One of the projects that was undertaken when preparing Lydian for the Cannonball was to make sure the frame was up to the task. These four-cylinder motorcycles were used hard during their day…many as Police bikes. They were smooth and fast and able to out-perform many automobiles of the 1920s and ‘30s. Primitive roads, minimal suspension and rapid speeds means powerful forces fed into the forks and frame. So, more than 90 years later, I wanted to be sure that we could go straight down the road with the suspension working as it should. The parts were disassembled and laid out for inspection:
First up: fix the front forks. When we looked closely at the major and minor forks, it was clear that all was not right. In the photo below, you can see that the forks had suffered…bending back and hitting the head stock of the frame. Once straight, proper geometry was assured.
Next up: foot boards need leveling. When you are riding day after day, it is important to have flat, level foot boards. Ours needed some straightening and welding to give proper position and feel:
For the seat, I removed the original pan with its cracked leather and substituted the old-style Harley seat which I had used on the 1917 Henderson. With its springs and sheepskin cover (provided by Frank Westphal), comfort would be as good as a rigid rear end can offer.
Today we worked on packing and loading tools, spares, generator, cooler (for beer) and work lights. Hopefully the nightly maintenance will not be too demanding. Tomorrow, we will load in both the 1917 and 1928 bikes. Almost ready to start the drive to Michigan!
