Two 1970s Harleys stored for 25 years see the light of day - can you help identify?

[The Buzz]

KB Harley experts - I need your help please!

A work colleague has been given two Harley Davidsons from her father, with instructions to "just get rid of them" for not a heap of money. She knows nothing of bikes and wants nothing to do with them, so has offered them to me for first refusal. Based on the photos and a potential upcoming visit to see them, I need to decide whether the purchase price and cost of getting the bikes back to riding condition is financially viable if I am able to on sell them.

The story from the father goes: Both bikes were purchased new (possibly) in the mid-1970's, one is most likely from 1974, the second from 1975. They were both ridden sparingly and then they were mounted on a wall (yep, mounted on brackets on the wall) to look at for maybe 20 years in her fathers house. The story then goes that the house was subjected to a home invasion by a gang who were after the two bikes, but a couple of massive chains that were attached to the bikes and the beams of the house meant that they were not stolen. The bikes were then moved into secret storage for a further ten years until they finally saw they light of day again last week when they were pulled out and moved, and these photos were taken.

This has resulted in very low mileage on both of them, the 1974 bike has 11k miles on the speedo, and the 1975 bike only has under 3,000 kms. Yes they may have gone round the clock, or speedos been tampered with, but if the story of mounting and storage is true then the mileage could be believed. Not hard to confirm obviously when looking at wear and tear of the bike components etc.

Both bikes were started 10 years ago before they were moved to storage but not ridden. The 1975 one has a semi-locked back wheel, it was hard to move apparently over the weekend when they were pulled out of storage.

So my questions to the Harley faithful are:

What is the model / year of the bike
What would be their scrap value?
What would be their value if up and running?



Apologies for the photo quality.


Any assistance would be highly appreciated!

Many thanks

Buzz

[Banditbandit]

They both look like sportsters. Maybe FXs ... The FXs were a combination of bigger engine in the sportster frames. Except FXs never had sportsterr tanks.

The one on left certainly looks a bit like a 1974 AMF Harley sportster - the gear shift is on the right hand side and the brake on the left? Except that the 1974 sportster had disc brakes, not a drum - so it is probably earlier - and the headlight mount is certainly not standard harley.

The one on the right has similar isues - but 1975 the front disc was a single, not a twin. Teh rear disc was on the right hand side, not the left. The FXs had twin discs in 1977 - but not that sportster tank ..

They both appear to have oil coolers - not an early 70s standard bit ...

Also - both standard 1974 and 75 bikes had exposed springs on the rear shocks .. the bars do not look standard. I suspect they have been modified ..

Maybe some engine and frame numbers might help work out what they started life as.


If these are early 70s, then they are AMF Harleys ... they don't have a good reputation ...


In 1969, American Machine and Foundry (AMF) bought the company, streamlined production, and slashed the workforce. This tactic resulted in a labor strike and lower-quality bikes.


what's the asking price?

[scumdog]

The twin-disc Sporty appears to be a '79 at least - maybe even got 80's parts on it.

(Just my guess - my '81 wasn't much different to look at);

[The Buzz]

They both look like sportsters. Maybe FXs ... The FXs were a combination of bigger engine in the sportster frames. Except FXs never had sportsterr tanks.


If these are early 70s, then they are AMF Harleys ... they don't have a good reputation ...

what's the asking price?


The father has asked for $2,000 each.


There is a third Suzuki TL1000 that has a bit of damage for $2,000 that also came out of the same shed being offered for the same price, might be a safer investment as a do-up..


(thanks very much for the information so far by the way!)

[cynna]

The father has asked for $2,000 each.


There is a third Suzuki TL1000 that has a bit of damage for $2,000 that also came out of the same shed being offered for the same price, might be a safer investment as a do-up..


(thanks very much for the information so far by the way!)

might pay to get more info before you put a price on them in case they are worth more or maybe let the market decide on trademe

[RDJ]

might pay to get more info before you put a price on them in case they are worth more or maybe let the market decide on trademe

Agreed - early Harleys often fetch a nostalgia-fueled price well above their basic market value.

[Akzle]

There is a third Suzuki TL1000 that has a bit of damage for $2,000


ill have it

[Crasherfromwayback]

Agreed - early Harleys often fetch a nostalgia-fueled price well above their basic market value.

Iron head sportsers not so much.

[husaberg]

KB Harley experts - I need your help please!

A work colleague has been given two Harley Davidsons from her father, with instructions to "just get rid of them" for not a heap of money. She knows nothing of bikes and wants nothing to do with them, so has offered them to me for first refusal. Based on the photos and a potential upcoming visit to see them, I need to decide whether the purchase price and cost of getting the bikes back to riding condition is financially viable if I am able to on sell them.

The story from the father goes: Both bikes were purchased new (possibly) in the mid-1970's, one is most likely from 1974, the second from 1975. They were both ridden sparingly and then they were mounted on a wall (yep, mounted on brackets on the wall) to look at for maybe 20 years in her fathers house. The story then goes that the house was subjected to a home invasion by a gang who were after the two bikes, but a couple of massive chains that were attached to the bikes and the beams of the house meant that they were not stolen. The bikes were then moved into secret storage for a further ten years until they finally saw they light of day again last week when they were pulled out and moved, and these photos were taken.

This has resulted in very low mileage on both of them, the 1974 bike has 11k miles on the speedo, and the 1975 bike only has under 3,000 kms. Yes they may have gone round the clock, or speedos been tampered with, but if the story of mounting and storage is true then the mileage could be believed. Not hard to confirm obviously when looking at wear and tear of the bike components etc.

