The Excelsior Super X was a landmark motorcycle when it debuted in 1925, and it remains one of the rarest and most desirable motorcycles ever produced. By 1929, the Super X had forced both Indian and Harley-Davidson to respond with their own middleweight, 45 CI models with haste. So, in 1927, Indian unveiled its iconic 101 Scout, followed in 1929 by the Harley-Davidson Model D, the foundation of Harley-Davidson’s legendary “forty-five.” However, the increased competition required Excelsior to up the ante, so, in 1929, the Chicago-based manufacturer restyled its lineup with new sheet metal for what became known as the streamline Xs and Fours. The irony is that Excelsior’s game-changing Super X began as a concept in Harley-Davidson’s workshop nearly a decade before the Milwaukee Motor Company responded. Harley-Davidson’s assistant chief engineer, Arthur Constantine, developed the unique 45 CI F-head engine, built in unit with a 3-speed gearbox, to compete with Indian’s new 37 CI Scout. To his surprise, the brass in Milwaukee responded not with praise but with ridicule, motivating Constantine to promptly resign and approach the management at the Excelsior Manufacturing and Supply Company in Chicago, who quickly brought him and his new concept onboard. The arrival of the Super X, with its 45 CI (750cc) displacement, set a new standard in the industry, one which would give rise to a more approachable American motorcycle, a foundation for military use and an all-new class in professional racing that would thrive for decades. Model year 1929 marked the year of streamlining at Excelsior and a harbinger of things to come from other manufacturers in the 1930s. Still, this one-of-a-kind 1929 Excelsior Super X’s former owner raised the stakes even further. A standout in every sense, this Super X doubles down on the streamlining concept with period custom bodywork, elevating this unique Super X into a category all its own. The custom fabrication work adds style and ample storage throughout the original paint motorcycle, with a battery housing over the front fender and tool storage in the rear. With its original paint, green patina finish, airflow metal and skirting, sculpted fairing and litany of custom components, this exceptional, one-of-a-kind, barn- find 1929 Excelsior Super X stands apart from all others. MIKE WOLFE’S AS FOUND COLLECTION F163 1929 EXCELSIOR SUPER X CUSTOM
