@Mototique
Updated: November 2017
Thurman Constable - Union City, Indiana Motorcycle Illustrated - November 26, 1910 |
When the 1910 product line was announced by Harley-Davidson, few people noticed the inclusion of the Model 6E in their lineup, but to a few privateer Harley racers, it would be welcome news. When the 1910 model specifications were listed on a two page spread in the edition January 15, 1910 of Motorcycle illustrated, there was nothing that identified this model as a specialty racer. It was one of five single cylinder belt drive bikes with a rated four horsepower. All featured a 30ci. displacement with either magneto, or battery ignition, and were offered for sale through their network of Harley-Davidson dealers.
Motorcycle Illustrated - January 15, 1910 Page 1 (cropped) |
Motorcycle Illustrated - January 15, 1910 Page 2 (cropped) |
But word was already tricking down through Harley's dealers, who were involved in racing that help was on it's way. Within Harley-Davidson the new model was referred to as Model 6E - Factory Stock Racer, 30ci F Head Single.
In April, 1910 the new racer made it's first foray to the winner circle on the 1/3 mile banked dirt oval tack Tuileries Park dirt track in Denver, Colorado. The Denver Harley-Davidson dealer, and privateer racer, Walter Whiting, rode one of the new racers to a win in the Five Mile Amateur Race for Stock Machines. The event results were published in the April 16, 1910 edition of Bicycling World and Motorcycle Review, however Whiting was miss-identified as "J. Whiting" in the article.
Bicycling World & Motorcycle Review - April 16, 1910 |
Author's Note: These large articles are more easily read by clicking on the article to enlarge it.
Bicycling World & Motorcycle Review - June 4, 1910 |
The Motorcycle Illustrated featured one of the few photographs on the new racers.
Motorcycle Illustrated - June 15, 1910 |
Bicycling World & Motorcycle Review - June 11, 1910 |
Motorcycle Illustrated - July 1, 1910 |
In September 1910, a little known event involving the the Model 6E Factory Stock Racer, took place. Out in Waco, Texas a young rider named Eddie Hasha, was making name for himself winning races in the Dallas on both an Indian Single, and an Indian twin.
Eddie Hasha - 1912 Chris Price @ Archive Moto |
Robert Stubbs - Ormond Beach, Florida - 1909 Chris price @ Archive Moto |
Motorcycle Illustrated - September 15, 1910 |
On September 8, 1912, Hasha was killed, along with fellow racer Johnnie Albright, and six young spectators in an horrendous accident at the Vailisburg Park Motordrome in Newark, New Jersey. In the aftermath of Hasha's death, Arthur Davidson penned a memorial editorial to his friend, which appeared in the Harley-Davidson Dealer's News in October 1912. In that editorial, the story of the 1910 Waco race was finally revealed:
"The News that Eddie Hasha, John Albright and six spectators met death at the Vailisburg Park Motordrome, at Newark, N.J. on September 8th, was no doubt startling to everyone, but to non more than the writer for the reason that a close friendship had existed, for some time, between Hasha and myself, dating back to the time at dallas, Texas, when Hasha was starting his racing career. At that time we had a racing machine shipped to Dallas, and Eddie Hasha was given a chance to ride against Robert Stubbs, and defeated him. From then on his entry into the racing game was fast and remarkably successful. Not very long ago, Mr. Hasha took up the selling of Harley-Davidson motorcycles in Dallas, but the race track fever got him again and he went back to it. And, while it was with very deep regret that I heard the story of his death, as well as that of John Albright, I was not a great deal surprised, as I had expected it to come in the course of events. But to cause the death of spectators was more than any of us had predicted."
Arthur Davidson Editorial - Harley-Davidson Dealer News - October 1912.
The fellow who appears to have had the most success, with the Harley single cylinder racer was one Thurman Constable of Union City, Indiana. The 1910 Racing Season, was Constable's first season as a professional racer, he logged 52 First Place finishes, in 56 events. His photograph appeared in the November 26, 1910 edition of Bicycling World & Motorcycle Review. This maybe the only photograph of the Model 6E Factory Stock Racer in track racing trim.
He also appeared in an article in the December 1, 1910 edition of Motorcycle Illustrated.
Despite the fact, that only a handful of Model 6E factory stock Racers were produced, it appears to have been highly successful. Although, it was always billed as "stock" it's success against highly developed single cylinder racers ridden by seasoned professional riders, leads one to believe that the rated stock 4 horsepower, was a a bit of an understatement. The internal secrets of these early racers have been lost to time. However, they allowed both privateer amateur, and professional racers to purchase a competitive Harley-Davidson racer through their local dealers. The race wins gave Harley-Davidson a performance image to go along with their reputation for endurance and reliability. As racing improves the breed, surely the lessons learned with these racers, were incorporated into the later production singles.
The Model E single racer did not appear in the 1911 models. The emphasis in racing was moving to twin cylinder racers. They could reach much higher speeds of the newly popular Motordrome boards tracks, and the ever increasing speeds, and subsequent danger, filled the stands with paying spectators. It is clear from Arthur Davidson's editorial on Hasha's death, that Harley-Davidson had no interest in being involved in Motordrome racing.
I am not aware of any surviving Model 6E racers. The identifiers, that would separate them from a normal 1910 Model 6 single are pretty much unknown. If one of these early racers did turn up, with a verifiable provenance, it would surely command a princely sum. If that racer could be verified as the one Eddie Hash rode in the 1910 Waco race, it would be the rarest bit of early Harley-Davidson racing history.
Sources:
Bicycling World & Motorcycle Review
Chris Price @ Archive Moto
Google
Harley Davidson Dealer News
Motocycle Illustrated
Tech's Web Harley-Davidson VIN Info 1903 - Present
Bicycling World & Motorcycle Review - November 26, 1910 |
Motorcycle Illustrated - December 1, 1910 |
The Model E single racer did not appear in the 1911 models. The emphasis in racing was moving to twin cylinder racers. They could reach much higher speeds of the newly popular Motordrome boards tracks, and the ever increasing speeds, and subsequent danger, filled the stands with paying spectators. It is clear from Arthur Davidson's editorial on Hasha's death, that Harley-Davidson had no interest in being involved in Motordrome racing.
I am not aware of any surviving Model 6E racers. The identifiers, that would separate them from a normal 1910 Model 6 single are pretty much unknown. If one of these early racers did turn up, with a verifiable provenance, it would surely command a princely sum. If that racer could be verified as the one Eddie Hash rode in the 1910 Waco race, it would be the rarest bit of early Harley-Davidson racing history.
Sources:
Bicycling World & Motorcycle Review
Chris Price @ Archive Moto
Harley Davidson Dealer News
Motocycle Illustrated
Tech's Web Harley-Davidson VIN Info 1903 - Present
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