1908 Harley-Davidson Model 4 Strap Tank Engine No. 2039

Harley-David­son, Inc. needs no introduction as an iconic American motor­cycle manu­facturer headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1901, William S. Harley, Arthur David­son, and brother Walter David­son began work on their first motor­cycle engine. Their first attempt may have been a failure, but they founded Harley-David­son in 1903 and became one of the largest motor­cycle manu­facturers by 1920. They produced motor­cycles for the United States used in both World War I & II and were one of only two major motor­cycle manu­facturers to survive the Great Depression. In fact, they’ve survived numerous changes to ownership and restructuring, intense global competition, charges of restrictive practices, claims of stock price manipulation, and a constantly evolving view of the com­pany and bikers. Still, they are widely known for their loyal following and now manufacture in Penn­syl­vania, Wisconsin, Brazil, and Thailand. Their classic cruiser style, including high handlebars, low seats, and chrome parts, is easily recognizable. They’re also noted for their customizability, giving rise to the chopper style of motor­cycle, and for the distinct sound of HD’s powerful engines.

The Strap Tank was one of Harley-David­son’s first models, built in the early years of the com­pany’s existence, and featured a distinctive design with the fuel and oil tanks held in place by nickel-plated steel straps to the frame. These early, very rare bikes are highly prized by collectors for their historical significance as they established the pattern for future Harley production and set a precedent for the brand’s rugged, dependable reputation. Very few were built, with only about a dozen of the coveted vehicles surviving today.

It is estimated that only a handful of real examples of the 1908 Model 4 Strap Tank exist today. The elements of this one were carefully crafted by the Isams of Sturgis, South Dakota—two of the most respected figures in the American antique motor­cycle industry. Lonnie Isam, Sr. started his career as a Harley-David­son mechanic in Wash­ing­ton, opened the Gulf Coast Manu­fact­uring Com­pany in Texas to design and manufacture motor­cycle parts, and designed drag bikes that set fourteen world records and won national championships before turning his focus to antiques. He pur­chased Stelters Harley-David­son in Houston and began collecting and restoring, fabricating and selling the parts that were missing on his restorations. This collection helped launch the National Motor­cycle Mu­seum in Sturgis, South Dakota, along with his uncle, E.J. Cole, contributing around 40 motor­cycles. He went on to operate Competition Distributing in Sturgis, one of the only places to go for quality, accurate reproduction antique motor­cycle parts.

Working alongside him for much of his career was his son, Lonnie Isam, Jr., who founded the Motor­cycle Cannonball Run in 2010—a coast-to-coast endurance run for bikes built before 1929, inspiring many to change their views on antique bikes. His son operated Jurassic Racing in Sturgis and was working on building this very motor­cycle along with two other projects when he passed in 2017 after a battle with cancer. His father, Lonnie Isam, Sr., took up the project himself to finish what his son started, the ending of an era and one of only three strap tanks produced by Jr., but was too distraught by the passing of his son to continue the work. Their parts are the closest a reproduction can get to an orig­inal, with many years of research and learning under their belts. Dick Shappy pur­chased the three remaining projects, vowing to finish them in the same spirit, and assembled the bike at his restoration shop in Rhode Island. He chose to paint this motor­cycle in rare black instead of the traditional Renault gray, modeling the paint after a 1908 Strap Tank still on display today at the National Motor­cycle Mu­seum in Sturgis.