1938 Harley Knucklehead Still Wears Its Original Paint!
One of the most original Knucklehead examples we’ve ever seen has also led a truly fascinating life!
If you’ve been in the market for one recently, you already know that Knucklehead prices are rising faster than cheap beers at spring break. Finding a nice, original bike isn’t very easy, either. Most of these vintage Harleys are either restored or in pretty rough shape. If they somehow still wear their original paint, there isn’t much left of it. Unless you’re talking about this incredible 1938 Knucklehead that surfaced on eBay recently.
Granted, you don’t expect paint to last on anything that’s 80 years old. Especially Harleys, which weren’t treated/stored nearly as lovingly as they are today. But somehow this Knucklehead has defied all odds and wears not only its original paint, but also original parts. And this particular bike has a pretty fascinating story to go along with it.
According to the seller, the dealer that originally sold the Knucklehead repossessed it after the owner failed to make their payments. The dealer painted the tanks to make it a little more sellable after the war. Yet somehow, the bike remained unsold and sat in storage until 1990. And even after the dealership changed hands, the Knucklehead remained in its possession until a collector purchased it in 2000.
The current seller is a bit of a Knucklehead guy, so he swapped out all the bad stuff with NOS parts. Still, given what we’ve seen in the market, you won’t find a more original example of the breed. Most of these bikes are beaten up, battered, and fitted with incorrect parts. So it should surprise no one that this incredible find surpassed $100k in its initial listing, yet still didn’t meet reserve. And we’re betting that this isn’t the last time we’ll see this particular bike, either!
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