The Motorcycle that won the war

The Harley Davidson WLA was the preferred motorcycle for Allied forces throughout the entirety of World War 2. In this video we explore what it takes to make a great war motorcycle, and why the WLA set the standard for military 2 wheelers going forward.
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Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing."
I do NOT own some or all of the video materials used in this video. In the case of copyright issues, please contact me at [e-mail] for any further action.

[@ashleysmith3106]

After the war, a lot of WLA's were used on Outback cattle stations in the Australian desert due to their reliability and ruggedness. In the 1970s, I retrieved 5 of them from a deserted station and was able to use them to restore two bikes, putting a sidecar on one of them. I wish I still had one now ! (Lost them in a divorce settlement !)

[@geneclarke2205]

The Japanese military also used HD's, The first Japanese HD's were built in 1935 as the 1200cc Model ‘VL’ and were branded ‘Rikuo’ (Road King) model. In 1929 HD granted exclusive rights to manufacture bikes and parts to the HDMSCoJ for a reputed $75,000 payment and this likely saved Harley from bankruptcy or a Ford buyout. About 18,000 bikes were built from 1935 to 1942. After the war in 1947 the Rikuo was revived and built in Japan until 1963 when HD established an import dealership. Just how many times has Harley been saved from the jaws of bankruptcy?

[@EdwardHoops-mi8fy]

Yes, I had some knowledge of the deal they made. Then some time later I noticed pics of invading Japanese parading in Manila on these same bikes.

[@kevinmccorkle7476]

My Maternal Grandfather was an MP, and rode a WLA in WW2. He rode quite a few of the bikes that I've owned, and never stopped loving being on 2 wheels.

[@wocookie2277]

My grandfather rode dispatch in WW2 through Europe in the Canadian Military. He loved his Norton. He said it would fit in tank ruts when a Harley would get high centred.

[@davidbgraham461]

Yes, the WLA was a bit 'down to earth' !

[@flhxri]

Norton's were designed for the narrow curvy roads in the UK. Harley's were designed for long straight roads in America 🤷‍♂

[@ashleyhoward8926]

@@flhxri No, the military motorcycles were all made for war zones.

[@norsehall309]

G'day from Australia, my Grandfather was a despatch rider in the Australia Army and he rode a Harley Davidson, he told a story that the Japs fired a machine gun at him and the bike took some hits and the thing kept running just enough time to get to safety, he loved Harley Davidson all his life, not me so much, speed twins British for me, cheers mate, Neil 🤠.

[@_grandpa_]

As a Ural rider, I love hearing about old military motorcycles! Great vid as always.

[@alandavies55]

In the UK, we have seen a resurgence of the Russian side valves with many being imported from Eastern Europe and rebuilt. Sweet running machines.

[@dr.froghopper6711]

I once rode from the far west coast of Wales to the Nurnburgring motorcycle rally, February 1976, in a Ural sidecar. We had to do it within 100 hours and had several mechanical issues. But that was one great adventure in my youth. I was 19 years old and in the US Navy.

[@MisterOcclusion]

I ride a modern BMW. I'd love to take a spin on a Ural at least once in this life. Not too many in my part of the world.

[@seflyingfaultier5806]

Now how about a "The Motorcycles that lost the War" about the german WWII Sidecars? I'd love to hear about their history.

[@stevenkelby2169]

@@mihaimihai9254 Yep, WW2 began in horseback and ended with the atomic bomb.

[@mihaimihai9254]

@@stevenkelby2169 That atomic bomb would haven't been needed if commrad Stalin has attacked Japan earlier than 1945.

[@HALLish-jl5mo]

@@mihaimihai9254 The Soviet invasion of Manchuria invalidated Japanese conquests, but didn’t set them back too much worse than where they were at in 1933. The Atomic Bombs threatened the survival of the home islands, but not their conquests. Both were needed. Also, the USSR was *slightly occupied* until May 1945. There was a small conflict in Europe at the time, you might have heard of it.

[@proudtitanicdenier4300]

Those german sidecars did kind of win in the form of soviet copies

[@stevenkelby2169]

@@mihaimihai9254 You are correct. 👍

[@StevenVanLoven]

My WL is one of the best harley I'v had. I did ride it cross Europe without having big problems. In mountains it's lack of power is a problem but it will cross any obstical on his own terms. Specialy in the Netherlands a lot of WL's have survived and used till today. It's incredible even after 80 years of use these bikes still hold on really well . Nice video , thanks

[@philtucker1224]

My uncle Ivor Charles was an Army messenger in the Middle East during WW2 he rode an Indian Scout.

[@RELOADEDEDER]

Cool

[@philldodds1482]

Great video. I don't necessarily agree with you about the WLA, Harley only made 80,000 bikes and then not many at all after 42. Just BSA alone made 124,000 WM20s, Norton made a few less or 100,000 16H and Matchless made 63,000 G3Ls. The Matchless was a fantastic bike, fast, powerfull, with advanced telescopic suspension. The German bikes on the other hand were in a world of their own. The soldiers didnt get to choose their bikes they rode what they were issued. They rode what the motor pool could get parts for and service. I do agree that all military bikes are very cool vehicles espcially when they are in military trim.

