How Harley Davidson made their greatest motorcycle ever

[@richardlee2488]

Seems to be a recurring story for Harley Davidson needing to survive bad times but strangely I can't see current management taking pay cuts.

[@huwzebediahthomas9193]

Emissions laws was the latest.

[@Uncle_Tijikun]

​@@huwzebediahthomas9193 I call bullshit on the claim that emissions rules are an issue for them. If a Chinese company has created a euro 5 Evo engine in a few months Harley goddamn Davidson can make all of their engines euro 5 while keeping their personality. It's just marketing teams trying to reinvent Harley w

[@AsmodeusT]

As someone from the UK I genuinely love Harley Davidson. I think they may need to streamline their offering a little as it can be confusing to non harley Europeans. They need to think of bringing back out a typical harley shaped bike with a smaller capacity engine. Something that looked like the soft tail standard or the Iron 883 with a 650cc engine with 47 horsepower and reasonable torque that wasn't too heavy, etc. Key point - it needs to be under €8000. The modern nightster and sportster are both too modern looking, and unless you are getting livewire, no one wants a futuristic looks American bike.

[@Danda_vibes]

@@AsmodeusT Behold the RE Super Meteor 650

[@DeathHead1358]

@@AsmodeusT They had them, the Street 500 and 750. They were discontinued in 2021, due to poor sales.

[@csj9619]

I think the 1937 Knucklehead is the best looking factory produced motorcycle ever made. Built to last too. There's alot of 'em still runnin' in 2023.

[@dechamp0]

@@lurch789 maybe you will specify what exactly Harley Davidson copied from Vincent in 1937. Or maybe you just like to invent stories that have absolutely no support in reality. I would like you to describe for us only one specific mechanical item , design feature or engineering principle that Harley Davidson copied from Vincent in 1937 or ever.

[@geraldscott4302]

All the old Knucklehead, Panhead, Shovelhead, and EVO Harleys look great. But they also have substance. The feel and sound like a Harley should. Not the case with "modern" M8 Harley Davidsons.

[@TheSkylark16]

I like the 1939 color scheme more

[@Johnclark300]

​@geraldscott4302 Harley Davidson should of never went fuel injection, it ruined the sound of the motorcycle, the new bikes idle too high and sound like shit. I used to own a 1977 iron head. Loved that bike, hell of a bitch to start in the winter time though. I hate the new bikes, if I get another Harley it will be a shovel head.

[@csj9619]

dechamp0: I don't recall saying anything about anything being copied from anyone. I believe you're addressing the wrong person

[@JA-zh5xi]

The 1936 Knucklehead is perhaps the best looking bike ever created.

[@donaldelder540]

Id say that’s subjective, in my opinion the Ducati 916 is the most gorgeous bike ever built. Don’t get me wrong, that harley is a great looking American bike, and I’d have one in a heartbeat given the chance.

[@steveperry1344]

definitely.

[@stormking57]

The first '36 el knuckle sold in NC is at the American Classic Motorcycle Museum in Asheboro,NC

[@gerrybailey447]

​@@donaldelder540The best bike ever made is the grandad of the modern day superbike, the Honda CB 750. It was the turning point of the motorcycle. Powerful and reliable, it looked and sounded the business and it, IMHO, still does.

[@Tanman799]

Imo the 1937 Indian Sport Scout is just as nice and the 1967 Triumph Bonneville are in the top 10 but the top of the list would be a Crocker just about any model that man had it right 2nd would a Brough SS 100

[@tannermoroz9732]

The best way I can describe this channel to my ride buddies, is that this is the LORE of motorcycles.

[@bartmotorcycle]

Tell them it's the nerdiest motorcycle shit you've ever seen

[@operatorsolidsnake2542]

​@bartmotorcycle 😂 I love all the nerd info love your channel I don't even own a motorcycle I've rode a cr80f for a few hours and a Honda rebel 250 in a neighborhood. I'm into atvs. I wish someone was doing lengthy nerdy videos about atvs like this.❤

[@robertharrier3622]

I think we will look back at the pan America as another win in their history I think they just need options keep the cool old and make the fast new with it

[@browngreen933]

In spite of the thumbnail being a flathead and NOT a Knucklehead, this is still an excellent tribute to the most beautiful motorcycle ever made! The 1936 EL "61 OHV" Knucklehead was also the last project that all 4 HD founders worked on together. Bill Harley's last engine was also his greatest!

[@29madmangaud29]

I was born in '63, where the PANHEAD was still going strong, as far as looks go, I still like it the best. Nice Vid Bart

[@johnasbury9915]

The current management needs to realize the heritage they constantly harp on and play upon needs to be supported by the Motor Company. I have a 2005 RK that is being “planned obsolete” by no support for parts and service by them. I can understand not stocking parts for 50-60yo bikes but bike less than 20yo should be supported and not abandoned to the internet. Support your products Harley. Encourage loyalty from your customer, don’t alienate them.

[@MyDyerMaker]

I can't think of another manufacturer that makes parts for 20 year old vehicles. I know that Honda doesn't. The aftermarket does.

