Harry Hindall

Harry Hindall was a motorcycle frame builder, aerospace engineer, and a desert racer From England who learned his welding skills working from some of the best; Don and Derrick Rickman. A new job brought him to SoCal. where he worked for Northrop in L.A. area, and until the layoffs of the 70’s would work as an engineer. While in SoCal he became a desert racer in District 37 AMA. Others noticed his specially built Triumph Twin in his home built frame, and they asked to ride it.

After that he had friends wanting frames built for their bikes as well. When he was layed off for a few years, he ramped up his production of hand built one-of-a-kinds’s to make frames for D & RT1’s, Suzuki’s 250/400, Kawasaki 350 Bighorns, BSA and Triumph Twins and Singles. His final design was a TT500 Yamaha. Most 2-stroke bikes were about 30 lbs lighter when done, and the Twins sometimes up to 60 lbs lighter! He also made his own plastic Rickman style tanks (in Red) and seat combos.

You would custom order your frame telling him what forks and wheels you were going to use. He also sold lightweight hollow axles and swing arm bolts, as well as Adel clamps that were used to mount most anything to his frames without welding. Frames sold finished were all nickel plated, unfinished w/o motor mounts, and would come bare metal. Less than 75 total frames were built, and no real records were kept. But if you look at the bikes VIN’s they are very different. Both of these bikes end in #72. Made in 1972 maybe? Both bikes had the then new state of the art conical 1972 Yamaha front wheels on them. Maybe a clue… I believe the VIN is nothing more than a manufactures date, and nothing more. What do you think? I have seen two bikes with big horn motors and the #71 as the last numbers also.

Hindall DT-1 Yamaha Desert Bike/Enduro

Found last year at the El Camino swap meet.

Desert model or Enduro model

This is a custom one-of-a-kind bike. There is no other bike just like this one!

Harry Hindall Custom Frame and Swing Arm (New Nickel plating)

205 lbs

Motor is 1968 DT-1 with new piston rod, bearings, and seals etc.

Motor was originally done by Don Jones

Xase is polished (like NOS 71 style) brushed

1972 conical 21″ front hub

Stock DT-1 rear (floating rear brake hub)

Shouldered Akront rims(Polished) and HD spokes

Cheng Shin Desert tires 450X18 and a 300X21 front

Alloy skid plate

’72 style air box inner rear fender (water tight!)

Nice cleated pegs (Nickel plated) OSSA style

NOS GYT Kit pipe

GYT Kit cylinder

32mm Mikuni Carb

Custom made Alloy front fender brace (polished)

Curnutt Shocks 13.5″

Custom machined Cerani forks and Clamps (Polished)

Custom machined/lightened hubs front and rear.

Alloy rear sprocket.

A & A air filter with spun alloy cover

Hollow axel and swing arm bolts

Amal levers and Throttle

Inter Am Chrome bars

Yamaha Kill button

Caswell lined and Custom Painted Tank, Seat, and Preston Petty Fender

Oury Grips with all new Terry Cables

Custom seat with new foam

* There are many nickel plated small accents that are on this bike, and the polished alloy is to die for.

Custom Machined Cerani Lower Fork legs

Custom Machined Yamaha DT-1 Rear and DT-2MX Conical Front Hubs

Special Brushed Finish on Alloy Cases and Brake Plates.

New Painted Body work and Tank lined with Caswel liner kit

Very Early 1^st year 1968 Yamaha DT-1 Motor VIN is under 2500

Special Black-Alloy rear Alloy Sprocket

Matching Cheng Shin 8ply tires 450×18 and 325×21 Desert Specials tires

Akront shouldered alloy rims 21×18 (Polished)

34mm Mikuni Carb w/special hand made alloy intake manifold

Real GYT Kit cylinder and head Ported by “Don Jones”

Hindall RT-2 Yamaha Motocross

Found a week later in an e-mail in Missouri with a few other bikes. After listing the 1st one on AMSRacing.com ‘s web site.

This Harry Hindall Creation is a Motocross Model with a ’72 Yamaha RT-2MX motor in it.

This bike was owned by an Expert Motocross racer back in the day from St Loius, named Rex Graves.

His dad also owned the Yamaha shop, as well as the local Motocross race track too! When Rex was younger, say 1969 or so, Don Jones and his two boys would come through town riding the early Inter Am or Trans Am Series; they would some times stay at their house, and ride on their track to practice. Over the years Don would give Rex trick stuff. Eventually he would lead Rex to Harry Hindall to have a one-of-a-kind built, but using all of the Jones’ trick stuff We have the cancelled check from his frame order; the bike was a rocket and lightweight 196 pound with a 360 motor in it. That’s another story. Anyway, the motor has had the VIN and size (351cc) on cylinder ground away clean. Replaced with a perfect set of 250 ID numbers, and they didn’t have age group classes back then. So what class did this race in? Good story anyway. Sounds a little like it came outta Texas!

This Motocross version of the Harry Hindall RT2MX was a weapon in the Day!

This is a one-of-a-kind bike!

196 lbs

Harry Hindall Custom MX frame and swingarm (Nickel plated) w/custom rear frame loop.

Jones Tripple clamps (polished)

Jones Tank (Glass/plastic)

Jones Fenders (ABS)

Jones Factory Clutch Cover

Maico Steel rear hub

Yamaha Conical front hub ( w/drilled brake shoes)

H.D.Stainless steel spokes (with drilled brake shoes)

Shouldered Akront rims (polished)

Betor forks

Betor shocks

Bassani Custom one-of-a-kind pipe with silencer

Andea chromolly Bars

Amal Ally Levers

Gunner Gasser throttle w/Oury Grips

Magua Levers

Magura Kill button

AJS front fender brace

Cheng Shin tires 450×18 and 300×31

Hindalls foot pegs and brake pedal (nickel plated)

Rebuilt RT-2 MX motor with CDI ignition

New Piston Rod Bearings Seals etc.

Cases are powder coated (satin Black)

Motor was originally built by Don Jones

38mm Mikuni Carb

Boysen Reeds

Hollow axles and swing arm bolt

This is a very special bike.

Like no other.

One-of-a-kind