Both bikes were started 10 years ago before they were moved to storage but not ridden. The 1975 one has a semi-locked back wheel, it was hard to move apparently over the weekend when they were pulled out of storage.

So my questions to the Harley faithful are:

What is the model / year of the bike
What would be their scrap value?
What would be their value if up and running?



Apologies for the photo quality.


Any assistance would be highly appreciated!

Many thanks

Buzz
The twin disk one, are the heads actually really alloy or just painted silver?
Do it up as a replica XLCR and someone will buy it, IMHO the XLCR was one of the few decent looking harleys made. Along with the RR250/350 and the XR750 amd XR1000 and the VR1000

[Crasherfromwayback]

The twin disk one are the heads actually really alloy or just painted silver?


They're both iron head sporties.

[Crasherfromwayback]

They both look like sportsters. Maybe FXs ... The FXs were a combination of bigger engine in the sportster frames. Except FXs never had sportsterr tanks.



The big twins have the drive on the left, where as the sporties on the right. Also, if you look at the size of the primary case, sporties are heaps smaller (shorter). From the right hand side, sporties have way straighter push rod tubes (quad cam) vs nasty angle of the big twin (single cam until...funnily enough...the twin cam).

[AllanB]

Cool. Offer the old bugger $2k for the pair. Great story behind them - in that era the gangs would have been interested in them.

Pretty sure there is a chap down South who will be interested in the TL ...........

[JimO]

for a couple of grand each you cant go wrong some numpty will pay 6k on trade me for each one

[rambaldi]

for a couple of grand each you cant go wrong some numpty will pay 6k on trade me for each one

And if not we can mock you mercilessly in the "Optimistic Sellers" thread.

[Motu]

They could possibly be NZ new, those were the years when they were first for sale in this country. Broadway New Market...the owner later had Scope Motorcycles in Glen Eden and used his importing license for other motorcycle stuff. He brought in Sporties and Sprints, I don't remember any big twins. Cast iron Sporties certainly have a market, people like me would love one for a reasonable price.

[RDJ]

And if not we can mock you mercilessly in the "Optimistic Sellers" thread.

That is a surety. After all, this is KB...

[Banditbandit]

. Cast iron Sporties certainly have a market, people like me would love one for a reasonable price.

Not if these are AMF harleys - AMF bought HD in 1971 and sold it in the early 80s ... the bikes are substandard ... and I would not own one ..

[scumdog]

Not if these are AMF harleys - AMF bought HD in 1971 and sold it in the early 80s ... the bikes are substandard ... and I would not own one ..

My Sporty was an AMF one and the only had trouble I really had was with a cracked coil. (It dropped a cylinder when it got hot like when stopped at the traffic lights etc)
Not AMFs fault - the bike had been biffed at some stage.

[AD345]

I'll take the twin disc one off your hands for $2K

[bmws1r]

Not if these are AMF harleys - AMF bought HD in 1971 and sold it in the early 80s ... the bikes are substandard ... and I would not own one ..

After Kawasaki heavy industries purchased AMF they were good, they even got the evolution motor reliable.

[Crasherfromwayback]

After Kawasaki heavy industries purchased AMF they were good, they even got the evolution motor reliable.

You got your facts a lil wrong there mate. And the evo had it's fair share of problems too. Not until the twin cam were things truly sorted.

[ducatijim]

I struggle to imagine what person would ruin a nice house/shed by hanging those two ugly fuckers off of the wall?

Shoulda let the bros steal them; best outcum all round.....:lol:

[98tls]

I struggle to imagine what person would ruin a nice house/shed by hanging those two ugly fuckers off of the wall?

Shoulda let the bros steal them; best outcum all round.....:lol:

Least they had the decency to hang em on a wall...you trying to tell me you let a Buell take up standing room in yours?;)

[haydes55]

Serious offer of $2500 from me for the second Harley pictured. As is.

[Drew]

I'll scrounge up $1500 for the TL if it runs.

[Blackbird]

Has the father got any ownership documentation? Presumably not or that would provide details. No documentation could provide some problems....

[Drew]

Has the father got any ownership documentation? Presumably not or that would provide details. No documentation could provide some problems....

Cops will provide a 'not a vehicle of interest' for free. Off ya go, VIN away.

[The Buzz]

I'm off to see them next weekend hopefully, and thus will get some more details, many thanks for your input and responses so far.

Regarding documentation, you are right there is none, but they will all have to be re-registered etc and I don't have any concerns about gaining new versions.

Thanks for the offer haydes55, will keep it in mind!

[sidecar bob]

Id give you the same for the other one. its for a friend.:msn-wink:

[MIXONE]

I'm off to see them next weekend hopefully, and thus will get some more details, many thanks for your input and responses so far.

Regarding documentation, you are right there is none, but they will all have to be re-registered etc and I don't have any concerns about gaining new versions.

Thanks for the offer haydes55, will keep it in mind!

So what was the outcome?

[The Buzz]

So what was the outcome?

Ironhead Tim has been around and checked these out, the older 1970 bike we will get going and chuck up for sale as is on TM in a month or so - the newer 1980 one he actually rebuilt the engine of a number of years back and is quite good condition considering, so I will take any profit on the older bike and put it into the newer one to get it road certified etc. It will then either become my new ride or be offered up for sale as well - all depending on whether I enjoy the ride and if it suits what I want out of a new (old) bike.

The TL1000S that was also part of the deal is only fit for parts, so I will be taking this apart and selling it off over the next few months.

[Madness]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/motorbikes/classic-vintage/auction-1097517075.htm

[Banditbandit]

And it sold ..