[@stevenwilliams1805]

That's not just Harley. GM will abandon support in as little as 15 years.

[@johnasbury9915]

@@stevenwilliams1805 I agree with you… it’s just ridiculous. But here we are.

[@stevenwilliams1805]

@@johnasbury9915 why I don't want to buy anything newer than 05' and will do anything I can to keep my "older" vehicle on the road. If more people did that manufacturers would be less likely to abandon everything to the aftermarket.

[@johnasbury9915]

@@stevenwilliams1805 my ‘05 RK is probably my favorite Harley I’ve had(I’ve had 6) because it can do everything and just lopes down the road in a locomotive like manner. She handles like a dream and can go anywhere. She’s a keeper.

[@rodintoulouse3054]

Not a fan of HD in general, but boy would i be happy with one of these for my sunday rides.

[@mikescaffo4850]

The knucklehead is a complete work of art and in my opinion the most beautiful bike ever made

[@khaccanhle1930]

"There was a time, about a hundred years ago or so, when HD was at the cutting edge of technology." OUCH! I see what you did there 😅

[@fidelcatsro6948]

😂

[@DeanAWhite-gr8eo]

@@fidelcatsro6948 Can I get an "AMEN"? People ride what they like, correct? Is there REALLY any need to put down another person's ride? If you love your' Japanese or Euro bike, GOOD FOR YOU! But please have the courtesy and good grace to allow others to enjoy their rides as well. We're ALL motorcyclists. Yes, by god,, you are entitled to your own opinion. But feel free to keep it to yourself! After all, it is YOUR opinion. Personally, I can find the good in any motorcycle, and there is some good in all of those that ride them. But try not to be the obnoxious jerk that gets in my face every time that I fuel up my Ironheads or my Shovelhead please.

[@fidelcatsro6948]

@@DeanAWhite-gr8eo ok i will agree harleys are great heat generating combustion pumps that are comfortable to sit and ride as long as you are not in a rush to break speed records🐱👍🏿

[@patrickporter6536]

Let me see, compare to Norton, Velocette, AJS, various Italian bikes, Harley cutting edge? Nah!

[@feloniousmonk3049]

120 year Anniversary, unimpeded by progress. Harley Davidson, turning gasoline into all noise and no horsepower for ever.

[@FXFBS540]

I grew up riding in the back of my dads knucklehead. It was an awesome machine he built and rode. He lost it in a fire a few years ago.

[@georgeveneziano2754]

Sorry to hear that I still ride Harleys have 2 EG and fat boy keep on keeping on kiddo

[@FXFBS540]

He's still got a shovelhead and bought a TC Heritage. Maybe one day he will get another knucklehead.

[@gcanaday1]

Now THAT is a loss that I'd cry over.

[@HansonTaylor-n9r]

Nice article about the knucklehead but the bike under the title is a flathead. I love them too tho

[@timconder4909]

This one showed up on my feed again and it’s funny, there’s a lot of great content on this channel, but the fact you don’t like Harleys always seems to lurk here and there. “When Harley Made A Good Motorcycle.” Okay. I’ve been riding for over 50 years, love just about every kind of motorcycle ever made and have ridden a lot of them. One of the most fascinating things I’ve experienced is the excruciating trait some (many) motorcycle enthusiasts have regarding Harleys… They can’t help but inform the folks riding them (and everyone else) that they just ain’t very good. *. Journalists especially like to pick Harleys apart, rating them through all the usual categories and it all makes sense. To them. I know what it feels like to ride a cherry 650 Bonneville from the late ‘60s. I’ve felt the strangely polite yet terrifying pull of a Hayabusa and managed to stay alive blasting through big city traffic juggling the “opposite day” controls of a ‘48 Indian Chief, which are the reverse of the same era Harleys. Ninjas. Gold Wings. R1s. Ducatis. Name it. I’ve nearly died on it. But never have I or any other Harley rider I’ve known over the decades ever wasted anyone’s time trying to convince them Harleys are cool. Or the best. Or the whatever. Yet, here you all come, sauntering over as I pump my gas from your non-Harley-Davidson, that predictable friendliness preceding the polite mention of your own motorcycles attributes. The reasons for your choices and/or philosophies on life in general. The back handed compliments and witticisms will eventually arrive if I listen politely. So I usually don’t. I never waste this much time on any of you but I’m older these days and relax more… Harley riders as a rule just don’t give a damn when it comes to opinions whether Harleys “are any good” etc. But, it sure was cool when you made the video of you riding your daughter on that beautiful Triumph. Magnificent. Some of us have a lifetime of memorable experiences with motorcycles and the only ones I would erase are the multitudinal spewings of passive aggressive goof balls trying to roundabout inform me my Harley ain’t good. Life is short Cousin.

[@jeffk1485]

Harleys certainly are a religion for their adherents; there never was a more loyal fanbase for a company. There are upsides and downsides when it comes to being a religion, though, and some of Harley's problems (both as a company, and as a product) come from the orthodoxy.

