Motorcycle history Resources

Online Motorcycle Databases & Registries

National Motorcycle Museum Archives: Offers an extensive collection of historic motorcycles, documents, and specs.

Motorcycle Specs Website: A comprehensive database of motorcycle specifications, including vintage models.

Classic Motorcycles Database: Features vintage bikes for sale with historical details.

Vintagent: A hub for vintage motorcycle history, stories, and archives.

Manufacturer-Specific Resources

Harley-Davidson Archives: Find historical records and models from early Harley-Davidsons.

Indian Motorcycle History: Covers Indian motorcycles from their earliest years.

BSA Owners’ Club: A club with records of BSA models.

Books & Print References

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Motorcycles: Covers thousands of vintage models.

Standard Catalog of American Motorcycles 1898-1981 by Jerry Hatfield.

Classic Motorcycles: The Art of Speed by Patrick Hahn.

VIN & Serial Number Lookups

Harley-Davidson VIN Decoder: Find details by VIN.

Indian Motorcycle VIN Guide: Check vintage Indian models.

Forums & Online Communities

Antique Motorcycle Club of America (AMCA): Forums, articles, and resources for collectors.

BritBike Forum: Focuses on classic British motorcycles like Triumph, Norton, and BSA.

The Classic Motorcycling Forum: Great for restorers and historians.

The Cornfield Classic: A work in progress by Adam Yale, whose great-grandfather, 15-year-old Elde Heller, worked on his family’s dairy farm near the Marion International Road Race—likely witnessing the historic Cornfield Classic.

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