Truly exceptional machines, 4-cylinder Henderson motorcycles have enchanted all lucky enough to have encountered one. This immaculate 1914 Henderson, with its blue and silver paint, oceans of nickel plate and elegant posture, makes it clear why so many have referred to Henderson as the “Duesenberg of Motorcycles.” Its creator, William G. Henderson, was born into a family ideally suited to produce such a monumental vehicle. Henderson’s grandfather, Alexander Winton, was a Scottish-born engineer who immigrated to the U.S. and built a successful cycling company in the late 1800s. Like most wheelmen of the age, Winton began dabbling in early gasoline combustion engines, experimenting with novel ways in which they could be leveraged to power vehicles of all types. In 1897, Winton incorporated the Winton Motor Carriage Company in Cleveland, Ohio, and became the first commercially successful automobile manufacturer in America. Two years later, in 1899, his grandson William Henderson came to work as a designer and draftsman at the factory, helping develop the Winton during its meteoric rise. However, Henderson was captivated by the developments happening in the two-wheeled niche, and when Percy Pierce unveiled his inline 4-cylinder motorcycle, heavily inspired by the Belgian- made FN in 1909, his interest was piqued. In his grandfather’s factory, Henderson set about developing his own inline “four,” in 1911, and his prototype was ready. The first Henderson was a long and luxurious belt-driven F-head 4-cylinder, an unusual format compared to popular V-twins of the time but offering a superior smoothness and ample amount of power. Henderson’s design was elegant, refined and impressive enough to raise the necessary funds to build a factory located at 268 Jefferson Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. A premium motorcycle for a premium motorcyclist, Henderson Fours were neither inexpensive to build nor own. Still, for those high enough up the social ladder to afford a Henderson in the early ‘Teens, there was simply nothing better. This resplendent 1914 Henderson Four has undergone a concours restoration at the talented hands of marque expert Chris Matthews. Beyond its exquisite attention to detail and period-appropriate finishes, this stunning motorcycle features nearly every accessory available in 1914, including Acetylene lighting, a gear-driven speedometer and a tandem seat assembly matching Persons sprung leather saddles. As a motorcycle, the Henderson Four, as so effortlessly demonstrated by this 1914 Four, is a machine worthy of the utmost praise and admiration it receives from enthusiasts and collectors worldwide. F116.1 1914 HENDERSON FOUR
