WLA General Information Motorcycle, Chain Drive, Solo (Harley Davidson Model 42WLA) Ordnance Supply Catalog G523 dated 15 September 1944 Harley-Davidson produced about 70.000 WLA and WLC military motorcycles for the US Army and their Allies during WW2. Spare parts for an additional 30.000 bikes were also produced. WLAs were used extensively by US Troops for messenger and Military Police duties and thousands were supplied to other countries thru Lend Lease Agreements. These bikes were nicknamed 'Liberators' in Europe since they were ridden by troops liber ating their towns and countries from German occupation. The name has stuck ever since. Blufftitler Project Files Format. One of Belgium's most remembered 'Liberators' is commemorated every year in the Belgian town of Peruwelz where James Carroll of the 628th Tank Destroyer was the first GI to enter the village on 3rd September 1944 after 4 long years of German occupation.

Photo from an unknown source James Carroll's WLA surrounded by overjoyed locals in Peruwelz, Belgium, on September 3rd, 1944. This Liberator Story was published in the November 1998 edition of the 'American Motorcyclist' magazine.

Read the complete story:! 42WLA Origin & Production During the first half of the 20th century, the Motorcycle was a common means of transport for both civil and government use. The US Army had fielded motorcycles since the Great War and had continued to use them as the ideal transport for messenger, reconnaissance and traffic control purposes. Photo: Harley-Davidson Cpl Holtz on his Harley-Davidson: the First Yank to Enter Germany at the End of the Great War Read the complete story: In 1937, Harley-Davidson introduced the W-series models fitted with a 45 cubic inch engine whose most notable feature was the recirculating oil system, which greatly reduced maintenance. Earlier motorcycles had been equipped with a total-loss oil system which made the rider responsable for checking the oil, adjusting the oil pump or even using the hand oil pump to properly lubricate the engine while riding.

The US Army ordered the 1937 WL Model to replace the Model RL Motorcycle then in use. In 1939 the US Army purchased the 39W model. And in August 1939 two prototype 39WL(A) Models were shipped to the Mechanized Cavalry Board at Fort Knox, Kentucky. These were the first true 'WLA' Models having the typical military look. The engine may have been numbered 39WLAxxxx, but this is not sure. The 39WL(A) was a straight adaption of the civilian Model, still retaining the I-beam type front forks. The 39WL(A) as it is shown in US Army Technical Manual TM10-1510 The Motor Vehicle, Page 52.

When war broke out in Europe in September 1939, Fort Knox began an extensive testing program on motorcycles from different manufacturers, amongst which the two protoype 'WLA' Models, competing with Indian and Delco. The Harleys came thru these tests with flying colors.

Between January and March 1940, the US Army ordered more than 400 40WLA Models. The 40WLA Model was the first type of which it is certain that it was delivered with the term 'WLA' in the Engine Number. This makes it the 'Father' of the 41WLA and the 'Grandfather' of the Model 42WLA. These 40WLA and 41WLA served alongside UA, ELA, Indians, etc. Photo: Harley-Davidson The 40WLA as it was delivered to the US Army in 1940: the beginning of an American Icon. By the time the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941, 41WLAs were a common sight in the Armed Forces. With the outbreak of war, Harley Davidson rapidly geared up for war production as the US Army required a rugged mass-produced model.

Photo: Harley-Davidson The 41WLA which would equip US Army Armored Units from the summer of 1940 onwards. The 41WLA would soon evolve into the 42WLA of which thousands were manufactured between September 1941 and August 1945. Photo: Harley-Davidson The 42WLA as it would go into combat around the globe.

Meanwhile the Army was impressed by the German BMW motorcycles and at the end of 1941, Harley Davidson built their 45-ci opposed twin, shaft driven 42XA model. Only 1.000 of these were manufactured and very few, if any, saw overseas use. Photo: Harley-Davidson The 42XA with opposed cylinder engine The WLA motorcycle was soon recognised as a sturdy and reliable vehicle and for their Excellence in Production, the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Company received the Army-Navy 'E' Award on May 12th, 1943. Only industries that participated in wartime production were eligible to receive this award.

