From time to time, I'll be posting some great historic photos from throughout American motorcycle history.  Some of great bikes, lots of influential faces, and some of the big events have shaped the way two-wheel culture has evolved over the past century.

This first one is a photo of Floyd Emde going up and over at a Hillclimb in San Diego in 1948.  OUCH!!!

Now, you'd think this little mishap would put the hurt on you for a month or so, but believe it or not, less than two weeks after, Floyd was back on the track at Daytona, and piloted his Indian 648 to victory on the beach at the 1948 Daytona 200.

Here is the Indian Altoona 61" Hillclimber as it sits today....

Resting in the Hillclimb exhibit at Wheels Through Time, the 1928 Indian "Altoona" 61-inch Factory Hillclimber sits in its original condition, as last raced in the late 1940s.  This motorcycle is serial number one and the only of its type.  It features ultra-rare 61 cubic inch, ball-bearing, two-cam, big-valve flathead motor, with single speed transmission, and was set up to burn alcohol.  Its fired on occasion, in order to keep the machine in tip-top running order.

I've heard it run a few times, and let me tell ya, it'll throws flames the size of basketballs.  One of these days we'll air the tires up and taker her to the hill.....