The Harley-Davidson XS (Experimental Sidecar) was a flat-twin shaft drive motorcycle made by Harley-Davidson for the US Army during World War II. During WWII, the Army produced a specification for a motorcycle much like the BMWs used by German forces. That meant shaft drive, a boxer engine, and several other features that made the BMWs exceptionally reliable and low-maintenance machines. Harley-Davidson produced the XA based closely on the BMW. Though an excellent machine, only about 1,000 were produced. Harley also designed a sidecar version of the XA, called the XS. Interestingly, the sidecar wheel was driven by shaft drive, similar to the Moto Guzzi Trialce of the same era.

Due to its new features and low production, the XA and the XS were expensive, and by that time it was clear that the Jeep was the Army's general purpose vehicle of choice; the less advanced but cheaper WLA was considered sufficient for its limited roles. According to the American Motorcyclist Association's Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, regarding the World-War-II-vintage HD XA and XS, which both have an opposed twin engine - "Mechanically, the large cooling fins stuck straight out in the breeze, reportedly keeping the XA’s oil temperature 100 °F (56 °C) cooler than a standard Harley 45." The latter was a transversely mounted V-twin, in which the airstream cannot reach the cylinders, especially the rear cylinder, as efficiently as on longitudinally mounted flat twin. The US Army would use motorcycles for police and escort work, courier duties, and some scouting, as well as limited use to transport radio and radio suppression equipment. Allied motorcycles were almost never used as combat vehicles or for troop mobility, and so were rarely equipped with sidecars as was common on the German side. Other motorcycles produced by HD for WWII included US Army and Canadian versions of the Big Twin EL family, the ELA and ELC, as well as an Army version of the UL, the ULA. These were produced mainly for "home front" use, and not in very large numbers. Consequently, they are very rare today. Indian, Harley-Davidson's major competitor at the time, also produced a war-time model, the Indian 741, and a longitudinal V-twin shaft-drive model, the Indian 841. Harley-Davidson would later produce the MT350E, after acquiring the British Armstrong company in 1987. These were dual-sport machines, capable of both on-road and off-road service, powered by 350 cc Rotax engines. The MT350E was a redesign of the 500 cc Armstrong MT500, which reduced weight, added an electric start, and upgraded pollution standards. The MT500 began as the Italian SWM XN Tornado, which Armstrong acquired the rights to in 1984 when SWM liquidated, and then modified for military use with assistance from CCM. The MT350E mostly saw British and Canadian service, and some are still in use.

We have more photos, also listed on Ebay, of various Harley Davidson and other (racing) machines. Please check out our auctions and take advantage of our shipping discount! The auction selection is refreshed and changed continuously.

It is a superb and rare non period photo, and this is your rare chance to own it! It reflects a very interesting and historic piece of motorcycling history in a great way! The size is perfectly suited for framing as it is large: ca. 8 x 12” (ca. 20 cm x 30 cm).