1966 Harley-Davidson CRTT 250 Factory Racer

Up for auction is my 1966 Harley-Davidson CRTT 250 Factory Racer. This is your chance to obtain a genuine. very correct and largely unrestored. factory-built Harley-Davidson race bike. Harley (or rather their Italian subsidiary. Aermacchi) made fifty of these race-only. homologation machines in '66. which was a major upgrade year for the model. In case you are not aware. the CRTT was very different from the standard H-D/Aermacchi Sprint model; it sported racing upgrades and special parts including:- Short-stroke racing motor (12:1 compression. ~32hp at the gearbox sprocket. 10k rpm red line)- Dellorto downdraft carburetor and remote fuel float bowl - Special light-weight factory racing frame- Oldani magnesium brakes/hubs front and rear- Borrani shouldered alloy racing wheels- GRP fuel tank and seat- Smiths racing tachometer- Racing (dry) clutch setup- Clip-on bars- Ceriani Road-Race forks- Megaphone racing exhaust. etc. etc. All of this special equipment is intact on the machine on offer here.  Weighing just 215 lbs dry and putting out ~32hp from just 250cc. these were potent when new and remain competitive in vintage racing today.  Six of the original 1966 CRTTs went to H-D team racers like Mert Lawwill. The rest. like the one offered here. were sold exclusively through Harley dealers to privateer racers.  Both the chassis and engine numbers of this bike are known to H-D historians.  This particular machine is chassis number 66CR6017. The engine has a unique stamp code of 66CR5016. which is interesting as the engine code does not show up in existing factory production records. however Jack Bastin (#140) registered this engine number to compete in the 1966 Daytona novice/lightweight race.  It is possible that this number was stamped by a dealer onto new cases for event registration purposes. Regardless. the engine is the correct short-stroke. dry clutch item for this model CRTT. The bike. as chassis number 66CR6017. is documented as being owned later by Dave Estep. National #99.  I purchased this bike out of the Midwest in 2007. planning to race it with AHRMA. but I acquired an AJS 7R shortly thereafter. so the CRTT since that time has been used only as a display piece in a climate-controlled showroom. Upon obtaining the bike I installed new Avon race tires and finished wiring the kill switch. but that’s it.  My checklist of other things I was going to do at the time. to race the bike. included replacing a few incorrect fasteners and giving the machine a once-over and a good tune up. The Dellorto downdraft carb and remote float bowl are in excellent condition so I suspect they were refurbished shortly before I purchased the bike. I had also considered purchasing a new fairing for the bike to use on the track to preserve the super-lightweight fairing that is on it now. As a side-note. these bikes were usually delivered from Italy without fairings and older photos from when Dave Estep sold the bike show it without a fairing. As I said. I have not had fuel in or run the bike since purchasing. but compression. piston and valve train appear in good order. It is missing the small bracket that attaches to the the rear of the frame just below the seat to hold the crankcase breather tube; I have one incoming and will provide it to the new owner. (This small bracket is visible in the black and white H-D press photo below. for reference. ) The bike is also needs a tachometer drive cable.  If you are looking for a brand new or a freshly restored ‘tribute’ bike this is not the machine for you…this is a largely unrestored factory racing machine with tons and tons of patina. It still has original type paint and finish on the frame. the original fuel tank and seat gel-coat are still beautiful. and the exhaust pipe has been repaired a few times. as you would expect from a life on the track. There are nicks and scratches here and there that are part of the bike’s 49-year history and add to its character. as you can see for yourself by taking a look at the photos. For your reference. a 1966 CRTT. ridden by Mert Lawwill (serial number 66CR6000) was recently offered at Mecum's Vegas bike auction. achieving a high bid of $30k but not selling. These bikes are little jewels of Harley-Davidson and Aermacchi racing history. Few remain and so they rarely come up for sale and are an excellent investment. Whether you want it for your living room. collection. museum. or to recommission it for vintage racing. this example would serve any of those uses well. I hope it goes to a good home. For comparison. the last photo. the black and white. is of Lawwill's bike when new in 1966. Terms:This bike is sold on a bill of sale as a track bike there is no title.  As this is a nearly-50 year-old factory race bike; no warranty is expressed or implied. Your bid is a commitment to buy. not an option to buy. I am happy to talk about the bike. so please ask any and all questions before bidding. Please take a good look at the photos and ask if you need additional photos or to see something in greater detail. The bike can be seen in person by appointment in the NYC area. I am unable to crate or ship the bike. but I will make myself available to meet the shipper of your choosing. East coast delivery is possible too. but confirm such logistics with me before bidding if delivery is a major consideration for you. I reserve the right to end this auction as this bike is also for sale locally. Check my feedback and bid with confidence. Good luck!

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