Up until a couple of years ago this would have been my dream bike,I always,always wanted an old Harley,Indian,etc.Then I was in the isle of man and we were stopping in some digs in Castletown and sharing with 2 lads, one with a Sportster and one with a Knuckle Harley about a 1940 or thereabouts,I couldn't believe it! my dream bike! then he proceeded to explain everything that goes with these old bikes especially the knuckle or equivalent Indian. Just to start it was a nightmare,juice on ,prime it,juice off ,kick,juice on,kick,kick.kick,fuckin' kick,when it did eventually start it had some moody foot clutch which had to be synchronised with the throttle to try not to stall it and the hand gear change was a joke
The bloke told me that the maintenance was just ongoing,and break downs commonplace! This on something that will cost you anywhere between £30,000 and £50,000 depending on the history and condition.Maybe this was just an unreliable one but I don't think so,because the owner really new about old Harleys.It makes you wonder when these were modern what the riders thought of them 'cause they wouldn't know any diff would they? Then again to someone who's never rode a bike before even a modern one could seem complicated. I would love to see some old footage of riders on a load of Knuckle heads and Indians mooching about.