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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 motorcycle manufactured by [[Harley-Davidson]] from 1932 to 1973. | 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. Originally intended for mechanics to collect vehicles for repair, it proved ideal for traffic police and meter maids, becoming something of an American institution. | ||
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 | 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 42in, 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 | 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> | ||
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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==1944 Servi-Car G== | |||
<gallery mode='packed-hover'> | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-0.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-1.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-2.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-3.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-4.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-5.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-6.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-7.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-8.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-9.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-10.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-11.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-12.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-13.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-14.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-15.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-16.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-17.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-18.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-19.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-20.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-21.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
File:1944-harley-davidson-servicar-servi-car-g-22.jpg|1944 Harley Davidson Servicar Servi-Car G | |||
</gallery> | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
{{Harley}} | |||
[[Category:Harley-Davidson motorcycles|Servi-Car]] | [[Category:Harley-Davidson motorcycles|Servi-Car]] | ||
[[Category:Three-wheeled motor vehicles]] | [[Category:Three-wheeled motor vehicles]] |