1942 XA Type 1 is the Rarest WW2 Harley-Davidson
Daily Slideshow: The Harley-Davidson XA Type 1 came about as an answer to its German counterpart in WWII.
Oddball Request
Standing for 'Experimental Army,' this 1942 XA Type 1 is a rare and unusual Harley-Davidson. At the U.S. Army's request, the Motor Company built one thousand XA motorcycles for evaluation purposes between 1942 and 1943. Eclipsed by the versatility of the Willys-Overland Jeep, and the cheaper WLA 45, the army canceled the XA contract in 1943.
Photos by David Newhardt, courtesy Mecum Auctions
Advanced Reliability
The XA was a shaft-driven motorcycle with a horizontally-opposed engine. Prompted by the German Army's use of the BMW R-series motorcycles in North Africa, the U.S. Army had desert combat in mind when they commissioned the XA. Known for their reliability and low-maintenance, the BMW R71 and R75 were advanced machines, featuring a plunger-style rear suspension, and telescopic front forks.
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Smart Suspension
In what was probably a smart business move, Harley-Davidson reverse-engineered a BMW R71. Unlike any other Harley-Davidson at the time, the XA had rear suspension and, in 1943, received the Motor Company's first-ever telescopic forks. It would take Harley-Davidson seven more years to add hydraulically damped telescopic forks to the FL platform, and sixteen years to add rear suspension.
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Left from Right
The XA's motor was a side-valve, 45 cubic-inch, flat-twin motor producing twenty-three horsepower. Military specifications called for a left-hand throttle, purportedly leaving the right hand free for weapon use. In a first for Harley-Davidson, the gear shifter was a left foot control, with a rear brake pedal on the right. The clutch lever was on the right side of the handlebar, and the front brake lever on the left.
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Cool Running
The XA and the WLA shared the same gas tank and instrumentation. The 120 MPH mark was optimistic at best as the XA was limited to a top speed of 65 MPH. As a by-product of the exposed horizontal cylinder layout, the XA enjoyed excellent cooling. It was reported that the XA ran one hundred degrees cooler than the military requirements.
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Battle-Ready
With combat operations in mind, the XA was equipped with a black-out running light, and a leather scabbard intended for a Thompson submachine gun. Enabling it to operate on almost any terrain, the XA had seven inches of ground clearance and a stout skid plate to protect the crankcase. Rounding out its field capability, a heavy-duty rear rack was installed in order to carry a forty-pound radio.
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Motor Duty
The XA's horizontally-opposed motor lived on for a bit. Redesigned as an overhead-valve unit, it was proposed as a generator, as a possible tank engine equipped with blowers, and as an alternative motor for the 1946 Servi-Car. Like its cousin, the Indian 841, the XA is an interesting footnote in Harley-Davidson history — one of ingenuity and adaptability responding to the call to service.
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