The award ceremony was elaborate, with high-level officers present and airforce fly-overs. William H Davidson received the banner from Colonel Otjen, who called the Harley Davidson workers: 'Soldiers of the Production Line'. Employees of the company that received the award were entitled to wear an 'E' Pin on the lapel of their jackets. The award would be mentioned in all future advertising as a sign of support to the War Effort. Photo: (left) and pin from the Webmaster's Collection (right) This Army/Navy 'E' Award pennant would have been given to a business that supported the war effort during World War II.

Even Harley-Davidson admit there are some discrepancies in their vin numbers. And more explanation Do the numbers match? Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN.

The pennant (left) is approximately 18' x 8' 1/2, while the employee-pin (right) is about 7/8' x 3/8' The employee pin was issued pinned on a card which mentioned the name of the worker and the company he or she worked for. Front and rear views of an 'E' Pin Award Card from the Webmaster's Collection The 42WLA would be manufactured over a period of 4 years; yet every bike would receive an engine number starting with 42WLA, even bikes delivered in 1943, 1944 or 1945.

This was unique in HD's history. The reason is not very clear, but it sure made Army paperwork easier. Although production details, parts or finishes varied, the overall appearance of the 'Liberator' remained the same throughout production.

All 42WLAs were delivered in flat olive drab color. After extensive vintage HD research, Bruce Palmer devised a unique 42WLA identification system by cataloging total production into 7 different types. This system has been adopted by most WLA fans and these different types are known as 42WLA Type I thru Type VII. Most common type was the Type III of which roughly 20.000 bikes rolled off the Milwaukee production line.

Below is a chart showing which engine numbers were used in which types and what timeframe they were produced. The chart also shows the US Army Registration Numbers which were assigned to each bike. The chart was compiled from information in Bruce Palmer's books.

I would heartily recommend that every WLA owner gets those books as it will answer most, if not all questions on WW2 military HD's. The August 1942 edition of AR850-5 above does not specify where the USA Registration Number should be and there's no mention of a number plate. On the other hand Section III, §7, d. Indicates the 'rear fender only' as correct place for the Registration Markings. USA Registration Numbers are to be painted in 'blue-drab lusterless enamel by means of a stencil' The following edition dated February 15th, 1945 states in Section V, §13, b. 'the registration markings will be applied with approved white lusterless, stenciling, synthetic enamel'.

Figure 5 of the same edition shown left clearly shows the USA Number to be painted on the rear fender in front of the luggage rack. Note the position and size of the stars in both editions. In both editions a Model 42XA is used in the illustration! So while the color of the actual numbers on the plates changed from white to blue drab in April 1942, and the number was to painted in white again in February 1945, there is absolutely no trace of red plates in any edition of Army Regulations prescribing the marking of US Army vehicle registration numbers. However it would be possible that by order of some unit or post commanders the plates were painted red for better visibility. Most original photographs and a few rare surviving examples of these plates show that they were in fact olive drab with white numbers.

The W-prefix found on early plates, was dropped during production of the Type III. The August 1942 edition of the regulations was published in the middle of the Type III production and could account for the continued use of the plates for that entire production run. However Type IVs equipped with a number plate have also been observed on original WW2 pictures. Photographs of motorcycles in the ETO show these plates in use well into 1944. Photo: Phil Suttile GI's are cleaning dust and dirt from a Type I 42WLA at Fort Knox in June 1942. Note the high headlight, buddy-seat and round air cleaner. Although the picture's quality is poor, the US Army License Plate with number U.S.A.

W-610179 is clearly visible. This early plate is bordered in white and shows the dash between the 'W' and the numbers. The marking AFRTC below the huge '1' stands for 'Armored Forces Replacement Training Center'. Photo: Sam Cox A messenger takes aim behind his Type III 42WLA during manoeuvers, late 1942. The photo gives a clear view of the US Army License Plate showing number U.S.A. W-617078, the dash barely visible. The War Department 'W' prefix was dropped at some point during Type III production.

The painted markings AGF-15C A-52 on the rear fender stand for Army ground Forces-15th Cavalry Group-Troop A-Vehicle 52 The meaning of the arrow is not clear. The bike is equipped with a rear wheel driven sirene, a rare item during WW2, and a pair of brandnew saddle bags. Left: from 'In the Field with the 2nd AD' US Army Publication 1942 & Right: from Left: This 2nd Armored Division's motorcycle carries number plate USA W-67975 indicating a 41WLA. This is confirmed by the handlebars, and combined civilian and military rear lights. Right: MP's awaiting embarkation prior to the Normandy invasion in May 1944. Note the military license plates, that have been highlighted with white paint, together with the front and rear fender tips.

