On August 26, in 1917, Alan Bedell left Los Angeles, California on his Henderson motorcycle arriving in New York City (3,296 miles) in seven days, sixteen hours and fifteen minutes later, breaking the record set by "Cannonball" Baker on an Indian Twin.

The Henderson suffered just one flat tire, went through three sets of Champion spark plugs and used three Duckworth chains. Bedell suffered just one crash, which somewhat damaged his knee, on a wet road in Indianapolis and averaged 17.89mph.

Using the stock 3.5gal gas tank, Bedell's only changes to the machine were the addition of a Mesinger air cushion saddle and a Carlton generator to power the original Coffman spotlight.

Unfortunately, the young Californian was not to make or break many more records, as tragically his young life ended a short time later when he fell victim to the influenza epidemic of the First World War.

Photo: Alan Bedell when he set a transcontinental record in 1917.

--from Sam Burns