The Harley Davidson DAH and DAR

In the United States by 1929 Board track racing was all but gone. For several years the AMA has been promoting 350cc dirt track racing but it was the Big Twin Hill Climbers that really captured the public’s imagination. It was not uncommon for 30,000 spectators to turn up for a national meet.

The big three of the time Excelsior, Indian and Harley all firstly produced modified versions of their ioe and side valve board trackers but with the introduction of a 750cc class they were all to introduce special OHV versions.

Harley was the last to do this but as is often the case first is not always best. Harleys version designated the DAH was a twin exhaust port design resting on a modified DL bottom end. Until recently it was believed to be first developed for hill climbing but last year Dale Walksler discovered a factory DAR produced in late 1928 for board tracking. This bike recently was second in the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours.

It is considered that some 20 DAH and DAR’s were built making them one of the rarest of all Harleys. Approximately nine are known to still exist. For some time there have been two in Australia both now residing in the Harley City Collection.

In 1997 the Tony Penachio Collection which featured many icon American racers were released for sale and the only DAH known to exist outside the original 1930 series of engine numbers (33DAH501)  was purchased by Harley City . It was in a special duplex frame built by Bill Graves for Californian Hill Climber and Speedway star Byrd McKinney. Byrd actually came to Australia in 1936 to race speedway.

After purchase with no DAR’s known to exist it as decided to put 33DAH501 into a RL frame with that wonderful exhaust system recreated from the German 1930 DAR (30DAR521).

The other Aussie DAH was purchased by Mark Austin from his late friend and 750cc Harley collector Bill Hoecker. This bike (30DAH513) was originally raced by Larry Ketzel. It features the rare duplex frame of which this one and the X Daniel Statnekov now Harley Davidson factory owned are the only two known to exist out of a likely total of six. This was the configuration most successfully raced by Petrali ,Reiber and Windstrom  throughout the thirties and were still winning races in the early fifties.

As  is often the case when a bike changes hands a refurbishment was undertaken. Billy MacNamara whom had undertaken work on 33DAH501 fabricated bracketry for the correct rear fender to be installed. New tyres were fitted. For ease of moving and the odd blast up the street the hill climbing chains were removed from the rear wheel. Ron Keed was commissioned to utilize his artistry to apply the paint work and the unique tank artwork. Billy did the reassembly and now 30DAH513 rests happily with its younger brother in the Harley City Museum.