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1931 Harley-Davidson Peashooter

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1931 Harley-Davidson Peashooter

  • 350cc / 21ci twin exhaust port single cylinder engine with exposed valve train design
  • Harley-Davidson released the “Peashooter” in 1926 to compete in the hotly contested 21ci race class
  • Motordromes were a circular or oval shaped race course composed of wooden planks ranging in size from ½ mile to 2 miles and having up to 60 degrees of banking
  • No brakes and a direct drive chain from the crankshaft moved this primitive machine along at deadly speeds
  • The name “Peashooter” was used as a result of how these high-performance engines sounded while racing at the Motordromes
  • Board track racing in the USA ended nearly completely in 1932 as a result of the depression and the escalating cost of maintaining the wooden race tracks