1941 Harley-Davidson 45ci WLA

• Iconic Harley-Davidson model
• Believed delivered new to South Africa
• UK registered since 1984

Although Harley-Davidson was no stranger to sidevalve ('flat head') engines, it did not apply this valve gear arrangement to a v-twin until the arrival of the all-new 45ci 'D' (standard) and 'DL' (high-compression) models in 1929. With the introduction of the Powerplus model in 1916, rivals Indian had demonstrated that a properly designed 'flat head' could produce all the power a road rider required, so it is perhaps surprising that Harley took so long to follow suit. One of the other advantages of this new engine was that it was cheaper to produce, enabling Harley to price the new 45ci (750cc) Model D at $290, and the 45's relative affordability would prove to be an important factor during the Depression years of the early 1930s.

Production of the '45' took off when the USA's entry into WW2 in December 1941 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 had ordered its first batch of WLs in March 1940, with further substantial orders of machines from South Africa and Great Britain following. 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' Harley WLs helped meet the upsurge in demand for motorcycles in the immediate post-war years, doing much to establish the marque's reputation worldwide, while the civilian version remained a catalogued model until the end of 1951.

Believed exported to South Africa as part of the war effort, this restored WL was shipped from there to the UK in 1983 by one of its former owners, a Mr Wild. (A letter on file explains the South African origins of the non-factory frame and engine numbers.) A 2018 UK auction catalogue description states 'previous owner from 1984-2006 and then 2006-2018 and used regularly'. The Harley was acquired by the current vendor in 2018, since when it has been in regular use, appearing at various shows around the UK. The vendor states that the bike benefits from many original parts as well as a foot and a hand clutch, and is in full working order. Accompanying paperwork includes a South African registration document; shipping paperwork; hand-written notes detailing work carried out; sundry bills; and a current V5C document.
Key not required