WormWoodTheStar on DeviantArthttps://www.deviantart.com/wormwoodthestar/art/Harley-Davidson-WLA-493296997WormWoodTheStar

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Harley-Davidson WLA

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Description

Note: correct me if I'm wrong and this is not HD WLA, I suck at recognising motorcycles

One of the most popular wartime motorcycles, Harley-Davidson WLA was based on a previous civilian design (hence the "A", denoting Army), and served in the U.S. Army, as well as several Allied forces, such as the Polish Armed Forces in the West. Though first produced in 1940, the production only really skyrocketed after the United States joined the Second World War in December 1941. Over 90.000 of these were produced during the war, plus some several hundreds (thousands?) later when the production was revived for the Korean War.

Many young soldiers would acquire these motorcycles once the army started to sell its surplus vehicles. As a result, the WLA popularised the biker culture in the USA and Western Europe, and remains a popular vehicle among the motorcycle enthusiasts.

Interestingly, 1/3 of the produced WLAs was shipped to the Soviet Union as a part of Lend-Lease, where it was tested against other designes such as the Indian 841 and the Soviet M-72. State trials and users' opinions showed that WLA was superior and most prefered over the latter two, due to its high suspension, reliable engine that could run on Soviet low-octane, low-quality fuel, mechanical reliability and ease of maintenance. However, it was not as popular as the Soviet designs due to lack of spare parts, but some of its technical solutions might have been an inspiration for the Soviet designers afterwards.

Note: if someone wishes for a wallpaper of this motorcycle, I upload the original-sized version with no white frames, so you can find the best fit for your screen.
Image size
1280x960px 491.25 KB
Make
OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Model
C8080WZ
Shutter Speed
10/1000 second
Aperture
F/2.8
Focal Length
13 mm
ISO Speed
50
Date Taken
Nov 30, 1999, 12:00:00 AM
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