Talking about Harley’s contribution to American society would be incomplete without mentioning its contribution to World War II. Contracted by the military to provide motorcycles to the U.S. Army, Harley provided the WLA “Liberator.” The motorcycle Harley provided was tough and durable, if not particularly light at more than 500 pounds. It used an older flathead engine that was cheaper and easier to produce and had already proven to be reliable and tough. It would also make it easier to repair in the field as soldiers often have to fix their machines on the go. In the end, Harley sent nearly 100,000 motorcycles overseas (via Silodrome).
Without these durable machines, the Allies likely would have still won the war, but the contribution from Harley-Davidson made an impact. They were used mostly for escort, scout, and police duties and not for combat roles. Up to a third of the war production was sent to our Soviet allies, as well. After the war, however, Harley experienced difficulties getting raw materials as so much effort was put into rebuilding Europe’s economies. This later led to cheap imported machines flooding the U.S. market and hampered Harley’s efforts to expand after the war, according to the Motorcyclist.
After the war, tens of thousands of these motorcycles were left at home and abroad and former soldiers and civilians bought them up, altering them for civilian service. This makes original bikes with olive green paint and identifying military symbols exceedingly rare today.
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