The Harley-Davidson M-50 was the smallest motorcycle the American company ever built. Made between 1965 and 1966, it was a light Italian-designed moped sold as the cheapest and easiest way to ride a Harley-Davidson.
Harley-Davidson M-50 at a glance
| Production | 1965–1966 |
|---|---|
| Built | 14,700 |
| Origin | Aermacchi of Italy, Harley-Davidson’s partner from 1960 |
| Type | light motorcycle or moped |
| Seats | two |
| Gearbox | three speeds, hand shift |
| Weight | 47 kg |
| Position in the range | the smallest motorcycle Harley-Davidson ever made |
| Sold as | the cheapest and lightest way to ride a motorcycle |
The M-50 has no English Wikipedia article; this page is based on one source, the German Wikipedia article, so it is shorter than the others in the collection.
History of the Harley-Davidson M-50
Through its cooperation with the Italian manufacturer Aermacchi from 1960, Harley-Davidson took a share in the production of Italian models that were sold as Aermacchi-Harley-Davidson in Europe and as Harley-Davidson in the United States. The smallest of them was the two-seat Harley-Davidson M-50, with a three-speed gearbox and hand shift, which the maker advertised at a weight of 47 kg as the cheapest and lightest way of riding a motorcycle.
The model was built between 1965 and 1966, and 14,700 examples were made. It was the smallest motorcycle Harley-Davidson ever produced, and it belongs to the group of light Italian-built machines through which the company tried to reach new riders in the 1960s rather than to the big Milwaukee twins.
Design and features
- Smallest Harley: the least motorcycle the company ever sold.
- Italian engineering: built within the Aermacchi cooperation that began in 1960.
- Light weight: 47 kg, advertised as the easiest way into motorcycling.
- Simple transmission: three speeds with a hand shift.
Harley-Davidson M-50 versions
- M-50 (1965–1966): the two-seat three-speed moped, built in 14,700 examples.
- Aermacchi-Harley-Davidson versions: the same light models sold in Europe under the joint name.
- Larger light models: the other Italian-built machines of the 1960s, including the 125.
The other Italian-built small Harley is described in the article on the Harley-Davidson 125. The modern small model is the Street, and all the machines are gathered in the Harley-Davidson collection.
Video: 1965 M50 Harley-Davidson
Video by tribs74 on YouTube.
Sources
- Harley-Davidson M-50, German Wikipedia: production numbers, weight, gearbox, market position
