Black Knucklehead FL 1945

1945 … something happened that year. Oh yes, the end of World War II. And at Harley, the end of army bike mass production. They simply hadn’t had the means to produce many civilian bikes during the war, which is why a 1945 civilian Harley is by definition a rarity. But to come by one as a bobber – and largely original? Humbling.

A motorbike couldn’t fit better into our rough and tough series. It came to us from the USA almost exactly as it now stands: tank, footplates, wheels, exhaust components, the rear guard, the oil tank, the frame – all original – and, most importantly of all, the engine.
The latter we strip down into its individual components and then rebuild – part by part.
Nowadays, there are a few specialised sources that produce replacements for antique wearing parts that are absolutely true to the original Harley Davidson components.
But there is an even more exclusive way of rebuilding an old Harley engine: if you look hard enough or start collecting early enough, you may enjoy the luxury of using parts still in their original packaging from the time the bike was manufactured. OK, perhaps that’s something for purists alone, but it’s still very much the ultimate goal in our circles.
In any event, this Knucklehead is fully up to date – if you can say such a thing about a 70-year-old bike. And at Ehinger Kraftrad, that means it’s good for everyday use. Or in other words: rough and tough.