KHRTT

Just bought a 1954 KHRTT, i don't have a HD data book can any body tell me the production #'s on these for the years of 54, 55 and 56

Pictures please.

As opposed to the KRTT which was the roadrace version of the KR, the KHRTT was an outlaw version not eligible for AMA sanctioned events. They were eligible for off road events so most were TT (not roadrace but dirt events in America) or outlaw flattrackers. I am not aware of any accurate production numbers or even good estimates. KHRMs, KHRTT, are all stepchildren of the H-D racing effort. And many KHRTT clones have been built over the years. Show us what you have, as pictures speak a thousand words!!
Robbie

Picture to come soon, bike is in a federal allied van lines trailer somewhere between Texas and Chicago right now. I have attached a link to my old 1955 KHR I sold some 10 years ago. New bike coming has the rare KHRM leather bagged big shocks

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v451/ ... 5%20KHRTT/

KHRTT 54 " all ball bearing Tourist Trophy racer was produced from 1955 through 1957 then it was replaced by the 1958 XLRTT.
1955 -6 produced
1956 - 13 produced
1957 - 4 produced

Pretty rare beast. I've only had my hands on one in over 40 years. Great find. It would be great to see some pics when you get it.

Beachdog wrote:

KHRTT 54 " all ball bearing Tourist Trophy racer was produced from 1955 through 1957 then it was replaced by the 1958 XLRTT.
1955 -6 produced
1956 - 13 produced
1957 - 4 produced

Pretty rare beast. I've only had my hands on one in over 40 years. Great find. It would be great to see some pics when you get it.

Where did you find those figures?

Wonder what the lifespan of the ballbearing mains were ?

isnt that what triumphs run?

As well as all the Jap stuff that made way more horsepower!
Race engines were taken down regularly, so a long life of those bearings was not nearly as important as less rolling resistance.
robbie

Should be faster bearing replacement as well. One out and one in with no fitting...heh ?

Chris, The figures came from Conners HD Data Book. The HD Big Book gives the production years but no production numbers. Robbie,I agree, the KHRTTs were used in lots of outlaw racing. HD produced them to be used in the open class of AMA Tourist Trophy racing. When HD began making them the AMA changed the class displacement limit from open (ie 74" & 80") to 900cc for the TTs; coincidence, perhaps. I suspect not. We all know of the well documented collusion between HD and the AMA back in those days. Pa, I ran a WR on the street for a year with no bearing wear that I could detect. Granted, the loads were different. I've known old timers who replaced bearings after every race and others who told me they only did the bottom end after a season of racing as a precaution, not because it needed it. I've never had anyone tell me that one of those bearings failed. Crank pin rollers failed, rods failed, cases cracked, but no ball bearing failures. Easy replacement. Just polish the shafts with crocus cloth if needed, to get a hand press fit and set up the end play correctly. Over the years as things wore out guys had to stake the bearings. I had a chance to build a WR motor using NOS cases and shafts. Everything was able to be set up to a light press fit and functioned nicely without any staking.

In '71 I was working in a custom shop and doing lots of engines. Someone brought in a Knuckle they had bought to use in a chopper. When I tore it down it was wild inside. All ball mains, polished rods and flywheels, drilled rods, needle bearings and rollers on everything they could get to, knife edge ground timing gears, polished inside the cases, modified scrapers and breather, polished and lightened rockers, relieved pistons, polished ports, unknown high lift cam, and more I can't remember! I built the rods and replaced all the roller, ball, and needle bearings. New valves and new pistons matched to the weight of the old ones, etc. Guy was happy, left and I never saw it again. Since i was nineteen at the time the concept of trying to photograph it for documentation was not even in my sphere of consciousness!
Wish I had and also had some history on it!
Robbie

Robbie, Sounds like you had your hands on a very special motor. I always like getting inside those old hotrods to see what my elders were doing. They were polishing and lightening the insides of their motors while our customers wanted the outsides polished and chromed. The customer is always right when you're making a living.

Well the bike showed up the other day on the bike hauler truck, here it is in the driveway, (photobucket link) below, question on sparkplugs, what are people running in Kr's for plugs? I have some Champion N-52R's around if i remember right the higher the number the hotter the plugs on these or is it the lower the number? Oh yah a couple of other 1954 KHR's in the pictures along with the bikes last owner whom had it for 55 years.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v451/ ... 4%20KHRTT/

It's a beauty! Thanks for sharing your good fortune.

Hi,

I'm curious to hear more about the rear shocks - I always thought these were just covered with a length of inner tube - are they really leather covered?

I'm also curious as to the casting numbers on the cylinders - are they the standard -54 cylinder casting numbers, but with the female exhaust spigots?

Do they use standard KH valve sizes?

Interestingly a friend over here in Japan recently bought some parts from an original export KHR - since repatriated to the US.

The photobucket page seems to cause problems on my work PC, so will be taking a good look through the site when I get home!

tried loking at the photobucket pictures on my laptop ,...froze it solid . regards jib

Yes i beleive rubber boots are correct over leather, seen them both ways, i just saw a set with rubber boots sell on e-bay for $1,125.00. The cylinders are cast with the last part number of 54 just like KH barrels, however of course the exhuast spigots are same as the KR as far as the exhaust attachment. Both of my KHR's were the same. Dale Walksler wheels through time guy? had a set of NOS KHR barrels some years back. Often thought to be KHRM barrels but KHRMs were the same spigots as KH's. I loaded up the pcitures my self off my Mac from my own camera and did not have an issue. My work PC opens the link fine as well. Not sure what the problem is.

Hi,

suicideshovel65: Interestingly a friend over here in Japan recently bought some parts from an original export KHR

Can't have been too many exported to Japan, so it must be this one:

http://www.harleykrxlrtt.com/images/60-ent-12-01s.jpg

Image's too big for this site, so just a link, December 1960, H-D's Enthusiast (click on the image for full scale...)

And same here, can't open the photobucket page without crashing my web browser...

Patrick

Well got the pepper red paint on it now, here is a link to its first start up yesterday. I have had a Norton Manx, some Goldstar race bikes and a stock KHRTT , when the guy i bought it from said it was the loudest bike he ever owned i think he was correct.


http://youtu.be/2piEsUHa6i4