What's that Bike in the Window?

Published by Tobacco Road H-D on May 26, 2022 1:49:51 PM

The Harley-Davidson MT 500 ... and its history might surprise you!

With just a passing glance you might fail to notice it, because, well, it was made to blend in. As rare and historically rich as this bike is, it is certainly one that you aren’t going to want to miss seeing. Now on display at Tobacco Road H-D is a 1999 Harley-Davidson MT 500. A throwback to an offroad-style Harley-Davidson from another era.

This bike got its start in Italy under Armstrong manufacturing and was used sparingly in several European armies. Armstrong was later acquired by Harley-Davidson for the bike’s design and more importantly, rights to the single-cylinder Rotax 500 cc motor. There were other plans for this incredibly efficient and reliable motor, such as dropping it in some of the racing rigs of the time. However, with the bike’s overall design, they attempted to attract a different customer, the United States Military. After a few tweaks and a rebranding, this bike became the Harley-Davidson MT 500, or Military Transport 500cc. The air-cooled MT 500 was set up to be the perfect motorcycle for the U.S. The longer suspension travel, Rotax motor, swept up exhaust, chain drive, spokes, and knobby tires made it a fantastic bike for off-road use. The off-road features paired with the green paint, rifle scabbard, and hard bags made it the ideal bike for the military. Some say one of the reasons H-D failed to secure the contract was how detectable the air-cooled motor was by thermal optics despite the attempt at ‘concealing’ the motor with the hard bags mounted to the front. The biggest reason the military rejected the offer was the switch to diesel that was happening at the same time. The U.S. and many other countries were converting their fleet to diesel-only vehicles to eliminate the need for multiple fuel supplies. The gasoline-powered MT 500 simply didn’t meet the new requirements and was never adopted. The bike was already street legal so many dealerships, Ray Price H-D included, received the bikes to sell off to the civilian market.

Since then, they have quickly become one of the rarest Harley-Davidson motorcycles thanks to their limited quantity and high desirability. This particular bike is of more importance to Tobacco Road H-D, because this very bike was originally sold from the very showroom it sits in now! If you want to see this bike in person, it’s currently being displayed in the Tobacco Road H-D showroom. While you’re at it, see if you can spot any other unique bikes around the dealership. If you’re out for a ride this Memorial Day Weekend and want to get a glimpse of H-D’s military history then stop by and give us a visit!