Photo: US Army Signal Corps Photo/National Archives A Reconnaissance unit from an Armored Unit has taken up postions in the garden of a French house in the summer of 1944. Two WLAs are visible in this shot. Of special interest is the License Plate on the bike on the left and the.30 Cal Ammo Box attached to the rear fender under the seat. Photo: Tony Tamburino thru Kenton Falerios 4 MP's from the 82nd Airborne Division with their bikes in Liege, Belgium in late 1945. Note the License Plate on the WLA on the left. Also of special interest is the number '61985' painted on the rear fender of the bike on the right.

Unless there's one digit missing, it is not a correct US Army registration number for a 42WLA motorcycle; maybe it's one of those 'Unit Invasion Codes'??? This picture was published in the. Close-Up from the plate: U.S.A. Above a 6-digit number, exactly like on the original plate shown further below. Private Collection Photo On 15th June 1945, one of the largest Victory Parades in Europe was held in Pilsen, Czechoslovakia.

The picture above was taken during that parade and shows MPs from the 26th Infantry Division watching vehicles on the Republic Square. The WLA parked on the right clearly has a US Army Number Plate under the rear lights. Original and Reproduction US Army License Plates. Original WW2 Army license plates are rarer than hen's teeth, and good reproductions are hard to get! They are however a very nice detail on any bike. In 1995, Steve Greenberg of Portland, Oregon, discovered this original unrestored Type III 42WLA. It still had the original US Army License Plate attached.

This motorcycle was registered as U.S.A. A close-up of the plate is shown below right!

I photographed the bike at the 1996 MVPA Convention in Portland, Oregon. Two original License Plates from Private Collections. They are from a 1941Indian 640B and a 1943 TypeIII 42WLA. Note how the early 1941 plate has the 'W' before the registration number and the difference in size and fonts of the numbers. The repro US Army License Plate on the left is nice and has the 'W' prefix, but sadly, as most of them, is made in the wrong colors.

Although the font on the plate on the right is a bit off, it looks very convincing and the number is perfect for Type III 42WLA31854. Painted US Army Registration Numbers As confirmed by SNL G-523 and the different editions of AR850-5 described above, at some point the USA Registration Number was painted on the rear fender.

This was done in standard 1' blue drab letters. No doubt the bikes' fenders were not sufficiently large to use the prescribed 2' stencils. Although the 1942 Army Regulations do not specify where to paint the USA number, the February 1945 edition clearly shows it painted on the rear fender in front of the luggage rack!? Late 1944 production bikes have been observed with the number painted underneath the rear lights?!

To add to the confusion wartime images show USA Numbers on fenders, tanks and even on luggage racks. Photo from an unknown source A Military Police WLA in the 'Rue du Chateau' in Cherbourg in the summer of 1944. Close-up of the bike shows no sign of a License Plate and a blue-drab painted number is not distinguishable from this distance. Photos: Yvon Dincau Yvon Dincau found the original USA number in 1' blue drab letters on the rear fender and marked the restored bike accordingly. USA-6129483 indicates a Type VII and this is confirmed by engine number 42WLA63442. Are not many wartime pictures showing WLA motorcycles with the USA Registration Number correctly painted on the rear fender in front of the luggage rack as prescribed in the February 1945 edition of AR850-5.

One can only assume the change of location for the painted numbers came too late during WW2 to be applied en masse. However the picture below shows a correctly marked bike in September 1945 in the ETO. Photo from the Webmaster's Collection This WLA from the 815th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion (815th AAA Bn) was photographed in Antwerp, Belgium, in September 1945. The 815th served as a Military Police unit policing an area where thousands of GI's passed thru on their way back to the USA! Note how the USA number is painted in white upside down on the rear fender between the battery box and the luggage rack, just as prescribed by the 1945 edition of AR 850-5. On the detail on the right, you can see the 629xxx, the USA remaining invisible behind the rider's trousers' fabric.

