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Vintage, Antique, and Classic Motorcycles - Harley-Davidson
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This 1932 Harley-Davidson VL has been in the family since the mid '30s. It was ridden by my father on the road for about 36K miles and then taken to the old bicycle tracks for racing. He eventually got into motorcycle stunts. He participated in numerous international shows in Europe, Mexico, Canada and the US in the '30s and started promoting his own shows. His stunt repertoire consisted of crashing flaming walls, flaming tunnels, (6'X6'X20' long, boarded up at the exit end, add 30 gallons of gas and a match, ride like the wind), glass walls, wooden barrel walls, jumping over cars, jumping over people. His one stunt, not duplicated to date, was jumping over my mother blind-folded on this motorcycle. He had a black eye cover over both eyes and a black hood over his head. The trick was to line the bike up properly and not shift your weight as you rode. At the local fair during this trick, the ramp broke on two occasions. He bought wood from another lumberyard for the new ramps and didn't have the problem again. He was professionally known as Jimmy "Daredevil" Washburn. The last time this bike was ridden was in the mid '50s. This bike was just recently restored. It runs, but I do not intend on riding it since it has the lost oil symptom. It automatically oils the chain while riding it -- the old Harley chain drip. -- Jim Washburn
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