[@darrinslack1269]

typical American , only thinks American , as you mention both BSA and Norton out produced Harley

[@mpista7182]

My Uncle rode one of those motorcycles during WWII in the Philippines and was awarded the bronze star. He was and still is my soul mate/hero who is riding in heaven

[@sparky6086]

Used to have a WLA bobber 25 years ago. As I rode down the road, it would set off the alarms in cars parked at the side of the road. ...Pretty cool.

[@completelyboringstuff204]

Britains BSA WM20 was a similar simple workhorse. I had one in the eighties. Indestructable!

[@zaphodbeeblebrox4574]

... I don't think so. Look to Triumph, BSA, Matchless and Norton for that. Those BMWs that you disparage were very reliable and importantly had shaft drive that required little maintenance (unlike the chains on the Harleys) and lent themselves to a lay shaft that could (did) drive the sidecar wheel. These 2 wheel drive outfits had fantastic traction and stability and could go pretty much anywhere a Jeep could go. Further, as in many of your postings, much of what you put forward as fact is, in fact, just pure speculation.

[@floydblandston108]

I've owned both- I'll see your 2wd sidecar, and raise you a Jeep anytime, anywhere.

[@zaphodbeeblebrox4574]

@@floydblandston108 I'm not saying that in a number of circumstances that a Jeep is not better. We are not talking rock crawling here. For muddy battlefields and roads, the BMW sidecars were good ... more stable, had more traction and could carry more than a solo motorcycle ... i.e. they were better for the required task... and that's the point ! Also,, as a point of interest. I have 2 Jeeps and a number of motorcycles and have owned a bike and sidecar so I know of what I speak ... and just perhaps, you don't realise that a 2 wheel drive motorcycle and sidecar have way more traction than a 2 wheeled drive car ... there is No differential.

[@hermask815]

5:11 damn it, use signals. Holds true, even hundred years later.

[@nelsonphilip4520]

Bravo! Good catch👍

[@sparky6086]

Dad said, that you could buy a surplus WLA for $24 right after WWII, & veterans who didn't use the GI Bill for college or trade school, could use the GI Bill to get paid $20 a week for one year. So many of these vets bought a surplus WLA & roamed around the country for a year, sometimes clumping together to form motorcycle clubs.

[@aidanacebo9529]

another interesting aside, the BMW R75, or rather the Ural M72... or rather the Chang Jiang 750, is still in production today, in China, almost completely unchanged from the initial German design. you can buy brand new ones for around $5-8 thousand USD. they make good BMW replicas, they have the same sidecar, heck they even have the MG-34 mounts on the sidecars still. the PLA (chinese red army) still uses them as well.

[@Kevin-hp5fk]

Comments like yours are why its worth reading them. I never knew that the R75 was basically still in production. That's amazing.

[@aidanacebo9529]

@@Kevin-hp5fk I've wanted one for a while, the later airhead toaster engines like out of the BMW R100 will supposedly bolt right in. you can find cj750s on the used market right now in the US for 3-5 thousand. I've never found a good one in my area when I had the money, but I have seen them around.

[@Kevin-hp5fk]

@@aidanacebo9529 I'm in BC, Canada. Just done a search, and there's some crazy priced Urals up here but i didn't find an CJ's. It'd be a fun project to blow a few grand on though.

[@aidanacebo9529]

@@Kevin-hp5fk keep an eye out, I'm surprised there isn't any, with how much Trudeau simps for china.

[@Bruisewillies]

Even HD made a copy! The XA (I think?)

[@jackallen6261]

If you go to the Oklahoma City 45th Infantry Museum you can see an actual opposed twin flathead Harley on display. Cool bike!

[@dukecraig2402]

I have an original military technical manual dated 25 Sep 42, titled "The Motorcycle", it covers everything all the way down to the last nut and bolt along with all the specs and clearances for everything about the WLA, the Indian equivalent that was built from their 750cc Scout along with the shaft drive opposed cylinder Harley you're talking about and Indian's answer to a shaft drive which was basically their 750cc Scout motor turned 90° in the chassis like a Moto Guzzi engine, I knew about the shaft drive opposed cylinder Harley's but never knew about those Indians until I laid my hands on that manual about 30 years ago. Apparently at the time of it's publication in Sep of 42 the military planned on producing those shaft drive Harley's and Indians, they must have canceled them afterwards.

