1950 Harley-Davidson WL45

Inventory Number: 7266

$25,000

“You’ve got to take your hat off to the Harley-David­son 45,” stated a Harley-David­son advert­ise­ment. “It was a hero on the battle­fields of Europe and the South Pacific; it has broken records on all the nation’s racetracks, and it is providing hundreds of thousands of riders many happy hours of pleasant, economical, trouble-free rides.”

Introduced in 1937, this bike became better known as the “45” for its 45 cubic inch V-twin engine, producing an exhaust note unlike any other machine on the planet. The powerful, side-valve workhorse of an engine would turn out to be one of the longest-running Harley motors, and this one is hooked to a three-speed transmission.

It’s almost identical to the infamous military WLA and WLC Liberators. The WL45 models continued in post-war production with the venerable 45 CI flathead twin. This very low-mileage example is in completely orig­inal condition, and it runs as well as it looks.

  • VIN NO: 50WL1014
Harley-David­son, Inc. needs no introduction as an iconic American motor­cycle manu­facturer headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1901, William S. Harley, Arthur David­son, and brother Walter David­son began work on their first motor­cycle engine. Their first attempt may have been a failure, but they founded Harley-David­son in 1903 and became one of the largest motor­cycle manu­facturers by 1920. They produced motor­cycles for the United States used in both World War I and II and were one of only two major motor­cycle manu­facturers to survive the Great Depression. In fact, they’ve survived numerous changes to ownership and restructuring, intense global competition, charges of restrictive practices, claims of stock price manipulation, and a constantly evolving view of the com­pany and bikers. Still, they are widely known for their loyal following and now manufacture in Penn­syl­vania, Wisconsin, Brazil, and Thailand. Their classic cruiser style, including high handlebars, low seats, and chrome parts, is easily recognizable. They’re also noted for their customizability, giving rise to the chopper style of motor­cycle, and for the distinct sound of HD’s powerful engines.

See video about this bike here (3 minute video).

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