Rare, Historic 1913 Model G Hits the Market
9G Truck Forecar Believed to be the Only One Left from 1913 Model Year
Sedan delivery trucks get all the attention these days, but in the early 1900s, there was another way to deliver the goods. Harley-Davidson decided to branch out into the commercial vehicle world in 1913 with the Model G. But with few produced and most of those scrapped over the years, you might be looking at the last 1913 Model G in existence. And it was recently up for grabs on eBay, if you had $350,000 laying around.
The Model G is basically what you think it is – a three wheel motorcycle with big cargo box mounted on the front. They were powered by a 61 ci F-Head V-Twin with a chain drive, producing a whopping 8 horsepower. The Gs were used most famously by the United States Postal Service for a while, along with a variety of other commercial applications.
Unfortunately, the Gs didn’t pan out as a viable solution for commercial use. Only 332 were produced between 1913 and 1915, 69 of which were built in 1913. Many of those are believed to have been scrapped and robbed of their popular engines or converted back into conventional motorcycles. This 1913 9G is believed to be the only one left from that model year.
Harley actually went on to build another line of Gs beginning in 1932, but they featured rear mounted cargo boxes. Those proved to be much more usable (and popular), and those “Servi-Cars” were even in use by several police departments well into the 1990s.
Thankfully, the previous owner did right by this rare and significant piece of history. After receiving a full and beautiful restoration, the results speak for themselves. The Model G is something that few have ever seen, making the survival of this one extra special.
