1942 Harley-Davidson XA

This vehicle is being sold at the Las Vegas Motorcycles 2021 as Lot No. S100.
- Barn find first titled in 1946 and stored in 1954
- One owner until 2003
- Original 1946 Virginia title and 1954 license plate included
- Unrestored
- Original Harley-Davidson Red paint, buddy seat, saddle bags, handlebars, headlight, tail light, speedometer and trim
- Possibly the only original civilian XA in existence
- Comprehensive mechanical rebuild in 2020 with over $5,000 in receipts included
- Prepared for the Cross Country Chase
- Only 1,011 XA's were built in 1942
- Post War Dealers painted XAs in civilian colors and outfitted them in road going trim
- Engine serial No. 42XA-1264, bike no. 264 built
- Casting number 24550 42
- The U.S. Army commissioned 1,000 XAs (Experimental Army) from Harley-Davidson for the North African Campaign against Rommel
- The XA is modeled after the BMW R71
- The horizontally opposed engine ran cooler than the V-Twin and the shaft drive kept sand out
- Reliable and cool running but too expensive to build, the Army continued with the WLA
- Firsts for Harley-Davidson include a 750cc horizontally opposed twin cylinder engine, twin carbs, shaft drive and plunger rear end