manchester GB last Thursday. Got a phone call today that it was to be delivered this morning at my old place of work... So, as you can imagine, I rushed there!!!

What a beauty... A few shots...

So long, happy Patrick

 

[Ratso]

So, you're going to chop it? It has potential. I see a 36"-over twisted springer, 15/180 rear, ghost skulls on the tank ...

[Running for cover.]

But seriously: I never saw a prettier or more interesting one of those, Mr. Owl. Wear it in good health!

 

[Ratso]

I'm sure this has been discussed plenty, perhaps on the JJ: Can you, Patrick, or somebody else direct me to an informed discussion about why H-D chose to stay with a side-valve design when they developed the K models? -- Since they'd had years of OHV experience with their big twins, and they couldn't have been blind to the technology's uptake by their racing competitors.

... Or did they believe they'd only ever have to be faster than Indians?

Thanks
James rats

 

[thefrenchowl]

Hi Ratso...

Simply put, they needed a better side valve racer than the WR to keep up with the Limeys (Norton Inter and BSA Gold Star mostly, so no sloths...) so rather than design a 500 OHV to compete with the Limeys, they were allowed since the 1933 "Class C" new AMA racing rules to race 750sv against 500ohv... So, the street K design and the racer KR design were done at once and in parallel cause, according to these Class C rules, the KR racer had to have a street equivalent, the K...

Some see that as an unfair advantage, but lets face it, wouldn't you be p*ssed off, riding a more than OK Limey, being beaten day in day out until 1969 by a flaming side valve???

(then, in 1970, the Limeys thought they could at last win a lot... Bummed... The iron then alloy 750 XR soon saw to that with even more spectacular results... so, not a fluke this KR business!!!)

Then the sv K/KH morphed quietly into ohv Sportsters in 1957, you can still see their bottom end heritage that was still with us during the Evo Sportster years.

Patrick

 

[richbob]

Nice
Barter what did the other barterer get ?

 

[thefrenchowl]

My side of the barter is one of the ultra/ultra/rare XLCR Cafe Racer prototypes made in 1974/1975 that I happened to find very molested in GB in 1996...
From the paper work I've seen, the 1st one was made in 1974 by Willie G. Davidson and Jim Haubert -the very man I bartered this XLCR with- as a one off styling exercise.
But the factory liked it and they decided to make a street model from it.
So 6 more prototypes were made in 1974/1975 for evaluating fabrication, parts making, electric looms and durability.
Out of these 6, 4 were inert with no engine insides, just used to design stuff around them by various departments, and the other 2 were made road worthy for road tests and partly assembled by Jim.
My XLCR is one of these two. And it is shown in the period 1977 sales catalogue where one can see its unusual engine number, CR-EX-3
Further more, this engine is believed to be the 4th gerotor/half sump Sportster engine ever made.
So I guess 2 went in standard Sportster prototypes and 2 in the XLCR prototypes
Later this week, I will shoe horn it into the KRTT crate and sent it back to Jim so he can enjoy once more this beast!!!
Patrick

 

[Tim The Grim]

Fabricating an impossible to find oil tank for a motorcycle - The Home Shop Machinist & Machinist's Workshop Magazine's BBS

A chronicle of sorts…Hope this is ok with you Patrick, if not I’ll pull it on your say so.

Either way. 💥💥Congrats 💥💥👏🏻👏🏻

EDIT…NO PICS until page 10. Too bad.

 

[VonWegener]

Big ol' weld where the trans exploded

 

[thefrenchowl]

Fabricating an impossible to find oil tank for a motorcycle - The Home Shop Machinist & Machinist's Workshop Magazine's BBS

A chronicle of sorts…Hope this is ok with you Patrick, if not I’ll pull it on your say so.

Either way. 💥💥Congrats 💥💥👏🏻👏🏻

EDIT…NO PICS until page 10. Too bad.

It's OK with me Tim, Jim merits to be more widely known... His work as a prototype builder for Harley-Davidson from 1973 to 1981 is widely unknown and deserve applauds...

He's also a great writer and has a special file with the hundreds of letters he exchanged with William Davidson, H-D CEO and father of Willie G. Unbelievable stuff...

Here is Jim aboard my 1975 XLCR Prototype in 2003 when he visited me in GB and agreed on the exchange:

Patrick

 

[thefrenchowl]

Big ol' weld where the trans exploded

Yes, VonWegener,

Trans corner was badly damaged over the years. Jim tried to save it, but gave up as more cracks appeared after each repair attempt. In the end, the back of the right 53 KR case was cut and replaced with the rear right section of a 1974 XL, no speedo drive and better Torrington countershaft support:

Patrick

 

[rhysmort]

Amazing story and what a beautiful bike! less of the Limey talk!! haha.

What a beauty.

 

[Cpt.Fred]

GREAT story and that KR is so beautiful, man, i'm speechless... what a treasure. you are a lucky man, Patrick!
i hope both bikes survive the journey unscathed.

 

[Dutch Dennoz]

agree , great story , true treasures (both sides of the barter!)

 

[CookieMonster]

Wow! Glad it’s finally arrived.

Fired it up yet?

 

[doc308]

Beautiful! Congrats!

 

[thefrenchowl]

Ali: Fired it up yet?

No, it is still in Winsford, maybe pick up tomorrow morning...

Then, home, fill with racing oil, petrol then try it...

Then paper work to get a reg number, I want to enjoy the open road on it!!!

See you soon...

Patrick

 

[Transmaniacon MC]

Patrick,
Awesome thread - great story - great photos. Thanks for sharing this history.
I am interested in the CR-EX-3 engine numbering. My mind can easily tweak on whether the other 5 prototypes had engine numbers CR-EX- 1,-2, -4,-5, & -6.

What happened to the prototype bikes, the no guts engines, etc..??? Do any of those bikes, assemblies or components still physically exist? Could they be or are they rat holed away in some Harley storage facility or in the hands of the general public?

How does this engine, believed to be the "4th gerotor/half sump Sportster engine" relate to the other 5 prototypes and Sportster engine design and upgrade in general? I am assuming the "half sump" refers to half of the lower end cases being the pumped crankcase, half being the transmission case. Is that the case, or do I have that all wrong?

I also assume the "4th gerotor" refers to an oil pump upgrade.

I'd like to hear from anyone that can elaborate.

Thanks again Patrick for posting.

 

[thefrenchowl]

TransmaniaconMC,

Usually, H-D prototypes are last year models updated to new parts or paint scheme and without special idents... Then either sold to employees of crushed depending on their luck...
Since the XLCR was in 1974/1975 a brand new model without progenitors, engine and frame wise, it required proper hand made prototypes.
I guess all have been crushed afterwards (since they are not EPA approved and only allowed to run on the road under special H-D reg. plates) and it's only by pure chance that this one slipped through the gap and survived.

Patrick

 

[thefrenchowl]

New color and started it today, so good so far...

So long, Patrick

 

[JGPP]

Beautiful machine