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After years of searching out the few remaining parts for the 1937 Harley-Davidson UMG, I'm proud to say that what is possibly the only remaining Harley UMG Flathead is finally finished and back in running and roadworthy condition. I can't stress enough how rare of a motorcycle this machine is. Originally built for the New York Police Department, H-D produced very limited numbers of these from 1937 to 1939. You see, the NYPD had always used Indians......and around mid 1936 Harley decided they wanted a piece of the contract. The NYPD had one of the largest motorcycle squads in the country, and you can imagine that Harley was eager to sell another three or four hundred bikes, especially to an entity as prestigious as the NYPD.
However, it wouldn't be as easy as you'd think. You'd think that the new, powerful H-D 61 OHV motor would be a shoe-in for the job, but as the department had always used Indian's flathead motor, Harley decided to base this new machine around their 74" U-Model. Often referred to as an "Indian-ized Harley", the UMG featured, like Indians, a left-hand throttle, right-hand shift, three speed transmission, and "heel-to-go" clutch. All opposite from a standard Harley. The UMG was painted none other than "Indian Red" and also featured an indian-type Bosch Magneto/Generator, which is where the machine picked up is lettered model designation -- U-model, Magneto, Generator.
To my knowledge, this is the only remaining UMG in existance.
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