50-Bike, 100-Cylinder Salute

S&S celebrates a half-century of speed.

By David Edwards | Photos by Michael Lichter

January 2009

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Little did George Smith Sr. know back in 1958, when he and partner Stanley Stankos formed S&S Cycle Equipment to sell aluminum solid-lifter pushrod kits for Harley-Davidsons, that the company would last 50 years or that it would become a major maker of complete V-Twin engines.

Smith just liked to go fast—on dragstrips and at Bonneville—and a year later when he bought out Stankos, S&S (now standing for George and wife Marjorie) moved on to making stroker flywheels for Harleys. In time, there'd be a whole slew of hi-po parts, including a free-flowing S&S carburetor in 1967 and the signature "teardrop" air cleaner in '75.

Smith passed away in 1980, but under George Smith Jr.'s leadership, the Viola, Wisconsin-based company grew. In 1998, the company started making entire engine assemblies, much to the delight of backyard builders and the then-flourishing "clone" custom-building business. Two years ago came the X-Wedge motor, a clean-sheet design that owed nothing to previous Harley-Davidson architecture.

Last summer, to celebrate 50 years of success, S&S threw itself a party. The invite list included 50 of the world's best custom-bike builders, each charged with creating a rolling, S&S-powered tribute bike. The winning entry would bag its creator the S&S 50th Anniversary Grand Champion's trophy and a lion's share of the $50,000 in prize money.