The big news for the 1915 Harley-Davidson models was the upgraded, 11-hp V-twin engine. Now fitted with a mechanically driven oil pump, this meant less work for the rider along with improved reliability. The final year of the flat-style gas tanks and step-starters, the Model 11F also featured a three-speed sliding gear transmission, which included a clutch interlockout, making shifting gears slightly easier for less experienced riders. List price when new was an affordable $275. This saved riders a whopping $35 dollars over the 11J as the 11F utilized an acetylene-burning headlight rather than the electrical system on the 11J. The savings in cost proved popular with customers, as the 11F was the most popular model in the range.

Purchased by the consignor’s grandfather roughly three decades ago, this Harley-Davidson is believed to be in highly original and unmolested condition. In running and driving condition when it was acquired, the bike was subsequently parked in a barn where it has remained ever since. A restoration was discussed, but this never came to fruition at the request of family and friends who believed that the bike was in original condition and that it should be left as-is. The only work done to the bike was fitting correct vintage tires, allowing the Harley to roll more easily while still retaining its exceptional level of originality.

Now over a century old, the 1915 Model 11s remain an important part of Harley-Davidson’s history. Should the new owner of this bike choose restoration or preservation, it will be an exciting acquisition nonetheless.