Markings on the front fender are CBS over 815AAA over A-?? Which indicates a motorcycle of A Battery of the 815th AAA Bn attached to the Continental Base Section. The windshield apron has been painted over in white, with the words Military Police most likely painted in black. You can read more about the 815th's MP duty in Antwerp and. X-Prefixed US Army Registration Numbers During the Great War some US Army Officers drove their own vehicles and had them serviced by the Motor Transport Corps.

Although these vehicles were private property, due to the fact that they were used in the service, they could benefit from official maintenance and parts. To identify these vehicles they were allotted a US Army Registration Number prefixed by an 'X'. By the beginning of WW2 the official use of privately owned vehicles had disappeared and the 'X' prefix was carried over to identify vehicles which were not (or no longer) officially listed in Quartermaster or Ordnance files. This was the case for vehicles which were leased from non-US sources (e.g.

British made American Red Cross buses. ), completely rebuilt or adapted vehicles which no longer matched the original model (e.g. Long-wheel-base Jeeps), captured enemy vehicles or vehicles of which the original registration number was not or no longer available or had disappeared. The prefix 'X' indicated the registration number was not the vehicle's original one, but rather a replacement number assigned to this vehicle by the Ordnance Corps during overhaul or maintenance.

The number issued by the Ordnance Corps would be as follows: U.S.A. X-61234 The first or first two digit(s) after the 'X' indicated the Class to which the vehicle belonged (the motorcycle being Class 6) with the remainder being the number of vehicles of the same class having been issued a new number. Looking at the pictures below it seems odd that the WLAs all received X-prefixed numbers in what seems to be the same batch. Seeing other X-prefix numbered vehicles in Britain (Jeeps, Trucks etc.); it becomes clear that the X-prefix numbers were mostly assigned to early vehicles ( Type II WLAs, script Jeeps, etc. ) and therefore one cannot help but wonder if the USA might have shipped multiple numberless vehicles to Britain before they entered the war to have them at their disposal once the troops arrived there. The vehicles could have been shipped in the Lend-Lease program and since they carried no USA numbers wouldn't have been considered US Army vehicles. But of course this is only speculation.

US Army Signal Corps Photo/National Archives 'Darby's Rangers' Lt Col Darby, CO of the 1st Ranger Battalion, in front of the City Hall of Arzew, Algeria on November 16th, 1942. Darby frequently used a WLA Motorcycle for duty trips in North Africa. The number 'USA X-61447' is painted on the oil tank. ' Loss' of the US Army License Plate possibly resulted in an unidentified motorcycle upon which the Ordnance Corps allotted a new X-prefixed number to the bike, unless of course the bike was delivered to Britain without a number and received the X-number when issued to US troops in England. Wartime records indicate the original vehicle carrying 'USA-61447' without an X prefix was a 74ci Model UA with Side Car from a 1939 US Army contract. Also of interest here is the M1938 Leather Rifle Scabbard carried in the provided bracket on the front forks.

The rifle is a M1903 Springfield Model. The Officer talking to Darby has a British Made F-S Commando knife attached to his pistol belt teween the.45 pistol and the first aid pouch. The dagger is no doubt a souvenir from training with the Commandos in Achnacarry, Scotland. Darby carries an early zippered compass pouch on his belt. 'Friendly Invasion' Photo from the Webmaster's Collection Two American Military Policemen stand next to their motorcycles somewhere in England in November 1942.

The bikes are Type II 42WLA without Black Out Driving light but both fitted with large pursuit lights. The nickname on the front fender refers without doubt to Norfolk, Virginia and is probably the home town of the rider. The US Army registration number has been painted on the side of the tank. Both WLAs carry an X-prefixed USA number ( USA X-6144? )on the oil tank and seem to have been numbered from the same batch as Darby's motorcycle above!

The MPs are wearing the standard Wool Uniform with MP brassard and white leggins. Curiously they are equipped with a British issue Pattern '39 leather ammunition pouch. These GIs must have been amongst the first US troops to arrive in England during the 'Friendly Invasion'. 'Rum-Dum' A Sergeant poses on a WLA somewhere in England in 1944. The bike is clearly a Type II 42WLA with a Bicycle Pedal style kick starter and high mounted Horn.

A standard US Army vehicle Black-Out Drive Lamp (without switch) has replaced the headlight. This particular WLA would have been delivered with a US Army number plate mounted underneath the rear lights.

