Popularity of hillclimb racing in the United States occurred in the 1920s, just as board track racing craze that spread to several countries in 1910 and 1920. It is estimated that there are only 4 units Excelsior Big Bertha hillclimber ever built, and 2 of them are known can be saved until now, and the only one motorcycle that uses an original machine and frame.
The motorcycle manufacturer like the Excelsior Motor Company, Harley Davidson and Indian Motorcycles are the best company at the time, in fact they often built several special motorcycles for hillclimb racing with a formidable machine in that era.
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| 1928 Excelsior Big Bertha hillclimber motorcycle. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1f9shh) |
And the Big Bertha possibility is one of the famous motorcycles, arguably be the most successful motorcycle and has won the National hillclimb championship in 1928 and 1929 and ever competed at 31 hillclimb racing consecutively.
The key to success of Excelsior Big Bertha lies on the V-twin engine, those engine used the crankcase of Excelsior Super X combined with a pair of Excelsior "M" Cylinder. The racing cylinder of Excelsior engine was 30.5 cubic inch single cylinder which has an effective cooling system on its exhaust port.
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| Right side view of 1928 Excelsior Big Bertha hillclimber motorcycle. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1f9shh) |
Excelsior Motor Company was formerly a branch of a leading company named Schwinn Bicycle, which was founded and led by Ignaz Schwinn. Ignaz shows the accuracy of its business as a figure of a man who trained as a mechanical, along with a less good atmosphere in America at the time, he chose to end the production and focus on expensive motorcycle products, although expensive but the motorcycle request abounded at the time.
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| Rear side view of 1928 Excelsior Big Bertha hillclimber motorcycle. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1f9shh) |
The decision was no doubt could save the company, and the motorcycle design such as the design of the Big Bertha is the last testament in that moment when Excelsior can achieve extraordinary success as the hillclimber motorcycle manufacturer in the world.
The motorcycles on the image above has a chassis number #SS104 is the last saved and original of the 1928 Excelsior Big Bertha motorcycle, it was bought by a collector named E.J. Cole from R.L. Jones. And as reported, the motorcycle will be auctioned on January 25 - 28, 2017 by the Mecum auction house in Las Vegas.
Kept spur your adrenaline on the power of two-wheeled monster and stay alive with the true safety riding. May God will forgive Your sins and so does the cops.... ••• [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MECUM]
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