Export 1938 EL just finished

[Fiskis]

Lovely restoration/preservation! And sweet running.

Curious why HD kept the olive green on export models for so many years after they began offering very bright color schemes in the US? Was the olive the only color offered on export bikes? Or just one of many options? Was olive an optional color in the US? (I assume you could have any color you wanted if you were willing to pay for it... but curious as to whether it was widely used.)

Cheers, Sirhr

Harley was the most common motorcycle in Finland between the World Wars. No written documents exist of why the Olive was favoured. Some oldtimers say that the colour was a sign of the quality that identified the strong bikes that kept in one piece on the terrible dirt roads of the epoca. I have found proof of three 35RL:s being delivered in blue, but never any other colour than olive on earlier or later bikes. In Sweden, which was not hit by the war, there are even 1946-47 models that also came in glossy Olive.

Regards Fiskis