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1942 "civilianized" WLA. Doctor owned and well maintained, turnkey, a great runner and looker!
Still has Mil-spec fenders, horn and headlight. Might change out the "tombstone" rear light for a
beehive or something more age appropriate, and paint some of the chrome... I like the old look.
Scheduled to pick it up this coming weekend, whoopee!
Happy Motoring from Roger in NY
I like the look with the WLA headlight mount. Was the previous owner a short guy? That seat is all the way forward, if you are not vertically challenged you are going to want to move it back. Good luck.
Will consider the brake lever change, need to see if I can get used to it as is.
I'm 6ft 235lb so not too small lol, the present Doc owner is a bit smaller but not a lot. Will give it some riding time then
see if change needs to be made. This thing chugs along calmly like an old locomotive, love it, totally opposite to my '71 Kawasaki Avenger 350 2 stroke ring-ding... that thing really likes to scream.
First time on a bike with the brake on that side going a little too fast and some one pulls out in front of you - will consider $hitting in your pants will happen not if
Brakes are the biggest learning curve on vintage bikes. If the bikes runs well, she will get moving and hold her own on the road. Not a race bike, but not a moped either. But the brakes are another story, saying they are subpar is being generous. The front lever being on the left is confusing to the mind and you will grab it thinking it is the clutch. Your bike is not stock or 100 points, move it now before you have an issue. It still is almost useless except at low speed but at least your brain does not think you are pulling in the clutch. And if you can't hold the front brake and use the throttle with one hand on a hill, have you even been riding motorcycles.
PS try not to stop on a hill, getting going is not easy, save that for after you learn to ride the bike well. Good luck.
Like I said I'll try it first. "have you even been riding motorcycles."
lol I bought my first bike before I ever bought my first car in 1970, and my first Harley "74" in 1973.
Owned around 20 bikes over 54 years. Made the transition back and forth between many British bikes with opposite-side shift to rice burners and Harleys and still have a '73 Honda and a '71 Kawasaki. I'll have rural roads in Vermont to play with it. Plus the brakes are newly rebuilt and properly adjusted, plus I don't ride fast anymore (I used to, that's why I traded my '58 Duo for a new Triumph 3 cyl Trident T150V 750 after 2 years). That said, the suggestion does make sense, and I may well do that switchover eventually.
Last edited by firedome; Sep 12, 2024 at 01:02 PM.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
Looking for a flathead, ended up with this one
