George's World Wide Antique Motorcycle Trader - the number one site for free ads relating to antique American motorcycles.  Run by George Pardos an ophthalmologist and his teenage(?) son Zack as the web master.  Achieved it's de facto status by being the first not by being the best.  Two or three times a year the site is hacked or suffers some other catastrophe that leaves it damaged or down for a week or two.  Wanted ads are posted immediately.  For sale ads are delayed (sometimes for a week or more), presumably until they can be scanned for deals by George.  If you want everyone to get an equal chance at your items, post your for sale ad in the wanted section.

Beauty Of Speed - very nicely done site by Eric, an enthusiast in Paris.  Site is focused on vintage Harley® racers with an emphasis on WRs.  Great pictures help you identify any racing parts you may have.  The site also had a well done ads section that, by rights, should have crushed George's site, but was largely ignored by everyone, myself included.  In fact Eric couldn't even be bothered to list his wanted ads on his own site and just listed them on George's.

Old Dude Vintage Parts & Service - supplier of obsolete Harley® hardware.  Excellent service and quality products.  Sometimes seems a bit pricey, but worth it.  They have much more than they show on their web site.

Virtual Indian - an absolutely fantastic web-zine about Indian motorcycles by Moen, an enthusiast in Denmark.  Published initially on a fairly regular schedule, he had to scale it back to keep his sanity (and have time to earn a living).  Now published annually.  If you haven't read any it's worth your while to peruse the back issues.  The magazine also has a good collection of Indian related web links and an Indian focused ads section.  Moen was able to parlay his notoriety from the magazine into an Indian parts business.

Liberty Motorcycle Specialties - Cotten, the proprietor of Liberty, is never content to leave well enough alone.  If you're still using brass crush rings for your intake seal or a brass float in your carb you need to contact Cotten and get into the 21st century.  He manufactures intake seals out of a high tech plastic (as well he can machine your manifold if you have damage to the sealing surfaces).  He makes his floats (in both Linkert and Schebler sizes) out of a closed cell foam.  Besides being ultra light they are impervious to everything but a blow torch.  Finally, he is known for his exacting restorations of Linkert and Schebler carbs.

The Harley Hummer Club - if you're into the US made Harley lightweights (as opposed to those made in Italy) this is the site.  Has the starts of a restoration guide.  There is a lively Hummer Exchange section where you can ask questions or post Hummer specific buy and sell ads.

Antique Motorcycle Club of America - the best antique motorcycle club - period. Great quarterly magazine.  Class web site.  Primary focus is on American makes.  The web site also has a forum area for discussion of antique motorcycle topics.  Club sponsors road runs where you can ride your bike amongst it's peers.  Also hosts excellent swap meets across the US.  If you need parts, these are the places to get them.

eBay - this is the other place to get parts.  If you haven't heard of eBay you must have been living under a rock.  Giant on-line auction site.  I've seen parts show up here I never thought I'd see.  I've seen prices I never thought I'd see too!  Unless you have very deep pockets and just throw a monster bid in early on, you need to bid in the last few seconds of the auction if you hope to win at the lowest price (otherwise people keep chipping away at your amount until they either beat you or drive the price up trying).  There are web sites that offer an automated bidding service to assist you in getting your bid in at the last possible second. eBay has devoted a section in eBay Motors to just antique American parts which saves time rather than having to scroll through pages and pages of late model parts.  Also one should learn how to use the search function.

Henderson Streamline Models: KJ & KL - nice web site dedicated to the last rendition of the Henderson four.  Has an exchange section where you can ask questions or post ads.  The exchange is not strictly limited to KJs, generally used for anything Henderson related (and even the odd Excelsior and Super X post from time to time).

Splitdorf Generator & Magneto Page - Steve Blancard had an excellent site on Splitdorf generators that I routinely referred to.  Unfortunately Steve decided to shut his site down.  Fortunately however, he offered the technical content to Gene Harper (of Splitdorf regulator fame) who is now graciously hosting it.

Vintage Motorcycle Works - operated by Johnny Sells who is arguably the world's foremost authority on early Harley 45s.  He has recently self published the definitive restoration guide for early 45s.  Buy this manual if you're working on a pre '37 Harley 45.  It's money well spent.

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© 2006 Perry Ruiter