1942 Harley WLA More Than Fit for Duty

Wartime Nostalgia

The relationship between Harley-Davidson and the military is well known. It's pretty common knowledge that Harley motorcycles played a huge role for the allies in World War II, helping take soldiers places where other vehicles could not. So every time we see a museum-quality WLA like this '42 we spotted over at Bulletproof Motorsports, it hits us with more than a little wartime nostalgia.

Photos Courtesy of Bulletproof Motorsports.

Getting Scarce

Harley produced quite a few of these WLAs for combat, but as you might imagine, many of them were left in Europe or lost along the way. These days, they're becoming harder and harder to find in excellent condition as a result.

Photos Courtesy of Bulletproof Motorsports. 

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Starting a Trend

The WLA is based on Harley's WL, which was the higher compression model. And as you probably already know, the A stood for Army. And it played a big role in Harley's popularity not just during the war, but afterward as well.

Photos Courtesy of Bulletproof Motorsports. 

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Popularity Surge

When American troops returned home after the war was over, many of them sought out Harleys to buy after falling in love with them during combat. And that created a surge in popularity for America's legendary motorcycle maker.

Photos Courtesy of Bulletproof Motorsports. 

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Lasting Appeal

These days, it's hard to deny the appeal of the WLA, even though it may be light years behind modern bikes in terms of refinement. Especially when they're in as great a shape as this one, which is said to be 90% original.

Photos Courtesy of Bulletproof Motorsports. 

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Humming Along

Most of the work that's gone into this WLA comes from a full rebuild of the 750cc/45ci V-Twin “Liberator” Flathead powerplant. As a result, it reportedly runs like new, and even comes with the original 6-volt electrical system.

Photos Courtesy of Bulletproof Motorsports.

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Zero Blemishes

Otherwise, you'd be hard-pressed to find any blemishes on this beautiful Harley. The paint looks absolutely perfect, and everything reportedly functions as it did when this bike was new.

Photos Courtesy of Bulletproof Motorsports.

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Tasty Add-Ons

There are a lot of additional add-ons that only add to the military appeal, too. Like those custom leather saddlebags that feature a correct pebble grain texture. 

Photos Courtesy of Bulletproof Motorsports.

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Show Piece

There's even a Thompson machine gun mount up front, which is a nice touch. Add on an ammo box and all new wiring, and you've got an impressive showpiece that will draw a crowd everywhere it goes.

Photos Courtesy of Bulletproof Motorsports.

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Freedom Fighter

Looking at this beautiful WLA, it's no wonder why collectors love military Harleys. These two things just go together like peanut butter and jelly. And most importantly, they help us remember a time when we all had to do our part to fight to retain our freedom!

Photos Courtesy of Bulletproof Motorsports.

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