Beschreibung:

Introduced in 1929 as a competitor to Indian's successful 750cc 'flat head' v-twin, the Harley-Davidson Model D - better known as the '45' (its capacity in cubic inches) - really took off when the USA's entry into WW2 created an unprecedented demand for military motorcycles, around 90,000 of the WL (military) version rolling off the Milwaukee production lines before hostilities ceased. After rigorous testing in 1939, the US Army ordered its first batch of WLs in March 1940, with further substantial orders of machines from South Africa and Great Britain following soon after. These military Harleys benefited from the new aluminium cylinder heads fitted to the civilian version from 1939 and came with a full complement of equipment including D-shaped foot-boards, crash bars, skid plates, cargo racks and panniers. Designated 'WLA' (Army) or 'WLC' (Canadian-built), the Harley '45' saw action in just about every theatre of war. 'De-mobbed' Harleys helped meet the upsurge in demand for motorcycles in the immediate post-war years, doing much to establish the marque's reputation worldwide. This Harley-Davidson WLC was purchased by the previous owner's grandfather at a military dispersal sale in 1946/47 and has been kept in storage ever since. The machine passed to the previous owner in 2003 and is reported to have been run on private property since then but has never been registered for the road. Presented in 'barn find' condition, it comes fully equipped with crash bars, panniers, gun and ammunition mounts, blackout lamps, skid plates, cargo rack and foot boards. This potentially most rewarding restoration project for the military vehicle enthusiast is offered with Harley-Davidson Riders Club GB dating certificate.