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| Harley Davidson History |
| In Milwaukee, William Harley, 21, and Arthur Davidson, 20, began experiments on "taking the work out of bicycling." They were soon joined by Arthur's brothers, Walter and William. Many changes were made to the engine design before its builders were satisfied. After the new looped frame was finalized,they were ready to begin production. 1903 production: 3 motorcycles.Harley-Davidson erected its first building at the current Juneau Avenue site in 1906 and they incorporated in 1907. 1907 production: 150 motorcycles. The trademark 45 degree V-Twin engine, introduced in 1909, displaced 49.5 cu in and produced seven horsepower. Top speed: 60 mph. 1909 production: 1,149 motorcycles. The original 28' x 80' factory had grown to 297,110 square feet. Harley began to dominate racing events. 1913 production: 12,904 motorcycles. After Harley-Davidson motorcycles had proven their military value in border skirmishes with Pancho Villa, they were quickly called to duty when the U.S. entered WWI. Some 20,000 cycles would see duty before the war's end. Harley-Davidson became the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, boasting dealers in 67 countries. 1920 production: 28,189 motorcycles. In February 1921, on a Fresno, Calif., board track,a Harley-Davidson became the first motorcycle ever to win a race with an average speed over 100 mph. The Twenties were a decade of innovation for Harley-Davidson, including the 74 cu in. V-Twin (1922), the Teardrop gas tank (1925) and the front brake (1928). After the stock market crash of October 1929, Harley-Davidson sales suffered with everyone else's in the industry. By 1933, production in Milwaukee had dropped to 3,700 motorcycles.Harley-Davidson wasted no time building momentum out of the depression, introducing its EL model, featuring the 61 cu in. overhead valve engine, also known as the "Knucklehead." 1936 production: 9,812 motorcycles. Almost immediately after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Harley-Davidson's entire motorcycle output was produced for Allied use. By the end of World War II, 90,000 WLA army-version motorcycles had been built and shipped. After the war, motorcyclists were eager to get back to their sport. To feed their desire for more motorcycles, Harley-Davidson introduced a new 74 cu in. engine with hydraulic valve lifters and aluminum heads. The "Panhead" was born. 1948 production: 31,163 motorcycles.As Harley-Davidson celebrated its 50th anniversary, its oldest and closest competitor, Indian, went out of business, leaving Harley-Davidson as the sole survivor in a once overcrowded American motorcycle marketplace. 1953 production: 14,050 motorcycles.The Sportster, father of the superbikes, was introduced in 1957, followed in 1958 by the Duo Glide, featuring a hydraulic rear shock suspension to go with the hydraulically dampened front fork. Also in 1958, Carroll Resweber won the first of four consecutive AMA Grand National Championships.In 1963, when it became apparent that fiberglass was becoming a versatile material for golf cars and motorcycles, Harley-Davidson purchased and converted a fiberglass boat company in Tomahawk, Wis.In 1963, Willie G. Davidson joined Harley-Davidson as design director.George Roeder set a world land speed record of 177.225 mph for 250CC motorcycles on a modified Harley-Davidson Sprint. Bart Markel, aboard a Harley, won the second of his three AMA Grand National Championships.With the addition of an electric starter, the Duo Glide became the Electra Glide in 1965, which was also the last year of the "Panhead" engine. The "Shovelhead" engine took over the V-Twin mantle in 1966. 1966 production: 36,310 motorcycles.After going public for the first time in 1965, Harley-Davidson took a new turn in 1969 by merging with the American Machine and Foundry Company (AMF). Rodney Gott, AMF's chairman, had been a Harley fan since pre-World War II. Joe Smith, riding a drag bike powered by a single Harley-Davidson motor, was the first to break the nine-second barrier in motorcycle drag racing. 1971 also marked the introduction of the Super Glide, considered the first true factory custom. To help meet the demand of a booming motorcycle marketplace, chassis manufacturing and final assembly operations moved to a plant in York, Pa. Engine and transmission operations remained in Milwaukee, along with the corporate headquarters. 1975 production: 75,403 motorcycles.Continuing the Harley-Davidson tradition of racing dominance, Jay "Springer" Springsteen won the AMA Grand National Championship in 1976, 1977 and 1978.The 80 cu in FLT Tour Glide, with five-speed transmission, oil bath enclosed rear chain and a vibration isolated engine, inherited the title of "King of the Highway" and was the predecessor to today's Harley-Davidson touring motorcycles. On February 26, 1981, a group of thirteen senior Harley-Davidson executives, led by Vaughn Beals, signed a letter of intent to purchase the company from AMF. Settled by June 16, 1981, the executives celebrated with a ride from York to Milwaukee. 1981 production: 41,586 motorcycles. To get Harley owners more involved in the sport, the company formed the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.), now the largest factory-sponsored motorcycle club in the world. Also in 1983, tariffs were imposed on Japanese motorcycles 700CC or larger in response to unfair trade practices. After seven years of development, Harley-Davidson introduced the 1340CC V2 Evolution engine. Designed for high reliability with a miled mainnimum of schedutenance, the engine produced morepower at every speed.Harley-Davidson returned to public ownership by offering two million shares of common stock and a concurrent offering of $70 million principal amounts of subordinated notes due 1996. In March 1987, Harley-Davidson petitioned the International Trade Commission for early termination of the tariffs on Japanese motorcycles. In July, Harley-Davidson was approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange. The 1988 product line featured the first 74 cu in Sportster, with 1200 CCs of power. Also, to mark the company's 85th anniversary, a cross-country ride was held, benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy Association. 1988 production: 47,325 motorcycles. The Fat Boy became a favorite the second it was introduced. Scott Parker became only the second rider in history to win four consecutive AMA Grand National Championships, 1988-91. The following year, he was dethroned by Chris Carr, who now races Superbikes with Harley-Davidson's VR1000, but he came back to win the title again in 1993, 1994 and 1995. On June 12, ten rides converged on Milwaukee for a festival to commemorate the company's 90th anniversary. More than 100,000 enthusiasts came for the event, highlighted by an eight-mile long parade featuring 60,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycles. After a short hiatus from superbike racing, Harley stormed back into road racing with the introduction of the VR1000, ridden in its inaugural season by Miguel Duhamel. 1995 was a record year for the company, with record sales from the production of 105,104 motorcycles.With the introduction of the Heritage Springer Softail, Harley-Davidson forged into the future by staking claim to its biggest asset -- the past. The End for Now |
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