ua production figures

Hey Bruce! Thanks for mentioning the 18" wheels that were used on some of those bikes...........now I can collect the bet I had!

UL, It has been common knowledge to me that you could order a bike painted any previous years color or special paint for Govt. machines for over 40 years. Maybe it was just you that didn't know.

Chris, I wan't directing it to you as though you didn't know. 'Didn't mean it that way.
There are alot of others here who don't so I thought I'd mention it to back up the idea that many things exist from the factory that you won't find in books these days.
Keep riding and having fun!

It has been printed in many pieces of H-D literature that bikes could be ordered in any previous years color. Of course this was in the late 20's and early 30's and not a lifelong practice.
This has been common knowledge in judging for as long as I can remember back to the days of the Classic and Antique Motorcycle Association of the 60's-70's when there were no AMCA meets in CA.
This information is published by H-D. However there is absolutely no H-D published accounts of post 1948 Big Twin Flathead motorcycles being produced. No parts books, No sales literature. Not! Nill! Nada! Nothing! No mention in production figures. If H-D made them there would be a trail.

well I'd like to thank Bruce Palmer for more info, and his efforts in general .. am always glad to learn more about these ..

I have a '40 UA, titled but just the engine .. it's complete, with alum heads, a brass-tag generator, but has an M88 ..

and the title reads "3 wheels", have always wondered about that ..

trying a pic :

Just to add on with HD oddities, there are a couple of JDH motors in Scandinavia with engine numbers from early thirties. Wich means the guys that didnt like the flatties when it came to racing, could still get JDH`s for many years if they payed (and maybe lived as far from US as Norway or Denmark).
This is allso a fact that I have never seen in any Harley books til now.

Regards
Sverre

Sweger, you are right. There is alot that you don't find in the books. I have seen many of these different bikes in my travels abroad before.

George Barrack (who was one of those in charge of teaching the mechaincs in the military during WWII) was extremely knowledgeable and had papers concerning these things as he had a dealership for decades. The factory used up whatever parts they had left over for both foreign and domestic sales.........and often dealers stamped those engine cases with all sorts of things according to their likes.

Just because a dealer stamped it dosen't mean it is real.

Just because a dealer stamped it dosen't mean it is real.