Like all eight of my two-wheelers, this 1967 Harley-Davidson SS 250 Sprint probably wouldn’t be too popular at the Sturgis Rally – although being a Harley, at least by badge, it surely would be more welcome than any of mine would be. This Italian via Milwaukee bike is posted on the Milwaukee, Wisconsin Craigslist with an asking price of $2,600.
Old school Harley-Davidson was getting pinched by the influx of small Japanese bikes coming into the U.S. and they wanted in on that market. In 1960 they purchased half interest in an Italian company called Aermacchi and their first offering in the U.S. was a slightly-modified model known as the Wisconsin in honor of Harley-Davidson’s hometown. That name didn’t last long and it was changed to the Sprint.
This model is the SS 250 Sprint, sort of a touring bike even though it only has a single-cylinder 250 cc engine. I can’t imagine touring too far but compared to their scrambler and dirt track bikes this was probably the one you’d want if you were going to ride from Milwaukee to Chicago for the day. They handled great with the low center of gravity which is why they made good dirt track bikes.
The seller doesn’t give much info on this one, here is their entire listing: “1967 Harley Davidson SS 250 made by Aermacchi. ( BARN FIND ) This thing runs and shifts good. Everything is there. Would be awesome for restoring…” I could not agree more, this is the sort of unusual thing that turns my crank. NADA runs the gamut from $990 for an example in poor condition to $6,115 for an excellent one. Hagerty is $1,900 to $4,200 for a #1 concours example. I don’t know if this one will have many takers at $2,600 given those values, we all know that once you start digging into a restoration it quickly doubles and triples from your original estimate.
Here is the 18-hp horizontal-single 246cc engine. Believe it or not they were good for about 80 mph! In 1969 the engine became a 350, but it was still a kick-start single-cylinder and Honda’s 350 twin with electric start handily whipped the Sprint to within an inch of its life. The Aermacchi/Harley 350 wouldn’t have a 12-volt system and electric start until 1973, there is no way these were going to compete with Japanese bikes. They are super interesting and any one of them would be fun to own and bring to bike shows. Have any of you owned an Aermacchi Harley-Davidson?
Thanks again to Scotty for yet another BFs assisted flashback. ( if my comment takes, that is) I had a friend, in Milwaukee, that had a 350 just like this. It was quite an improvement over the earlier 2 cycle jobs. I remember, it had a lot of snap, and ran smooth, for a single ( perhaps it’s engine design) The left kick/rear brake and right side shift took some getting used to, I didn’t have a problem as I had a Bultaco dirt bike at the time, but more than once, he went for the back brake and ended up downshifting. Scotty’s right, even though they said Harley on them, purists with Big Twins looked away. It was a bold move on Harley’s part that didn’t pan out. Great find,,, and post comment,,, hmm, it worked.
Jesse or Josh, why won’t my comment register on the ’55 Nash post?
Back in the ’70’s in the town where I grew up there were a couple who had two of these, they seemed to go everywhere together on them. You think big twin snobs don’t like these, try owning a Sportster, although Panhead and Shovelhead owners, even 1%ers don’t seem to have a problem with Sportsters.
A friend had a 1974 350 H-D Sprint… a fun bike to ride! I even found a used Harley-Davidson Z-90 bike–a two-stoke 90cc engine, also made by Aermacchi in Italy. It was fun too, and still got a lot of favorable comments from the big brother Harley owners!
A buddy and I each had ’67 250H Sprints in the ’70’s. 10 years ago I bought a ’68Sprint 250 off of eBay from NC. It runs now and is more/less a rat rod bike.
I owned a Sprint 350 back in the early 70’s. It ran well and had a good throaty sound and was fun to ride.
Have one setting in the basement, ran and drove it about 3 years ago… Put it on E-Bay 3 years ago and it only did $800.00 so it still sets in the corner, give it a few kick overs every couple of months…
do you still own this? I have one with a very high sentimental value but needs restoring
Yes, I just recently purchased it from a dealer/restorer. He did not want to mess with it. It is in overall great shape but has a rod knock so I intend to rebuild the engine. The bike has original paint (black and white) and original tool kit and everything else seems to be original as well except for the two up seat which has been replaced with a really nice solo one and the exhaust pipe and muffler has also been replaced but I do have the original which seems to be in good shape except for surface rust. The rims on the bike have surface rust and I may just clean them up, seal them and run them as is or I might get replacements and store these originals. Would not mind finding another “parts bike” although I don’t need one as this one is in such really good survivor condition. It will be interesting to get started on it after I move permanently to Florida. In Texas now trying to sell my house here.
Can you show some pictures?
I have owned a few bikes and I still have my Honda cb900.
Yet I was never tempted to restore a older motorbike ( I did a Bianchi bicycle once). But I would be all over this if it was 10 000 km closer !
It has that classic but sporty look – this should have been accepted as a HD.
Once completed it will have to go into the living room thou, that 80 mph on a 250cc scares me…….
