Garage, Galley & Hangar
The Garage · Motorcycles · Vintage

Harley-Davidson VL

1930-1936 · VL (Flathead)
Harley-Davidson VL
Photo: "Harley-Davidson Museum December 2023 15 (1932 VL--Side-Valve V-Twin)" by Michael Barera (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons · all credits

The big-twin flathead that replaced the F-head JD, rugged and simple, and the foundation of Harley's side-valve reputation.

Hardcover $149 · digital book $29
Customize it to my bike · $260 →

Made to order: your copy is researched, fact-checked, and typeset to our standard, then delivered within about two weeks. We'll email you the moment it's ready.

Inside this volume

Known issues & a buyer's guide

The documented weak points for this exact model, how to inspect each, and what a proper fix costs.

Full specifications

Every published figure, engine and frame detail, and running change, with the conflicts flagged, not guessed.

Systems & maintenance

Engine, fueling, electrical, and chassis, plus service intervals and torque and fluid data.

Parts & community

Where the parts are, what cross-references, and the clubs and forums that keep the model alive.

Custom Edition

Make it your bike.

We fold in your year, your engine and options, your rebuilds and modifications, your VIN, and your own motorcycle's photo on the cover. The book stops describing the bike that left the factory and starts describing the one in your garage.

$260
personalized to your bike

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