Topic: Help id an old bike (or parts of different bikes)?

[NickC]

Going through some of my G'mas old pics, found this one.  I'd say it would be around late 50's for the time frame. 

[trueblue]

Looks like an old Harley Davidson, Hummer 165cc 2 stroke

[MoMo]

Looks like an old Harley Davidson, Hummer 165cc 2 stroke

Sure does, that was the first bike I owned back in the (what decade was that?)...Larry

[Hinomaru]

It sure does look like a Harley Hummer ...

You can find more Hummer info at: http://www.harleyhummer.com/

Here’s a 1962 in original Hi-Fi purple paint:

[754]

47 or 48 Hummer, copy of the DKW single..BSA Bantam is nearly the same..engine..

[NickC]

Thanks all.  Spoke to my great uncle (the one in the pic) and confirmed it all. He was proud of that bike. 

[754]

 The last one is 61 or 2 I think the blue one is I think 52 or 53

[trueblue]

The last one is 61 or 2 I think the blue one is I think 52 or 53

I think the page I found that pic on said it was a 54

[Killer Canary]

47 or 48 Hummer, copy of the DKW single..BSA Bantam is nearly the same..engine..

Harley Davidson doesn't copy, haven't you heard?

[Ichiban 4]

A-hem..

I don't usually like to criticize..just to criticize..but the whole Harley Hummer reality reminds me of one of the reasons I found Harley marketing to be disingenuous and mercenary.  And that was back in the 50's (yes..I was there)..before present day marketing reality. 

They were basically a piece of crap..as far as I'm concerned (underpowered 2-stroke in a way over-sized chassis.  The gas tanks were cool tho)..not worthy of even the Harley name. It was also a major reason I was ready to move on from a B.S. marketing mentality to cover mediocre/out-of-date engineering (with Harley and Indian @ the time)..to ride Brit bikes in the late 50's early 60's..and then to Honda and the Japanese bikes from the late 60's on.

No criticism of you or your great uncle intended NickC..

It's interesting to one who has "been there-done that"..to see all this old stuff resurrected and fawned-upon..as "cool" nowadays.  I just feel that some of that stuff..like the Harley Hummer..would be best remembered as examples of what was not particularly good..or instrumental to the evolution of motorcycle engineering.  Nostalgic to some..yes. I rode Whizzer motorbikes initially..so guess that places me somewhere in that category tho.

My two cents..from one who experienced it..

Ichi

[754]

 Yeah it could be 54, many of the emblems only ran  2 tears, with a few exceptions. I havent been in that business since around 84 so am a bit rusty. The one in the first pic had decals which is a bit strange, as most Hummers shared the same metal badges as the big ones..

 The Hummer and Bamtam was a spoils of war sort of deal.

 I cant really agree with Ichaban, I see many 50s H-D's on the rad but not so many british bikes..

[NickC]

Ichi,
No offense taken.  My family came from pretty humble upbringings, so this is possibly a second or third hand bike that he acquired when younger. And you can tell by the look on his face he was mighty proud of it, regardless of how crappy it was. ;-)

[Ichiban 4]

Hi 754..

Was wondering if that would get a rise out of you.  Not disputing that some will always feel Harley can basically do no wrong.  That's the nostalgia versus actual experience thing..I guess.  In the U. S. (maybe Canada too..I don't know) seems obvious that many more preserve and restore Harley's..Indians than Brit bikes.  On other hand..I'd venture the opposite is true "over the pond"..as they say.  In Japan (which I can say from experience)..guess what nationality of bike..old or new..predominates? You got it.

Just wanted to relate from personal experience..previously..that some bikes (of which I definitely include Harley Hummers..from experience) were sort of a dud of terms of performance..and rideability.  I never fully understood why the American bike manufacturers let their engineering fall so far behind the Brits..Germans..Italians or Japanese..but think the sales and appeal numbers speak for themselves.

To Harley's credit tho..since splitting from AMF..they did ramp-up their game.  Notice tho..that about 1/3rd of their peripherals (injectors..electrical..shocks..et al) are produced by Japanese and others nowadays.

We're both probably a little behind the times in terms of our thinking..remembrances..as relates to present day bike reality..I'd suggest.  Here..on this thread tho..was just wanting to relate personal experience with the bike in question..to those that didn't really see or experience it..

Cheers..

Ichi

[754]

 H-D merely aqquired the Hummer powerplant as did BSA, and built the rest of it to try to generaste middlewight sales, and entry level bikes.

 You do realize, prtetty sure you do that vintage American bikes are quite prized in Japan.

[faux fiddy]

The last one is 61 or 2 I think the blue one is I think 52 or 53

Either you gott a really sharp eye and a lot of knowlege about these or you just BS really well.

I was thinking it had to be something like an American bike but didn't know there were farmed out motored Harleys before the 2 stroke Arimichis (sic.).

[754]

 I used to sell parts for them, and import parts. Had a few early American projects ..still have some pre 20 parts and a lot of a 14twin motor. Yeah I studied them a lot..