When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
The folks over at Revzilla have asked me to contribute to a new site they are calling "The Hub". It's basically going to be a place where you can read articles about all aspects of motorcycling. Since my niche is in vintage motorcycles, that's what I'll be adding to the mix. To get things started, I'm doing a new series about my 1933 Harley-Davidson VL build. Since the bulk of their readers are not vintage bike enthusiasts, these articles will not be the "how to" and "nuts and bolts" type of articles I've written in the past. Instead they will delve into the back story on my project, my thoughts along the way and "other behind the scenes" subjects. I hope to make them entertaining and interesting for anyone who loves motorcycles.
Hehe, I had to look that up to know if that was a joke or real
Too young and HD engine history challenged I guess.
It turns out the one feature that discourages most people from considering a VL is the lack of recirculating oil. Unlike Harley-Davidsons built after 1936, the V-series engine did not have a system for filtering oil and returning it to the engine. Instead, the oil goes from the engine into the primary to lube the primary chain. From there it leaves the primary and lubes the rear drive chain before ultimately ending up as a puddle on the ground. This actually can be considered an advantage, since the engine always has fresh oil. You just have to make sure you dont run out!
Hehe, I had to look that up to know if that was a joke or real
Too young and HD engine history challenged I guess.
It turns out the one feature that discourages most people from considering a VL is the lack of recirculating oil. Unlike Harley-Davidsons built after 1936, the V-series engine did not have a system for filtering oil and returning it to the engine. Instead, the oil goes from the engine into the primary to lube the primary chain. From there it leaves the primary and lubes the rear drive chain before ultimately ending up as a puddle on the ground. This actually can be considered an advantage, since the engine always has fresh oil. You just have to make sure you dont run out!
Old Harleys leak by design. A strange concept nowadays, but back then it was the norm.
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.