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By 1993 Harley was in good shape, and had regained
enough of it's former reputation to offer models such as this Heritage Softail
Nostalgia model. A decade or two earlier, such a bike would not have generated
much interest, from a company which many had once thought saw all of it's
best days behind it.
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This 1947 model bike was one of the first of the
post war models, and carried the new knucklehead engine, though the distinctive
valve covers which gave the motor it's name can not be seen in this view,
though they can be seen in the left hand view of the bike, in photos further
up the page..
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Who was this mysterious person? The tank only
gives us a small clue.
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This bike belonged to a Motor Maid, part of a
motorcycle mobile cleaning service. These girls delivered, and really cleaned
up.
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The basic Motor Maid bike was a Sportster, with
a bit of extra chrome, a windshield, some hard side carriers for the indispensables,
and of course, a comfy plush seat.
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The Harley Handi-Car, which was produced until
1973. This vehicle always used the same flathead engine that was introduced
in 1929. As a child, I was very familiar with the sight of these vehicles
being piloted by patrol officers in my hometown of Milwaukee. I have not seen
a serving police Handi-Car in years.
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A vintage police bike, with a vintage Motorola
radio from the sixties or seventies.. This was a shovelhead powered bike.
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A peace officer's special. Harley offers these
bikes, and a similar Fire Fighter's Special, to serving or retired officer's,
who can prove current or previous employment.
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A classic HOG, full dresser, from near the end
of the AMF days. These were basically, good motorcycles, but Harley
was really at a pretty low ebb, at this time. These were the days when the
company very nearly went under. These were the days of disgruntled employees,
compromised quality, and a certain feeling of frustrated inferiority which
seemed to pervade all American industries at the time. To many, buying a new
Harley was a chance to purchase a newly made 20 year old bike.
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The year before this bike was made, the venerable
shovelhead engine was bored out from 74 to 80 cubic inches, in an attempt
to increase power, and keep up with the increasingly large, and powerful engines
on the Japanese bikes. Even so, at a time of increasing engineering sophistication,
the old shovelhead, designed in 1966 by modifying the even older panhead
engine of 1948, was becoming a bit of a has been. The bikes were great rides,
but poor performers.
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