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The 1952 Harley-Davidson FL Hydra-Glide featured intricate chrome accents as a standard inclusion. View additional motorcycle images.The 1952 Harley-Davidson FL Hydra-Glide represented a significant advancement for Big-Twin engines, with the traditional hand-shift and foot-clutch system being replaced by a modern foot-shift and hand clutch configuration. Yet, the classic setup was still available upon request, and it remained an option until the mid-1970s, as it continued to be favored by certain riders and police departments.
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Harley-Davidson, always responsive to customer preferences, continued to adorn its motorcycles with more chrome and gleaming finishes. New standard features included polished lower fork legs (which were previously painted black), while optional accessory packages offered chrome fender rails, chrome instrument panels, and a chrome front-fender lamp.
The Harley-Davidson FL Hydra-Glide brought in modern features like the foot-shift transmission.In 1952, the 61-cubic-inch (EL) version of the Panhead was discontinued due to low demand, leaving the 74-cid FL as the sole Big Twin model.
On the flathead side, the reliable 45-cubic-inch WL was replaced by the fully redesigned Model K. The new Model K featured a foot-shift transmission paired with a revised 45-inch flathead V-twin, hydraulic front forks (unlike the WL, which kept its old springer till the end), and Harley's first rear suspension system: a conventional swingarm with dual coil-over shocks.
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