I have an itch to have a motorcycle shop on my layout. All of my vehicles are 40s and 50s but I have found very few vintage motorcycles available, anyone know a good source?
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Hasegawa and Tamiya make 1930s vintage Harley Davidson and BMWs respectively.
Technically the Harley is a Rikuo but they were made under license by Harley in the 30s and virtually identical.
They are both military models with sidecars but can be used without the sidecars if desired.
A search on the auction sites on 1/48 motorcycles will bring them up.
Schuco makes a number of 1/43 vintage motorcycles as well.
Pete
Some of the Hot Wheels and Matchbox motorcycles are made closer to 1:48th than 1:64th scale, you might be able to use some of those to round out your shop.
On the note of vintage motorcycles... if you've ever near the Finger Lakes in upstate New York, the Curtis Museum has a pretty big collection of early, pre-WW2 motorcycles. Well worth seeing if you're into those!
Attachments
Images (1)
Ken, my wife and I love the finger lakes area! That will be on the to do list, thank you.
This has been on the RR almost 30 years. The Indian signage was sanded thinner then cut out of a magazine cover with an X acto knife. By dumb luck it fit the already built structure and was glued on. With so many detailing parts available now and seeing it’s near the layouts edge. I want to open up the doors.
The motorcycles and figures are from Arttista. Nicholas Smith shows them in stock. They just look like generic bikes. The one second from the left in the first pic. is from Britain. Made by Phoenix. An elderly gentleman in the Orange Hall sold their line of figures and he also was at Springfield. Nice casting of a British single cylinder. The rider in full leathers is also theirs. I think they are still around. You may have to have them shipped across the pond though. While not probably accurate models of any particular brand. They look the part on a 40’s 50’s layout.
Attachments
Images (2)
@Dave_C posted:The motorcycles and figures are from Arttista. Nicholas Smith shows them in stock. They just look like generic bikes.
Dave,
Outstanding Indian shop. I have the modern MTH Harley-Davidson shop and diner and almost posted it as a response. But "vintage" is the word here and you nailed it.
I wonder if MTH's motorcycles could be weathered a bit and fit as vintage. I like that they have custom fit bikers to match them.
The Matchbox motorcycles, as mentioned, are pretty cool as I have some of them, too. You have to be careful of which ones you buy because they vary in scale. I found the right one and stuck to that exact same packaging to match them up.
Mike
Or instead try Diecast Direct. JohnA
Take a look at the O Gauge/Scale directory. Kiel Line used to make a very realistic 40s era Harley. Plenty of 1/43, not too may 1/48.
https://www.oscaledirectory.com/detail%20parts.html
Attachments
Images (1)
Thank you guys for the resources! Dave C that is almost exactly the look that I am after. I will search the suggested sources and see what I can find.
Thanks again!
Hot Wheels "Rumble Road" box set has four Harley mc's in the set, two older cycles, panhead w/side car, and board track racer. I put some of them on my layout along w/matchbox mc's. Also Match Box has vintage Harley pu trucks. The 46 (?) chevy on my layout has 6 flathead motors in the bed of the truck.
Attachments
Images (2)