[@RobotLegJim]

This is a fantastically well done video, and I’m not kidding. As a dedicated Ural Gear Up rider, it’s refreshing to see acute history. True Story; An old WWII Vet shuffled up to my brother’s Ural Sahara, and said “I rode Calvary in the North African desert (Sahara) in WWII. Do you know how long a Harley or Indian chain lasted us?!? ONE PHUCKING DAY!!! EVERY Calvery guy had a quart of Allied paint in their sidecar, and if we found a shaft-drive German bike, we’d paint it, and ride it before the paint was dry. Sadly, most of those machines outlived their Soldiers.” 💔

[@bytesandbikes]

I think the core of it is: advanced is not the same as appropriate. I really like this era of HD. Simple, but not too simple.

[@barriewilliams4526]

Nah, it was the BSA M20. I rode one as a dispatch rider in the British Army.

[@lpd1snipe]

Another good Bart video! I own and ride a 1957 G model servi-car. It is basically the same engine as the WLA in a 3 wheel frame with a reverse gear transmission. It is a solid machine. I ride at least once a week along with my other antiques. I also own and ride a Ural Gear- up sidecar which is a descendant from the copies the Russians made of the BMW R71 Flatheads pre World War II.

[@newt21]

Nice, you are lucky. Enjoy them

[@brendanheffernan2671]

88,000 military Harleys versus 126,00 military M20 BSAs, obviously the British were in the conflict longer as well as having to replace all the bikes abandoned at Dunkirk. I own and love bikes produced by both companies.

[@cats5351]

The Harley in World War II did not have a V-Twin it was a parallel twin like a BMW

[@SteffiReitsch]

@@cats5351Wrong. Most of HD's WWII bikes were V- twin, the WLA. Their other bike, the XA, with BMW copied engine had a horizontally opposed twin engine, it wasn't a parallel twin.

[@corneliusvanbreukelen4753]

Triumph’s and BSA’s where much more nimble to drive in the field. Then they met the enemy on BMW motorcycles. That was a much better design. Harley made prototypes a kind of a BMW copy. So did Indian they made a a moto guzzi kind of type. They never went to war. The Jeep had took over. I am born in the Netherlands in 1951. Long during my youth there were WLE’s and WLC’s for sale still crated. I drive a moderenday’s Harley. I love it. The WWII Harley did more good things do. After WWII USA sold al war material locally. The money they made was and is still spend on scholarships for students worldwide to studie in een foreign country. The Fulbright scholarship.

[@geraldscott4302]

"Simple basic technology" That is what motorcycles (and cars) need to get back to. It's why I drive 1960s and 1970s cars and trucks, and ride vintage Harleys (carbureted EVOs, Shovelheads, and Ironheads. The EVO engine was the pinnacle of Harley Davidson engines, it was all downhill from there.

[@mrdanforth3744]

The Harley 45 was a popular solo mount in the thirties. The big 74 and 80 cu in models were better for police and sidecar work but also more expensive to buy and run. The OHV engine has little advantage over a good flathead unless you can get high octane gas and run high compression, this was not the case until the mid 1950s. Harley kept making the 45 until they came out with the K model in 1952, an improved flathead, and did not replace it with an OHV motor until 1957 when they brought out the Sportster. But they kept the 45 flathead in limited production until 1972. They were not only a popular work horse but had a lot of racing success as well.

[@dukecraig2402]

Not that many police used the big flats, the 45 inch especially the 45 Servi Car were sold in far greater numbers to police forces than the big inch flats, about the only police that used them were highway patrols which bought far less machines than town police forces did.

[@mrdanforth3744]

@@dukecraig2402 Police patrol sales were very important to Harley and Indian because the police buy a lot of bikes, use them constantly, and buy new ones every few years. Parts sales were also an important source of business. Harley brought out the "80" flathead model to give the police something with a little more power while keeping the simplicity and reliability of the flathead. During the thirties police sales were the backbone of the motorcycle business. Young men who like speed and sport were a large part of the business but they came and went as the economy was up and down, the police business was steady year in and year out.

[@dukecraig2402]

@@mrdanforth3744 Yes I know that, what I said was the 45" flathead sales for police were many times over what the big flat sales were to the police. Municipalities bought the 45" flatheads in large numbers for use in cities including the Servi Cars which accounted for a very large number of sales, they were used quite a bit for meter maid service, they even had a clip mount setup for the chalkstick that they used to mark tires on parked cars so they could come back later and see if they've been moved, the same police Servi Car models also had the twist throttle and timing advance switched so the throttle was on the left instead of the right, that way they could run the throttle with their left hand and use their right hand to chalk the tires of parked cars with the chalkstick. They sold many times more 45" flathead police bikes then they did the big flats, the numbers dwarf the sale of big flats. And Harley didn't develop the 80" flat specifically for the police, they didn't even run as good as the 74" flats and had all kinds of problems, it was a dud motor.

