Harley-Davidson WLA

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Image of WLA from US Army Manual

The WLA is a model of Harley-Davidson motorcycle that was produced to US Army specifications in the years during and around World War II. It was based on an

existing civilian model, the WLD, and is of the 45 solo type, so called due to its 45 cubic inch engine and single-rider design. The same engine, in a slightly lower state of tune, also powered the three-wheeled Servi-Car (the "G" family), leading to the "solo" distinction.

1 Model designation
2 History
3 Military Changes
4 Uses
5 Technology
6 Other Military HDs
7 Sources and External Links

[edit] Model designation

The model number breaks down as follows:

W : the W family of motorcycles. Harley Davidson (except in very early models) gives a letter designation for each model family. The W series at the time was the newest incarnation of the 45 cubic inch flathead motor, and was developed from the earlier R family 1932-1936.
L : "high compression", in the usual HD scheme. The "low compression" W model was only briefly available.
A : Army. The company would also produce a model to the slightly different specifications of the Canadian Army, which would be named the WLC. The WLCs differed from WLAs chiefly in the use of some heavier components, usually Big Twin parts, as well as Canadian blackout lighting.

[edit] History

Pvt Robert J Vance, from Portland, Oregon, riding his bike as a messenger of the 33rd Armored Regiment of the 3rd Armored Division in the fields of Normandy in late July, 1944.

Harley-Davidson began producing the WLA as WW2 loomed, starting in 1940. The entry of the United States into the war saw significantly increased production: over 90,000 WLAs would be produced during WW2, along with spare parts the equivalent of many more. Harley Davidson would also produce a close WLA variant for the Canadian Army called the WLC and would also supply smaller numbers to the UK, South Africa, and other allies, as well as filling orders for different models from the Navy and Marine Corps.

Unusually, all the WLAs produced after Pearl Harbor, regardless of the actual year, would be given serial numbers indicating 1942 production. Thus, war-time machines would come to be known as 42WLAs. This may have been in recognition of the use of the continued use of the same specification. Most WLCs were produced in 1943, and are marked 43WLC. The precise serial number, as well as casting marks, can be used to date a specific motor accurately, and some other parts bear year and month stamps. Frames and many other parts were not tagged with the serial number, and cannot generally be dated. (This is common prior to adoption of the VIN.)

Many WLAs would be shipped to allies under the Lend-Lease program. The largest recipient was the Soviet Union, which was sold over 30,000 WLAs.

Production of the WLA would cease after the war, but would be revived during the Korean War during the years 1949 to 1952.

Most WLAs in western hands after the war would be sold as surplus and "civilianized"; the many motorcycles available at very low cost would lead to the rise of the chopper and other modified motorcycle styles, as well as the surrounding biker culture. Many a young soldier would come home hoping to get a Harley-Davidson like he saw or rode in the service, leading to the post-war popularity of both the motorcycle and the company in general.

However, this also ensured that few nearly-original WLAs would survive in the US or even Western Europe. A significant number of WLAs were left in the Soviet Union, and either stored or put in private hands. With little access to parts and no chopper culture, and no export path to the West, many of those WLAs were preserved during the Cold War. Russia and other former Soviet countries are now a major source of WLAs and parts.

[edit] Military Changes

Mostly-restored WLA originally sent to Russia

The WLA is very similar to civilian models, specifically the WLD. Among the changes making it a military model:

paint and other finishes: painted surfaces were generally painted olive drab or black and chrome- or nickel-plated parts were generally blued or Parkerized or painted white. Some parts were left as unfinished aluminum. However, Harley Davidson was apparently very practical in its use of existing parts and processes, and many finishes remained in their bright civilian versions for a time, and, in some cases, for the whole production run.
blackout lights: in order to reduce nighttime visibility, WLAs were fitted with a second set of blackout head and tail lights.
fenders: to reduce mud clogging, the sides of the standard fenders were removed.
accessories: a heavy-duty luggage rack (for radios), ammo box, leather Thompson submachine gun scabbard, skid plate, leg protectors, and windshield could be fitted. Most came with at least these accessories less the windshield or leg protectors.
air cleaner: an oil bath air cleaner, originally used for tractors and other vehicles in dusty environments, was fitted to handle the dust of off-road use and to allow easier field maintenance. Oil bath cleaners require only the addition of standard motor oil rather than replaceable filters.
fording: changes to the crankcase breather reduced the possibility of water intake into the crankcase.

[edit] Uses

The US Army would use motorcycles for police and escort work, courier duties, and some scouting, as well as limited use to transport radio and radio suppresion equipment. Allied motorcycles were almost never used as combat vehicles or for troop mobility, and so were rarely equipped with sidecars as was common on the German side. Nevertheless, the WLA acquired the nickname "Liberator", since it was seen ridden by soldiers liberating occupied Europe. To this day Belgium is a major center of WLA enthusiasm.

[edit] Technology

The engine of the WLA is a side-valve design, which is reliable though not particularly efficient in comparison to overhead-valve designs. Harley Davidson already had overhead valve engines in production for its Big Twin lines, but the "small twin" flathead design was popular in applications needing reliability more than power. This engine remained in production from 1937 to 1973 in the Servi-Car, although it was superseded in two-wheeled motocycles by the more advanced flathead engine used in the Model K in 1952.

Though the model designation suggested high compression, the motor was available in several compression ratio ratings. For reliability, the Army version actually used a medium-compression version. In modern terms, the WLA's compression ratio of 5:1 is very low. Due to this low compression, a WLA will run on 74 octane gasoline, necessary due to the poor quality of refining at the time, although fuel technology would improve rapidly during the war.

The WLA also features springer front suspension. Harley-Davidson would not adopt telescopic front forks until after the war. The rear wheel had no suspension, giving this type of motorcycle the nickname "hard tail".

[edit] Other Military HDs

Harley copied the BMW R71 to produce its XA model.

Harley-Davidson provided motorcycles to the Army during World War I and for earlier excursions against Mexican bandits like Pancho Villa.

During WW2, the Army produced a specification for a motorcycle much like the BMWs used by German forces. That meant shaft drive, a boxer engine, and several other features that made the BMWs exceptionally reliable and low-maintenance machines. Harley-Davidson produced the XA based closely on the BMW. Though an excellent machine, only about 1000 were produced. The XA was expensive, and by that time it was clear that the Jeep was the Army's general purpose vehicle of choice; the less advanced but cheaper WLA was considered sufficient for its limited roles.

Other motorcycles produced by HD for WW2 included US Army and Canadian versions of the Big Twin EL family, the ELA and ELC, as well as an Army version of the UL, the ULA. These were produced mainly for "home front" use, and not in very large numbers. Consequently, they are very rare today.

Indian, Harley-Davidson's major competitor at the time, also produced a war-time model, the Indian 741, and a transverse V-twin shaft-drive model, the Indian 841 .

Harley-Davidson would later produce the MT350, after acquiring the British Armstrong company. These were dual-sport machines, capable of both on-road and off-road service, powered by Rotax engines in 350cc, and patterned after the Armstrong MT500. They mostly saw British and Canadian service, and some are still in use.