EH Super X and Me

September 1, 2000

My interest in the Excelsior-Henderson started back in 1994 when I read about the Hanlon's venture to revive the Excelsior-Henderson name. They were talking about their dream and how it related to the rich heritage of the Excelsior and Henderson motorcycles. The fact that the Hanlons were from Minnesota even added to my intrigue. Initially, it was hard to find out much information. One day, by happenstance, I met Dave Hanlon at a high school band field marching competition that his daughter and my son participated in. He was wearing an Excelsior-Henderson t-shirt. We talked for a while and he indicated they had an office in Burnsville and that I should stop by, and yes, they did have t-shirts for sale. After this initial meeting I attended several local motorcycle related events that had booths or displays advertising the name Excelsior-Henderson with hand drawings of what a new Excelsior-Henderson might look like. From then on I watched closely the progress of Dave and Dan Hanlon's dream as it moved closer to reality.

Then in 1997 the pre-production models were displayed at Sturgis. Nothing to ride yet, but did they look good or what! When I returned from Sturgis I put my money down at Delano Excelsior-Henderson and ordered my Super X. I was number 49 on the waiting list at the dealer. My first opportunity to ride a demo bike came at the Stockholder's meeting the spring of '99. That ride convinced me that I had made the right decision and so began the patient wait for delivery.

Finally, on the evening of June 16, 1999, I was able to pick up my Black Super X #0070. It was great! By 3 PM the next day I already had my 500 break-in miles on the bike and needed a change of oil. The dealer said you only picked it up late yesterday! It was a lot of fun to ride!

The overall look of the Super X is unique from all other motorcycles. Styling directions were derived from the 1931 Super X. Examples are: The full front fender with the suspension through the fender, the "hard tail" look of the mono-shock rear suspension, the curved down-tubes on the front part of the frame, the gauge/speedo cluster mounted on the tank, and the one very identifiable characteristic being the large external springs of the front suspension. All of these things made the Super X very unique and pleasing to the eye motorcycle. I feel the Super X has a better/smoother ride on the road than any other motorcycle. This better ride is possible because of the unique design of the front suspension of the Super X. If you look at it, it is built much like your expensive cars. It has fixed members/points, independent arms that pivot off the fixed points, springs to smoothen the ride, and struts, inside the fork tubes, to dampen the suspension. The automobile world calls it "independent suspension". There's nothing that compares to this combination for ride and comfort. The technology in the rest of the bike is also leading edge. The engine has two overhead cams and 4 valves for each cylinder. It has a closed loop fuel injection system. It has a coil mounted on each spark plug rather than plug wires like other bikes. And, there is a 5-speed cassette type transmission.

Everywhere you go with the Super X, people are looking and asking questions about it. The most frequent comment is "I heard about them but I've never seen one. It looks really good!". This makes it a very fun bike to own. I enjoy talking about my Super X and with the curious interest of many people, I am able to do that often.

In February of this year, 2000, I was instrumental in organizing the Pioneer Chapter of the Excelsior-Henderson Riders Club. Several owners got together and we talked about how to involve other owners. This lead to the idea of having a Rally. At the same time Paul Whitmer, with North End Cycle in Elkhart IN, was toying with the idea of an X-Ride. Paul's thought was to get as many Super Xs on the road as possible and show support for Excelsior-Henderson and have a great ride. I talked with him and we combined ideas. In July of this year, we held our First Annual X-Ride and Homecoming 2000 Rally at Belle Plaine MN, with owners/riders from 22 states in attendance. We had over 70 Super Xs join the X-Ride from Albert Lea to The Factory in Belle Plaine led by Dan and Dave Hanlon. Paul and I, along with over 20 members of the Pioneer Chapter, were key to organizing the events. A group picture was taken of those that attended the Rally in front of the Factory Excelsior-Henderson sign. It was great meeting other owners as enthusiastic about the Super X as I am. We all had a great time and are looking forward to the 2nd Annual X-Ride and Rally scheduled for June 27th-July 1st, 2001.

There has been a lot of speculation about the Company. Friday August 18th was good news for all of us with the hope that things will get back into full swing soon. Now that the future of Excelsior-Henderson is looking positive, work can begin on organizing the national Excelsior-Henderson Riders Club with chapters nationwide. Currently there are efforts going on among riders to form new chapters of the Excelsior-Henderson Riders Club in California, Indiana, Ohio, the East Coast, and the Southeast. I am very excited about the future of the Super X and Excelsior-Henderson. If you have any questions feel free to contact me.

Chuck Barsness (a.k.a. X-TWIN)
Proud owner of Super X IPS # 70.
428 Orchard Lane
So. St. Paul MN 55075
(c)612-865-1758

*** End of September 1, 2000 ***

March 15, 2024 - Comments

A lot has changed over the years. Excelsior-Henderson never did come back to life. Since 2000 it has been the owners that have keep the Excelsior-Henderson Super X alive. We have really become a Family as such, This year will be the 25th Annual Pioneer Chapter Riders Club Rally. Looking back they've all been really great events. I owned Super X #0070 for 24 yrs and 8 months to the day. I have so many Great Memories during all those years. The people I've met and events I've participated in I'll never forget! I kept my "X-TWIN" license plate and moved it to my current ride which is a Can Am Spyder F3T Limited so I will always have part of my Super X #0070 with me. I have decided to pass the Pioneer Chapter Riders Club responsibilities on to younger members. So, I will be taking a back seat from now on.

Chuck Barsness - Former X Owner #0070
x_twin@hotmail.com
612-865-1758