[@stevenwaight5199]

Im lucky enough to own both a WLC45 (Restored) and a British BSA WM20 (Original 8th Army North Africa bike), which was the most produced British motorcycle of WW2. In terms of ease of use, reliability, rideability and just general easiness to live with the WM20 wins hands down. My dad was riding just after the war and he said that the government literally couldn't give 45s away. They were heavy, slow, unreliable and had a foot clutch. The 45s were almost exclusively used by Military Police in the US military whereas the British bikes were issued to literally every unit and used for just about every purpose as we didn't have the Willys jeep initially. The narrator actually confirms this in his commentary. The BSA WM20 was made in huge numbers, over 126000 of just that one model. The British bikes also had the advantage of parts compatibility. The British WD specified that as many parts were interchangeable between manufacturers bikes, tyres, levers, cables, magneto, dynamo panniers and frames were all used on Norton, Triumph, BSA, RE, Ariel etc, which makes them easy to keep on the road even now 80 years later. Harley 45 parts only fit a Harley 45. The 45 is a much more costly thing to keep going! Its a lovely thing though, but if we went back to war today using whatever was available in our garages the BSA WM20 would be the bike that went back to war rather than the 45, for me personally anyway. The 45 would almost certainly break down, mine would anyway lol.

[@walterward8164]

Mom bought a icecream for me from one in Anaheim in 1962. 😅

[@nelsonphilip4520]

Might have been the only time any mother would let their boy get close to a motorbike! LOL

[@mikewysko2268]

That motorcycle/ice-cream left quite the impression on your memory.

[@walterward8164]

@@nelsonphilip4520 lol Mom inlistted to the Army post WW 2 and drove 2.5 ton munitions trucks. Her first husband died pre.WW 2 In a submarine off the coast of Cuba earlier 1941. Where he holds his silent vidual in protection of this country.

[@ianwhitehead3086]

My Grandfather rode these as a dispatch rider during the war. He told me about ditching to avoid an ME 109 attack. It would fly past ,turn around and strafe again , but Gramps was in the other side of the road ditch by then. The 109 gave up.

[@robbchastain3036]

My favorite scene in the Discovery three-part docu-drama series Harley and the Davidsons was the one in which the American WWI vet visits the Harley factory to thank them and present them with a flag for making a motorcycle that never let them down in war. Not sure that specific scene actually happened, tho' the sentiment seemed realistic. And here in Central Pennsylvania, speaking of war vehicles, it is still Jeeps in all colors and sizes everywhere and that surely goes back to WWII and its significance in the history of local families. And O if I had had a camera about a decade ago one early morning on a bike commute to work when an old soldier in uniform was at the wheel of a Jeep with a trailer on his way to a July 4th parade. And he was focused on his mission, no response to my wave, and it was a beautiful, patriotic sight on a summer morning.

[@browngreen933]

Actually, the WLA wasn't the "preferred" motorcycle of WW2. Read motorcycle magazines of the time and you'll find lots of US GIs writing letters raving how much they liked British motorcycles because they were lighter and handled better. Nobody was writing in saying they liked the heavy, clunky WLA. Another HD promoted myth.

[@user-us1hx2cx3j]

You might be right but I think the envious GIs only had half the story - the WLA would be much more reliable and durable than most British bikes of that era and even later eras. Btw I own an old British bike - I'm not a mindless HD FanBoy.

[@browngreen933]

@@user-us1hx2cx3j You may be right that the WLA was more reliable than Brit bikes. I had a 45 and it was reliable enough. Never had a vintage Brit bike to compare it to. After WW2 almost no one wanted a 45. They were too slow. Imagine putting Brando in "The Wild One" on a 45. Lol.

[@mwblackbelt]

No Harley shops on every corner to repair them

[@TC-dw6wg]

He mentioned in his story how the American soldiers preferred the English MC because of being lighter and easier to handle.

[@lawrencefox563]

Wasn't main competition of WLA Indian known for even greater reliability than Harley.

[@jfess1911]

I really have a hard time believing that a motorcycle weighing almost 600lbs would be preferred in the muddy, snowy conditions found on many WWII battlefields. One of the reasons that the jeep was so useful was that it did a good job plowing through deep mud. I can believe that WLA's were extremely useful for MP's and couriers on good roads, but just watching the demonstrations of troops trying to go thorough the woods shows that they weren't really useful there, for the US at least. FWIW, most of the British used more motorcycles and most were 500cc side-valve singles. Over 126,000 BSA M20's, and almost 100,000 Norton 16H's were made. Royal Enfield made the 350cc sidevalve WD/C, the 1942, higher performing 350 OHV WD/CO, the 250cc sidevalve WD/D, the 570cc sidevalve WD/L for use with sidecars, and the 125cc two stroke WD/RE "flying flea" which was used by airborne troops. I couldn't find good numbers for most of them, but 8,000 flying fleas were ordered as well as about 28,000 of the OHV 350 WD/CO later in the war. My Mother-in-law drove an ambulance in London during WWII and said that a surprisingly large number motorcycle couriers were injured in accidents.

[@jfess1911]

@Retired Bore Mother-in-law eventually got a desk job in London and actually once ended a telephone conversation with "I am ever so sorry, but we are getting bombed and I need to get under my desk now".