However other pictures from the same bike show the plate is missing and therefore a US Army registration number has been applied to the side of the oil tank. The applied number USA 61909 is most likely another X-prefixed number with the X missing from the tank as USA 61909 was not an officially attributed 42WLA number during the war. The Technician 4th Grade (T-4) is wearing the standard US Army Wool Uniform of the era. He is armed with a.45Cal M1911A1 Pistol. The caption on the original picture mentions his first name 'John', nicknamed 'Doc'.

From the same caption it seems either he or the WLA was referred to as 'Rum-Dum'. Photo from the Webmaster's Collection The Radio Suppression S Marking The only other factory-applied marking is the blue-drab letter 'S' on bikes equipped with a Radio Interference Suppression System.

It seems this 2' high marking was applied on both sides of the dash cover on all bikes from Type III onwards. These bikes were also equipped with braided ground straps on the coil and later also on the front cylinder head. The 'S' was to be applied in the same color and size as the Army Registration number which was blue-drab until the February 1945 regulations changed it to white again. Although the 'S' was already being applied to US Army vehicles as early as 1942, the first time the marking appears in regulations is in Changes No.

9 to AR850-5 Dated January 27th, 1944. 'Section III, § 12 f. Letter 'S' (1)The letter 'S' will be used on a military vehicle to indicate that a vehicle so marked has been suppressed to eliminate radio interference, caused by the vehicle electrical system, over a frequency range 0.5 to 30 megacycles.

(2) The letter 'S' symbol will be placed after the registration number and will be made as conspicious as possible by leaving a space between the last numeral and the 'S'. This space should be equivalent to the space required for a numeral. Design, size and color of the letter will be the same as that of the digits of the registration number. The character and style of markings of a vehicle suppressed to eliminate radio interference will be as follows: U.

123726 S (3) The letter 'S' will be applied originally to a vehicle either by the vehicle manfacturer at the time of assembly or by the authorized persons effecting suppression in the field. If a suppressed vehicle is repainted, the letter 'S' will be reapplied in the manner and location described in (2) above. Although the regulations stipulated the 'S' was to be added to the US Army Registration Number, on the WLA it was stencilled unto the dash cover. One can only assume there was no room left next to the number or the WLAs were still equipped with a number plate.!?! Upon manufacture, a 2' blue drab 'S' was painted on each side of the instrument panel to indicate the motorcycle was originally equipped by HD with a Radio Interference Suppression System.

Above are two examples of original markings with a restored marking shown below. Unit Markings & Stars Other markings were applied in the motorcycle's unit motorpool (Stars, Unit Codes, Military Police markings etc.) and varied greatly from one unit to another. Although prescribed in the same Army Regulations, Theater or Unit Commanders could order special markings to be applied to the vehicles of the units under their command. Also specific tactical markings were sometimes applied in view of an upcoming operation. Photo: Chad Conway thru Kenton Falerios Cpls Conway and Doubfit of the 82nd Airborne Division' MP Platoon patrol Berlin in May 1945.

Their bikes are marked as precribed by 1942 AR 850-5, with the National Symbol (star) on the tanks and the unit identity on both the front fender and windshield apron. The US Army Registration is probably painted on the rear fender below the rear lights.

This picture was published in the. Photo from the Webmaster's Collection Two German POWs, wearing US Wool shirts marked accordingly, stand next to a WLA with its GI rider at the US Army POW Camp at Laon, France in 1945. A white star has been painted on top of the luggage rack and parts of the headlight and horn have been painted white. Period photographs show that despite of clear regulations, markings were applied in many different ways. Shipping Markings Many US Army vehicles were shipped to the theaters of operation in crates where they were uncrated, assembled and issued to the combat units.

Some of the vehicles however were shipped fully assembled. In order to use the available shipping space to the fullest, sometimes vehicles were marked with 'Shipping Markings' detailing their dimensions. Initially these markings were applied with paint, but from the spring of 1944 onwards some vehicles were produced with a permanently attached shipping data plate. No plate was made for the WLA and shipping markings were rarely applied to motorcycles, but there are a few examples showing up on period photographs. Shipping details observed describing length, width, height and weight for the Model 42WLA are. OL 7'5 OW 2'10 HT 3'6 NW 525 5 CWT Preparation for Overseas Movement (POM) Markings In the build-up to large-scale military operations during WW2, the US Army introduced a system by which all items that were to accompany a unit on an overseas voyage could be correctly identified to their respective units. These items included large personal equipment to vehicles and tentage.

