Harley Davidson Motorcycles F 1917
Introduced in 1915, the 61ci (1000cc) F-head was big step forward for Harley-Davidson and would remain in the lineup until 1929.
It established the 45-degree V-twin as the brand’s trademark powerplant. Chassis-wise, this was the beginning of streamlined styling in the rounded corners of the gas tank, which also has the familiar clearance pockets for the valve mechanisms. Gone are the starting pedals held over from the bicycle era, replaced with a proper kickstarter.
Of note is the three-speed gearbox, and a 61 was the first Harley to be equipped with electric lighting, though as shown here many riders still preferred tried-and-true acetylene over newfangled electrons. The motor was improved for 1917 with a four-lobe camshaft and enclosed intake valve springs. Buyers could choose between the Model J with a battery and coil ignition or the Model F with a magneto.
This 1917 Harley-Davidson F, an older restoration, is an important piece of America’s motorcycling history. The bike is finished in the olive paint that would be standard on the Milwaukee machines for many years, nicely contrasted by nickel-plated metal pieces. It’s also equipped with a “Full-Floeting” seat wearing the proper spring sheaths introduced that year, and is fitted with a hard-to-find tire pump clipped to the rear frame rail. Speedometers were still optional and the rider of this F could only guess at the bike’s top speed, about 65 mph.
This bike was purchased from a well known Christchurch collection in 2008 and given an ‘in-house’ re-build to convert the bike into a safe and reliable veteran rider.