Henderson produced 4-cylinder motorcycles from 1912 until 1931.
They were the largest and fastest motorcycles of their time, and appealed to sport riders and police departments.
Police favored them for traffic patrol because they were faster than anything on the roads.
The company began during the golden age of motorcycling, and ended during the Great Depression.[1]
Henderson Motorcycle Co.
The Founders: William and Tom Henderson
In 1911 the American Henderson Motorcycle Co, 268 Jefferson Ave., Detroit, Michigan, was formed by William G. Henderson in partnership with his brother Tom W. Henderson. Will had the ideas and enthusiasm for motorcycling, and Tom had the better financial acumen. The brothers were inducted to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.[2][3]1911 Prototype
The Henderson brothers constructed a single prototype motorcycle during 1911. The prototype had the belt drive typical of the times, but this was changed to chain drive for production models.1912 Henderson Four
Henderson Motorcycle promptly announced a new 57 cubic inch (934 cc) IOE four-cylinder 7 hp motorcycle, with the engine mounted inline with the frame and chain drive. Production began in 1911, using the in-line four-cylinder engine and long wheelbase that would become Henderson trademarks, and it was available to the public in January 1912. Advertisements boasted 7 HP and a price of $325.It was the third four-cylinder production motorcycle built in the US, and featured a folding hand-crank starter handle.
1913 Model B
Heath-Henderson B-4
The Heath-Henderson B-4 engine was a modified Henderson motorcycle engine produced for use in Heath Parasol aircraft.[6]1914 Model C
The 1914 Model C had a two-speed gearbox incorporated in the rear hub. (The first Henderson to have gears.)1915 Model D and E
1916 Model F
1917 Model G
Alan Bedell averaged 48 mph for 1154 miles at Ascot Park in California setting a new 24 hour record, and then, on June 13, 1917, broke the transcontinental long distance record of 1915 (set by “Cannonball” Baker on an Indian Twin,) when he rode his 1917 Henderson from Los Angeles to the city of New York (3,296 miles) in seven days, sixteen hours, and fifteen minutes.[7] The roads outside of towns were primitive by today’s standards, and the ride would have been more like an off road ride than the highway tour of today. The Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash was named in Baker's honor.
Despite record breaking and racing successes, the effects of World War I on sales had damaged their financial position.
Excelsior Motor Mfg. and Supply Co.
In 1917 the Hendersons sold the firm to Ignaz Schwinn, owner of Schwinn, the manufacturer of Schwinn bicycles and Excelsior motorbikes.[8] Production was moved to Schwinn's Excelsior Motor Mfg. & Supply Co., 3701 Cortland Street, Chicago, Illinois.
Hendersons were marketed extensively overseas as well as in the United States during the Schwinn years. Today, there are almost as many extant Hendersons in Europe and Australia/New Zealand as in the U.S. The Excelsior name had already been used in Germany and Britain, so export models were marketed as the "American-X".[9]
When production resumed for the new Model H, the engine serial numbers began with a Z, instead of the older H.
1918 Model H
- Engine: inline IOE
- Cylinders: Four
- Displacement: 67 cubic inches (1100 cc)
- Bore & Stroke: 2.53x3.0 inches (64.3x77.7 mm)
- Carburetor: Schebler
- Ignition: Magneto
- Transmission: 3-speed
- Forks: Henderson spring fork
- Brakes: Band, rear only
- Tire size: 3.00x28 inches (7.62x71 cm) (front and rear)
1919 Model Z and Z-2
The 1919 Model Z included a GE generator on the Z 2 “electric” model. The 70 cubic inch (1147 cc) 4-cylinder developed 14.2 H.P. This model had a new Henderson logo which included the red Excelsior “X”.Arthur O. Lemon
In 1915 Arthur O. Lemon had joined Henderson as a salesman, and was employed in the Excelsior Engineering Department after the sale of Henderson. Lemon designed an updated motor for the 1920 Model K. Bill Henderson and Arthur Lemon had worked closely together in the past, but Bill didn’t like Lemon’s changes toward heavier motorcycles. He left in 1920, before the Model K came into production, to form the Ace Motor Corporation, where he would make the lighter, faster motorcycles he had envisioned. Arthur Lemon was then put in charge of engineering for Excelsior and Henderson.1920 Model K
The Henderson Model K was the first motorcycle to use full pressure engine lubrication. It was also the first motorcycle to offer, an optional, reverse gear (for use with sidecars).
