Vehicle Description
he Harley-Davidson 45 was America's two-wheeled workhorse for
nearly half the 20th century, and examples like this beautifully
restored 1941 WL attest that there was an equal measure of form
with all that function. The 45 CI (750 cc) side-valve engine design
was made popular in the mid-1920s by Harley-Davidson's then
competition at Excelsior and Indian. When the AMA created a new
class for the displacement in 1926, the gentlemen in Milwaukee knew
that they would need something on offer. What they may not have
anticipated was that their little "forty-five" would remain in
their lineup in one form or another over 40 years later.
The Milwaukee Motor Company's first attempt came in 1929 with the
beautiful yet finicky Model D. In 1932, with most of the wrinkles
ironed out, the 45 CI line was designated as the R-Series. Two
years later, the AMA again stoked the marketplace for the midsized
flatheads by creating the Class C division, an "everyman's" class
for production motorcycles, which made the sport available to the
masses on a national level. In 1937, Harley-Davidson adapted and
integrated many of the new designs and engineering changes
developed for its revolutionary OHV Knucklehead the year before.
The new 45 line featured the recirculating oil system, roller
bearings, a one-piece cam, frame improvements and styling changes,
and it was designated as the W-Series. When America was called to
war, the trusty, agile and reliable 45 was produced in record
numbers for the war effort, with nearly 90,000 Harley-Davidson WLA
motorcycles rolling out of Milwaukee.
This dapper 1941 Harley-Davidson WL is a superb example of
America's trusty workhorse, expertly restored in inky black and
chrome. Serviceable and straightforward, by 1941, the reputation of
Harley-Davidson's flathead platform had been well established, and
the machines on offer perfectly balanced performance, reliability
and style. Newer features fitted on the 1941 WL are taller cooling
fins on the cylinder heads, an improved clutch and transmission,
tubular fork arms, larger brakes and slightly longer valve springs.
This WL also features a reverse gear in the 3-speed gearbox for
sidecar use, a correct chrome tank badge, cat's-eye dashboard,
fender and tank trim, toolbox and a beehive tail light. The fork
ride-control, winged bar-and-shield electric horn, front fender
light and 18-inch wheels complete the package on this 1941
Harley-Davidson WL, making it a most handsome and capable 45.
