ABOUT US

For a large part of my adult working life, I had been in the medical field, and retired in 1986.  My next venture was establishing and growing a metal roofing manufacturing company with distribution over seven western states.  It required developing dies and building the machinery to make the new, patented roof products and accessories.

When that business was sold it was time to devote to my long-term hobby of restoring Harley 125 – 165 “Hummer” motorcycles from 1948 to 1966.  Even while working I had spent many hours at swap meets and making contacts to find the parts to restore my bikes, but still not finding everything I needed.  However, I was able to add to my large collection of new/old stock and good used parts.   

Using the skills I had developed in my tool and die shop from the roofing business, I set out to manufacture those very “difficult to find” parts.  The first Item I made was the tool box which required a very deep draw.  After designing the dies I built a 100K hydraulic press to stamp them out.  There are six different dies just for this tool box!  They were fun to make and have been a very popular item over the years.

The next major effort was the 48-50 fenders.  It took five months to design and build a special machine to do these fenders, maintaining the precision I feel is important. They are formed to match the originals with only a minor change in the edge finish that makes them much stronger. 

As the interest in restoring these bikes grew, I expanded to manufacture handle bars, kickstands, hand levers, chain guards, mufflers, and many other items, plus restoring speedometers.  I also make the saddlebags and luggage carriers to give that very special look to a restored bike. The hydraulic machine I built to place up to 76 decorative spots on the saddlebags is really fun to watch operate, and keeps the placement of the spots precise.  There are over 100 items I am now making here in my Salem, Oregon shop and I will continue to make additional items so that you can finish your restoration.

At my current age of 94 I am still healthy with good eyesight so I can keep the quality high – understanding that details are important, as are reasonable prices.  My goal is to be sure these beautiful smaller bikes retain their place in Harley history.  I may run out of new/old stock, or used items, but I add to my manufactured inventory every day (except Sunday) by turning out good replacements.

The really big change came about January 2022 when Mark Rivett of www.HarleyHummerPartsUSA.com took over the sales and shipping of parts.  You can reach him at 971-382-6082 or email him at harleyhummerpartsusa@gmail.com.  Mark was a career employee at Les Schwab Tire Company and recently retired.  As we all know, if you retire you need to stay active using your existing skills or developing new ones.

Thank you for your past purchases and great conversations.  I have really enjoyed getting to know so many people who love these bikes like I do.  Please be sure to support Mark with your purchases to keep our small business able to operate and fill the niche need for parts for the collectors and enthusiasts.

If you need (or want) to visit with me, I will still be in my shop every day except Sunday.

Duane Taylor