A Brief The History of The Famous Harley Davidson Motorcycles (pt1)
Today, Harley Davidson motorcycles are a household name, but it hasn’t always been that way.
It began way back in 1901, when a young man named William S. Harley had a vision for attaching an engine to a bicycle.
William had a friend named Arthur Davidson who embraced his concept. Together, they began working endless hours in a small wooden shed, with the words “Harley Davidson” scrawled on the door. By 1903, they rolled out the first production Harley Davidson motorcycle.
The legendary “Bar and Shield” logo became the defining symbol of Harley Davidson motorcycles in 1910. The logo is representative of strength and ruggedness. The design was patented in 1911 and continues to be used today.
In 1920, motorcycle racing legend, Leslie “Red” Parkhurst, broke numerous speed records on a Harley Davidson racing motorcycle. Each time Parkhurst won a race, he would carry a pig on a victory lap and it was during this time the term “hog” became associated with Harley Davidson motorcycles.
During World War I nearly half of the Harley Davidson motorcycles produced were sold to the United States Army. Throughout the 1920s, major changes took place to the design. The most notable was the change in the gas tank, which was switched to the now infamous teardrop shape. In 1928, Harley Davidson introduced the first twin-cam engine and front wheel brakes. These modifications allowed Harley Davidson motorcycles to reach speeds in excess of 85 mph.
Throughout the 1930s, Harley Davidson motorcycles continued to break speed records and won multiple awards. Harley Davidson further expanded into commercial and police vehicles through the introduction of the three-wheel Servi-Car.
Appearance changes were made to Harley Davidson motorcycles and included the famous “eagle” design, which was painted on all Harley Davidson gas tanks. During this time, the trademark 1340 cc engine was introduced and the “Knucklehead” motorcycle was launched.
Between the years of 1941 through 1945, Harley Davidson ceased civilian production of motorcycles and focused solely on providing reliable motorcycles to the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II.
When civilian production resumed, Harley Davidson motorcycles were in high demand. The organization expanded and purchased the A.O. Smith Propeller Plant to be used as a machine shop. Here they manufactured motorcycle parts and shipped them to the factory for final assembly.
1947 saw the introduction of the “Panhead” Harley Davidson motorcycle, which was deemed “THE American Motorcycle”. Two years later, hydraulic front brakes were introduced on the Hydra-Glide models. (continue to part 2)