[@erikjahay1633]

​@jeffk1485 not saying I'm a diehard Harley fan boy, nor am I going to even say on paper it's the best bike out there. The fact is, I spent the money on a Harley because I wanted the Harley experience. It is something that I personally enjoy. I absolutely love the fact that my sportster is quick (granted slow in motorcycle standards), straight piped and sounds excellent, blacked out, and overall it just speaks 'murica while also getting 47 miles to the gallon. You can most certainly find other badass bikes but no other bike has the distinct rumble that Harley has

[@obfuscated3090]

The old ones really were "premium" machines FOR THAT ERA. What made HD is easy overhaul to new internal condition thanks to the crank and timing chest design which lasted through Evo and has much tighter tolerances than the later cheaper Twin Cam design. Take apart an Indian flathead (as I expect you have but few do) and next to that a Knuck/Pan/Shovel looks like an SR-71 by comparison. K-model and Sportster were also revolutionary with cassette gearboxes and the right side drive for quick sprocket swaps on the track (big twins sorely needed that two but only aftermarket heroes like Burt Baker delivered). I keep almost all my machines so I accumulated a bitsa stroker Pan (project in progress, Jesse Stewart did the engine), Shovels, Evo FXRs and various Sporties and Britbikes. All definitely have their foibles but they're not hard to sort.

[@jeffshootsstuff]

Kickstart needs a pedal to help spread the force across more of your foot so when it backfires it doesn't break your arch LOL

[@obfuscated3090]

Those old engines ran such low static compression I and many other bikers can start them by hand when they're warm. Key is getting the ignition timing dead right by ear, bring them up on compression then smoothly follow through. Practice a little and you can have some fun.

[@FTW87]

I say the key to the Motor Co's resurgence is in this video. Give us a 2025 Knucklehead! Some sort of "Heritage" model. No frills, kick start option, springer option, etc. Bring it back, make it affordable (like they were) and watch the masses gobble em up!

[@T600INFILTRATOR]

Basically the goal of the Crossbones, but I think the Springer is too much of a headache to deal with for most roads and people.

[@dakkanTM]

Friggin EPA/Emissions regulations get in the way. You can't get away from all the added on garbage. Also government regulations demand all these features on the bike, its pretty bad where I live.

[@gregorysteffensen3279]

S&S sells repro knucks

[@dougankrum3328]

@@gregorysteffensen3279 Ah yes, as I mentioned in another reply...! have 2 1946 Knuckles....one looks completely factory stock, but hides a 93" S&S Sidewinder inside, and the other has a completely new S&S 93' Sidewinder motor.

[@gaydes1012]

when I think of a vintage Harley a few bikes come to mind, the FLH, the K-Model, the original Sportster, but the one I think of first is always the Knucklehead it's just truly iconic and absolutely gorgeous

[@ricardosalcedo2824]

It would seem that one of Harley's biggest hurdles is overcoming stigma. It's such a divisive brand name-and for good reason. I personally hope that they can continue making heritage inspired machines that still give the public a solid value for money. It is a premium brand and I don't see myself buying a new Harley, but there are plenty of people that would. Every time I think of selling my Harley and getting a more modern Triumph or something like a Tenere 700, I worry that I will miss that mechanical feeling of having to actually pilot the machine. Yet the stigma bothers me too. I don't wear a turtle shell on my head, and I don't pull in the clutch and rev the bike for no reason. And yet heaps of Harley riders do. Maybe that will never change and I'll be too annoyed and finally give in to a modern easy to ride Triumph or Honda and KTM. I love your channel by the way!

[@tjroelsma]

It's stigma as much as the "lifestyle" dogma, something that Harley always pushes. Harley is big on tradition and selling bikes as "the grandson of your granddad's bike": it may look more modern and use more modern technology, but underneath nothing much has changed. And that philosophy speaks to certain groups of riders, which is where the stigma attached itself to the Harley lifestyle. Both stigma and lifestyle combined have given us pseudo-logics like "loud pipes save lives", "if it was good enough for my pappy and his pappy before him, it's good enough for me", revving the engine unloaded (of course with the straight pipes) and puttering along at minimum revs in the highest gear "because that sounds so nice". It also keeps Harley from modernising even more, up to the point that when they actually come up with a better concept like the V-Rod, or the Buell, they kill it off to keep pushing the "tried and trusted" bikes. So in a way I think it's fair to say that the biggest competitor for Harley is Harley itself: it will never get over its own traditions, stigma and lifestyle dogma.

[@goldilocks913]

I agree! Every time I get off my softail slim, battered by the wind and deafened by the pipes l think l need to get a gold wing to make it easier. Then l realise l have a car for that and I’d miss the feeling- as you put so well- of actually participating in piloting the machine.

[@tonyezolt4560]

There's a "stigma"??? LOL, been riding old Harleys since the 70's and never noticed any stigma or divisiveness of the name. Guess I just don't get it, lol.

[@sprezzatura8755]

Love the knucklehead! But for me the one to use and enjoy long-term is the Evolution. Huge aftermarket support probably till Kingdom Come.

[@therealrobertbirchall]

Sportys are good but they handed like a turkey with a broken wing. Wobble Wobble tank slapper bang you got a broken leg or you dead.

