A Rare Military Gem, the MT500 Was Built for Combat
Some call this model the ‘rarest Harley Davidson ever made.’
It’s always interesting to uncover a rare Harley Davidson production model. The Motor Company, despite its stolid reputation, has done some pretty wild experiments in its storied history, and people crop up now and then to brag they have the rarest Harley Davidson production model ever made.
Here’s a legitimate candidate: the MT500. This was a purpose-built motorcycle that never really took off for its intended purpose. The MT500 was built specifically for the military. The problem was the military didn’t want it.
Turns out, diesel was the problem. That was the preferred fuel for military vehicles at that time. The project was scrapped.
Lucrative Market
The armed forces have sometimes been a lucrative market for motorcycle makers all over the world, especially during times of war, and HD wanted a piece of that.
Most fans of military motorcycles have heard of the WLA, a stalwart of the second world war. Harley engineers designed that bike based on an existing civilian model, the WL. Still, it was pretty much an all-Harley motorcycle.
But, the MT500, alas, was a rip-off from the British, based on their dual-sport bike, the Armstrong MT500, which in turn had been based on an Italian model powered by an Austrian engine. The British version was named the Tornado.
Built for Combat
The intriguing aspect of the MT500 is that it was a true dual-purpose bike, built for rough terrain and expected to operate efficiently under extremely difficult situations. If we look at the popularity of Harley’s latest entry into dual-sport bikes, the Pan America, this rare bird takes on even more significance.
Harley Davidson only built around 500 MT500s in the 1990s so it is indeed a rare breed. Like the Pan America, the MT500 was a radical departure from Harley’s big, comfortable cruisers. It featured a high exhaust and disc brake covers front and back for when soldiers had to drive them through muck and mud, always a war-time problem.
It had tall suspension, which was to be expected, and a flat seat not exactly made for comfort. The engine itself came directly from its British – and even Austrian and Italian – predecessors, a 504cc, single-cylinder mill, a simple design that made it relatively easy to repair under combat conditions.
It was not exactly a speed demon, with only 32 horsepower and 28 ft-lb of torque. It did have a five-speed transmission and weighed only 355 pounds.
‘Rarest Harley Ever?’
So, in the end, it became over the years a collector’s item. In fact, Top Speed calls it the “rarest Harley Davidson ever made.”
Yes, there is the Harley VR1000, but that was basically a race bike. HD also made a hideous scooter in 1964 called a Topper, with automatic transmission; they made them for five years and around 3,000 were built.
Nobody really knows how many of the original 500 MT500s are in the scrap yard or how many are still around. Top Speed points out a 1998 MT500 is up for auction in late January at the Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction. Interested? Bring at least $15,000.
Photos: Silodrome
