Survival Percentage

[jOe]

With 70 years passing, I wonder what percentage of the production of K Models and XLs of all descriptions, and other classic and collectible cars and bikes have survived up to this point. Crashes, natural and man made disasters, etc must have taken a toll. I figure no more than 10%.

[aitchdeeryder]

And survived but in what condition, right.

[EKHKHK56]

Good question, Ks were built before the big highway system, lots of dirt roads to play racer on. And real races, enduros etc anywhere you have motorcycles. I’m thinking a certain amount where stripped, whether stolen, wrecked, lightened for “racing” or just customized. My OP 52K somehow survived complete and original living in Alaska and ridden hard by an Air Force Pilot/Mechanician. Twice it was stolen but retrieved quickly with the Shotgun method, unfortunately no longer viable. Parked in 1972 after shifter pall spring broke. Chained to a tree and covered with one of those WW 2 Army tarps. When I got K fever, which is lifelong with no cure by the way, I would hear about a K, complete about 60-90 miles from Fairbanks. However like Sasquatch several people had seen it but nobody actually knew where it was. When I bought my first pickup load of K stuff there was a 52K and 56KHK engine and a bunch of parts. I eventually learned that most of the parts were broken, worn out, or XL, Indian, Big Twin etc and the few Chevy parts that always get in these piles. The pile contained an Old Bike Journal with a Rio Blue 52K centerfold owned by the AMCA president’s wife. This is what I hoped to build I told interested viewers. Right…. I knew more about pink elephants than Ks. 25 years and 25 K projects, 4 52s, bikes etc and still no nice 52 like the Poster Girl one. Than the phone rang. It was the H-D Outpost Dealership telling me a couple ladies were looking to sell their Dads 52 K, if I’m interested. Oh yeah I replied with $5 in my pocket. H-D had me in there computer as the K guy. So two sisters from Seattle were trying to find a proper home for their Dad’s favorite ride. After processing 200 vehicles that were in the yard, it was the last one. Long story short, we met at my shop and the first thing they noticed was the 52K pin up, Rio Blue. Hey that’s the same as Dads bike! I talked Ks with them and gave them a “K” History printout. We looked at the bike and I thought wow, it’s all there, but been down the road and through the woods. Pretty rough but almost all there and unmolested basically. Turns out a few parts that were missing were in my pile purchased 25 years earlier! After a feeble attempt to name my offer with actually $5 on hand they were headed off to talk to other buyers, all day. An hour later they came back from lunch and they decided their father would have wanted me to have it. I was floored, thinking I had no chance. With my rent money I made a deposit and in 21 more days paid it off. They said I was the only potential buyer that didn’t talk about how much I could make off it. It is a work in progress, not even washed, and only fixing the mechanical issues. See in the photos section here, as the Barnster as I called it. Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy your Ks everyone! How many OP52Ks are out there? Even Willie G customized his 52 K by 1953… Erik