Хендерсон мотоциклдері: тарих және жетістіктері

Motorcycle manufacturer

Henderson was a manufacturer of 4 cylinder motorcycles from 1912 until 1931. They were the largest and fastest motorcycles of their time, and appealed to both sport riders and police departments. Police favored them for traffic patrol because they were faster than anything else on the roads. The company began during the golden age of motorcycling, and ended during the Great Depression.

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.

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.

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 United States, and featured a folding hand crank starter handle.

Improvements included a better brake (singular), lower seating position, improved girder forks and a rectangular fuel tank, which replaced the previous cylindrical tank. It was in this year that Carl Stearns Clancy of New York returned from circling the globe on a 1912 Henderson, armed with many photographs to prove it.

The Heath Henderson B 4 engine was a modified Henderson motorcycle engine produced for use in Heath Parasol aircraft.

The 1914 Model C had a two speed gearbox incorporated in the rear hub, as well as lighter pistons and adjustable seat springs. 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. Roy Artley also broke Baker's Canada to Mexico record by nearly nine hours, making the journey in just over seventy two hours. 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 United States. The Excelsior name had already been used in Germany and Britain, so export models were marketed as the "American X". When production resumed for the new Model H, the engine serial numbers began with a Z, instead of the older H.

The frame was redesigned with a downward slope to the rear for a lower centre of gravity. This enabled the fitting of a shorter, wider, 4 United States gallon (15 litre) fuel tank. Three ring alloy pistons were now standard, the cylinders and camshaft were changed, low and reverse gear ratios were altered and it was fitted with larger 3.85 inch tyres.

The 1927 DeLuxe featured machined and polished "Ricardo" cylinder heads and developed 35 hp at 3,800 rpm. The clutch was strengthened with two extra plates. There was a new tank top instrument cluster, featuring speedometer, ammeter, oil pressure gauge and a headlight switch. There were new valve spring covers and an updated Zenith carburetor. 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.

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).

In June 1928, Schwinn approached Arthur Constantine from Harley Davidson, to become Chief Engineer. Constantine looked at the existing model, and embarked on a redesign.

The Streamline model, commonly called the "KJ", appeared in 1929, and featured improved cooling and a return to the IOE (inlet over exhaust) valve configuration, gave 40 bhp @ 4000 rpm. It had a five main bearing crankshaft, and down draft carburetion. Advertisements boasted of "57 New Features". The Streamline was fast capable of a genuine 100 mph (160 km/h), and advanced for its time, with such features as leading link forks and an illuminated speedometer built into the fuel tank. 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.

On April 29, 1930, the new Henderson "Special" KL solo was demonstrated on a new, smooth concrete Illinois highway. Joe Petrali achieved 116.12 mph and 109.09 mph on two recorded runs, averaging 112.61.

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 Super X motorcycles, powered by a 1386 cc v twin engine between 1998 and 2000, before the company succumbed to the financial turmoil in the marketplace.