The henderson motorcycle company became a division of excelsior when schwinn purchased henderson in 1917. I have been off ebay for about 15 months due to health and personal reasons but im back and will be hitting it hard with magnetos, mag parts and vintage harley parts the next few months so keep watch. The official excelsiorhenderson motorcycle forums info center forum stats 3,496 posts in 635 topics by 252 members. Where did names like the road crew, pioneer dealers, riders handbook originate. Excelsiorhenderson motorcycles select a year kelley. One of the legendary american motorcycle marques will go to auction in january 2018 when the excelsiorhenderson brand name and all its trademarks, web domains, motorcycle designs and. Use motorcycles on autotraders intuitive search tools to find the best motorcycles, atvs, sidebysides, and utvs for sale. Excelsiorhenderson official headquarters experience. Dan hanlon this true story is the remarkable, modernday story of a brutally intensive business startup that dared to cross swords against the industry giants. Excelsiorhenderson motorcycles are known for being premium quality american made cruisers and touring motorcycles. However if your stomach need to continue to seems most incompatible with difficult it was. Excelsiorhenderson motorcycles select a year to get your new or used excelsiorhenderson motorcycle pricing and values. The complete history of henderson motorcycles, 19111931.
No use of intellectual property is permitted without license or advance permission. Excelsiorhenderson motorcycles resource forums technical resource discussion. The official story of excelsiorhenderson motorcycles hanlon. As told by dan hanlon, founder of excelsiorhenderson motorcycles, this book gives an insider s view of the company that set out to accomplish what no other independent american startup had achieved in nearly a century.
The henderson motorcycle company became a division. The company developed the super x motorcycle as a new proprietary motorcycle, including a new engine, frame, and all related drive and styling components, adopting styling from the earlier excelsiorhenderson motorcycles from the 19051931 timeframe. Their big models the indian chief and 4, and the henderson 4 were admired. Part of the corporate culture of eh is to first break all the rules, then rewrite to. With a full order book, the company abruptly ceased motorcycle production in 1931, largely due to the great depression. That something, apparently is the history and soul of the original excelsiorhenderson, which they hope to transfer to their new company. History of the henderson 1918 1931 henderson motorcycle. Original 191624 excelsior henderson motorcycle parts list catalog. With the companys vast history of distribution, the excelsior motorcycle sold well and the company had trouble keeping up with the orders. Excelsiorhenderson introduced it first production model, the super x, in december 1998, and. Excelsior motorcycles new book excelsior all i will be publishing a complete history of the excelsior marque soon. Due to economic pressures from the great depression, excelsiorhendersons parent company schwinn decided to close down the motorcycle plant in 1931, ending excelsiors distinguished 55 year history. Just 2,000 super x models were built before the company ran out of funds, prompting a bankruptcy filing and the closure of its belle plaine, minnesota, factory.
Historical society, the utah state historical society, vintage. Excelsiorhenderson touring motorcycles select a year to get your new or used motorcycle pricing and values. The rights to the excelsiorhenderson brand, trademarks, and intellectual. The author has restored vintage and classic motorcycles for more than 45 years. This same year also saw the introduction of the excelsior type m, a single cylinder machine which was basically half of the twin engine. Despite the full order book, he had chosen to pare back his business commitments to the core business, bicycle manufacture. Poor excelsiorhenderson goes to auction again rideapart. They took a leaf from indians technical book and introduced their own. Excelsiorhenderson truly the art of the motorcycle. We make parts for all henderson models super x and excelsior as well from 1912 to 1931. Excelsiorhenderson values and pricing youre looking for and with over 40 years of knowledge about motorcycle values and pricing, you can rely on kelley blue book.
This comprehensive vin check gives you peace of mind when buying a used motorcycle. During its early days, the company came out with a 4cylinder, 56cmc. Turek, antique motorcycle club of america the excelsiorhenderson motorcycle manufacturing company resurrected the brand and continues to pay great homage to the heritage. Perhaps no fourcylinder motorcycle has more legitimacy as an early.
In december 1998, a reborn excelsiorhenderson produced its first new motorcycle in 67 years. To do a book is one way to save the heritage of motorcycle history. The name excelsior has always caused a little confusion for some folks, at least when applied to motorcycle history. In 1912, an excelsior was the first motorcycle to be officially timed at a speed of 100 mph. Excelsiorhenderson motorcycle brand to be sold at las veg. The complete history of henderson motorcycles, 19111931 schultz, richard henry on. Excelsiorhenderson motorcycles for sale motorcycles on. Your best resource is the book riding the american dream, and this snapshot provided here will provide a supplemental look. Excelsiorhenderson, super x, american x, big x, x logo, x and bar logo, and related marks, designs, and s are intellectual property rights of excelsiorhenderson motorcycles. The excelsior henderson is the oldest opp vehicle known to exist, recently rebuilt this motorcycle will be around for many years to come. History of excelsiorhenderson motorcycle police motor units. On december 21, 1999, the excelsiorhenderson motorcycle company, a revival of a oncestoried american brand, filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy after just two model years of production.
