From:Patrick FitzGerald e-mail:pfitzgerald@fitzgeraldassociates.net
Subject:RE: my henderson for sale Date:Tue Nov 1 11:46:35 2011
Response to:3764
John,

Have you sold your KJ? If not, I would be interested in knowing how much you might be asking for it. I've been riding for 47 years and now and, while no longer young, I can still ride most of my bikes and have come to the realization that I don't have forever to fullfill my dream of someday owning and riding a Henderson.

As a younger man I had the opportunity to tour the factory. It was abandoned at that time and was, I believe, demolished a short time later. It was vast but, unlike the renderings used in their advertising, was located on a small street in a working class neighborhood of Chicago. It was all of poured concrete construction, a very 'modern' way to build for that time and had clearly been set up for 'vertical' production with parts and machining done on the upper floors and finishing and shipping on the lower floors. It had its own railroad siding and it was easy to imagine box cars full of Excelsiors and Hendersons being shipped out to dealers accross the country since Chicago was, and remains, the major rail hub in the US. At the time, I was living only 10 blocks away but had never had the chance to see what was inside this impressive, but forboding hulk. There was little left inside but enough to tell what had happened where.

I have owned many motorcycles over the years but, despite an interest in historic brands, have confined myself to newer "classics" till now because I live in Chicago and I do ride them. A bike that can't keep pace with the agressive flow of big city traffic would see little use in the city as it is neccessary for me to ride out from the city to get to more pleasant roads. Chicago is, most fortunately, quite near to Wisconsin so that is my typical weekend destination. It occurs to me that a KJ, while not offering modern performance, might be a suitable mount for my weekly 'adventures' as, from what I have gleened, it seems capable of maintaining a 60mph clip for a few hundred miles per day.

I am particularly interested in your Rudge brake modification as I have found brakes on most pre-war bikes to be sadly lacking. I fully appreciate the need to 'plan ahead' but things do happen and I prefer to have the option of trying to stop if surprised.

My other bikes include Moto Guzzis from 1937, 1948 and 1952,Velocettes from 1956 to 1965, a '68 Triumph and a T150. All of them are 'riders' and I do most of the maintenence myself. I have put over 15,000 miles on many of these since restoring them. I find it enjoyable to be able to change rides often so none have accumulated vast milage; I have newer bikes for that. I'm also lucky to have a few talented 'wrenches' and restorers for friends, should problems arise, but must admit that I'm not yet familiar with anyone here who owns a Henderson.

If you are still looking for a home for your KJ, I'd be interested in knowing more about it.

Thanks,
Pat


----- ORIGINAL MESSAGE FOLLOWS -----
I have decided to sell my Henderson K J 1929 It can be viewed in the U K at Banbury England
I am 80 this year and no longer ride it There is lots of History with it I rallied it all round Scotland England and IOM but I have not used it for the last 6 Years
it is complete and was running when stored in the dry .It is fitted with the wrong Brakes (Rudge Drums)but hubs and rims are correct (this was done in 1933 by previous owner to make it stop ) More pictures are available please ask
JOHN