For anyone who is an ardent motorcycle fan and when I say a fan, I meant enthusiast. For those of us, it is great to see where motorcycles have evolved to have the style and design they have now. Back in the day, motorcycles were seldom considered a mode means of transportation and were more of an accessory. They were not necessarily built to be fast, safe, or efficient.
To that end, they were built to give the owner a certain look. This is because they had to make themselves noticed above the rest to attract attention. And now with so many motorcycle shows like The GoodGuys Vintage Motorcycle Show and other organizations like MCBFA and Hardknocks, we get a good look at what these owners are passionate about and how much time, effort, and love they put into their bikes creating what we know them today as the vintage Harley Davidson bikes we are familiar with today.
Also read: Dual-Sport Motorcycle
1. Harley-Davidson WLA and XA (1940-1945/1949-1952)
This bike is one of the early day models which appeared during WWII in 1941. Before the war, Harley believed that having a twin-cylinder motor was good for the Harley Davidson family. When they were popular in their heyday, this model was produced in 1945-1946 and continued to be produced until 1952. This bike is also known as the “Dyna-Glide”. The Dyna Glide is one of the models that were heavily influenced by WWII technology.
2. Harley-Davidson K-Model (1952-1956)
This model is built in response to the British motorcycles that were controlling the market. The new motorcycle was designed in 1952 to be faster and lighter than Harley’s 1200cc Panhead. The new Harley-Davidson K model was made with a half-speed transmission and this is a 3-speed hand shift. The motor has a 6-volt system.
3. Harley-Davidson Sportster (1957-65)
At the beginning of 1957, H-D came up with the Sportster which was designed from the K-Model. The new Sportster has an 80 cubic inch engine which is bigger than the previous one. It also came out with a new fork and rear suspension, 4-speed gearbox, and different speed ratio than the K Series to give it better handling on highways as well as better control for city riding. Building off the success of the K-Model, Harley-Davidson carried over major components into their 1957 Sportster.
4. 1958 Harley-Davidson FL Duo-Glide
Harley-Davidson continued to build off the innovation of the rear suspension in the K-Series in 1952, and it all started with the Hydra-Glide. The Hydra-Glide was a true revolutionary in the sense of it was the first motorcycle with a hydraulically actuated front fork.
Up until that point, front forks on motorcycles were rigid and changing their settings required carrying out complex machining and fabrication. The hydraulic front end proved to be incredibly successful and Harley-Davidson continued to use them up until the late 80s.
Also read: How to use the NAGA guides to get your perfect motorbike
Conclusion
Although we have already mentioned a few, and already know that a lot of people are Harley enthusiasts (like me). And to those who are one like me, don’t be discouraged if you can’t take your bike out for a ride as much as you want. Remember, a truly passionate person does not simply own a motorcycle, but takes good care of it as if it was their own baby.
Leave a Reply