Harley and the "Model 125cc"

Harley Davidson in 1948 released the "Model 125" at the Milwaukee, Wisconsin factory. However, technically speaking , this was a small , sturdy , light weight , two-stroke motorcycle, of 125 cc displacement. The Model 125's design, was actually a similar to the German motorcycle manufacturer DKW , whose engineering designs were forfeited to the allies, as a result of World War 2 reparations , at the conclusion of World War II. Other manufactures also benefited from DKW's slightly altered designs, including Britains BSA, with their range of Bantam models
When Harley introduced the Model 125. Its engine was of two stroke design, which meant the operator had to mix oil, with the gas. This was a first for Harley! Failure to properly mix the oil with the gas, was sure to cause engine failure! It produced 3 horsepower, and featured a girder-type front end ,with a front suspension that consisted of large rubber bands. It was touted by Harley, to get 90 miles to the gallon! Due to its low, initial price, and its economical price to operate, the 125 cc was a very popular choice, with many groups, including paper boys, farmers, beginners, and even veterans returning home, after the war, who had limited income! It was a popular addition, to the 1948 Harley model line-up.

Dave Burton
www.bargain-motors.com

WW2 and the Harley Davidson

Harley-Davidson again produced large numbers of motorcycles for the US Army in World War II and resumed civilian production afterwards, producing a range of large V-twin motorcycles that were successful both on racetracks and for private buyers.
Harley-Davidson, on the eve World War II, was already supplying the Army with a military-specific version of its 45" WL line, called the WLA. (The A in this case stood for "Army".) Upon the outbreak of war, the company, along with other manufacturing enterprises, shifted to war work. Over 90,000 military motorcycles, mostly WLAs and WLCs (the Canadian version) would be produced, many to be provided to allies.
Harley produced the WLC for the Canadian military.Shipments to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program numbered at least 30,000. The WLAs produced during all years of war production would, unusually, have 1942 serial numbers. Production of the WLA stopped at the end of the war, though it would resume production from 1949 to 1952 due to the Korean War.
The U.S. Army also asked Harley-Davidson to produce a new motorcycle with many of the features of BMW's side-valve and shaft-driven R71. Harley largely copied the BMW engine and drive train and produced the shaft-driven 750 cc 1942 Harley-Davidson XA. Due to the superior cooling of an opposed twin, Harley's XA cylinder heads ran 100 °F (55 °C) cooler than its V-twins.[22] The XA never entered full production: the motorcycle by that time had been eclipsed by the Jeep as the Army's general purpose vehicle, and the WLA—already in production—was sufficient for its limited police, escort, and courier roles. Only 1,000 were made and the XA never went into full production. It remains the only shaft-driven Harley-Davidson ever made.

Dave Burton
www.bargain-motors.com

The Depression and Harley Davidson

The Great Depression began a few months after the introduction of their 45 cubic inch model. Harley-Davidson's sales plummeted from 21,000 in 1929 to less than 4,000 in 1933. In order to survive, the company manufactured industrial powerplants based on their motorcycle engines. They also designed and built a three-wheeled delivery vehicle called the Servi-Car, which remained in production until 1973.
In the mid-'30s, Alfred Rich Child opened a production line in Japan with the 74ci VL, which became Rikuo after the parent company severed its business relations with Harley-Davidson.
An 80 cubic inch flathead engine was added to the line in 1935, by which time the single cylinder motorcycles had been discontinued.
By 1937, all the flathead engines were equipped with the dry-sump oil recirculation system that had been initially introduced on the 61E and 61EL "Knucklehead" OHV models. This prompted the 74 cubic inch V and VL models to be renamed U and UL, the 80 cubic inch VH and VLH to be renamed UL and ULH, and the 45 cubic inch RL to be renamed WL.
In 1941, the 74 cubic inch "Knucklehead" was introduced as the F and the FL, replacing the 80 cubic inch flathead UH and ULH models.

Harley Davidson in the 1920's

By 1920, Harley-Davidson was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world. Producing over 28,000 bikes,being sold in over 60 countries.

Otto Walker, was the first motorcyclist to win a race at an average speed of over 100 mph in 1921

In 1929, Harley-Davidson introduced its 45 cubic inch flathead V-Twin to compete with the Indian and the Excelsior Super machines

AS THE HARLEY EVOLVES

In 1907 additional factory expansion came with a second floor and later with facings and additions of Milwaukee pale yellow ("cream") brick. With the new facilities production increased to 150 motorcycles.Also in this year they began selling their motorcycles to police departments, a market that has been important to them ever since.

Production in 1905 and 1906 were all single-cylinder models with 440 cc engines. In February 1907 a prototype 45-degree V-Twin engine was displayed at the Chicago Automobile Show. Although shown and advertised, very few V-Twin models were built between 1907 and 1910. Top speed was about 60 mph . Production jumped from 450 motorcycles in 1908 to 1,149 machines in 1909.

In 1911, an improved V-Twin model was introduced.a 810cc model , the 1911 V-Twin was smaller than earlier twins, but gave better performance. After 1913 the majority of bikes produced by Harley-Davidson would be V-Twin models.

By 1913, the yellow brick factory had been demolished and on the site a new 5-story structure of reinforced concrete and red brick had been built.Production that year swelled to 16,284 machines

THE EVOLUTION OF THE HARLEY DAVIDSON

From this builing in 1901 William S. Harley, age 21, completes a blueprint drawing of an engine designed to fit into a bicycle.

Harley-Davidson Motor Company is an American manufacturer of motorcycles based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The company sells heavyweight (over 750 cc) motorcycles designed for cruising on the highway. Harley-Davidson motorcycles (popularly known as "Harleys") have a distinctive design and exhaust note.
In 2003, the Buell Motorcycle Company became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Harley-Davidson,the same year that the Motor Company celebrated its 100th birthday. The Motor Company supplies many American police forces with their motorcycle fleets.

www.bargain-motors.com