c1924 Harley-Davidson JE 1000cc Motorcycle

Description

Although Harley-Davidson's earliest attempt at building a V-twin may be considered a commercial failure, the Model D of 1909 laid the foundation for future generations of twin-cylinder motorcycles from the Milwaukee company. Hampered by the use of automatic inlet valves inherited from the early singles and slippage of the belt drive system, Harley's engineers instead adopted mechanically-operated inlet valves in 1911 along with a more durable belt-drive system (with a hand-operated tensioning system) and sales began to flourish as a result. The F-head V-twin would remain in production, albeit with periodic revisions, for the next twenty years. Improvements included the increase in capacity to 61-cid (or 1000cc) for 1912, along with a new frame and free-wheel clutch assembly, followed by a two-speed rear hub in 1914 to cope with the demands of sidecar riders, along with a welcome switch to chain-drive. Harley's range of twins had expanded rapidly to include six distinct models by 1915, with the Model J the most expensive and best equipped, with a more conventional three-speed sliding-gear transmission, a 'step starter' and full electrical equipment. In 1920 the larger displacement (74-cid) JD was introduced, while the JE of that year was a speciality model with a high-performance race motor. The JE of 1924 was fitted with alloy pistons and sold in both solo and sidecar (JES) versions, priced at $320 and 4,994 were sold that year, making it the most popular model in Harley's line-up. The F-head continued to evolve through the 1920s and they proved popular with police forces, postal services and other government agencies around the world.