My cousin had a brand new black 250 back in the day
These were good bikes overall. The low center of gravity, plus amazing torque made them impressive in the hill climbs. I remember a hill climb going onto 50 years ago. The paint was still wet on the Yamaha DT-1 Enduro. The local dealer was there with half a dozen Yammar-Hammers complete with ‘GYT-Kits,’ extended swingarms and experienced riders. He was going to take home the trophy at all costs. But he got his backside handed to him; the Sprints humiliated him. There were at least six there and they all passed the DT-1s with two of them clearing the top. I might add that the others came within ten feet. Even Ol’ Smokey with his ’46 Harley Knucklehead ‘Hill Chopper’ made it to within 20 feet of the promised land. And that was a hill, maybe not the ‘Widow Maker’ but to quote Cycle, ‘Steeper that the average staircase, without the stairs.’
I haven’t heard that in years, geomechs, “Gyt-Kits”. When I had my Bultaco 200 Pursang a bunch of guys bragged about having those. Not sue it made much difference. All those bikes were pretty fast. Never saw one of these on a track, tho.
Those GYT kits were pretty popular in the late 60s. Cost almost as much as the bike itself but I have to admit that those DT-1s were pretty doggy out of the crate. Just installing a tuned exhaust woke them up considerably. But I think that for a hill climb you had to have a little more mid-range power, not everything on the top end. I gotta say that the late 60s was when the Japanese finally got the message that they have to redesign their bikes if they wanted to be competitive. The Europeans clobbered them at every race. Those were the days: Maico, Bultaco, Husqvarna, Greeves and CZ. Hard to catch up to, let alone beat.
Remove/replace the big pillow seat, high bars and oversized instrument cluster and make it into something a little more sporty.
Greetings All,
I usually rode with friends. One of them had both a 250 and later the 350. They held their own in the dirt. I seem to remember when outfitted with the right tires, they did well in the local sand pit.
Still not as nimble as his old HD Baja 100 that had close to a foot of ground clearance, also Aermacchi
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There’s enough wannabes wearing HD shirts at Sturgis, so this wouldn’t be a big deal. Probably wouldn’t even get noticed around those shiny rototillers there, and you can still get a HD tat and say you actually own one. Sorta.
We called them ‘Sidewalk Commandos.’ They always had the cleanest T-shirts, the best tattoos, and they could spew out every detail of every bike ever made. And they could quote Easyriders right down to the advertisers’ list.
FYI, I am a frequent flyer to Sturgis, I can tell you that you would be welcome on any bike you choose to ride there! There is every make from all over the world at Sturgis! Try it you will like it!
My hate for Harleys started with this one as a guy down our alley….it was a mile long with just three cross streets – do I say here he later became a cop ? Any way John rode that dang thing up and down and up and down and up and down….never got it on the street….just up and down and up and down that dang alley for hours….just saying….
At least he wasn’t hurting anyone physically, I am sure that you did recover? LMAO,
These things made a pretty good looking little scrambler.
Scotty, 8 2-wheelers?. Good for you. I was up to 9 at one time, thinning out things now, down to 6. Rode a Harley/Aermacchi a long time ago. It was the 350 version and I really liked it. Took it around some Wisconsin 2 lane at 40-60mph and thought it was balanced and stable. Good write up.
I had a ’71 350 back in the day, a mini chopper, lowered, stretched, with a chromed skid plate that looked like part of the frame. Had stump pulling torque. I miss that bike.
“GYT Kit” – “Genuine Yamaha Tuning” = Expansion chamber, NiSi-plated barrel with different (aggressive) ports, 36 mm Mikuni … IIRC
I have a 67 sprint SS. Bought it in the ‘70s for $175.00.
Fun motorcycle. I am trying to restore it. Hope to ride it again.
I am a 70 year old man who likes motorcycles and turning wrenches so I just bought a 1967 H-D Sprint 250 SS as a project to keep me greasy and occupied. It is a clean little bike with nice lines and original paint, etc. but the lower end needs rebuilt (connecting rod knock) so I am attempting to find parts sources. Would love to get this little putter cleaned up, running again (was being driven a couple of months ago but the previous owner took the top end off and the piston out but decided he didn’t want the project so I bought her) and just use it to do local errands and short junkets on. Hopefully I will come up with the engine parts without having to have them made special.
The 250cc Sprint set the land speed record for 250s at Bonneville in 1966, turning 176 MPH on pump gas. Why would I care about what a bunch of Harley Charlies think? This bike is ugly with the wrong seat and luggage rack. It should have a solo saddle and a single exhaust with Supertrapp. This is a steal at $2600.
What is the lease that you will take for it?$1,500 ?
Will take $1,200 for it?
I don’t know anything I said which would make anyone believe that I was interested in selling this little bike because I am not and, if I were, I certainly would not sell it for less than I paid for it. Thanks for your inquiry. I know that they say that everything has a price and that may be true but, if I were to set a “I don’t want to sell it” price right now it would be in the neighbor hood of $2000. and you pay the shipping costs to get it to you. Hope you find what you are looking for.
Is this still for sale?????
I have a 1967 sprint so that I have owned since 1973. Trying to get it running. Right now in my basement under a blanket. It was my first motorcycle. It cost $175.00. It took me all summer to make that much money. The guy I bought it from also had a Vincent rapide for sale. $1000.00. If I knew then what I know now, I would have found a way to get that kind of cash. Oh, well Sprint still has a place in my heart.
I have a ’67 SS250. It is having some spark issues that keep it from running, but it was fun to ride after you get used to the brake/shift mental swap.
Use to call them “Richard” heads. If you know what I mean.