The 1909 5-D was Harley-Davidson’s first production V-twin, introducing the engine arrangement that would become the company’s dominant visual and mechanical signature.
Why it matters. The point where the Harley-Davidson V-twin story begins.
Motorcycles / Harley-Davidson / Model 5-D V-Twin
Motorcycle museum record
Model 5-D V-Twin
The 1909 5-D was Harley-Davidson’s first production V-twin, introducing the engine arrangement that would become the company’s dominant visual and mechanical signature.
Harley-Davidsonmanufacturer
classiccategory
811 ccengine capacity
Air-cooled 45-degree V-twinengine
Museum plaque
Why this bike belongs here.
The point where the Harley-Davidson V-twin story begins.
Technical identity
The engineering at a glance.
This first expansion records museum-level specifications rather than pretending every year and market used one immutable specification.
EngineAir-cooled 45-degree V-twin
Capacity811 cc
Production era1909–1909
CategoryClassic
TransmissionAdd by variant/year
Final driveAdd by variant/year
Research starting point
Built to improve, not freeze.
Model-year specifications can vary. The museum keeps the stable historical interpretation here and leaves room to add exact variants, racing derivatives, engine codes and source-specific specifications later.
Harley-Davidson source / heritage starting point
Open source ↗
Open source ↗