Harley-Davidson SUC Speciat Museum LINE n° DD 15 It} H-D WLA &Copyright © 2005 by RAK All rights reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, copyright owner (RAK). Enquiries should be addressed to the Publisher. WINGS & WHEELS PUBLICATIONS, Photo meaual for modelers and im detail is a registered Trade Mark. Harley-Davidson Soldiers in detail* © RAK, 1st edition, Prague, May 2005 published by Frantiéek Koran RAK Contact address: RAK, P.O. Box 35 170 OG, Prague 7, Czech Republic e-mail: wwp.rakQ@iol.cz, fkoran@mac.com ISBN 80-86416-43-7 This publication could not be prepared without kind co-operation of Mr Jifi Hbner of Prague CZ, the owner of the another H-D WLA. Front and rear cover and first page: HD WLC © FrantiSek Kofdn, May 2005. Reference and source material: Jifi HGbner's and Jan Moéték’s archives Harley-Davidson and other denominations with this element are registered trademarks of H-D Michigan, Inc. Photographs and pictures of products of Harley-Davidson Michigan, Inc., including parts of those products, are subjects of the copyrights of this company. This book is not an official publication of Harley-Davidson Michigan, Inc.Harley-Davidson Models WLA & WLC = ww P- a) reer area) CO Mea hewere changed quite a lot from the early prototype, the production Cf the 1908 was only 3 bikes. But soon the business went well. In 1905 the old shed was replaced by a new building on Juneau Avenue, which has been the locator In thelr 10 x 15 foot shed in Miwaukee. The prototype was fun ‘ond the two guys were jolned by two Davidso fatter and Wiliam. nthe first two years they only managed to manufac re motorcycles. On August 28, 1903, The Harley-Davidson Mot Company was offically founded and the new handlettered sign ap the door of the old shed. Although the new motor. The WLA mode! in the WW l exposition ofthe Technical Museur Army of the Czech Republic in Lefany near Prague. This motor peored ‘ter renovation and its individual pars are theretore wollisible,‘b\e fo produce 150.@ year in 1907. on motorcyclo Was sole 10 the Detroit partment. he earry bikes had @ singlepiston engine, In 190° Introduced the frst 45-cegree later Became the enduring icon of Harley Dav Ti Germ pikes. The displacement war only 49,6 cuble inches (810 om’), ‘giving only 7 horsepower (54W). But stl, that was doubie Ine power of the frst bikes. The top speed was 60 mph (97 km/h). which remarkable In those days. The total production of this was 1 149 motorcycles. In 1910 appeared another enduring leon of Horley-Davidson motorcycles, the famous Bar and Shield logo. The Harley-Davidson had over 150 ¢ but in 1913 Harley Davidson bikes completely dominated motorcycle racing. In this yer {ar also the original factory expanded and production reached the fotal of 12 964 machines.In 1917, whan the United States was drawn info the Great World Wor, Harleys had atready been used by the U.S. maitary forees in border contlct with Pancho Vill, but World Wor I wos the tet me tne motorcycie had been broadly adopted for combt service. From those bikes delivered fo the mi- tary forces during the World War aver 20 000 wore provided by Harley. Davidson. In the 20's Horley Davidson was the far ‘ges! of more than one hundred mo- Toroyee companies in the wor, with tne year production of more than 27 000° motorcycles. When the Depression came hit everybody hard ‘but f motoreycle Industry was proctt cally devastated. By he end of t only wo companies, manufacturing motor foyoies in the United Stotes, sunvedt Harley-Daviason and Indian, and the fofar American motorcycle product ‘on was mere six thousand takes. In the late 30° U. S. War Department stortad fo prepare for the war which ‘@ppeared on European horizon. Wor Department specification of the new ‘motoreyole asked the manufacturers fo design 0 $00ce bike that could ford streams, not overheat at idle or during slow running, and sustain 45 moh Wiliom Harley was, however, conv (066 that 780ce (45 cube inch) motor. cycle would sut the Amy needs much ‘more beter, and basad his design on the Wsertes sidevawve engine which hod come out shortly before the war. Ihe new motorcycle, designated WLA @ for Army), featured ailoy cylinder ‘heads for better cooling, more ground clearance, 9 carge rock and saddle. age. To reach bettor raliabiity com pression was lowered (hence the ‘l fn the designation) and an oisbath air titer wos addled. Other modifications included digger baggage-carriers, Usually filed with two large leatther bags, @ leather gun case fixed to the lat fron! fork, sheet meta! box with |wo compartments for storing ammun tion and papers, several types of wind Shield and feg flaps ond crankcase quard plcte. To avoid clogging of @ ‘rth between the tyre and the mudtgu- ‘rd and fo ease removing of mud the mudguards did not have usual sice arts, he firs series aso featured the ‘origina! ‘clullon” postion of neadignt ‘above the hom, which was later chan- (ged fo the loss exposed position un- der tne hom. The mlitary Harley: Davidson was also produced for the Canadian Mittory Forces under the Gesignation WLC (obviously C for Canad), There were several aerat- fons against the American WLA. The WAC hod @ aifferont lighting systom, rear blackout ights consisting of no mat! tubes, the clufch control was ‘moved fo ihe fet! handlebar grip end the brake fo the right. he front and re ‘or wneois were interchangeable ond because of bigger wheel hub at the front the fork longor and externally placed siruts. Also saddle was modi fed and supported in three points whi le the WIA ane was supported in two points only. When production of the WLA started the Company was asked by the U. 8. Army to develop @ new next generat: (on motorcycle, becouse the IMA has Nt tuifled one Army requirement, shaft drive. For this purpose Harley u- Sed another well-developed mittory bike, Gorman BMW R75 as @ master. The new Horley, designated XA, was olmost a copy of R75, including the flat fwine engine. Army ordered a fest bboten of 1000 XAs Burt cithough It hac some advanced features, fe. the company’s tist telescopic fork, Army ‘nally decided not to orcier more XAs ‘ond instead they Bought several mou- sand more WLASHarley-Davidson Model WLC summer of 1944.