[@thedewdster]

​@@therealrobertbirchallwhat? Sportys are the best handling harly I've experienced. Road mine cross country with my chick. I've had a heritage and road multiple softails and a road King. They are bulky and slow. Sportys are sick. Slim, light and quick. Maybe your Sportster was beat up and sketchy!? Idk but anyone I've talked to reminisced fondly of their sportsters they've owned...

[@therealrobertbirchall]

@thedewdster when I say Heritage i mean the late model M8 Softtali post 2018, nor the earlier models. I have done thousands of miles on my Sporster as well. And it's not some 'sketchy' old heap it's a well maintained. By me, I trust no one else to work on my bikes, to the highest standard. The problem with the post 2004 Sporster is the fact that the swinging arm is rubber mounted with same mount used for the engine. This arrangement means that the rear wheel can twist slightly under load, and if you open the throttle hard, the engine/gearbox also twists which puts tension on the drive line and forces the rear wheel out of alignment temporarily. Even after I replaced the engine mounts this phenomenon, tank slappers was still evident. The later Softtail Harley Davidson bikes mount the engine rigidly in the frame and use ballance shafts to reduce vibration, the also have a monoshock suspension arrangement at the rear which is a huge improvement on the old twin shocker arrangement. I rode a Softtali heritage classic from LA to NYC and it's handling was perfect all the way. I have ridden thousands on miles on a Road Glide, Orlando to LA and spent 4 weeks in New Zealand on a street glide. I don't know which model Heritage you have experience of but for me, an older very experienced rider the Harley Davidson Softtail Heritage Clasic is simply the best bike Harley Davidson have ever built. Look for reviews on you tube and you find that most people who have ridden one of them are absolutely smitten whith the smooth power delivery and handling of the Heritage Softtail. I had an M8 Softtail street Bob for a while bus sold it because it was a hooligan bike, very fast very stable and it just wanted to go fast all the time, I sold it because if I had not I was going to kill myself on it, my reflexes being not as sharp these days cause I'm 66. Ride safe and have a nice day.

[@nielsyoh]

Awesome video! About the history, the styling, the technology en this bike in relation to others. That’s what I love about all of your video’s, Bart, and especially about this one. Greatly done. 👌🏻

[@tetedur377]

Yeah, I'd never thought about the influence of the Great Depression and Art Deco as a movement on the design of the Knucklehead. Once it was pointed out, I was like "Doh!"

[@lynnlittle8671]

When I roll my 2021 Sportster Forty-Eight out of the garage, start her up and ride her, I feel a link to awesome bikes like the Knucklehead that made history. That's an awesome feeling!

[@jamesdumas6602]

I rebuilt, customized, and rode for over 10 years a 1948 Harley Panhead. 1948 was the first year for the Panheads. I really liked it, especially Kick Stating it, (thinking back wished I had kept ir, but at the time I needed some cash to buy a sailboat, that I sailed to Hawaii. Anyway, those old Harley's had some issues, terrible, worthless Brakes, a 6 volt Electrical system, No Oil Filters, pressed-in bronze cam roller guides, the stock Bendix carb was like a lawn mower carb with no accelerator pump.

[@markreed7969]

Why is there a flat head on the intro to this.

[@radricster]

Nice thumbnail, says knucklehead - shows WL.

[@tedecker3792]

My first thought also.

[@av8rshane491]

👍

[@garymacdonald2549]

Another great video! Herb Wagner gives a detailed description of HD's teething problems with the Knucklehead in his book "Revolutionary Motorcycles and those who rode them". HD got into trouble with the Knuckle's design by copying the current British practice of leaving the valve springs and rockers exposed to a cooling airflow, while also trying to incorporate Bill Harley's patented automatic rocker shaft lubrication system. Apparently HD had purchased a number of British OHV machines in the early 30's to disassemble and investigate current OHV practice. Most British OHV bike engines of the time like Norton, Triumph and BSA had exposed rockers and valve springs. You had to manually lubricate the rocker shafts and valve stems to keep wear within reason. Bill Harley had designed a pressurized and metered system to automatically feed the rockers and valve ends, but in the original design that oil was meant to be lost to the atmosphere, so it was a total loss system. The motorcycle operator therefore had to walk a very fine line when adjusting the oil flow. Too much oil and you had an unholy mess... not enough and the rockers started to squeak and seize. Acceptable oil flow at low engine speeds could become a gusher at high speeds. There's a picture somewhere of a pre-production test rider with his pants completely drenched with oil. They struggled with this for two years before finally deciding to cover the rockers and springs. Bill Harley quickly designed a system to create a partial vacuum to pull oil back down from the now-enclosed rocker housing. In his book Herb Wagner suggests that although HD could have come up with the final idea on their own, they may also have caught wind of the fact that BMW had been using enclosed rockers for a decade with no ill effects! Whatever the case, the redesign saved HD's OHV "Knucklehead" project from the scrap heap.

[@andrewhethmon3219]

I’m always stoked to see a bart video drop. I get a little extra excited to see vintage Harley content.

