This Harley Davidson VL Is More Badass Than You

The intersection of vehicles and entertainment is a fascinating crossroads filled with people maneuvering through the air, on fire, sideways, and in formation. While stunt drivers can make a crowd go wild, nothing quite creates awe in the eyes of a bystander like a motorcycle stuntman artfully flying through the air or in the case of the motorcycle you see here, riding through burning walls.

That man was Jimmy “Daredevil” Washburn, and this 1932 Harley Davidson VL was his main choice for countless stunts over his 28-year career. Washburn purchased the bike for $200 and it still had all its street-going gear intact. The 74-cubic-inch engine was left alone but other modifications were numerous including removing the lights and adding a chrome bar extending up from the forks to keep flaming debris from ripping him off the bike during his shows.

Washburn started his stuntman career with money earned by picking prunes in California’s Santa Clarita Valley. He bought an older Harley Davidson and a friend taught him to ride. Before long he was riding to county fairs where he learned to ride a wall of death, something he said was far easier to get up onto than get down from. His show would net him $2 paydays at Coney Island venues.

Over the years the show progressed until in the late 1940s Washburn created his signature stunt: the flaming tunnel crash. A 25-foot-long box-like structure composed of highly flammable materials was boarded up solid at one end with one-inch thick planks. Once soaked with 20 gallons of gasoline, it was lit ablaze. Only then would Washburn get on his Harley and speed through the tunnel and burst out the end in a fireball worth the price of everyone’s admission fee.

It’s not high-flying or particularly demanding of skills besides the fearlessness to hold the throttle open while tearing through a burning building, but I’m not about to try and minimize that. Instead, I stand amazed that the bike is still around and serves as a reminder of the wild stories that some cars, trucks, and motorcycles would have if they could only talk. This Harley VL tells a lot from the nicks and damage that it wears like a fine patina. That patina can be yours by raising a paddle at the upcoming Mecum Monterey auction in August. Unfortunately, we cannot confirm if a winning bid also includes the courage to ride it through a burning building. That’s up to you.

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