[@je356]

Nice historical review of motorcycles in WWII. Only one correction, it is cavalry, not calvary. One is a mounted group of soldiers, the other a church group or location. When you need fast troops, you want the cavalry!

[@dukecraig2402]

Two corrections, Knuckles didn't have aluminum heads, they were iron. Only the rocker covers were aluminum.

[@PatrickKniesler]

Might as well say it here. Third correction: nobody wanted to see the Ruskies taking land back and didn't think of themselves as liberated.

[@dukecraig2402]

@@PatrickKniesler Yep, they co invaded Poland with Germany in Sep of 39, they (Stalin that is) planned on carving up Europe with Germany, at the end of the day he still got what he wanted.

[@Bruisewillies]

There are still urban legends in the UK that there are enormous pits, full of 45s, Jeeps and GMC trucks that were just dumped after the war rather than ship back to the states.

[@newt21]

What a waste

[@monteengel461]

My Dad was a motorcycle messenger with the 629th Tank Destroyer Battalion. His actual MOS was motorcycle mechanic. His battalion switched to jeeps in the fall of 1944, the roads had deep mud (tanks and heavy trucks) and they froze solid at night. The motorcycles were not very good in those conditions.

[@gjrip]

Man I love your videos, they’re always just so great and informative. Good stuff thanks man.

[@motormikeb1047]

I have two 45's parked downstairs. Both 1942's.... all of them during the war were 1942. One is in civilian trim with period correct original trim.. the other in WLA (Type 3) Military Police trim..compleye with siren, red light and the fabled " Chicago Typewriter ". Fun fun fun bikes. They were called the " Liberator " because as a scout vehicle they usually entered the village first and as a result the locals felt.. liberated. Russia reportedly got 30000 machines and Poland has many parts and reproduction parts available. New.. they sold to the Army for $385.oo 😎

[@trippontwowheels]

The good old WLA!

[@lordkiza8838]

That thing was sexy as hell

[@mihaimihai9254]

One of your followers is very glad to meet you here.😀

[@trippontwowheels]

@@mihaimihai9254 One of my followers Mihai? Or one of Bart’s?

[@mihaimihai9254]

@@trippontwowheels I'm one of Bart's as well, but I answerer to your comment as one of yours -::)).

[@trippontwowheels]

@@mihaimihai9254 Nice to see you here Mihai! Bart sure puts out some great stuff doesn’t he?

[@bobz1736]

Excellent video sir 👏

[@MrEiniweini]

I own a Sportster S. If I were going to war, I would prefer the Sportster 883. If something goes wrong, there is somebody that knows what it is. The reiteration of the point that old and known is better than modern works now much as it did then, as mentioned with the KLR.

[@Mike-rm1vw]

Really interesting topic… Good job 👍👍👍

[@pinslayer4579]

The 45 was incredibly durable because it didn't make enough power to damage itself. It was a tractor

[@BrianLevine-q7e]

I was visiting friends in Germany in the late '80's. I am a museum but. I went to a place called the Auto and Technical Museum in Sinnsheim. They had an incredible collection of war equipment going back to the late 1800's. They had a Werhmacht motorcycle that was built like a Tiger tank. Big boxer twin up front. The transmission has a series of segments. One was high and low. Forward and reverse. Gearbox. In the drive hub of the motorcycle rear tire was a drive shaft going to outside wheel of the sidecar. The tires were the same as the Kubel Wagner. This bike could haul 3 men and a huge amount of gear.

[@Joez86]

Great video, but you left out Triumph's roll in WW2 when Steve McQueen used one to escape from the pursuing Nazis!!!

[@brutter602]

Had my WLA for twenty years now . Restored it back to original military spec when I first bought it. Always puts a smile on my face every time I ride it. Foot clutch and hand gear change throws a lot if people who are used to modern bike. It’s like riding a time machine .

[@newt21]

Nice

[@johnmacdonald-bb2zj]

The routes of Harley Davidson came from Scotland and England .... and BSA and Aerial Matchless out performed the Harley during WW2 .

[@Togglefree]

Love your channel! Thanks for all the great videos!!

[@rolandwheeler4842]

Very good analysis. But like you said, using the KLR in desert storm.....Maybe if Harley kept up with what people really wanted/needed they would have gotten the contract instead of Kawasaki.

[@sprezzatura8755]

Nobody cares about Kawasaki or Desert Storm.

[@dukecraig2402]

Just because they're not what you want doesn't mean they're not what others want. You don't speak for everyone, certainly not me.

[@tiptopdadddy]

1:05 is at the old Southside Harley location on South Meridian street in Indianapolis. The dealership is still in business. I’ve seen the footage of guys doing donuts in the snow on VLs but not this!