‘The WLC owned by Mr. Jinich Slaby trom Dolni Beikovice near Manik, photographed at the meeting of the alec vehicles in 2003, neld by Pett Plachecky from Liberec on a yearly basis. 7WLC Walk AroundWLC Walk Around 9°WLC Walk Aroundfis shown during its trip across the Jiterské Hory Mountains sil in ts original patina resulted from the machina's many yours in service. During the ig floods in the Czech Republic it was quite under water. this page, the machine is again at the autumn meeting, fully 10- naitioned after the floods. But, unfortunately, is patina fade away, WLC Walk Around "1WLC Walk Around(On this dou 92, there ate te dotalls of the front fork and andie- bors of the WLC model. Note the detall on {he lett handleber = hooler and ne- ‘adiight selector switeh ~ shown on this page below fight. Above the handle- ors, there Is the hooter switch, whi fe the switch used fo tum the hood light down ond up ie under the hang J) ver tne nooter ison the fork under the heodtight WLC Front ForkWLA Front ForkWLA HandlebarWLA Front Wheelol the WLA model. The WA's with @ diferent design of the WLC drum on the page 20. Front whoo! of the model is on the tight WLA/WLE Front Wheel‘drum of the new type. not a The Bowden contro! WLC Front WheelDetails WLA Engine DetailsWLA Engine DetailsWLC Engine Detailsg 5 & é o ° £ > 2 ui au a 3WLA/WLC Engine DetailsWLA/WLE Engine DetailsWLC Engine DetailsWLA/WLE Engine DetailsWLA/WLE Engine Details‘Abovo and bolow Details Above and below: Details of the drivers footrest. WLC has if fted pipe used to teed petal with a rubber coating, Above the footret, there is the clutch pedal ‘nis pipe was @ simple device that prevented the creation ot air which would remain in a selected position. This is why the motor: uDbiet ond “misting” of he engine du to the lacking fuel sud be lat stationary with its engin WLA/WLE Engine Det:WLA/WLE Engine DetailsWLA/WLE Engine Details(On thie double: age, there cre Ihe exhaust pipe Cetail. The poe head, so that the head used to get fuilginous Page 35, above left A wolbvsioio tachometer ek ing to he roar axle, is abo- ve the exhous! pi pe. ative chain is ve sible above right: Dotall of the Unused exhaust pipe end of a museum-owned wa WLA/WLE Exhaust Details10 place only a fst sight! filers on is op. Below left: Ci tank discharge valve. Below right independent tanks. Rights Fuel discharging valve behind the piping. Electical system cables nafe are two should be lead down under the tani WLA Fuel/Oil TankWLC Fuel/Oil TankWLA Instruments DetailsThoto is just a slight citference betwaen the tanks of WLA cnd WLC. The forrn hos a small tag warning of the oil inside behind the flor cap. Protrucing trom the right side of the dashboard, there iso small 1od used to resent the tachometor counter. Key to the ignition systom is underneath the siver cap. Once inserted, the key Could move round the switch as a whole which Was also used to change over the lights. When moved all the way round, {ne lights turned their bsam down, The above-mentioned switch on the lat! handlabor wos used turn on the distance light. Red pilot lamp was signa ting the oll level, the WLC Instruments Details pe at pedi oacs aa peepee he tire | bree tt pet cote fost es coWLA/WLE Battery Detailswhich also n¥ WLA/WLC Seat DetailsThis page shows details of tho WLC mode's sect, shaped quit alferently in com- parison to WLA. Two handkails for the behind siting ricer were added as well as {wo s1d0 springs at he rear atfixed fo the frame, WLC Seat Details WLC Seat Detailsthe reor mudguard of WLA, there is a standard pat of rear ligts Wi9¢ 2$ Viewed trom front bockwerc, WLA Rear Part DetailsThe WLC modal hos a different design of its pipe being aifixed to tho mudguard behind, New lights are also attached to the reer mudguard, The contamporary owner tached an ouxiliary siren ahead of the rear whe- €l. The ston could be activated with the right foot pressing it against the rotating rear tire, WLA Rear Part DetailsUnfortunately, the WLA In tefany has its sub machinegun holster of | anot very good mater ‘ol and this is why fathtul as the the WIC owned by Mr. Slabj. The holster sho- ping Is also a mis- matchArmy Technical Museum at Lesany son the left bank of 5: ‘hanice, approximately 40 km south from Alsplay Is composed of 440 tanks, guns, armoured vehicles, trucks and motorcycles covering : the era from 1890 till today. Collection is suited into 8 halls and 5 roof covered Visitors could become acquainted with Czech military vehicles design between the World Wars, Due to size of collection and due to fact that there Is many world uniques displayed, this museum belongs to the most significant European institutions of this type. Opening hours: from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p. m., Wednesdays till Sundays, June 1st till September 30th.W&W PUBLICATIONS ALREADY ISSUED