5 steps to start a Second World War motorcycle that will take your breath away

Starting a World War II motorcycle is not like pressing a button today. This 1942 Harley-Davidson WLA demands more than just a kick: it requires patience, strength, and a manual to avoid being stranded.

Forget about a cold or warm engine: here everything is a ritual that only the bravest master. Can you imagine having to open the throttle by hand, operate a pedal with your hip, and watch that the bike doesn't crash before you move?

How to start a 1942 Harley-Davidson WLA: the protocol that even veterans don’t master

Why is it important to know this process today?

If you are a motorcycle lover, knowing that 80 years ago starting a bike was an exercise in skill and patience helps you appreciate the simplicity of modern starters. Furthermore, understanding the protocol of a Harley-Davidson WLA made for the greatest conflict of the 20th century brings you closer to the essence of classic mechanics and the history it carries on wheels.

What steps must be followed to avoid stalling halfway?

The TM 9-879 manual is not a fiction book: it is the guide that teaches you to put the bike in neutral, open the fuel valve, adjust the choke, and operate the lever with your hip. If you’re not careful, the bike can fall before the engine even sounds.

The mystery of the choke and its key role in starting

What does the choke do and why is it so complicated?

The choke controls the air and gasoline mixture, but on this Harley you have to set it to different positions depending on whether the engine is cold or warm. A mistake can drown the engine and force you to start over. It’s a system that today seems like science fiction and makes the engine almost capricious.

How does a cold or warm engine affect starting?

If the engine is cold, you need to enrich the mixture with more gasoline by closing the choke; if it’s warm, you open it to let in more air and avoid flooding. This complexity makes starting the bike an exercise in attention and physical strength, far from just pressing a button.

Gear and clutch control: a system that makes you wonder who designed this bike

Why are the gears and clutch so different today?

On this Harley-Davidson, the clutch is controlled with the left foot and the gears are changed with the hand, opposite to what we are used to. Additionally, the gear positions are reversed: 1, neutral, and 2 from top to bottom, a chaos that would confuse any modern rider.

How do you get this 740 cc beast going?

After starting the engine, you need to operate the clutch by pressing the left foot and shift gears with the left hand to begin moving. All of this still requires skill, because it’s not just about changing gears: it’s about maintaining balance and controlling the power of an engine that reached nearly 100 km/h.

Although it seems impossible today, these motorcycles were the war tools of American soldiers. Having the patience and knowledge to start them is a direct journey to the essence of an era where every start was a little adventure.

The reality is that despite their complexity, these 1942 Harley-Davidson WLAs are rolling witnesses that remind us of the difficulty of mobility in wartime and how everything has been simplified until starting a motorcycle has become an almost instinctive gesture today.