[@wmden1]

Nice video. Thank you. I had a 1949 3 wheeled Servis Car in the late 60s, early 70s. It wasn't super fast, but it rode well, pulled good and it sounded super good. It had a 3 speed with reverse, with the shift lever on the left side of the gas tank, with a foot clutch on the left side of the bike.

[@alessandrotorrescampos522]

Amazing video. Really informative and I had a lot of fun watching it. I was looking for one in Portuguese, there was none. Props for the great job doing this. Alessandro 🇧🇷

[@dothwalrus370]

The covering maneuver at 13:00 is amazing. There's the common saying that "I had to lay the bike over", which is of course just cope for you crashed because actually forcing a bike into a slide intentionally is pretty hard.

[@proudtitanicdenier4300]

Its cavalry not calvary

[@MadDocMoto]

Thank you!

[@Mike40M]

My first motorcycle was an old Harley 45DL, bought for $45. Completely reliable and easy starting. Though a foot clutch is stupid. Was a military dispatch rider in a tank regiment. Main tasks was messaging and traffic control. At crossroads direct the armoured vehicles. When the last on had passed, overtake all vehicles to be before them at next crossroad. A bit risky on small single lane tracks. Recently had a Norton WD16H ex WW2 military bike for some years. Also easy starting and reliable. Think it was a better military bike. Not many Triumphs was used in WW2 as the Coventry factory was heavily bombed. Though Triumph twin engines was fitted for auxiliary electrical power in Lancasters. Many military bikes was sold in Europe after the war as surplus.

[@horiken]

I'm proud to have one of them.

[@fderbar1]

My dad had 2 WLAs when I was growing up in the USSR

[@jimlasswell4491]

My father enlisted in the Army National Guard in Illinois in 1940. He was in the cavalry and trained on both the Indian and the Harley Davidson.

[@1972Ray]

I'm building a 1/12 scale version of this wonderful motorcycle, thanks for this great video.

[@martentrudeau6948]

Harley Davidson were inspired making WLA, it was a functional, reliable machine. Harley kept it simple and that was the smartest thing to do.

[@jaxager]

For future reference, Willys is pronounced the same as Willis. Just sayin'

[@filmandsong05]

thanks so much for the post and info on these classics

[@alxx1378]

Probably the only Harley I ever liked.

[@paulblouin6955]

You might look in to the lateral V-Twin shaft WW2 Indian. The Indian 841.Guzzi used a similar drivetrain later on. .

[@lancebon2931]

In 1964 I bought a Harley 45 from1944 for $ 250.00. It was purchased originally in 1958 by a gentleman for his son, It was a US surplus in a crate, brand new.He built it and painted it black gave it to his son who used for a year or so, but he called it a dog, He wanted a Triumph or a BSA. The dad parked in front of his garage with a sign on it. FOR SALE $ 250.00. I bought it, I was nineteen years old. There were ten of us guys that rented a large garage for fifteen dollars a month. My mates all had British motorcycles, They'd razz me about how ugly, slow and over weight my machine was. We had a frig, a record player loots of tools and about a dozen basket case bikes there. That was where we were always. people would pass by and stop to talk, there was never a shortage of woman wanting to hang out. We never had to look for outside attractions, people came to us. ( I never did get to be intimate with women then, I was shy as hell and on the fat side) We would make beer (4pack 16 oz a dollar and a quarter)and hot dog runs(7 hot dogs for a dollar)New Brighton Hot Dogs, best in the world back then. I left in Nov 1965 to join the Merchant Marines, I gave the bike to my cuz, he used it until the front cylinder snapped of while trying to hill climb. He junked it. (to this day I cry about it) I have so many stories to tell about that biking era of my life. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Young people today should rent a space, do something together. People will come to you. Music, a fridge, your hobby and an open door. Just be yourself don't try to impress. Life will be fun and worth talking about when your old and grey.

[@jeffkujawa803]

That was a pretty darn good story a Lotta good memories

[@WizzRacing]

I always found it amusing they used the 1962 Triumph TR6 650 Special McQueen. In the movie, The Great Escape..

[@retired3437]

The British motorcycle industry made thousands of bikes during the war but as usual America did it all on their own,we all played a part in ww2

[@markpimlott2879]

You and the 'bart team' produce excellent contemporary and classic era motorcycle content! Now I better understand how well that you also research, produce, and curate historical MC subject matter as well! 'Good show' as the Brits might say; pun intended! Regarding mounted troops... A common pronunciation error is to describe horse mounted military units as "Calvary" rather than as "Cavalry". The former is actually the hill named in the New Testament on which Jesus was crucified! The latter "calvary" is derived from the French word "cheval" meaning horse, and is also the root of the English word borrowed from the French, meaning a 'horse mounted soldier' - "chevalier". Canada is an officially bilingual country; unlike the USA which doesn't actually have a federally mandated official language, leaving that optional choice to each state (or US territory too, I'd imagine). 🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦

[@floydblandston108]

You don't really understand how the different armies used their motorcycles during WWII. There are some excellent books on the subject, which even include the actual tactical training riders received- you should read them, then return to the subject.

