Been looking at a few WLA WLC Harley in war trim to add to the collection. After riding one on 18 inch wheels it put me off a bit. Got to spend some time on a 48 WL civi model that I adore. Been looking for a bit now.
Down to two bikes both are well within budget both have pluses and minus's.
Winning this one at aution, then a buyer bought on BIN and never contacted the seller. 11.5K. Only real issue is it is a 42 motors and one side of the case is unstamped. Really nice bike. Been sitting for a few years but does run, fully resotred on motor but really low miles. Would cost me about 2K to put a front brake on it, correct the air cleaner and get the right leath bags for the back.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225235589353?hash=item34711658e9:g:UzEAAOSwInpjZBxq&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoNste8s4o63AQwqotW90G3jjtbTqj08H%2BuL4wpNdd4nUQb%2FxX94hTU4AAj3MOM%2BGe2uA%2FpC6I8q%2F7OlDCBB4raNefBxaViAj56pf%2FO3dIqWnQJOlnBC1ca3PF5h1YuAXIDYCo%2BQUeBjF%2B0navAu14ll3h6DVbfwEh7EMdYazqpv2Gfia6jijD58qfI%2FNyaVTAQEWUsj6tiPKquty5VHj8nY%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR8yTj8mIYQ&autorefresh=true
Then there is this restored 48. Fully gone through, runs and rides like you would expect. Tires are older, been sitting in a non cilimate controlled space for the last few years so corrosion on the nuts and bolts. But its a good paint job, all the parts are there to make it correct. ~15K but minimal money to spend on parts would need a serious detailing and likely a motor out to polish everything up to standard.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/275508973810?hash=item40259d50f2:g:Z6YAAOSwu1JjJOSb&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoEoHNnaRXU5FVXD6rjxAEVPChkEuUelg1OqcAci4je4BDEs4DGrUlVY%2FKIySfZqAPq1YO5AsJMc25FKf8xHr0L%2BNWpArx%2FngkIfqYB7b7fkrnQw8vSXHVu1q%2FENZ%2BUE3ZPSYF4Vr19tIbtpD2jYhH31uUYz2rYAo2g9zrrobhSCUweCzrkrXHCVUHjcf4D0pOzC5jS6eP8o1ki4uOM%2BqGwI%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR5Ci7YiLYQ
Leaning toward the orange as the seller is upfront, the green bike the seller is abit gruff and does not have the whole history on the bike.
I prefer the looks of the orange one.
Bought the orange one.
1600 mile tip to get it on Friday and Saturday with my dad which will be fun.
I assume that trip won't involve you be riding the bike 1600 miles.
RacerBoy75 said:
I assume that trip won't involve you be riding the bike 1600 miles.
Dear god no. That would be absolute death. 50mph on a rigid for 800 miles would actually kill me
going to be sitting in my air conditioned cage pulling my trailer. Got a mattress in the back of the flex so I can sleep and found some cool hikes to do in the way back.
Given that the last Flathead I tried to buy was a 12 hour round trip for a bike that was a complete E36 M3 show when I got there this at least has at least a better chance of being a decent trip.
RacerBoy75 said:
I assume that trip won't involve you be riding the bike 1600 miles.
I've ridden my bike to a few trailer weeks, but never for 800 miles. That did used to happen, but that was back when sex was safe, and motorcycles were dangerous 
914Driver said:
Very cool !! If you are up for a road trip ...
San Diego to New York is a bit of a trip. Leaving at nine tonight not at one this morning so we can get a jump on traffic and get a couple hour nap in Tucson.
Heading to a little town called Alto New Mexico. Town has 2000 people. I have that many people in my office park.
500 miles down. Another 300 to go. 3:30am. Pops is driving now, I did the first stint still in Arizona this was a mistake. It's just miles of completely open freeway and stars in the desert. Lots of fun talking through projects and what's going on with family which is the best.
Way way better then described. I think the motor has 10 miles on it after the dyno tune.
now it's got some weird E36 M3 done to it. It's not a rocker clutch it's a suicide. It's been sitting for at least 15 years and maybe fired up twice in that time. It has a Mikini carb setup from some weird Flathead guru. Wheels and tires are brand new. You could eat off the inside of the tank. Plus the metal is all OEM. Who ever had it before drained the tanks each time they fired it up or more likely feed it from a cup.
Some bad. Whoever did the wiring used top notch parts and lowest iq install. So new battery and wiring but not hooked up because all you need is the magneto.
Needs some serious TLC but not a lot of money. If the carb cleans up and I can get the throttle cables to not stick I will be able to ride it on Sunday.
1700 miles today on 25 total hours out of the house. Driving shared between my dad and I.
Pulling a trailer the whole way.
102 total gallons of fuel.
saved 1.2k over the median cost of shipping without the extra insurance costs.
Not doing that again. They can take the money. All the money any time they want it.
also the bike puked transmission fluid all over the trailer after i hit a big bump and likely killed a gasket.
A bump in the road caused a gasket to fail?
Apis Mellifera said:
A bump in the road caused a gasket to fail?
It's been sitting a long long time. Likely just something that was loose and knocked the cover out of position. Likely just stuck on after all these years.
AAA is going to get the title transfered over to my name today and after that I will dig in. Still loaded on the trailer so I can drag it over there to get the vin verified.
Titled in my name, registered, has plates now. Ordered a full set of knucklehead dual cam brakes for the front from Poland that are already restored and will fit the UL hubs I have on the front. Sent the photos on to somebody who is much more knowledgeable then I am on WL's and he thinks it actually is a early 1942 civilian WL that Harley made in 41 or early 42 and sold before the war effort not a WLA that was converted. Not any more valuable but cool non the less.
Got it running on the magneto, wiring is not complete so no tail light or headlight yet. Need to finish the wiring on the generator and then hook up the rest. Luckily its all there and terminated correctly just not attached.
I have ridden it and it goes down the road wonderfully but the suicide clutch and the no front brake really suck. Like really.
Got 90% of the leaks fixed, so it leaks like a flathead Harley should not more and not less.
Sweeeet, need to come check this out soon.
Shavarsh said:
Sweeeet, need to come check this out soon.
Yeah we need to hangout again. Work has been eating my time up but miss F1 and firepit days.
