Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1960's

~~~~~ WWWWWWM 0 I oreye Ies Photos and Story by Darryl Skrabak Most motoring buffs know that Harrah's AutomobUe Collection, located near Reno in Sparks, Nevada, is the world's largest assemblage of old and honored cars. It is less well known that Harrah's also houses a good number of old and honored motorcycles. Not so many bikes as cars, to be sure - the Collection includes more than 1400 automobiles - but 78 motorcycles is no small number. These figures are somewhat misleading, for the visitor to the Collection will not see 1400 cars, nor 78 motorcycles. For this he may be thankful, in respect to the cars. The number of cars in the showrooms, 750, Is quite sufficient to thoroughly exhaust the enthusiast who comes to spend a day. At least two days, and better three, are required to achieve any sort of intelligible review of the Duesenbergs, the Cords, the Auburns, Rolls, Packards, Frankllns, Thomases, Fords (144 Fords!), Mercedes-Benzes, Bugattles, and on and on. The number of types and kinds of automobiles men have constructed is literally bewlldering. That is not fully appreciated ootll one visits Harrah's. Where are the missing cars? According to Gene Tarnowsky, public relations officer for the Collection, Harrah's present seven acre site slmply isn't large enough to accommodate all the automobiles. The others are stored in warehouses around Reno and Sparks. In addition to automobiles and motorcycles, Harrah's collects other vehlcles, - "anything that moves ooder its own power," as Tarnowsky put it. Thus, along with the bikes and cars, there are boats, trains, trucks, airplanes, trailers, tractors, and anything else that goes. Back to the motorcycles. Of the 78 in Harrah's catalog, only 21 areondisplay, all but two of these are parked along a back wall in Showroom 2 (Harrah's has three showrooms.) There is a good selection here, including such famous but now defOOct name.s as The Flying Merkel, Pope, Reading Standard, Pierce, Neracar, Cyclone and Excelsior. These motorcycles, when fully restored, are as like new as it is possible to make them, inside and out. A research department looks after authenticity. The restoration process may involve some peculiar prohlems, as Tarnowsky explained. "For example, if an engine had bronze bearings when it was manufactured, we put bronze bearings in it. Of course the mechanics want to put other bearings in it, which would allow it to turn more rpm s and last three to four times as long. But the idea is not to make it better. 'TWO STROKES UNFAIR' By Bill Blakeslee Big banger enthusiasts hang in there. Ducatl's promised 450Cc thumpers are now at the distributors at least. As mentioned earlier it's an overgrown 350. Weighing in at 312 pounds, it keeps its lightweight feel. Judging performance is difficult without elaborate equipment but a brief ride is enough to ascertain that there is torque connected to the throttle cable. Indeed, opening the fiist fraction of the throttle feels like being kicked solidly in the seat by a big spring. Next sensation is the willingness of the engine to rev freely and the narrow gap A H h' s ~~~~~ I arra Could this ha.. been Short, Seaborne's original flattracker? No, he's not that old. We want it to be original, to be just as it was when it was new, in the dealer's showroom." Tarnowsky admitted motorcycles are not high on Harrah's list of priorities for restoration. Cars come first. But the bikes are there, in the warehouses, and where work on them was one intermittent, it is now a continuing concern. In the main restoration shop where assembly occurs, and through which visitors pass on their way to dlfferent showrooms, an observant eye w1ll notice the small section devoted to motorcycles. This ls the domain of Ray Moyer, old time bike racer and lifelong motorcycle mechanic. Moyer is a delightful man to talk with, full of knowledge and stories acquired during a career which goes hack about as far as motorcycles do. Age has not slowed his enthusiasm for bikes, although he did recently sell his last motorcycle, a Honda 450. He is expert at this work. Harrah's considers him a master craftsman, and they are fortunate to have him. When interViewed Moyer was working on a 1914 Milltalre, a machine he didn't between gears which seemed to make shifting unnecessary. But you do it anyway because it's foo. Two variations on the theme are offered. One leans to the roadracer image. Long low tank, flat bars and short forks all contribute. This model also uses the desmo head, which is definitely exotic and goes well with the overall trend. An immediately familiar feeling is noticed when first sitting on the scrambler type model. It feels like a fun, general purpose bike would after you lived with it a few years. It doesn't feel sophisticated like the roadracer type but goes nearly as well and inspires courage to play Dave Bickers. In the back of Bob Blalr's place is something even more interesting. One hopes it's a hint of things to come. A scrambler type sits there, 37 pooods lighter than when it had its lights and other SuPerfluous stuff. They insist it weighs 275 pounds - and that's not a bad beginning. The head is also off...walting for the desmo version! This tied together with Ducati's recent win in Baja could make some mighty Interesting conjecture. Husqvarna-CZ-Penton Complete line of Torsten Hallman Racing Equipment largest Stock of Motorcycles & Parts in the los Angeles Area ALSO Suzuki, Zundapp, M. Z. & Mantesa ~ate'ti4le'~ (213) 415-4541 WWWWWW 2 CYCLE CITY Moto-x Accessories & Equipment 10673 W. Pica Blvd., West Las Anaeles. Cal. particularly like. The Mllitalre, a four cylinder hub-steered motorcycle, was the subject of an article by Ted Hogden which appeared recently in Motorcyclist. "When you move the handlebars, the whole motorcycle shifts over," Moyer said of the Mllitalre. .. You need those little wheels to keep you up when you're rWlDing aroood tight places out in the parking lot." MliUGIIT SUPER~ The wheels Moyer referred to are similar to training wheels on a chUd's bicycle. Meant to be :",wered when one went into reverse (I), the wheels and their raising and lowering linkage were absent when the machine was acquired. Working from pictures suPPlied by the research department, Moyer fahrlcated replacements. Alongside the Milltalre was anotber four cyllnder bike, a Henderson. "Nowthat one I like," - Moyer said• .,it's a fine handling machine." Does a motorcycle restoration at Harrah's take much time? "Not tor 1a.bor,"' according to Moyer. "But to get the parts, like the gas tank here (referring to the Mllitalre) - that takes time. I'm still waiting for it." Moyer obviously enjoys trying out the machines he works on, and this is not oousual at Harrah's. All restored vehicles must be in working order and properly adjusted tor operation. In this report on motorcycles- at Harrah's, it seems proper to ~ that, although motorcycles are but a small part of the Collection, the number of bikes displayed will steadily increase now that Moyer Is devoting his full attention to them. It should be noted that Harfah's welcomes visits trom clUbs, and prepares special tours for them. Write to Gene. Tarnowsky for Information. Motorcycle clUbs, here Is a good tour desttnation. To conclude without mentioning the guard would not be right. The guard mans the ticket office and is the first Harrah's employee one meets. Here is how he greeted us. "Are you the tella on the bike?" Answer affirmative. "Weil, push it In through the gateover here and park It next to that red car. That way I can keep an eye on it." "And you can put your helmets in mT International over there - you won'twant to carry thllse around Inside." The guard! s name Is Gregory Kolb. He's been at his post seven years, and you know with people like that uP tront, Harrah's Is an all right place. PRE-DRILLED K N U_B LED ED G E 5 ~bo made of n duraluminum S17.oo to .23.00 Chromed Slainl... Steel CSpokes - 30¢ elch : S DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED Write 'or FREt lIterature NORTH AMOICAN IMPORTS r. O. lOX 621 GARDEN GROYE, CAL 92640 :: Cl :if a.. ~ Iio) :;e E>l -.J ~ U

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