[@spacetruckin6555]

Shout out to my DRZ and Sportster riders. Legendary bikes.

[@jamesbuckley907]

One statement you made is incorrect in about as big of a manner possible. You stated that Harley did not choose to try and copy the higher tech Ger,an war motorcycles but instead just kept producing the WLAs... While they did continue producing WLAs for a little more than the original order made plus a fair number given to the Soviets as part of Lend Lease they actually produced a small number of another model military bike called the XLA. While I dont recall actual production numbers it was high enough that some of them found their way onto the civilian market after the war. It is basically a WLA frame and front end modified to accept a horizontally opposed flathead twin 750cc engine with a 4 speed transmission and a shaft drive to the rear wheel. It was set up in an identical manner as the BMWs. This bike came about because of the BMWs performance in the deserts of North Africa. Primarily the shaft drive and the enclosed and sealed primary drive (automotive style clutch/engine/transmission interface). Harleys WLA, while certainly a good bike for what it was designed to do was not really designed to plow through deep sand dunes and powdered blow sand that got into the primary drive chain which was very unsealed and the rear chain and you could actually where out primary and rear chains in about 3 hours if the conditions got bad enough. The sand just destroyed them (no sealed Oring chains and high tech lubes or the time to spend lubing and adjusting the. It was noticed the German bikes could go through sand dunes that a camel would refuse to attempt, and they almost never captured the German bikes due to it not working, but the WLA in the Sahara was noy quite up to the job. So they sent a couple captured BMW motorcycles to Harley and said this works great in the desert, can you do something like it or better? Harley turned out the XLA in remarkably quich K fashionconsidering the difficulty of reengineering a bike based off completely foreign technology and concepts, and the XLA was actually a pretty good bike, simpler and slower than the BMW as far as the engine goes but as good as the BMW for the clutch, trans, and rear drive. Even though they finished the project design and prototypes in record time the war in North Africa was winding down by then and the new bike design wouldn't really be needed in Europe or the Pacific theater's, the Army purchased enough XLA models to cover Harleys design, prototyping, and a small production run. I know a guy yhat owns an aftermarket Harley shop and he still owns a fully restored WLA, XLA, and a BMW military bike. He had an XLA built as his idea of a flatrack racer/bobber that people were doing with WLA models after the war but i think he sold it.

[@wilfbentley6738]

My late father was a dispatch rider in the Canadian army during WWII. He rode Harley 35s and 45s, Nortons and BSAs. He was the mechanic of his unit, so worked on all those models. He did not ride after the war (probably my mother's influence).

[@newt21]

Did he have a preference being a mechanic?

[@wilfbentley6738]

@@newt21 I don't know. He never said.

[@newt21]

@@wilfbentley6738 Still very cool and thanks to him for his service.

[@lordemed1]

Bart- Well done!

[@bennyboogenheimer4553]

I don't know who wrote that book, but they forgot the most FUN Fact! The HD WLA was manufactured in JAPAN from July of 1923, untill December 7th 1941. Even after Peral Harbor HD's President ask the Japanese to keep making the bikes to fill the 35,000 unit contract with the US Army. The Army only bought 31,000, so Harley diverted the ships with the other 4,000 units on it to eastern Russia, and charged the Lend Lease system for the full payment. The Japanese Nationalized the production facility, and for the rest of the war and named the little HD, the Rikuo. Which they kept making untill HD sued the US government in 1949 to stop killing the sales of the Harleys in the eastern markets. Production stopped in 1958, as they supplied HD with parts for the entire time. My Uncles rode a captured Rikuo, that ran far better then any HD ever did here. The secret was the Mitsubishi electronics, and wiring. Ride a US Army HD in the rain, you got shocked, and it would stall. Ride the Rikuo in a Tsunami and you got where you were going. Dude. You really gonna try to shit on the BMW, and 4 cylinder Zundapps? Paton, and Monty Hated them more then the Panzers. Paton shipped a BMW home to have it copied. The harley was bolt for bolt, a copy. Indian went the extra mile, and made a V twin like a Moto Guzzi. Germany made 80,000 motorcycles during WWII. Used by over 100 nations, after the war.

[@newt21]

I don’t recall him shitting on anything just stating facts

[@lostbear53]

My 1st bike was WW2 bike, but not a Harley... In '68 I was gifted a '42 Cushman Eagle 125 w/sidecar from a 1 owner neighbor and rode it home...

[@sparky6086]

Cool. Cushman made a motorcycle for paratroopers to use. I don't remember the technical details about it. I wonder, if it was like yours or somehow similar?

[@WilliamLithgowGuitars]

Of the British bikes the BSA M20 was most numerous but when a dispatch rider got a Norton they never wanted to go back! The Triumph factory in Coventry was bombed so that kinda took the Speed Twin out of contention! BTW, Part of a DR riders kit was a thick bar of chocolate in a tin box with Speed mixed through it! Apparently it kept you going but you saw Germans everywhere cause of the paranoia!! War Eh !!

