1942 Harley-Davidson WLC

Engine: V-twin, four-stroke, air-cooled

Displacement: 739.4 cc (45.12 ci)

Bore & Stroke: 70 x 97 mm (2.75 x 3.81 in)                    
Power: 17.15 kW (23 hp)
Transmission:  3-forward, manual
Weight: 249 kg (549 lb)
Original Cost: C $514 (estimate)  

The Harley-Davidson WLC was a variant built specifically for Candian military. It was used by Canadians in the Second World War for home defence and for use by Canadian units fighting overseas. Post-Second World War, surplus motorcycles were acquired by returning service personnel and others as a method of affordable transportation. This gave rise to the North American motorcycle sub-culture that would become popular in the following decades.

Chronology:

1903 - William A. Davidson, Walter Davidson Sr., Arthur Davidson and William S. Harley founded Harley-Davidson in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
1904 - Prototype machine raced in Milwaukee.
1905 - Started producing a limited number of motorcyles.
1906 - Harley-Davidson built their first factory.
1907 - Production increased and introduced their V-Twin prototype.
1911 - Introduced their improved V-twin model.
1912 - Introduced their patented "Ful-Floteing" seat.
1917 - Started producing bikes for the military and also launched a line of motorcycles aimed at the domestic market.
1920 - Harley-Davidson becomes the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world.
1921 - Otto Walker, riding a Harley, set the record for the first motorcycle to win a race at greater than 160 km/h (100 mph).
1929 - Harley introduced the Model D - a flat-head V-twin aimed to compete with Indian and Excelsior. Vivian Boles drove 5,000 miles acoss the United States and Canada on a Model D.
1929-1933 The Great Depression caused sales of motorcycles to plummet but Harley-Davidson still continued to produce motorcycles.
1934 - Harley-Davidson unveiled a new line-up of motorcycles.
1936 - Knucklehead engine models introduced.
1939-1945 - Harley produced a large number of motorcycles for military efforts during the Second World War.
1969 - After years of financial troubles, American Machine and Foundry (AMF) buys the Harley-Davidson Company. To make the company profitable, AMF streamlined production and slashed the workforce, causing sales and quality to decline.
1969 - Purchased by Stan Reynolds in Washington State, USA.
1981 - AMF sold Harley-Davidson and the new investors changed operations, adding new technologies and improving quality and slowly growing the brand repuation.
1990 - Harley introduces the Fat Boy motorcyle which became the industry leader in the heavyweight motorcycle market.
2003 - Harley-Davidson celebrates their 100th anniversary.
2015 - Motorcycle donated to the Reynolds-Alberta Museum.