War motorcycles : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

pivoman · 10-21-2003, 02:10 PM

Does anyone know if you can find the old HD bikes from the war? Someone said there are still surplus bikes still in the box.

95 FXST · 10-21-2003, 02:21 PM

Poland.

10-21-2003, 02:24 PM

Which war? Which HD? How about one of these:

http://www.motorcycleshowcase.com/bmsmt500.htm

hezgon · 10-21-2003, 02:37 PM

Guy I play hockey with has brought 2 back from Russia, a 1941 and 42 WLA's. These defiantly were not in a box. Would you like me to inquire further?

Habanero Kid · 10-21-2003, 03:12 PM

Usually when people say 'the war', they mean the BIG ONE ! WWII

I'd love to find one of those old flatheads kicking around. Heck, I'd like to find an early 45 or 46 BSA that the Brits were riding around Europe. That's what my grandfather rode while he was there.

US Ranger · 10-21-2003, 03:41 PM

How did he get then back from Russia? Any problems? / lots of hoops to jump through? And cost?
If you don't mind finding further info out hezgon.............

CPT '00SPRINGER · 10-21-2003, 06:11 PM

Check ebay, there is a guy that rebuilds and sells them for decent prices, he can't always use original parts, and his prices reflect that.

BWalker · 10-21-2003, 08:27 PM

Be careful, after almost getting scammed by this "non English speaking dude" from Germany I did some research. Apparently the Russian mafia has this down to a science. hezgon, I ain't aiming this at you. I would guess that he was there and saw the bikes, bought em, and had em shipped over. What I have read is that they have taken this one step further and now advertise the bikes, cheap, send money to escrow account, etc. etc......we all know whats coming next. Apparently there really are WWII HD's overseas but all I am saying is be really careful.

Ryan · 10-22-2003, 03:42 AM

If there were any new in the crate wla's or wlc's left over there, and I seriously doubt it, and if you got your hands on one, you could trade it for 8 new harley's, maybe 10 even.

Barrier · 10-22-2003, 07:10 AM

The Harley in a Crate story dates back to my Sophmore year in High School for me(early 60s). The story was Brand New WW11 Harleys packed 2 in a crate $100 each. The rub was you had to buy a truckload. All the guys in my school were trying to get in on this, I think we had about 50 or so signed up. $100 was alot then minimum wage was $1.00 per hour at after school jobs.
It was all just wishful thinking. When I was in the Navy guys from other parts of the Country were talking about it as well. I even think it was mentioned in Car & Driver a few years ago as an Urban Legend. But it was nice to Dream.
Barrier

duhast · 10-22-2003, 08:18 AM

I did see a couple years ago in Hot Rod magazine, that there was a small quantity of brand new mil-spec flat head Ford blocks that came out of Belgium (I think). 'Course that doesn't help anyone here.............

Mongo38 · 10-22-2003, 08:59 AM

Maybe 20 or 30 years ago you could find them in the box in Russia an surrounding countrys. Not anymore, they know that the bikes are worth something now, while I was stationed in Germany me an my boss talked with this guy from Latvia, he was advertising WLAs and BMWs for sale, all war bikes, completely restored WLAs for 13,000 unrestored for 3000 you can imagine that me an my boss at the time were all over this, we were going to drive over, buy 3 or 4 apiece, bring them back and keep one for ourselves an sell the rest off. When it came down to actually doing this the guy started back tracking quickly, he apparently was trying to be the go between for some guys he knew who had bikes but when it came down to it he could only come up with one WLA fully restored for $8000, still a hell of a deal but I didn't have the money it would take to go get it and my boss was on his way back to the states an had already shipped his household goods back. He also had a real nice BMW fully restored with side car. There are some war time bikes to be had over there, but the price of going and getting them and shipping them back, your better off just buying one here in the states.