Mark Steven’s 1947 Knucklhead
Originally Published March 2020
Article & Photos By Melissa Shoemaker @Missi_bikerphotog
Mark Stevens’ beautiful 47 Knucklehead wasn’t so beautiful when he first bought it 8 years ago. He purchased the bike from a friend of a friend, and it had been sitting for a few years in the loft of the guy’s garage.
When Mark’s buddy told him the 47 Knuck was for sale and showed him a Polaroid photo, Mark wasn’t really impressed. Stevens’ friend convinced him that he should take an actual look at it, so he arranged to meet the guy. The bike had been chopped, 70’s style. It had a molded rear fender that was sitting way up off the tire, however it did have a pretty cool paint job of a naked lady on the tank and was named “Touch of Gold.” The bike started up on the second kick and seemed to run pretty well, so Mark took it for a test ride. He really didn’t want the bike at the time, he already had several bikes, including another Knuckle. His wife had already told him that he couldn’t bring any more bikes home. After riding the bike, he offered the seller about 1/3 less than he was asking. Obviously, the seller didn’t jump at the offer but a few weeks later, the owner called Mark and the deal was struck. He knew his wife would have a fit, so Stevens took the bike to a buddy’s house, where he kept it for about two months before he eased into telling his wife he was bringing home one more bike.
After riding it again, he found a vibration and eventually found that the engine was damaged from having been bored and having too large of valves installed in the heads. He had the cases welded and then over the winter he completely tore the bike down. It was then that he decided to remove the molded pieces and return it to a normal frame. About a year ago Mark installed a Webber Carb and it took him almost the whole year to get it dialed in and running right. He used a custom intake and then made some minor adjustments over the course of time but says it’s running great now.
Mark’s love for motorcycles started back in 1969 when he was 16 years old and wanted a car. He had been working and had some money saved, but his parents wouldn’t let him buy a car because they didn’t want a junker sitting in front of their newly built house. So, he came up with the idea that he could buy a motorcycle instead. He knew it would easily fit into the garage and wouldn’t clutter up the front of the house. His dad apparently liked how resourceful he was and agreed to let him get a motorcycle. Mark went to the local dealership and purchased a brand new 180 Yamaha 2 Cycle for $610. He was all set. The seed had been planted. He enjoyed riding that bike so much that he would just smile and laugh while riding. After he graduated from high school, he stepped up to a ‘72 Yamaha 650 that he bought for $1200. He enjoyed riding that much better and eventually found his way to a 1974 Harley-Davidson Super Glide. Once on the Super Glide, Mark thought he had died and gone to heaven! He kept it for seventeen years before he sold it to buy a Corvette. Although it would be about twenty years before he got back into bikes, he knew that Harley’s were the way to go. You see, he had bought the Super Glide for $2500, rode it for more than a dozen years, and sold it for $2500. These bikes seemed to hold their value, and this was a lesson he never forgot.
Around 2005, Mark started buying bikes again, riding them, fixing them up a little, and selling them. By the way, his wife now understands and no longer cares how many bikes he has at one time. Mark is most passionate about vintage bikes, Pans, Shovels & Knucks, however, the Knuckleheads are his favorite. He is currently working on a new build, a Knuckle Bobber, that he says should hopefully be ready to debut at Daytona Bike Week! Make sure you keep an eye out for Mark and his new build, if it is anything as nice as this 47 Knucklehead, you won’t want to miss it!