The frame had steel forgings on every joint. Forks and handlebars were the same as the Series 20 Excelsior. Among its several advanced features were electric lighting and a fully enclosed chain.
The K continued on sale to 1922, with sales increasing despite the post World War I depression. Increasingly, Henderson motorcycles were being used by law enforcement agencies, and their reputation continued to improve, with durability and distance records often falling to them.
1922 DeLuxe
The heavier Police Department version was demonstrated first to the Chicago Police, and achieved 98 mph. When it was demonstrated to the San Diego Police a genuine 100 mph was achieved. Harley Davidson, decided to challenge Henderson to a contest that was held at Dundee Road, Chicago, in April 1922.
The Harley won the first heat, but lost the other eleven, with the Henderson exceeding 100 mph. This was a shining hour for Henderson.
Between May 30 and 31, 1922 Wells Bennet and his Henderson Deluxe set a new 24 hour endurance record (including all the intermediate records) at the Tacoma Speedway, Washington, clocking up 1562.54 miles averaging 65.1 mph. This record was not beaten until 1933, by a Peugeot with a team of four. The solo record was not bettered until 1937 when Fred Ham’s 61 cubic inch Harley averaged 76 mph.
On December 11, 1922 William Henderson was killed in a motor accident testing his new Ace. In 1923 Arthur O. Lemon left Excelsior to become chief engineer for Ace.
1925 DeLuxe
1927 DeLuxe
On January 27, 1927 the Indian Motorcycle Company purchased the Ace Motor Corporation. Arthur Lemon moved to Indian, where the Ace was to become the Indian Four.
1928 The Last DeLuxe
The 1928 DeLuxe engine had higher compression, and hardened, polished steel valve guides. The front end was changed to leading link forks and a front brake was added. The wheels were also changed to drop center rims (may have happened mid year).Arthur Constantine
In June 1928, Schwinn poached Arthur Constantine from Harley-Davidson, to become Chief Engineer. Constantine looked at the existing model, and embarked on a redesign.1929 Henderson Streamline Model
The Streamline model was produced from 1929 until 1931, and sold for $435.
On Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929, the Wall Street stock market crashed, but Henderson sales remained strong, and business continued. At this point Excelsior Motor Mfg. & Supply Co. was one of America’s “Big Three” of motorcycle production, alongside Harley Davidson and Indian.[17]
1930 Henderson “Special” KL
The "Special" (KL) model was priced $30 more than the regular KJ model, and was available in 1930 and 1931.
An Unusual End
The summer of 1931 saw Schwinn call his department heads together for a meeting at Excelsior. He bluntly told them, with no prior indication, “Gentlemen, today we stop”. Schwinn felt that the Depression could easily continue for eight years, and even worsen. Despite of the full order book, he had chosen to pare back his business commitments to the core business, bicycle manufacture. By September 1931 it was all over.[19]Revival
In 1993, Dan Hanlon secured the rights to the Excelsior-Henderson trademarks and founded the Excelsior-Henderson Motorcycle Company in Belle Plaine, Minnesota. The company designed and built nearly 2000 new motorcycles for the model years 1999-2000. The company succumbed to the financial turmoil in the marketplace.Source: Wikipedia.org
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My brother has a 1925 Henderson in pristine condition (it's been in his 2nd bedroom for years.) It is a Deluxe. Could you please put me in contact with some Henderson collectors for him. My brother is 86 and does not have a computer
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