A superb and rare photo, made from what we believe is the original negative, of the 1948 Harley-Davidson S125 or 48-S “ Hummer “. It is a lovely image of the all new 1948 H-D S-125 “ Hummer “ Model series in its first year of production!

Like many other automotive factories, Harley used to retouch original photos to make the bike look as smart as possible, deleting clutter and loose cables to give a nice pristine image of the motorcycle.  In the case of this H-D S-125 photo, a white background also was added by the artist that had this great, precise yet difficult job. The result is a photograph that looks as historic as it does gorgeous!

The Harley-Davidson Hummer model series were manufactured by Harley-Davidson from 1955 to 1959. However, the name "Hummer" is now used generically to refer to all American-made single-cylinder two-stroke Harley-Davidson motorcycles manufactured from 1948 to 1966. These motorcycles were based on the DKW RT125, the drawings for which were taken from Germany as war reparations after World War II. The United Kingdom and the Soviet Union also built RT125 copies, as the BSA Bantam and the MMZ M-1A Moskva respectively. Several versions of the lightweight model were made, but it started all with the S-125. The S-125 was introduced by Harley-Davidson in 1947 as a 1948 model. The 125 cc two-stroke engine produced three horsepower, which was sent through a three-speed foot-shift transmission. The front suspension used girder forks suspended by large rubber bands. More than ten thousand S-125s were sold in the first seven months of 1947. The rubber-band front suspension was replaced in 1951 by a telescopic fork referred to as "Tele-Glide". The Model 165 (1953–1959) replaced the S-125 in 1953. The engine was increased in size to 165 cc. The Hummer (1955–1959) was added to Harley-Davidson's model line in 1955. It was a stripped-down basic model using a redesigned "B-model" engine with the old 125 cc capacity. It was named after Dean Hummer, a Harley dealer in Omaha, Nebraska who led national Harley two-stroke sales. The Hummer was as basic as it could have been. It had magneto ignition and was sold without battery, electric horn, turn signals, or brake lights. The Model 165 and the Hummer were both replaced by the Super-10 in 1960. The Super-10 (1960–1962) used a 165 cc version of the "B-model" engine previously used in 125 cc form in the Hummer. The Harley-Davidson Topper scooter also used the Super-10 engine. The Harley Davidson Ranger (1962) was an off-road Harley-Davidson motorcycle. It had an extra-low final-drive ratio of 7.0:1 (12-tooth countershaft gear and 84-tooth rear sprocket) and no lighting system nor front fender. It is believed to have been built to use up their supply of 165 cc engines, which would not be needed for their other models. The HD Pacer (1962–1965) was the replacement for the Super-10. It used the newly-enlarged 175 cc B-model engine. In 1963, one year into production, the frame of the Pacer was heavily redesigned. The new frame incorporated rear suspension through an "L"-shaped swingarm that actuated a spring mounted horizontally under the engine. The seat and rear fender were supported on a subframe bolted to the main frame. The HD Scat (1962–1965) was a dual-purpose motorcycle based on the Pacer. It had a high-mounted front fender, high handlebars, softer springs supporting the seat, a "scrambler"-style high-mounted exhaust pipe, and street-legal off-road tyres. The extra-low final-drive ratio of the Ranger was available on the Scat as an option. The Scat also received the Pacer's new frame in 1963. The HD Bobcat (1966) was the last of the RT125-based Harleys and the only one offered in 1966, its only year in production. Based on the '63-'65 Pacer frame, it had ABS resin bodywork moulded in one piece that covered the tank and the rear tyre and supported the seat. It was the only RT125-based Harley with a standard dual seat.

We have more photos, also listed on Ebay, of various Harley Davidson and other (racing) machines. Please check out our auctions and take advantage of our shipping discount! The auction selection is refreshed and changed continuously.

The size is ca. 10 cm x 15 cm.