1947 Harley Davidson U47 Motorcycle

Description

Though Harley-Davidson 'Flat-Head' engines had been around in one form or another since 1919, it was 1930 that saw the debut of the legendary 'Big-Twin' version. At 74ci, or 1210cc, the engine (designated 'VL') replaced the older JD which utilised an intake-over-exhaust configuration. Initially its oiling system followed the 'total loss' concept however in 1937 the motor was re-designed to take a recirculating system, making it more modern. The bike this was dropped into was designated the 'U' model, which shared a frame and other parts with the newly introduced 'Knucklehead' powered 'E' model. The U and its cousin the UL were produced in 74ci form until 1948, when it was superseded by the OHV 'Panhead' engine series.