By assigning each unit a 5-digit serial number, all items could be easily identified. Francevfr Brest Guipavas Lfrb Charts. To expedite this identifying process in the system, a color code was also devised, with specific colors relating to the final two digits of the 5-digit code.

These particular markings, referred to as 'Preparation for Overseas Movement' (POM) markings were designed to replace unit idenfication markings, thus making organisation and transportation simple. Each unit, down to Company level, was issued with a 5-digit code which uniquely identified it. Each number of the code corresponded to a color, which would be painted in the form of three stripes, representing the following: top and bottom bar: penultimate digit, middle bar: final digit. Sometimes the bars were painted on a white square, especially if olive drab bars were used.

The table below shows the digits used and their corresponding colours. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Below are two examples of original POM markings Left: a CS-79 Battery Box for an SCR-609/610 Radio Set with number 45164 which was attributed to the 293rd Joint Assault Signal Company which landed with the first wave on Omaha Beach during the Normandy invasion on 6th June 1944. Right: a Duffelbag with number 46531 which was Headquarters Detachment, Advance Section, Communications Zone. Items from the Webmaster's Collection To learn more about POM marking, please click!

The picture below illustrates both Shipping and POM Markings. US Army Signal Corps Photo via Dave Thomas 'French Summer of '44.' This fantastic image shows Pvt Robert J Vance, from Portland, Oregon, riding his bike as a messenger of the 33rd Armored Regiment of the 3rd Armored Division in the fields of Normandy in late July, 1944. He wears wool trousers and shirt and headgear consists of the Tanker’s helmet. A 3rd AD decal is applied to the front of the helmet. Goggles are the M1943 type. His Lightweight Gas Mask Bag and M3 Binoculars in their M17 Leather Case are attached to the front forks and handlebars.

An M1 Carbine is carried in the leather scabbard. Ammo pouches for the carbine are visible on the carbine stock and on the M1936 Pistol Belt.

A (British?) shovel is carried between the leather straps of the rear saddle bag. The bike is a Type IV or early Type V, identified by the low Ammo Box and first pattern front fender. The Army censor has obscured the Regimental markings but the 33rd Armored Regt was part of the 3rd AD.

Markings indicate the 22nd Vehicle of the 33rd Armored Regt of the 3rd Armored Division (3/ 33/ HQ22) The POM codebar and unit number 42895 are also visible on the front fender. The shipping dates are painted on the Ammo Box. Even in the hot summer weather, the legshields are attached to the motorcycle. Tire is a Good Year Motorcycle Sport Special pattern Tire Pressure Markings During WW2 the tire pressure was not a prescribed marking for US Army vehicles and when it was applied, it was usually in a location in plain view of the vehicle's operator. For a motorcycle this would have been on the inside of the windshield or on the tank.

The TP marking on the fenders above the wheels is a post-WW2 marking. Standard WLA/WLC Tires in WW2 WLA/WLC Motorcycles came off the assembly line fitted with 'Firestone Sportsman' Type 4.00-18 tires, recognisable by the distinctive cross-lug pattern tread. But other tires have been observed on these bikes, as mechanics would have fitted whatever was available during maintenance or overhaul. Thus far five different types of tires have been observed on wartime pictures of WLA Motorcycles, and they are all illustrated on the ads from 1939 below. These original tires are made of very hard rubber and are not safe to ride! Ads: Martin Bogaert Collection Tires mounted on the WLA include the 'Sportsman' and 'All Non Skid' (ANS) type from Firestone and Good Year's 'G3' 'All Weather' and 'Motorcycle Sport Special'. Note that the Firestone 'High Speed' type is sometimes mounted on motorcycles and is generally found on original USMC Ammunition Hand Carts, while the Firestone 'Champion' type has been seen on Indian motorcycles and on one French 'Lend-Lease' WLA.

Tires from a Private Collection A clear view of the Firestone Sportsman tires and their distinctive tread pattern The markings 'MILITARY' indicate its obvious use while the red dot and 'S-3' indicating synthetic 'war-production' rubber. How to recognise the different types. On original WW2 images, it's impossible to make out the engine number and only typical features of each type can help in properly distinguishing a certain type of 42WLA from another. Again using Bruce Palmer's books, I've compiled the list below to aid in identification and this chart should enable any WLA buff to distinguish different types.

