![]() Inlet over exhaust valves might be thought to be a retreat from the prior sidevalve valve design, but it worked with a newly designed intake manifold to enable down-draft carburetion, of a sort: The carburetor is a side-draft, but the intake manifold feeds the fuel/air mixture downward into the cylinders. The KJ’s 79.4-cubic-inch (1,301cc) engine had four inline cylinders like its predecessors, but was improved with a five-bearing crankshaft, increased fin area, and a new valve cage design with overhead inlet valves. Produced from 1929 until 1931, the KJ sold for $435 (about $6,000 in 2017 dollars) and was claimed to be capable of reaching 100mph. The result was the KJ “Streamline” model. ![]() In an interview with Ted Hodgdon, the author of Motorcycling’s Golden Age of the Fours, Constantine explained that he wanted a lower and more central riding position, more horsepower and smoother running, as well as greater reliability. Constantine, who had previously worked for Harley-Davidson, began working on a new version of the Henderson, which was then getting a little long in the tooth. In 1928, Schwinn hired Arthur Constantine as new chief engineer. Large-displacement motorcycles were mostly an American product, and enthusiasts in Europe, South Africa, Canada and Australia looking for bigger machines imported them from the United States. Henderson, like many other American motorcycle factories, also had a big export business. Disappointed with Schwinn’s development of the Henderson, William left to start another motorcycle company, Ace, but the new Henderson was embraced by motor police and the company prospered through the 1920s. The redesign, with a sidevalve top end instead of the original inlet-over-exhaust design, was more reliable, but much heavier. Schwinn reworked the original Henderson design to make it more attractive to police departments, a major source of revenue for motorcycle factories at the time. William Henderson designed the inline four motorcycle bearing his name, running the Henderson Motorcycle Company with his brother Tom from its beginning in 1912 until 1917, when the company was purchased by Ignaz Schwinn - the same Schwinn that built the bicycle you had when you were 10 years old. The cop would then pull the offender over and write down the indicated speed on the ticket. Lacking radar, the motor cop would match speed with the boat-tailed Auburn or Duesenberg that was burning up the road, hit the button, and the red hand on the bike’s speedometer would set at the maximum speed. The decals are consistent with motorcycles manufactured for traffic cops, and among its accessories is a “hand control” speedometer, with two hands, one of them red. ![]() This original 1930 Henderson KJ - unrestored, running, and in amazingly good shape for an 87-year-old machine - probably started out as a police bike. In recent years, Hendersons have shone on the Cannonball coast to-coast rally for vintage motorcycles, frequently winning and placing high in the points rankings, underscoring the fact that a Henderson is one of the most user-friendly and reliable bikes of its era. In the 1920s and 1930s, the Henderson, a sturdy, quiet and fast machine (by the standards of the day) was a top choice of police departments all over the U.S., and there weren’t many cars on the road that could outrun one. When the A.M.A or some other organization sponsors a motorcycle race, a trick riding contest or a hill climb, the experienced officer-riders are on the spot.” - The Blue Book of Sports, 1931Īt that time, a high percentage of those motorcycle officers would have been riding Hendersons. “Motorcycle racing in this country, according to a well-known sports writer, is kept alive and supported principally by the county speed cops. ![]() Electrics: 6v, magneto ignition Frame/wheelbase: Dual downtube cradle frame/58in (1,473mm) Suspension: Trailing link double leg springer forks front, rigid rear Brakes: Drum front, contracting band rear Tires: 4 x 19in front and rear Weight (dry): 440lb (200kg) Fuel capacity: 4gal (15ltr) Price then/now: $435/$20,000-$60,000 ![]()
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