I have been to some antique/vintage bike shows over the last year or so. Most of the bikes and very impressive. To the point that I have become very interested in one myself. I would enjoy building something from the ground up or just cleaning and repairing an existing bike. I've looked for different sites. Cycle Trader is one. That seems to be mostly dealers. Any other sites come to mind? Thanks for all your help.

 

I'd ask in the "Classic Harley" section here. Other than that, you would probably glean some great info right from the source...bend some ears at the next show you attend. Probably get some leads.

 

google search classic american iron forum. they have a site. I'd post a link but I'm not sure if it violates forum rules here.

I restored a 1951 panhead. Looking back on it now it was a boat load of money. I learned that I like to ride instead of wrench.

But if you love it, more power to ya.

 

Go to www.caimag.com (imboden referred to it). I have mentioned them before as well as another site and haven't been kicked off yet.

That said, Craigslist can be of help sometimes, but you need to be able to see what you are buying (as in person or have another person doing the observation for you).

Vintage iron from the ground up is very expensive and even more so if you are not good with a wrench. And vintage Shovels and Pans are increasing in value again.

I think that certain EVO years are close to being considered 'vintage'. It might be a good place to start. Prices are very reasinable and parts aplenty.

Just a closing thought....If you see something you are ineterested in, take someone with you that has greater knowledge than you on the bike you are looking at, do some research on the make and model so that you have an understanding of what has been done or modified, ask about the history on the bike, ask for receipts for work done, always verify that the vin and frame numbers (where apllicable) are good and that these match the paperwork.

 

Interested in a 42 WLA?
Civilianized army bike, it even has reverse.
I'd consider selling it for the right price.

 

Having a nice vintage collection, and enjoying the hobbie of restoring them, I can give you some first hand advice. The best places to find bikes are Craigslist, eBay, at AMCA meets, and finding your local crowd that participates in the shows you are going to and befriending them. Lots of the best bikes are traded and sold amongst those people and never advertised.

Educate your self on the model(s) you are considering. Know what a stock bike is and what it came like from the factory. The bikes worth the most money are the most original. A 38 knucklehead can be a 25k bike or a 125k bike, and if you can't tell an original toolbox, frame, fenders, tanks, etc, from reproduction, you can really get burnt. This goes for Knuckles, Pans, and Shovelheads.

When it's time to buy, try to find the most complete and original bike you can. For an example, you love and want a 1971 boattail Super Glide. You find one, but it's got a standard rear fender, and drag pipes, and sometime down the road one of the owners but 5 gallon tanks on it. But, the current owner has the boattail fender for you, so you buy it for a 'decent' price. Now to correctly restore it, you need to find an original exhaust. Very rare, and will cost you 1000$. Set of factory tanks, another 600-1000$. Oh, I guess he didn't have the inner fender for the boattail... Can't find one, so you have to wait and search... Might take a year or two or three to find a decent one that isn't 1200$. Then the seat is ripped, and you manage to find one, but since they are super rare, it's 700$. Pretty soon you've spend 5000$ and waited 3 years just to find the parts you were missing. Would have been better to spend the money up front for a complete/original bike. The rarer and older the bike, the worse it can be.

This isn't to discourage, it's to make it easier. I run in the circles of what I refer to as the vintage Harley mafia. Many of the guys are down right ruthless, and want all the best bikes and parts for themselves. From what I see it's almost like a sickness. Just be prepared to run across those guys and do your best to just enjoy the hobby.

Again, what I would recommend is to decide what bike or bikes you would like to find, and then become an expert on that model. Find original literature, catalogs, parts and accessories catalogs, and learn.

There are lots of good models and years out there, so just find something you love and have fun. Keep in mind that riding the older bikes isn't like riding a new Road Glide...but when you pull up to the bar or event on your original paint 70's sportster or stock panhead, or Sturgis Shovelhead, or whatever you decide you want, nobody will give a second look at the 40 identical Street Glides parked next to each other; they will be ogling over the fruits of your labor.

 

Knock yourself out: https://www.yesterdays.nl/

Pre-filtered for Harley Davidson: https://www.yesterdays.nl/?fwp_tags_...arley-davidson

The Harley inventory comes and goes, of course. Right now pretty light, but if you are into vintage motorcycles of all types, this site is pure ****.

 

@Ragtop - That bike is amazing, but it's probably way out of my league price-wise right now.

I'd love nothing more to own an old Knuckle or Pan, but I'm not good enough of a wrencher to keep it running on my own, and the indie shops around me are kind of iffy. I've also never ridden a bike with a tank shifter, and because of a bad back and bad knee, I'm not even sure I could even kickstart a bike.

Half the reason why I upgraded to a Slim is because it looks pretty retro...

 

I know an entertainer that's also a motorhead. He's got lotsa stuff as most everyone knows. He's shown his stuff on TV. He has lots of money, so he doesn't really need any more. What sparks his interest is when somebody has something to "trade."

For example, he'd be A LOT more interested in having some NIB rare parts than the money it would cost to acquire same.

I found him some carbs for a "Series B" Vincent Black Shadow, NIB. He needed those to complete a project.

 

And another idea for you if you are serious about vintage iron. The AMCA is dedicated to vintage iron only. Here is a list of SWAP meets across the USA. Most of the ones you will see offered for sale are unrestored and original paint bikes. That means no aftermarket parts, no extra chrome $hit that makes the bike look pretty siitting in a corner, just your basic bike that has been properly maintained over the years and is looking for a new caretaker.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...0D8KcKg-tJ1ncQ