At just 25 years old in 1928, when this beautifully restored Model B was built, the Harley-Davidson Motor Company was still in a period of experimentation regarding the format of its motorcycles. Robust and overbuilt single-cylinder machines had served the company well in its first decade, but consumer demand for more power and range required the brand to develop a V-twin. Though competitors experimented with novel approaches like Henderson’s inline fours, Indian’s overhead-valve racers or Reading-Standard’s sidevalve engines, Harley built its success on its sturdy line of F-head singles and V-twins. Still, by the 1920s, accelerated by the economic crunch of World War I, the market settled. America’s “Big Three” manufacturers, Harley-Davidson, Indian and Excelsior, were left largely unchallenged by anything other than the consumer’s preferences. Those preferences, however, were changing as American enthusiasts were exposed to the nimble European lightweights, expansive and vastly improved American roads, and the increasingly affordable family-sized automobiles available. The Big Three began experimenting again with displacement, engine configuration and chassis design to capture more of a dwindling market. Excelsior had the Henderson Four and the mighty middleweight Super-X, while Indian had a completely revamped lineup built around a new sidevalve engine design in various displacements, including a single-cylinder Prince and V-twin powered Scout and Chief models. Harley experimented with a sidevalve after World War I based on the successful British-made Douglas, branded as the Sport Twin, or Model W, in 1919. However, its horizontally opposed sidevalve twin and external flywheel were simply too peculiar for domestic riders and failed to capture the interest of the American rider. Spurred on by the release of Indian’s Prince, a lightweight and affordable 21 CI (350cc) single-cylinder in 1925, Harley- Davidson revisited the concept of a single-cylinder model as well as the sidevalve engine in 1926. Designated as the Model A or B based on ignition type, Harley’s singles aligned more with its traditional offerings and positioned well as an entry- level, affordable and accessible lightweight motorcycle. The format succeeded, joining Harley-Davidson’s line of V-twin roadsters and expanding the brand’s grip on the market, remaining in the lineup until 1934. This beautifully restored 1928 Model B features a 21 CI (350cc) flathead single, 3-speed gearbox, battery ignition, single-unit electrical system and Klaxon horn. NO RESERVE F211 1928 HARLEY-DAVIDSON MODEL B SINGLE