[@DeanAWhite-gr8eo]

Well bart, it seems that you're learning. Congratulations on "growing up"! I'm actually beginning to like your' videos now that you don't appear to feel the need to hate on motorcycles "just because". All motorcycles are good, in one way or another. Even mopeds and scooters have a place in the world. If we all liked the same things, only Honda would make one model of motorcycle. Janus is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. Old tech and style, and expensive. But some people think that they are great, and worth the money. I'd love to ride one at least once, even if it's pokey slow. And yes, I'd throw my leg over a sportbike (former Ducati fan) and enjoy that too. It's not WHAT you ride, it's THAT you ride.

[@stevebrzosko9793]

Don't change for the sake of change. There will forever be a market for a motorcycle that sounds and looks like the Iron 883 (gorgeous and gorgeous).

[@Bikergramp57]

I thoroughly enjoyed this short history lesson, thank you.

[@danehawes7262]

When I think "motorcycle," I think about a knucklehead.

[@maxalmonte6812]

I think about an sv650 🥲

[@fidelcatsro6948]

i think about a Cathead bandit1200..

[@shep68]

Absolutely the best looking cruiser ever built. You can really feel the Knuckle dna with a Heritage or RK Classic.

[@rainer2241]

Feels strange hearing about Harley innovating in order to survive instead of lobbying the government to ban competition and get bailed out

[@trippontwowheels]

Even before watching, this has to be about the Evo?

[@philtucker1224]

No it’s about the knucklehead.

[@hatchetjack1031]

HARLEY'S Future would be assured if they brought out the retro knucklehead LOOK w/ modern EVO tech...but what do I know, just an old dude who worked for factory and largest Dealerships for 20 yesrs....going out to shed, walk past my new HARLEY and ride my old, iron barrel, Royal Enfield..hope it starts!

[@randydewees7338]

Two models I would buy. 1. Said retro Knucklehead. That means a real tractor style seat etc. A bike that from 100' away you might mistake for a real KH. 2. A real XR750 - that is, a light powerful street tracker, not a 550 pound Sportster based style job.

[@robertjones7792]

I never could buy a Knucklehead when I was in my teens back in the 1970s but I finally got a Ironhead sportster which had the cast iron heads which kinda reminded me of the knucklehead cast iron heads.

[@robertwhite2032]

I like your videos, but why do you have the huge word "knucklehead" with a picture of a flat head?

[@Redmenace96]

Really good mini-doc! Learned a lot. Post WW2, the story goes that poor people in Europe and Asia bought motos as cheap transportation. Why didn't poor people in the U.S. buy MORE cycles during the Great Depression? Back then, they were not a toy/luxury item.

[@cavalierliberty6838]

Poor people in the US often had way too much fun in the bedroom and favored vehicles to haul that issue.

[@rickintexas1584]

The 1936 Knucklehead was an instant classic. It is still a beautiful bike to look at. I’d love to ride one some day.

[@upchuckchops]

How do you have a documentary voice and I've never seen you on a motorcycle, but this is one of my favorite motorcycle channels? Great work.

[@rawhorse]

Was the pedal to stop it wrecking your instep when it kicked back? Having owned a few British singles and twins my poor feet think it looks like a pretty good idea,

[@Boreascorax]

The machine on the title page isn't a knucklehead. It's a big twin flathead.

[@Queequeg61]

Funny thing but that’s no knucklehead in the cover shot.

[@gregorsamsa1364]

*KNUCKLEHEAD* 😅

[@hisdadjames4876]

Thanks for making otherwise unknown or banal tech developments seem so fascinating. 👍

[@goldilocks913]

Absolutely awesome video! Only second toJason Momoa’s epic video with Harley which touched my heart in its description of why certain bikes will always mean more than the specifications 👍🇬🇧

[@stevelawrie9115]

Recently I think Harley haven't looked back enough. "Personally", I liked the Road King and the Soft Tail Slim.

[@mbraun777]

I wonder what would happen to sales if they were to come out with a bolt-for-bolt exact reissue of a knucklehead, with optional turn signal lights, etc. to make it road legal today?

[@tonyezolt4560]

That's a great thought, but unfortunately, it will never happen because of our EPA. Hell, they can't even build a simple lawnmower anymore.

[@gregorysteffensen3279]

You can do that on the aftermarket but Harley could never do it as an OEM

[@obfuscated3090]

They have in pieces but real bikers are mechanics or dead-eyed determined to learn. Remember those old bikes do NOT accelerate or stop like modern machines and their front drums are terrible for modern traffic. (You can arc grind the shoes, true the drum etc so they suc less.) If you want a capable clone build it with modern aftermarket parts very much including the cases and heads because casting back then was shall we say "casual". Build a mild stroker over 80 c.i. because the stock engines are under powered. (S&S has sold speed parts since ancient times as does Truett and Osborn.) You can come in under thirty grand for a very nice motorcycle.

[@Bbbbad724]

The 52 Panhead with a thumb shift and a tq converter with Grey Carbonized, the gears on the left hand grip and no clutch, just a converter in the 5 speed gear box an the chain to the rear wheel. Air ride seat post. And no butt in the air look. A laid back disk brake front and rear.

[@MrFroglips69]

What a beautiful bike. The company should put on a Knucklehead Classics Series and reproduce the old bike just like it was.

