Harley-Davidson never really had much of an impact in the years before the war. The British and American motorcycle industries had each been developing along their own, rather different lines. 

Then, suddenly, the warlike Fates threw the world into disarray, and the English Tommy and American G.I. found themselves sharing something of a cultural exchange.

In 1940, not excessively troubled at that point by the war across the Atlantic, America was looking to expand its forces and commissioned a motorcycle from Harley-Davidson for general-purpose army use. Production of the new WLA model got underway, ‘W’ indicating the 45 cu. in. Flathead engine, ‘L’ indicating high compression and ‘A’ standing for Army.

Meanwhile, the Canadian National Defence Forces were buying Nortons and B.S.A.s from Britain, but since Canada, as part of the Commonwealth, got dragged into the war before the U.S.A., Britain could no longer produce bikes fast enough to meet its needs. Canada turned first of all to Indian, but after experiencing some quality issues with them, Harley-Davidson became the next supplier of choice.

Beginning in 1941, Harley-Davidson adapted the WLA into the WLC for the Canadian army. Though it looked almost identical, it differed in many subtle details, such as some heavier-duty Big Twin parts and Canadian blackout lighting. A great many WLCs were shipped around the world for use with the R.A.F. and other Commonwealth forces. 

Quite a number arrived in Britain, where they must have been something of a novelty. The War Office usually specified lightweight machines which could travel quickly and nimbly over rough country, but the WLC, at over 500 lbs., was not agile. Like all Harley-Davidsons, though, it was very strong and comfortable for long rides.

When the war was over, lots of WLCs became surplus and ended up being demobilised and sold to private owners. Thus, it was probably responsible for awakening the interest in Harley-Davidsons in Britain which thrives to this day.

This Harley-Davidson received its first civilian registration, a London number, on 6th May 1947, evidently having been recently decommissioned. Its first documented owner was John Henry Gardner of St. Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex, in 1956. 

The new owner may find it worth their while to investigate whether he was connected in any way to the John Henry Gardner who owned St. Leonards Pier from 1917 to 1933.

Mr. Gardner held onto the Harley-Davidson for a long time and appears to have enjoyed using it, since it was taxed consistently every six months from 1959 to 1967. It then passed to David Braben Milne of Haywards Heath in 1971. 

Mr. Milne was another reasonably long-term owner, and he retained it until 1984, transferring ownership to Noel Locksley Hughes of Belfast. After a short spell in Ireland, it returned to England, finding a home among the attractive Victoriana of London S.W.11.

The bike was still in south-west London by the late 2000s, but it was acquired by the present owner in Surrey in 2019.

Besides its current V5, the Harley-Davidson boasts one of the richest history files we've ever seen thanks to the survival of its 1950s buff logbook and its 1980s Irish logbook. That only accounts for the smallest fraction of the overall paperwork file, which occupies quite a chunky folder.

Among the rest, there is to be found a large collection of M.o.T. certificates.

The WLC offered here looks just like a Harley-Davidson ought to – rough and ragged, but fundamentally solid and sound. Although the paintwork obviously isn’t original, it is clearly historic and may very well date back to when the bike was decommissioned from the armed forces. 

Blessed with a vast amount of character, it is not always easy to find a bike with such a historic finish these days, and we think there’s much more to appreciate in the time-worn charm of this demob paint job than in the many bikes which have been restored to pristine army specification.

It is quite apparent that this bike has never been restored, and that all seems to be for the best. The patina evident across the paint and ingrained into the brightwork tells the story of many years, so the bike must be considered a candidate for careful preservation.

The saddle and pannier bags are very interesting items. It’s not clear when they might have been fitted to the bike, since they look to have been sourced from America, but they suit its condition wonderfully and the various studs and decorative accessories perfectly capture the æsthetic of American motorcycling in the ’40s and ’50s. The American-style number plate still looks quite new, though it appears to have been deliberately beaten up to give the impression of age.

The Harley-Davidson runs and we have no reason to believe there are any faults, although we cannot make any guarantees. We would not want to presume anything about its state of roadworthiness all the time it is without a valid M.o.T., but the fact that it passed its tests regularly until a few years ago would suggest that it is all generally in a good, usable state.

Classic Harley-Davidsons really seem to have come of age in Britain in recent years, and the venerable Flatheads are perhaps more desirable than they have ever been. 

In particular, enthusiasts have come to value the unrestored, Oily Rag look of late, preferring a well-preserved historic finish to the somewhat insensitive approach of painting, polishing or chroming every metal part, as was once the vogue.

Flathead Harleys are an enduring and archetypal image of America, its motoring culture and the freedom of the road. Tastefully accessorised as this one is with pannier bags and studded saddle, although built for the Commonwealth armed forces it now belongs to the same cultural landscape as roadside truck stops, jukeboxes and dusty old Main Streets.

Have a watch of The Wild One again and see if there aren’t a dozen Harleys just like this one rallying around Johnny and Chino. The appeal of Flathead Harleys is enormous, and with events like The Trip Out and DicE magazine’s Helter Skelter 101 becoming staples on the British calendar, there’s never been a better time to enjoy them.