Stunning Red Harley AMF SS175 Nearly Makes Up for the 1970s
Newest addition to the Kaplan Cycles New England Motorcycle Museum includes its original pair of Pirellis without dry rot.
The Seventies were not a great time for Harley-Davidson. AMF, known for being a staple on the Professional Bowlers Association rather than a builder of motorcycles, took what was great about the MoCo when they bought the company in 1969, and threw it in the trash. Those years are definitely best viewed through the mirrors of today’s Street 750s and Road Kings.
Yet, there are some gems worth rescuing from the dustbin of history. Not too long ago, the Kaplan Cycles New England Motorcycle Museum in Rockville, Connecticut, recently added such a piece to its sell collection, a 1976 Harley AMF SS175.
“If you’re looking for a classic enduro that you can take on or off the road, this might be your bike,” says museum owner and founder Ken Kaplan. “Our lead tech, Mark Olson, [and] I’ve been working on this bike on and off for weeks, if not months… Mark’s a restoration guy — he doesn’t like to just getting them running and flippin’ ’em. He likes to go through ’em bit by bit and get everything dialed in… He massaged this thing to perfection… it runs like a brand-new motorcycle.”
“We’ve always been a fan of the 175s,” said Kaplan. “It’s got more power than the 125 and not as much vibration as a 250. It’s just super-smooth, great configuration for a single cylinder… This one’s Captain America-approved, for sure.”
This ruby-red Harley (which Kaplan says may be a repaint) has one big thing going for it: the rolling stock. Specifically, the Pirelli MTs on the wire wheels are from the final week of January 1975. Normally, that would be a sign to swap the tires out for fresh rubber immediately, but Kaplan says the tires have no sign of dry rot at all.
Originally purchased from a collection of “seven or eight” complete SS175s and a ton of parts from other AMF bikes, this Harley was rebuilt for a price tag of $2,301 plus 20 hours of labor.
At the time of filming, the Harley needed new rubber mounts for the tach and speedometer, plus a low-beam light bulb. However, it had its carb completely rebuilt, the fuel tank removed and restored, all of the electronics cleaned up for perfect functioning, and lots of fresh and restored bits to bring it back to life.
“[The SS150] is the best-riding Aermacchi I’ve ever ridden,” says Kaplan. “Starts [on the] first kick, runs like a dime piece… she’s ready to go the beach.” That, and this Harley almost makes up for what happened to the MoCo in the Seventies.
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