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When you see a boxer twin like this classic what comes to mind first? BMW of course. But this bike is a Harley-Davidson built during WW2 at the request of the U.S. Army when they saw the shaft drive German BMWs performance in harsh desert enviroment. After the war Harley could have continued to build and improve in the boxer twin design but I suppose they decided that wasn't their style.



According to a Popular Mechanics writeup in, maybe, '44 the opposed twin XA and the Indian Guzzi were both way underpowered as compared to the 45 inch WLA V twin, and more expensive to build.

Oddly enough, the first BMW opposed twin was based on a 1920's HD model and another flat twin made in the UK.


Let's hope there's intelligent life somewhere in space 'cause it's buggar all down here. -- Monte Python