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[[Image:Servi Car 02.jpg|thumb|right|Harley-Davidson Servi-Car]] | [[Image:Servi Car 02.jpg|thumb|right|Harley-Davidson Servi-Car]] | ||
The '''Harley-Davidson Servi-Car''' was a three-wheeled utility | The '''Harley-Davidson Servi-Car''' was a three-wheeled utility motorcycle manufactured by [[Harley-Davidson]] from 1932 to 1973. | ||
==Concept and uses== | ==Concept and uses== | ||
The Servi-Car was designed during the Great Depression when Harley-Davidson was desperate to expand its product base to increase sales.<ref name=Chronicle68>Mitchel, D. "Harley-Davidson Chronicle - An American Original" p. 68-69 Publications International Limited, 1997 ISBN 0-7853-2514-X</ref>. Targeted at the automotive service industry, the vehicle was designed to be towed behind a car to be delivered to a customer; when the car was delivered at its destination, the driver would unhitch the Servi-Car and ride back to the garage.<ref name=Chronicle88>Mitchel, D. "Harley-Davidson Chronicle - An American Original" p. 88 Publications International Limited, 1997 ISBN 0-7853-2514-X</ref><ref name=ServiCarHistory>[http://www.dl45homepage.com/servihistory.html Servi-Car Homepage - History]</ref> For this reason, it was available with a tow bar at the front and a large 60 Ah battery. | The Servi-Car was designed during the Great Depression when Harley-Davidson was desperate to expand its product base to increase sales.<ref name=Chronicle68>Mitchel, D. "Harley-Davidson Chronicle - An American Original" p. 68-69 Publications International Limited, 1997 ISBN 0-7853-2514-X</ref>. Targeted at the automotive service industry, the vehicle was designed to be towed behind a car to be delivered to a customer; when the car was delivered at its destination, the driver would unhitch the Servi-Car and ride back to the garage.<ref name=Chronicle88>Mitchel, D. "Harley-Davidson Chronicle - An American Original" p. 88 Publications International Limited, 1997 ISBN 0-7853-2514-X</ref><ref name=ServiCarHistory>[http://www.dl45homepage.com/servihistory.html Servi-Car Homepage - History]</ref> For this reason, it was available with a tow bar at the front and a large 60 Ah battery.<ref name=VINcheckServiCar>[http://www.is-it-a-lemon.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=926&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0 Auto Lemon - Used Car History Check - Motorcycle: Twins - Servi-Car, 1932 - 1974]</ref> | ||
In addition to its intended use for car delivery and retrieval, the Servi-Car was also popular as a utility vehicle for small businesses and mobile vendors. They proved to be particularly popular with the police departments, some of which still used Servi-Cars into the 1990s.<ref name=VINcheckServiCar /> | In addition to its intended use for car delivery and retrieval, the Servi-Car was also popular as a utility vehicle for small businesses and mobile vendors. They proved to be particularly popular with the police departments, some of which still used Servi-Cars into the 1990s.<ref name=VINcheckServiCar /> | ||
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==Chassis and suspension== | ==Chassis and suspension== | ||
[[Image:Harley-Davidson Servicar.jpg|thumb|Early Servi-Car with springer forks]] | [[Image:Harley-Davidson Servicar.jpg|thumb|Early Servi-Car with springer forks]] | ||
The Servi-Car was designed for the road conditions of the day, where surface roads might still be crude and unpaved. It had a rigid rear [[axle]] with a differential.<ref name=ServiCarTechPics>[http://www.dl45homepage.com/servitech.html Servi-Car Homepage - Technical Diagrams and Pictures]</ref> The rear axle had a track of | The Servi-Car was designed for the road conditions of the day, where surface roads might still be crude and unpaved. It had a rigid rear [[axle]] with a [[Differential (mechanical device)|differential]].<ref name=ServiCarTechPics>[http://www.dl45homepage.com/servitech.html Servi-Car Homepage - Technical Diagrams and Pictures]</ref> The rear axle had a track of {{convert|42|in|mm}}, similar to the track of most available cars. This was done so that the vehicle could use the same tracks that had been made by regular cars.<ref name=ServiCarHistory /> | ||
A prototype of the Servi-Car with rear suspension had been tested and was found to be unstable.<ref name=ServiCarHistory /> The production model had its axle mounted directly to the frame with no suspension at all. <ref name=heavydutytrikerear>[http://www.heavydutycycles.com/rearend.htm Heavy Duty Cycles - Trike Rear Ends]</ref> | A prototype of the Servi-Car with [[Suspension (vehicle)|rear suspension]] had been tested and was found to be unstable.<ref name=ServiCarHistory /> The production model had its axle mounted directly to the frame with no suspension at all. <ref name=heavydutytrikerear>[http://www.heavydutycycles.com/rearend.htm Heavy Duty Cycles - Trike Rear Ends]</ref> | ||
Until 1957, the [[Motorcycle fork|front forks]] of the Servi-Car were the [[Motorcycle fork#Springer fork|springer-type leading-link forks]] used on the R-series and W-series solo motorcycles. From 1958 on, the Servi-Car would use [[Motorcycle fork#Telescopic fork|Hydra-Glide front forks]].<ref name=AmericanVTimeline /> | Until 1957, the [[Motorcycle fork|front forks]] of the Servi-Car were the [[Motorcycle fork#Springer fork|springer-type leading-link forks]] used on the R-series and W-series solo motorcycles. From 1958 on, the Servi-Car would use [[Motorcycle fork#Telescopic fork|Hydra-Glide front forks]].<ref name=AmericanVTimeline /> | ||
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==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
[[Category:Harley-Davidson motorcycles|Servi-Car]] | [[Category:Harley-Davidson motorcycles|Servi-Car]] | ||
[[Category:Three-wheeled motor vehicles]] | [[Category:Three-wheeled motor vehicles]] |