Description
National Motorcycle Museum | Solihull, West Midlands
Viewing: Tues 27th October from 1pm
Auction: Wed 28th October from 10am
Location: National Motorcycle Museum, Coventry Road, Bickenhill, Solihull B92 0EJ
Registration No: YTA 848L
Frame No: AERDAV350NE255671
MOT: Exempt
A perfect winter project for its new owner
A wonderfully original machine with delightful patina
A current V5C and Bruce Main Smith book on file
In 1969, Harley-Davidson was facing bankruptcy. It found an unlikely saviour in AMF (American Machine & Foundry), best known for its bowling balls, which steered the venerable bike-builder through the choppy waters of the ’70s, before selling it back to Willie Davidson in 1981. In 1960, Harley-Davidson had acquired a half-***** in Aermacchi, the Italian maker of lightweights, and when it wanted a little sister for its Sportster, it appropriated an Aermacchi frame and horizontal single-cylinder engine and marketed it as the Sprint, which evolved into the SS350. It had a compact wheelbase, enabled by a short swinging arm and high handlebars, and was said to produce 27bhp. In 1973, AMF took over Aermacchi completely and all subsequent Aermacchi-based bikes were marketed as AMF Harley-Davidsons, but the Italian holiday ended in 1978, with the sale of the Varese factory to Cagiva.
This SS350 was first registered in Britain in 2015, but it has seen minimal use on the King’s highway. Our vendor purchased it in 2023 for his varied motorcycle collection, which is now being dispersed. Although some work was performed at the time to make it run, it has been static since and will therefore require recommissioning. A rare and appealingly original bike, ideal for the ‘oily rag’ treatment, it is supplied with the V5C and a Bruce Main-Smith manual.
** Bidding will take place live at the venue, online via our H&H website, by telephone and commission - T&Cs apply**
Entry by catalogue and can be purchased for £20 (admits 2 people)
