Harley-Davidson WLA: The WWII Military Motorcycle That Helped Win the War
25th April 2021
Perhaps appropriately for Anzac Day today, here's a quick look at the Harley-Davidson WLA military-spec motorcycle. After Pearl Harbour in December 1941, the US military contracted H-D (and Indian, and others) to build motorcycles for the US Army. Using the existing 1937 released WL model, the MoCo made plenty of changes, along with military requirements, to build the WLA (A=Army).
Powered by the 45 cube (750cc) Flathead V-Twin, over 90,000 WLAs were produced. Production ceased after the war, but the model was so successful that more were built starting in 1952 for the duration of the Korean War.
In addition to the US Army, the US Marines and Navy used WLAs, and thousands were shipped to allied countries including the UK, Canada, South Africa, and Australia. The Aussies received 3,350 of them, and kept them operational until 1962. The biggest Allied recipient was the Soviet Union - about 30,000 were sent there.
According to the soldiers who used them, WLAs were reliable, simple to operate and repair, and unstoppable. A huge metal plate was mounted under the frame, not just as a bash-plate, but a shield. If under fire, soldiers were trained to drop the bike and lie flat using the metal plate for protection.
The success of the WLA positioned H-D to come out of the WW2 years in a strong position, and in 1953 with the closing and shutdown of Indian, Harley-Davidson became the only surviving American motorcycle manufacturer.