What’s The Smallest Harley-Davidson Ever Made – And How Many CCs Does It Pack?

When you hear the name Harley-Davidson, you probably think of beefy V-twin-equipped hogs like the Fat Boy, Sportster, Softail, or the Road King. Your mind will almost certainly not conjure up the M-50 from the mid 1960s, which featured a mere 50cc, two-stroke engine — the smallest displacement of any of Harley-Davidson’s many engines. What’s even wilder is that, despite having the now-legendary Harley name splashed across it, this bike had just as much Italian DNA as it did American.
In 1960, Harley was going through some tough financial times, so it reached across the pond to Aermacchi — an Italian bike builder known for its four-stroke bikes – and purchased a 50% stake in the company. In 1965, it rolled out the first of 9,000 M-50s built that year. Powered by a 49.6cc single-cylinder engine with a 10:1 compression ratio, it was capable of producing 2.5 horsepower while hitting a top speed of 40 mph. This makes it (probably) the slowest motorcycle Harley-Davidson ever made.
The fuel tank held less than two gallons (1.6 to be exact), and Harley claimed it got 180 mpg. Ads from the day ballyhooed that it could get 300 miles between refueling. H-D labeled it a sportcycle and made sure to emphasize its Italian heritage by advertising that it came with a Dell’Orto carb, Pirelli tires, and full lighting and brakes. It was definitely aimed at kids looking to have fun down at the local drive-in without having to ask for the