Find new and used excelsiorhenderson motorcycles for sale by motorcycle dealers and private sellers near you. American x archive limited edition motorcycle books from. Dan hanlon, founder of excelsiorhenderson motorcycles, this book gives an. Excelsiorhenderson motorcycle news newspapers books scholar jstor september 2016 learn how and when to remove this template message. For those of you with better things to do than study defunct motorcycle companies, the short version of the history is that ignaz schwinn of bicycle fame bought excelsior in the early 20th century and built it into one of the big three u. American excelsior the history of excelsior, super x and henderson motorcycles.
The excelsiorhenderson motorcycle company was founded as hanlon manufacturing. In 1993, dan hanlon secured the rights to the excelsiorhenderson trademarks and founded the excelsiorhenderson motorcycle company in belle. For the 1927 super excelsior and henderson motorcycle sales book. History 1911 1917 in october 1911 the henderson motorcycle co, 268 jefferson ave. This is a great historical book of the early henderson fourcylinder motorcycles built in detroit, beginning with the 1911 prototype. Looking back at the 1998 excelsior henderson super x. In august 2017 antique motorcycle works of philipsburg montana purchased the henderson motorcycle company and moved the inventory to its location in montana. Henderson motorcycles contents page history 1918 1931. Excelsiorhenderson changed its competition focus from racing to hillclimbing, where they gained a reputation for excellence in the sport. Could excelsiorhenderson be poised for another rebirth.
Henderson and his brother, thomas, founded the henderson motorcycle company in detroit, michigan, in 1911. The only book currently in print on the whole history of the excelsiorhenderson brand. Euros this book has a direct link to the excelsior history and it provides the history of board track racing incl. I collected photos and documents of motorcycles since 40 years.
The excelsiorhenderson motorcycle manufacturing company resurrected the brand and continues to pay great homage to the heritage. There were once 3 major motorcycle manufacturers in the usa. In march 1999, wed were anxious to experience more than press releases from exelsiorhenderson, which was finally hitting production with its first model, the super x. The henderson motorcycle company became a division of excelsior when schwinn. Demonstration of the excelsior motorcycle national archive these photographs to the best of our knowledge have never been published previously except in our excelsiorhenderson story here, and document mostly the testing regime of the day. History of the henderson 1918 1931 1918, both william and tom henderson were now employees of excelsior. These streamline models had tanks that hid the top tube of the frame and wide front fenders with holes for. In 1929, the excelsiorhenderson concern restyled both its motorcycle offerings, the excelsior super x and the henderson four, for a more contemporary look. Antique motorcycle works has been making henderson replacement parts since 1990. Excelsior bikes were popular among emerging motorcycle and racing clubs. Excelsiorhenderson the artistry of an american motorcycle.
American excelsior the history of excelsior, super x and henderson motorcycles fits into the category of super book perfectly. The recent bankruptcy of minnesotas excelsiorhenderson co. In 1996 the excelsiorhenderson motorcycle manufacturing. We have a selection of excelsior, henderson, and excelsiorhenderson models on. Despite a full order book, he had chosen to pare back his business. The official excelsiorhenderson motorcycle forums index. With the passage of time, the accomplishments of the excelsiorhenderson motorcycle venture are better validated. The mainstay of excelsior production through the 1910s and into the 1920s was the 61 cubic inches 1,000 cubic centimetres model big x. The price is also big 149 euros but, you know what, it is justified. The history of this bike is still being filled in, but we do know that around. In the factory riders handbook originally printed in 1999, there is a section devoted to the history, which is believed to be among the most accurately recorded in one document. This is evidently why they have gone to all the trouble to secure the excelsiorhenderson nameplate and why they seek to link the bikes styling to the original excelsior super x. Those elegant machines, by richard henry schultz 1994, pine hill press.
The excelsiorhenderson motorcycle company was originally founded as hanlon manufacturing company in 1993. The official story of excelsiorhenderson motorcycles. The problem is that this name was used by three separate companies, one in the uk, one in the us and one in germany excelsior fahrrad motoradwerke. In 1922 excelsiorhenderson became the first motorcycle manufacturer to produce a bike that covered a mile in 60 seconds on a halfmile dirt track. Excelsior henderson prices, excelsior henderson values and. Excelsior motorcycles made in england sheldons emu. American excelsior the history of excelsior, super x and.