[@pauljbroussard1690]

My pops always had the old harleys. With a sparker on one handle grip and a throttle on the other side. I can guess the manual shifting and suicide clutch was difficult. Real men rode em! ❤

[@hatchetjack1031]

If there is no oil puddle under your knucklehead...put oil in it.

[@MrPotatochips4]

gold star for the day

[@danielleclare2938]

These days Harleys are overstyled or overloaded been that way for a while now. Softail Slim is on target IMO for a modern clean look and now re-issue those old styles with real steel stuff never mind all the chrome just the basic super cool style of the past.

[@Fast48-1]

Nicely done!! Thank you, Bart!

[@browngreen933]

That's NOT "Mr. HARVEY" at 0:55, that's Bill Ottoway his assistant. That's also NOT a Knucklehead in the thumbnail. 😂

[@deltabluesdavidraye]

The 61 c.i. was the best street Harley as that shorter stroke made for a smoother engine .

[@obfuscated3090]

Well, most comfortable. Like the 500 Triumph twins the original displacement is docile and pleasant. I still have the 61" crank from my Pan but stroked it because that's just too little HP for highway use in 2024.

[@deltabluesdavidraye]

Whatever that 61 goes faster than a 74 and smoother doing it.​@@obfuscated3090

[@gaborkorthy8355]

Funny that the click bait is a 45ci flathead not a knuckle head

[@jonmartin88]

Very impressed with the quality of your narration. Thanks.

[@Helm-w1q]

Great bike. The bike pictured in the begining was a flat head not a knuckle head.

[@wilburross9709]

Great video about a great bike! Although the emblems were still 'art deco', with intricate details, the rest of the motorcycle was more 'streamline moderne' with the rounded edges and teardrop shapes mimicking the airplanes that were being developed at the time. Many people don't distinguish the difference between the two, one morphed into the other with some cross-over similarities, and everyone remembers 'art deco' better. I read a great book about the development of the Knucklehead and that author explained how the biggest delay in figuring out the oiling system was trying to run uncovered (open) rocker shafts on top. At the time, because of all of the heat on top of the heads, it was believed that the only way to keep the OHV valvetrain cool was to leave it exposed to the air. This let oil fly all over the bike and rider, which would look kind of bad. Harley engineers spent months trying to find that 'sweet spot' that would still lube the top end without spraying the rider, before they realized there was a big gap between the two and they were never going to get both. They finally gave up and decided that for good or bad they were going to have to put covers over the rocker shafts. Even recalled the few bikes they had already sold to retro-fit them. Metal technology or oil technology must have caught up by that time, because I've never heard of it being a problem. Getting those covers to stop leaking after you have messed with them is another thing though!

[@stanleydenning]

Harley-Davidson Motorcycles are cool and all. My biggest gripe about them is the expense and durability. I'm a Honda man. My Honda runs forever without a glitch. And when something happens, it costs me very little to fix. Harley, on the other hand, breaks down on a regular basis and costs a lot to fix. I think Harley-Davidson could learn a thing or two from the "Rice Burner" sector to improve its brand. What do you think?

[@randydewees7338]

Considering this is mainly a historical treatment of an 85 year old HD model, I'd say it's a bit of an out of place whipped dead horse statement. Bart trying to make the model relevant to modern HD is basically him trying to generate comments. Whatever the claimed similarities the models have over time, the Knucklehead is lightyears away from modern Harleys.

[@rm25088]

Yeah i love my "jap crap" suzukis, hondas, yamahas. Can't beat them for the price and reliability/ parts availability and cost.

[@JA-zh5xi]

It’s clear you haven’t actually owned a Harley because none of what you said is true. They ride very well and are built well too. Plus, Hondas are basically the minivans of motorcycles.

[@omarsalgado9715]

I own a Softail with 90000 km and all it's ever needed is gas and oil. So, for me, the comments about reliability come from persons who don't own a H-D.

[@PanM8]

​@@omarsalgado9715some people just love to hate Harleys.

[@atompunk5575]

I believe HD needs to make there motorcycles look better, which means industrial design would be a heavier focus, and make better engines, faster, endurances and such

[@janisblack2183]

There’s something I’d like to mention as to authenticity in your video. First of all your cover page uses the title of Knucklehead, but you have visually displayed an illustration of a flathead. At 3:06 there is vintage footage of a worker carrying engines to an assembly line. Those engines are from the Indian Motocycle factory in Springfield Mass. (yes Motocycle spelling is the correct trademark of the original company) The new oil tank is referred to as “the horseshoe oil tank” due to its wraparound shape that houses the battery.

[@robinbrowne5419]

I love the knucklehead Harleys. Designed by knuckleheads for knuckleheads. My roommate and I always watch American Chopper reruns on Saturday morning 👍 (Although they mostly use panhead engines, a more modern version of the knucklehead.)

[@umakantgajjewar8898]

I like the design of knuckle head. Harley should bring it back, keep it simple, low tech, and most importantly cheap.

