1948 Crustoration in Milwaukee Harley Motorcycle Projects Discuss 1948 Crustoration in Milwaukee in the Motorcycles forums; Because this is a recent and on-going project here is a quick field report on my 1948 Crustoration, which is the only transportation I have out here in Milwaukee for ...

[Buzz Kanter]

Because this is a recent and on-going project here is a quick field report on my 1948 Crustoration, which is the only transportation I have out here in Milwaukee for Harley's 105th celebration.

Since we photographed and featured it in the magazine, I swapped out the 1950s era seat for a correct 1948 one and added a very funky set of old saddlebags for me to carry stuff this week in Milwaukee.

After sitting out in the rain Wednesday night the Pan didn't want to start Thursday morning no matter what I did with the kicker, so we pushed it down a hill and pop started it in 2nd gear. That was at 6:30 in the morning. She ran fine the rest of the day.

I rode her about 200 miles on Thursday including some highway miles and lots of stop and go heavy traffic. That night I rode back to the hotel in the highway worrying about the very dim 6-volt headlights.

[HarleyCruiser]

Buzz, back in the si.......... er, when I was a kid, and cars were just going 12v. We would run a second six volt in series and then run twelve volt headlights.
We would also run 12v starters that way, keeping the rest of the car 6
You tap off the 6v for your ignition, and the second six is real small.
Don’t remember exactly but, your two sixes are charged up by wiring them up parallel with a couple of diodes.
Man I bet the bike drew a lot of attention.
Got any photos?

[HarleyCruiser]

Humm, is that a magneto bike or a generator bike, no battery, problem is with charging amperage more than voltage.
Humm........
Find someone who can rewind the gen to twelve volts, split it for the ignition, and you have a article for AIM;-)

[47knuck]

Photos please.