My ma was going through some pictures of her parents and found one of her dad when he was 25 or so riding one of these. Ace was around for a few years so his might not have been this year but he rode from Tennessee to LA on one of these, intent on getting into the movie business.
My grandad was always a forward thinker. He had to have the best gadgets.
"Two-Wheeled Duesenberg": 1926 Ace Four
Claimed power: 16hp
Top speed: 75mph (est.)
Engine: 77ci (1,265cc) air-cooled intake over exhaust inline four, 2.75in x 3.25in bore and stroke
Weight (dry): 365lb (166kg)
Fuel capacity/MPG: 3.75gal (14.2ltr)
https://www.motorcycleclassics.com/classic-american-motorcycles/1926-ace-four-zmsz15jfzbla
BigMike wrote:
My ma was going through some pictures of her parents and found one of her dad when he was 25 or so riding one of these. Ace was around for a few years so his might not have been this year but he rode from Tennessee to LA on one of these, intent on getting into the movie business.
My grandad was always a forward thinker. He had to have the best gadgets.
"Two-Wheeled Duesenberg": 1926 Ace Four
Claimed power: 16hp
Top speed: 75mph (est.)
Engine: 77ci (1,265cc) air-cooled intake over exhaust inline four, 2.75in x 3.25in bore and stroke
Weight (dry): 365lb (166kg)
Fuel capacity/MPG: 3.75gal (14.2ltr)
https://www.motorcycleclassics.com/classic-american-motorcycles/1926-ace-four-zmsz15jfzblaMy ma was going through some pictures of her paren... (
show quote)
Bet you wish you had it now beautiful thanks for sharing
maximus wrote:
Bee-utiful!!!
Some bike, eh? 1260 ccs was hyuuuge for that time.
Lonewolf wrote:
Bet you wish you had it now beautiful thanks for sharing
I bet I
do! I'm glad to share. This thing was a complete surprise. I couldn't not share such a cool bike.
My grandad never did make his mark in Hollywood. But he did take a mail order engineering course, go to work for Douglas...later McDonnell/Douglas in Long Beach and after retiring started his own business on the 20 acres sw corner of Sanderson and Cottonwood in San Jacinto CA, designing pumps, motors and engines for irrigation systems.
I have a working model of a three cylinder gas turbine engine he envisioned.
His vision never worked out, but the model engine, which weighs 150 lbs or so, will do the cha cha on a garage floor when getting up to speed. It needs a starter like the old MacCulloch go carts and I don't have such a thing now, but the potential...!
rumitoid wrote:
Sweeeeeet ride!
Sweet indeed! I had no idea they were making bikes with that kind of displacement so early in the game. Read on...in 1923 a fellow set a record of 129 mph on one of these. Modified of course but still!
maximus
Loc: Chattanooga, Tennessee
BigMike wrote:
Some bike, eh? 1260 ccs was hyuuuge for that time.
Duesenberg always went big. Their cars were the old movie stars choice. For a car company to build a motorcycle it sure is a pleasing design to look at. Usually, if a machine looks that good, it also works that good.
maximus wrote:
Duesenberg always went big. Their cars were the old movie stars choice. For a car company to build a motorcycle it sure is a pleasing design to look at. Usually, if a machine looks that good, it also works that good.
They didn't! This was an American nickname for a bike that was as huge as a Duesenberg. Read the story.
Indian bought Ace and for one year used the Ace name before phasing it out.
BigMike wrote:
My ma was going through some pictures of her parents and found one of her dad when he was 25 or so riding one of these. Ace was around for a few years so his might not have been this year but he rode from Tennessee to LA on one of these, intent on getting into the movie business.
My grandad was always a forward thinker. He had to have the best gadgets.
"Two-Wheeled Duesenberg": 1926 Ace Four
Claimed power: 16hp
Top speed: 75mph (est.)
Engine: 77ci (1,265cc) air-cooled intake over exhaust inline four, 2.75in x 3.25in bore and stroke
Weight (dry): 365lb (166kg)
Fuel capacity/MPG: 3.75gal (14.2ltr)
https://www.motorcycleclassics.com/classic-american-motorcycles/1926-ace-four-zmsz15jfzblaMy ma was going through some pictures of her paren... (
show quote)
I like that better than an Indian. Not the people...the cycle.
Tug484 wrote:
I like that better than an Indian. Not the people...the cycle.
Indian used that design for a while after buying Ace.
maximus wrote:
Shows what I know!
I
did put "Two wheeled Duesenberg" in quotation marks.
maximus wrote:
Bee-utiful!!!
Beat me to it. Craftsmanship like that is sparse these days.
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