[@myfatboy1234]

I've owned 2 Yamahas, 2 Hondas and 5 Harleys. I am forever in Love with my Fatboy. But I've never had so much fun than on my HD Custom 1200

[@williamwintemberg]

I own a Harley and I desperately want to see the company survive. My youngest is on his fourth Milwaukee Eight. He told me all four burned oil. He jokes and says it's a feature. He calls it a self changing oil system, just add. I did some research on this and found truth in what he said. I found a comment from Harley that said it was normal for the Milwaukee Eight to use up to one quart of oil every one thousand miles. What? Me of little knowledge says, "No"! The thing that bothers me the most is what isn't said. Like, what's being done to fix it. Needless to say, I won't be buying a new Harley any time soon. This is not how a company moves forward if it intends to live. This video is about the Knucklehead and how it saved the company. It sounds to me like the company needs to be saved once more and not by bean counters. JMO! Love the video!

[@stanfischer6175]

One quart every thousand miles? My '97 Evo drinks a quart about every 500 which is a whole lot better than when I rode a Pan which used a quart every 250 miles due to the primary chain oiller. Air cooled motors "burn off" a lot of oil but maybe 1000 miles is a little high considering technology. Also, now days one can find 20w50 at most auto supplies. Back in old times a long distance trip included strategic stops just to obtain 50w.

[@williamwintemberg]

@@stanfischer6175 I'm thinking we are both long time riders. My experience is with Japanese bikes. That changed in 2013 when I bought my first Harley. Harley Davidsons weren't anything new to me as many friends owned them. In all my years of motorcycling I have never had a bike that used one quart of oil every thousand miles, not anywhere close. My Twin Cam Dyna uses none. Yes, none. Others I have talked with that own Twin Cams say about the same. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to put Twin Cams on a pedestal because they have their share of problems. I'm just talking oil consumption. That said, I never ride hard and long. With that in mind, I expected the Milwaukee Eight to be just as good in regard to oil use. It may be if I owned a Milwaukee Eight, mine wouldn't use any oil either. I'm not going to test that theory. I lost my brain, when I read Harley Davidson saying one quart of oil use is normal in one thousand miles, without saying they were working on a fix. For me? Hell No! Air cooled or liquid cooled, Hell No! If I came up on Harley Davidsons I might feel a bit different about it, but I didn't.

[@seththomas9105]

@@stanfischer6175 If your 97 Evo is burning a quart every 500 miles you have something seriously wrong with your engine.

[@mrpoizun]

@@stanfischer6175 My '92 FXRS Evo burns NO discernible oil.

[@klaytonvonkluge4905]

Knucks were always my fave as far as aesthetics go, really iconic and classic "H-D", IMHO, as far as new and new-ish bikes go, I love many Harleys and Indians and some Triumph bobs look tempting too, but idk, I may never get to ride again. Only father time knows, for certain. Great little mini - doc or info video, very cool , well done 👌🏻✌🏻

[@carlatamanczyk3891]

Great thing always about Harleys is that you can find spare parts for them along side the highways.... and the parts are usually coated with oil so there is no rust.

[@thomaseatkinson7088]

Sounds like you haven't owned a Harley.......in the last 40 years.

[@carlatamanczyk3891]

@@thomaseatkinson7088 They definitely haven't been in the reliability or refinement class for the last 40 years.

[@coreycallahan7443]

@@carlatamanczyk3891Been riding Harleys for 40 years and never once have I been stranded by any of them. Also, when they need servicing or repair I am able to nearly everything myself aside from machine work during an engine rebuild. Not going to say that I will never get stranded due to a breakdown but thus far my Harleys have been nothing but reliable excellent motorcycles.

[@mrpoizun]

Can't tell the difference between a Flathead and a Knucklehead. Promising.

[@DillonJames-o7u]

Can you do a video on the pan head my dad had one ...man I miss him

[@sirjhonson8218]

They need to keep the Classic, Deluxe and the Road King.

[@klano8443]

Bikes in this period were also lighter which made them nicer to ride ,something perhaps Harley should look at.

[@firestarter8202]

The cover shot is not a Knucklehead. It’s a Flathead. 😂🤣

[@shedwork]

Another awesome video Bart. Being an Aussie I loved the glimpse of the Australian Holden Monaro HK model (1968) white 2 door muscle car at 15:37 in the background behind the red Harley😃👍👍👍

[@kawabungah20]

Excellent video. I just discovered this channel and subscribed immediately! Thank you for this great story, told expertly using flawless production techniques.

[@georgeveneziano2754]

Great video love your stuff right up my line keep them coming thank you

[@marklerdahl5083]

Article titled "Knucle Head" but shows picture of a flathead! The flatheads had recirculating oil system; even the 45. I believe you have to go back to VL or earlier to have non scavenging oil system.

[@seanmay3605]

Re-tooling and interior warehouse to build those. Creating an inventing, the tools. The parts. the training,, advertising…. there are no computers. Everything is machined to perfection.

