Low-Mile Harley-Davidson KK Is an Amazing Find

Back in the early ’50s, Harley-Davidson decided to take it to the Brits with a speedy, lightweight motorcycle. Today, the K-Series is a rare sight!

“Rare” is a subjective term in the world of collector motorcycles. Many consider something with a production run in the thousands to fit, while others say hundreds. But few are as rare (and as cool) as the Harley-Davidson KK. Born out of a need to fight lightweight, speedy British motorcycles in the ’50s, the K-Model isn’t exactly something you see every day. So when we spotted this amazing, low-mile 1953 KK on eBay, we had to take a closer look.

The middleweight K-Model debuted in 1952, sporting a 45-inch Flathead with 6.5:1 compression and aluminum cylinder heads. The transmission was housed inside the rear of the engine case to save weight and space. With hydraulic suspension on both wheels (a Harley first), the K-Series was the best handling Harley to date. But with only 30 horsepower and a 400 pound curb weight, the K wasn’t much faster than the much heavier Panhead.

Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.