APPEAL from an order of the circuit court for Milwaukee County: MICHAEL D. GUOLEE, Judge. Before Wedemeyer, P.J., Fine and Curley, JJ. Depies appeals from an order for forfeiture and judgment requiring that Depies’s motorcycle be forfeited to the City of Milwaukee Police Department in accordance with §§ 342.30(4)(a) and 973.076, Stats. Depies claims the trial court erred in ordering the forfeiture because the motorcycle had a proper Vehicle Identification Number and because the State failed to prove its case. Because the trial court did not err in ordering that the motorcycle be forfeited, we affirm. BACKGROUND On September 3, 1995, Milwaukee Police Detective Peter Simet was patrolling the area of Lincoln Avenue and South 5th Street in Milwaukee when he observed Depies riding what appeared to be a Harley Davidson motorcycle with the license plate “D HOG.” Simet approached Depies and asked for his driver’s license, which Depies could not produce because it was either revoked or suspended.

When Simet ran a check on the license plate, he discovered that the vehicle identification number (VIN) assigned to the D HOG plate was supposed to be an STD engine, not a Harley Davidson. The VIN was 19257276. Simet testified that the registration that Depies produced did not match the make of the cycle.

The registration indicated that the cycle was an STD, but Simet testified the cycle was actually a Harley Davidson. Simet examined the motorcycle and observed that the frame number had been ground off, that the VIN number was hand-stamped on the engine case, which is not consistent with the manner in which STD puts on a number, and the number on the front fork assembly and the crank case had been welded over and ground off.

In further examining the cycle, Simet noted that the numbers that had been obliterated were all in places that Harley Davidson puts identification numbers. He also observed that the transmission appeared to be a Harley Davidson transmission, but the identification number on the transmission had been welded over and ground off. Simet also found that the cycle did not contain certain features that are utilized by STD, such as a raised STD emblem.

He also found that two stickers required by federal law, one called a federal certification label and one for emission control, had been removed. Based on all of these observations, Simet concluded that someone had gone to great lengths to remove from the cycle all numbers that could identify it. He testified that the only reason to remove these identifying numbers was to conceal a stolen vehicle. Simet indicated that as a result of his investigation, the motorcycle was seized and forfeiture proceedings were commenced.

In addition to Simet’s testimony during the forfeiture proceedings, the trial court also heard testimony from Depies and Depies’s witness, Kendall Thistle. Thistle testified that in 1982, he built the vehicle himself from parts he bought at various swap meets and from dealers. Thistle testified that after he had assembled the cycle, he took it to the Wisconsin State Patrol for inspection and that they issued him a serial number for a “homebuilt” motorcycle. Thistle personally stamped the number on the STD engine casing. Thistle did not produce any records of the purchases of the parts or records from the State Patrol. He also testified that he did not know that all of the identification numbers had been removed. Thistle testified that he registered the motorcycle with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and received a VIN number, which he stamped on the STD engine casing.

He also received a license and title. Depies testified that he purchased the motorcycle from Thistle in 1992 and properly registered and obtained title to the vehicle through the DOT.

The title indicates the make of the vehicle as “homemade” and the VIN is 19257276. Depies testified that he was not aware that all of the identification numbers had been removed. The trial court found Depies and Thistle’s testimony to be incredible. It found that Simet’s testimony was credible and that the State had satisfied its burden of proving that the motorcycle contained numerous unidentified parts, and that were therefore, presumed to be contraband.

It further found that Depies failed to overcome this presumption. As a result, it concluded that the entire motorcycle was subject to forfeiture. The trial court ordered the motorcycle forfeited and judgment was entered. Depies now appeals.

DISCUSSION Section 342.30(4)(a), Stats., provides: If a law enforcement agency finds a vehicle or part of a vehicle on which the identification number has been removed, altered or obliterated or made impossible to read, the law enforcement agency may seize the vehicle or part of a vehicle. If the identification number cannot be identified, the seized vehicle or vehicle part is presumed to be contraband. Depies claims that the VIN number is the “identification number” referred to in the statute and that because the VIN number was on the motorcycle, it was not subject to seizure. We do not agree. The VIN number assigned to this motorcycle by the DOT was 19257276. Based on the credible testimony in the record, this number did not match the make of the vehicle and it was not placed on the motorcycle in accordance with the law and therefore cannot be the basis for concluding that the vehicle was improperly forfeited.