[@Sr.D]

Old Harleys looks more proportional and way better than modern ones

[@darktimbercustomknives6248]

The hard time I have with your question at the end of this video is that Harley is doing so much right now, and not being recognized for it. The Lowrider ST as a sport tourer, the new CVO line of touring motorcycles will be liquid cooled, the M8 is infinitely customizable with variance all the way up to 135 in.³ motor that pushes 160 hp and the same in torque, one of the top rated adventure motorcycles of all time running a new liquid cooled motor with great horsepower and torque numbers also, and a brand new line of sportster’s with variations on that same motor. In many ways simply because of Harley‘s lineage, they become the whipping boy basically treated as though they’re running the same twin cam motor from the early 2000s. Every motorcycle company has holes in their games where improvements could be made. The gaping hole in Harley’s game is obviously price and then it’s lower models suspension. But the ridiculous notion that Harley hasn’t stepped into the future is crazy. The problem with Harley is that until they create motorcycles that are affordable enough that all of the keyboard jockeys online can buy them, and become fanboys for themselves their sales will suffer. I think the smartest thing Harley has done is to not try and get into the sport bike game. I believe that sport bikes are where most people start but a place where very few can end. As they are uncomfortable for 99.99% of the jobs you need to do on the road.

[@littleshopofelectrons4014]

Management taking a 50% pay cut for the good of the company. What a concept! Don't hold your breath waiting for any of today's managers doing that. HD seems to be in a dilemma. Most of their customers want a bike that looks and operates like it was made in the 1950s. When innovation is attempted, it is rejected. If it were a car company, all of their customers would only want a 1957 Chevy Belair.

[@antoniomodesto1157]

Their new bikes are full of technology, I don't know where you guys take this idea from

[@MisterOcclusion]

They are uniquely beautiful and iconic while still being utilitarian. Very American. It's the same as how the British made the most beautifull steam engines in the prior century.

[@therealrobertbirchall]

Harley wouldn't make such a stylish, usable bike until 2020 Heritage Classic 114.

[@freyatilly]

Very good edits and well expressed. Love these insights to Harley.

[@truethought369]

Thank you for the history of development. My favourite Harley is the Shovelhead 1340, I think this was the last of the true Harley's. Very enjoyable. 🇬🇧

[@steveperry1344]

i had a 1980 flh for many years from brand new and it was so easy to drive, i'm too old now but i loved that bike and my wife too. we rode it on our first long trip together up to bar harbor, maine from boston. i never had any problems with it.

[@tedecker]

Why is the opening thumbnail a picture of a flathead under the title of knucklehead?

[@Zakster90]

It would be great if you could make a video explaining all the different Harley engines

[@rayditzenberger9517]

Great video and i am not s harley fan. I did once want an old knuvkle head to build a bobber , chopper but never found one.

[@drylinedrifter]

Well done!

[@urbanburner]

I'm surprised they never redid the knuckles for today's market,as a tribute to the past make a line of modern lookalike or something,pans n shovels too

[@bananamancoolguy7670]

interesting story, interesting bike! thanks for the history lesson!

[@GusPineda-ev5uk]

The 1936 knucklehead would be hands down the first dream bike of mine that I would buy if I could , who knows if I ever win the lottery or some how earn alot of money some how that would be the bike

[@tschr979]

nice brief short of Indian Chief motors being installed. Look like 1950 - 53. The primary has the compensator sprocket hump. Also, another shot of an 80" chief at 5:58

[@timconder4909]

Good job. I love this channel!

[@derrickstorm6976]

We live in the second art deco now 😔

[@danielmorris3687]

00:51 William S HARVEY?? 😮😂 Slip of the tongue I hope. ✌️🇨🇦

[@Gr8Layks]

You beat me to it…by a year 😉

[@jeffruebens8355]

By 1953, Harleys had a smooth 4 speed transmission, and Indians still had a rough shifting 3 speed transmission, probably the main reason Indian went bankrupt. Also having a left hand throttle.

[@Tanman799]

Suggest you read Harley Davidson and the Indian wars

[@imapiledriver2462]

I didn't know they made a greatest motorcycle. you would never no by mine.

[@AtropalArbaal-dk8jv]

Hemispherical references the combustion chamber, not the piston design. You can have flat, dome, or any other shaped pistons.

[@RahulPatil-yg7vy]

Bart please make a video on a GSXR 750

[@jamesarcher3065]

I think all of the older machines they built look way better than the Motorcycles of today, they for sure handle better and sound better . The new Harley Davidsons sound more like a big lawnmower than a Harley. I love the sound of a Shovelhead or old Pan. Knuckles are crazy pricey these days . By the way I like your Flathead print in the cover of this . J-D

[@raylocke282]

Another beautiful engine is the Triumph Bonnéville.

[@Bill-u5u]

As great as it was in its day riders today couldn’t own one because to own it means you need to be able to work on it. Even thought the total loss system was no longer being used it still needed to lubricate the primary and rear chains which used the engine. Having no way to recover the oil for either chain may not be considered a total loss system but you are still loosing oil. Everyone wants one until it leaks on their painted garage floor or they have to replace the points and condenser and let not get started on solid lifters or having to manually retard and advance the timing upon every start up. Let’s talk about mechanical brakes and star hubs!! I love the bike and don’t mind the challenges that come with it but it’s not for most of today’s riders.