[@irondiver2034]

The correct saying is “battles are won by the soldiers on the ground, wars are won by logistics.”

[@juliancain6128]

Great video Bart! Anyone else think Harley should remake this retro legend?

[@MrPomdownunder]

The Allies captured German BMWs and Harley made a copy with a boxer twin motor and shaft drive.... The XD model or something... Shaft drive was much better in the desert sand.... My missus Uncle was RAAF and flew in the war. He bought an ex USAAF 45 and used it through the 50s riding it all over West Aus when most roads were still gravel.... Sadly it was left out on the paddock an literally rusted away....

[@PatrickKniesler]

When you mentioned MPs, I was waiting for you to mention document transfer. My wife's grandpa rode a Harley back snd forth across the Mall in Washington DC as a secure courier in the war.

[@flatcapcaferacer]

Nicely done research and editing.

[@FreedomRider1982]

Interesting stuff ! I just came across your channel in my feed actually and I'm happy to support your efforts and those of other fellow moto content creators. I look forward to seeing and hearing more from you in the future, keep up the great work and ride safe out there.

[@kct9967]

I read once that there are more registered WLA(C)s outside of the US than in.🤔

[@atomicdmt8763]

excellent video- per usual!

[@Kriszx6]

Please make a video about DKW's pre-war supremacy in the 2stroke market!!

[@apexxxx10]

And Zündapp Motorrad used by used by Finnish Amry in 1944. Built by Finland 🇫🇮 Suomi-Finnlands Waffenbrüder Deutschland kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXjFo2CXdtN-itE

[@DanTheMailman330]

FortNine just did an episode on the DKW 125. Excellent

[@telcobilly]

​@@DanTheMailman330 I heard that the DKW 125 was what the BSA Bantam 125 was based on? If so, that was my first motorcycle when I was in highschool in the 70s, never got it to run..lol

[@ivanzachar220]

They also made them for commomwealth armies as model WLC

[@1683clifton]

Watched black sheep squadron last night. Homeboy stole this bike on base repeatedly! Hillarious.

[@mikmik9034]

The Willies GP (Jeep) with its 3 person replaced the Motorcycle w/side car.

[@kyleh3615]

I found a case of early war blackout lights made BY Harley Davidson at an antique store. A gentleman i met who has been building a 1942 bike out of all original parts just kept throwing money at me for it.

[@Blog4Justice]

Very well produced and narrated. 👍👍

[@edwinsalau150]

Tramontin Harley Davidson had a superb dealership here in Hope, New Jersey Sadly they closed their door! Myself, I was never coordinated enough to even begin to think about getting on one!

[@jerryjones2818]

Canada ordered their own fleet designated as WLC.

[@rahulsawant8369]

Liked the Info you provided on WLA, wanna know can you just do such same videos on British Motorcycle in Wartime.

[@Gary_Le_Strange]

Interesting subjects, but have switched to watching your vids from a browser with adblock because I got sick of SO MANY mid-roll ads.

[@eddielittleii8919]

Very informative and interesting. Thank you.

[@khaccanhle1930]

Cavalry - CA val ry Calvary - Cal va ry One is a horse unit. One is where Christ died. NOT the same.

[@Honest-sy6ys]

Harley's got stuck in the sand when the Brit bikes sailed through. Related to me by more than one vet in the seventies when Norton was my preferred ride. I DO ride a Harley today though. Reliability that is rock solid in comparison to the British Iron.

[@stephencorcoran749]

The BSA M20, followed probably by the Norton 16H. Both were 500c.c sidevalves, offering no performance but the ability to pull a chair.

[@pelonehedd7631]

My Uncle Ernie Magri ( see Armando’s Last Ride) was a mechanic and courier in the 14th Armored see also Ernie Magri of Sacramento KZbin. His Favorite was the 883 Sportster . He said that is the bike that Harley raced. He rode a lot of different Motorcycle’s not always Harley’s but mostly that were purposed for Flat Track , scrambles and exhibition . He said the ones He rode inside a giant barrel were like a bicycle with a motorcycle motor in them. He had been a Juvenile Officer in San Anselmo Calif. after returning from WW2 and also a prison Guard , Sheriff and Sacramento Motorcycle Cop also Working with His Brother Armando at Armando’s Sacramento Dealership. The Europeans actually started the Sport of Motocross Racing. When Ernie and Armando started riding Motorcyclists dressed smartly like English Hunter Jumper Equestrians looking much like police officers. Ernie always felt that the bad guy , outlaw Tattoo image was bad for the sport and industry, portraying motorcyclists as stupid miscreants and belligerent Indigent’s like in the old Annette Funichelo Beach Blanket films or Born Loser’s.

[@dukecraig2402]

Knuckles didn't have aluminum heads, they were iron.