Thistle admitted that he personally stamped this number on the engine casing. Our statutes provide that an “identification number” is either “numbered by the manufacturer” or “the department shall assign a new identification number.” See § 342.30(1m), Stats. When the latter procedure is used with respect to motorcycles, the number assigned “shall be stamped on the left side, near the top of the engine casing” and “shall be done under the supervision of a dealer, distributor or manufacturer or under the supervision of a peace officer. The person supervising the stamping shall make a report thereof to the department.” See § 342.30(2), Stats. The VIN number on Depies’s cycle did not match the make of the cycle, nor was it affixed to the cycle in accordance with the law. Therefore, we reject Depies’s first claim that the existence of this VIN number precludes forfeiture of the motorcycle. Depies next claims that the State failed to satisfy its burden of proving that the motorcycle was contraband.

Again, we disagree. Simet, who was qualified as an expert witness “in stolen motorcycles, in the modus operandi of stealing those motorcycles and switching parts, as particularly to Harley Davidson and STD parts,” provided sufficient evidence to conclude that the State satisfied its burden in proving that the motorcycle was subject to forfeiture. Simet testified that the VIN number assigned to the motorcycle was inconsistent with the motorcycle and should not be used on that cycle. The VIN indicated the vehicle was a STD, but the cycle appeared to be a Harley Davidson. He indicated that a VIN for a Harley should have included a number, followed by a letter (designating the model style), followed by five numbers, followed by either an “H” or a “J,” and ending with a number zero through nine to indicate the year of the bike. He indicated that the VIN was not consistent with a “homemade” cycle either because a homemade vehicle VIN would be five numbers followed by “WIS.” Simet testified that the manufacturer’s identification number on the frame of motorcycle “had been ground off and completely removed,” and the number stamped on the engine was not consistent with the way STD puts on a number.

Simet testified that based on the frame and other factors, the cycle was a late 1970’s model Harley Davidson motorcycle. He further explained that Harley places a secondary identification number on the front fork assembly, which had also been welded over and ground off Depies’s cycle. He concluded, based on his experience and training, that “the only logical reasons that anyone [destroys identifications numbers] is to hide and conceal the identity of a stolen motorcycle.” Simet concluded that this motorcycle was a stolen vehicle or contained stolen vehicle parts because every single one of the identifying numbers had been obliterated and great care was exercised to make sure that every possible number was destroyed. He explained that to remove certain of the numbers would have required that part of the engine be dismantled to get at the number to obliterate it. He testified that the only reason for such conduct is to “destroy the identity of the bike.” This testimony, together with the presumption in § 342.30(4)(a), Stats., that when an identification number cannot be deciphered, the seized vehicle is presumed to be contraband, provides ample evidence to support the trial court’s conclusion that the State satisfied its burden of proof in this case. By the Court.—Order affirmed.

This opinion will not be published. See Rule 809.23(1)(b)5, Stats.

We are not persuaded by Depies’s claim that the general forfeiture statute, § 973.076, Stats., requires the State to prove that any vehicle forfeited pursuant to § 342.30(4)(a), Stats., can only be forfeited if the vehicle was used to transport property or a weapon used in a felony or certain other enumerated offenses. See § 973.075(1)(b), Stats. This interpretation of the interrelationship between §§ 342.30(4)(a) and 973.076 would violate rules of statutory construction which require us to construe interrelated statutes to produce a harmonious whole. Dawson, 195 Wis.2d 161, 168 n.2, 536 N.W.2d 119, 121 n.2 (Ct. Section 973.076(3), Stats., requires the State to prove that the property is subject to forfeiture under §§ 973.075 to 973.077, Stats. Section 973.075(1)(a), Stats., provides that property derived “directly or indirectly from or realized through the commission of any crime” is subject to forfeiture. Here, the motorcycle or its parts were contraband–stolen property.

Therefore, the property was derived from the commission of a crime and the State satisfied its burden in accordance with the statutes.