Leroy Winters Jack Pine H.D.

[rob w]

I would like to learn more about the Harley Davidson model that Leroy Winters rode to win the Jack Pine Enduro. It is the orange bike that currently sits in the AMA Hall of Fame Museum. I've done a search under "Leroy Winters" and "Jack Pine Enduro" to no avail. Your help is greatly appreciated!

-What year was that Jack Pine?

-It was the O.A. he won, correct?

-I'm sure his bike was highly modified, but what year and model did he use as the basis.

Thank you for help,
Bob

 

[Doug Wilford]

Bob,    I know it was a Harley Hummer and I think they had two sizes a 125 and a 165 both 2 cycle.   I use to ride against them when I was 15 on my Whizzer.   With stock road gearing they were pretty low on power.

 

[Dwight Rudder]

Doug, you are saying the Harley Hummer 125 / 165 was down on power ?   I bet your Whizzer was fast !   Was it a two stroke ?  I heard it sure smoked a lot. How many quarts an hour did it burn ?  ( Of oil ) Could you pass them on the Michigan hills ?  I bet that Whizzer sure pushed up hills easier than that Harley.

HEHEHE,
Dwight

Dwight Rudder
7 time ISDT / E medalist
7 time National Enduro Class Champion.

[john durrill]

I started out with a 1956 Harley 165. at the Reunion Ride Leroys bike was on display so we got a chance to look it over.
 It was a 165 cc BHT i believe. the top part of the cylinder fins had been machines off and an aluminum replacement pressed on . the head was a high compression aftermarket model i believe. the rear section of the frame ( the bike came as a hardtail) had been removed and shocks added.
 The engine was a design by DKW.
 a three speed gearbox. Both Harely and BSA swiped the design at the end of WWII and produced models with that motor.
 I know you could get a reasonable amount of useable power out of them. We ported mine to some spec's from Harley. bumped the compression . bored out the carb. added a 74 air cleaner mounted high, a high pipe and a close ratio 3 speed gear box. I used the bike to go back and forth to school and trail rideing for 3 years. it would run about 65 MPH with me laying down on the tank. was easy to ride even intown. and a strong as a tank.
The gas cap had a measureing cup attached to it that went inside the tank and it use 50 weight 2 stroke oil i could only get from Harley.
 it had a point ignition and use a delco remy regulator for the generator and a delco coil for the igniton you could get at your local NAPA store , chuckle chuckle!
 Leroy's had a few more mods but i didnt write them down.
 If i could find a 165 in good shape and the 50 wt 2 stroke oil i would have one in the garage now. it would be great to go to the minute market on.
John D.


 

[rob w]

Oh yeah now I reconize most of it, I've seen a Hummer before, but like John said it was a hard-tail, and sat only a couple inches off of the ground. I think they were made from around "48" to "60", but I could be off on that. I would take one of those in the woods over a WLA (big V-twin), which I think is what Dot (I hope that's the correct name of that amazing women) rode in the Jack Pine. Man, I wish I could have been there to see those people ride, I can't imagine how they must have stuggled with those machines! Doug and John, you've got some great stories under your belt, I could listen all day. Thank you guys. If I ever find a resonable Hummer I'll let you know.
Bob

 

[Doug Wilford]

John,Bob   Now those were the crazy days.  In the rider packet for the Jack Pine 1953  Harley gave everyone two six packs of Harley Oil 1/2 Pint for 2 cycle engines,  I still have one can left.   Of course the Whizzer was a 4 stroke but in the last 30 miles of road I used three cans, maybe 4 in the Whizzers crankcase to keep her running, there were no rings left and the oil just ran out the exhaust.   There were no air cleaners back then ( Duhh, some people had screens over there velocity stacks, chuckle keeps out the big stuff.

 

[john durrill]

Doug,
 thats why i had the 74 paper air cleaner
* GRIN *
 i had already gone through a set of main bearings and one piston. The little harley came with a brillo pad  for an air cleaner element. In the south florida sand  the stock filter did no good at all.
Harley sold a little clip bracket that held one can of the 2 stroke oil. it mounted just below the seat on the right side. Man i havent thought about this stuff  since 63.
 thanks for the flash back Guys!
John


 

[Kevin Grimes]

rob, the hummer was another of leroy's one off creations that he was famous for. the year of the jack pine win was 1956. mr.davidson was so impressed that he sent leroy a gold plated hummer cylinder as a token of appreciation. the bike actually belongs to penton isdt vet mike lewis of lawton oklahoma