Vintage Speed Build: 1941 WLA Flat Track Racer

Vintage Hooligan

Flat Track racing has a series for everyone. With classes such as 'Hooligan' and 'Vintage,' getting into racing is possible even on a modest budget. First popularized in the 1920s, Flat Track racing has experienced a resurgence as of late. Part of the reason might be the uncomplicated nature of watching a half dozen motorcycles battle for the win on an unpaved oval track.

Draft Dodger

Bill Bryant built his 1941 WLA Flat Track bike with the sole intention of racing. With all the modern choices available, it might seem counter-intuitive to build an antiquated WLA. Perhaps not, as Bryant's build is a spot-on version of the dirt track racers of a bygone era. The only difference is that Bryant used a surplus Army unit as opposed to the more coveted and expensive, WR Harley-Davidson factory-racer model.

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One Piece at a Time

As the founder of Biltwell Inc., the aftermarket giant for all things custom motorcycle, Bryant is no stranger to assorted parts. He started out with the classic 'basket case' scenario and put his racer together from want ads and discards. “I found the engine as a mostly-there Craigslist basket case, about five miles from my house,” he remembers.

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Standard Speed Shift

A tank shifter might seem like an impractical choice for racing. History reveals, however, that the tank-mounted set up was the standard for dirt track racers of the day. Keen eyes will spot the oil pen markings and sheet metal screw blocking off the shift-gate before the reverse 'R' —possibly the mechanism from a Harley-Davidson Servi-Car?

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Power to the Pedal

The foot controls for the 1941 WLA Flat Track racer, like the rocker clutch pedal pictured above, came from builder Jeff Leighton. It is all about function at the race track, and Bryant says that the controls “tuck up nice and tidy, and are way less vulnerable [to crash damage] than stock controls.”

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Flathead Horses

Bryant knows his way around old V-twin engines. “I’m not gonna give away any engine-build secrets... it’s built more for durability... more than outright performance. After a year of... racing it, I’ll consider hotter cams —but for now, it’s good to go,” he remarked. The 45 cubic-inch Flathead electrics are governed by a Morris Magneto and the air is filtered by a K&N mounted on a tried and tested Mikuni carburetor.

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Fly Right

The WLA frame was solid, apart from the neck casting which “had been pie-cut and raked at some point.” Bryant asked guru-fabricator Mike Palazzo at 47Industries to massage the frame back to its stock geometry. “Mike did a fantastic job, the bike tracks straight as an arrow,” he said. Directional input for the WLA comes from a set of custom bars bent by Jason Ball at S&M Bikes in Santa Ana, California.

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Throttle Up

A Biltwell Cast Whiskey Throttle is the obvious choice for rolling out the horsepower on the WLA. Perfect for vintage applications, the “Biltwell Whiskey throttle is designed for use on custom motorcycles and is constructed with an investment cast aluminum clamshell assembly and a CNC-machined alloy grip tube.”

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Front Row Seat

Having spent some time in the sprung saddle, Bryant is considering some changes. Modifications will include a set of handlebars with more sweep, and he will also “replace the K&N filter...with a more authentic old J-slot air cleaner.” Bryant also said that, out of necessity, a leather flap needed to be added under the seat to “keep the rear head from roasting his junk.”

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Re-Pop Tins

W&W Cycles in Germany supplied the WLA with wheels, gas and oil tanks, and the rear fender. Though they are not very well-known in America, W&W Cycles provides quality re-popped parts for classic Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Considering his limited budget, Bryant added “there’s no way I was gonna pay a fortune for real WR tanks and then go beat them up racing”

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With a Little Help

Other projects got the better of him and the “WLA sat lonely in the shop, mocking his poor time management skills.” Rico Fodrey of Hi-Bond Modified in Pomona stepped in to wrap up the project and get it ready for the latest Born Free Motorcycle Show. The WLA's transmission came from 45’s Unlimited in Anza, California, along with a few hard-to-find small items.

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White Stripes

The paint is by Hot Dog Kustoms in Temecula, California. The color of choice was ‘Sea Blue,’ a memorable tint found on 1966 Volkswagen Beetles. The eye-catching blue is offset by a white stripe, gold pinstriping, and lettering. “It looks even better than I imagined, and I’ll probably cry when I lay it down for the first time,” said Bryant.

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