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William S. Harley,
age 21, completes a blueprint drawing of an
engine designed to fit into a bicycle. |
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21-year old William
S. Harley and 20-year old Arthur Davidson make
available to the public the first production
Harley-Davidson® motorcycle. The bike was built
to be a racer, with a 3-1/8 inch bore and 3-1/2
inch stroke. The factory in which they worked
was a 10 x 15-foot wooden shed with the words "Harley-Davidson
Motor Company" crudely scrawled on the door.
Arthur's brother Walter quits his job in Kansas
and joins their efforts on April 17th. |
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Henry Meyer of Milwaukee, a
schoolyard pal of William S. Harley and Arthur
Davidson, buys one of the 1903 models directly
from the founders. |
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The first Harley-Davidson
Dealer, C.H. Lang of Chicago, Ill., opens for
business and sells one of the first three
production Harley-Davidson motorcycles ever made |
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On July 4th, a H-D motorcycle
wins a 15 mile race in Chicago with a time of
19:02. In Milwaukee, the first full-time
employee is hired. |
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A new factory, measuring 28 x
80 feet, is built on the Chestnut St. site,
later renamed Juneau Avenue. Staff size is
increased to six full-time employees. Also, the
first motorcycle catalog is produced by the
Company and the nickname "Silent Gray Fellow" is
used for the first time. |
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In 1907, four
trophies were awarded for winning races on
Harley-Davidson® motorcycles. They were: Speed
Test Milwaukee Hillclimb, 30 May 1907, won by
Walter Davidson; Motorcycle Flying Start,
Milwaukee, 27 July 1907, won by the
Harley-Davidson Motor Company; Five Mile
Handicap, Janesville, Wisconsin, won by Arthur
Davidson; Special Handicap Derby Day Races,
Milwaukee, 27 July 1907, won by the
Harley-Davidson Motor Company. |
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William A.
Davidson, brother to Arthur and Walter Davidson,
quits his job as tool foreman for the Milwaukee
Road railroad and joins the Motor Company.
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Harley-Davidson Motor Company
is incorporated on September 17th. The stock is
split four ways between the four founders, and
staff size has more than doubled from the
previous year to eighteen employees. Factory
size is doubled as well. Dealer recruitment
begins, targeting the New England region. |
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Walter Davidson
scores a perfect 1,000 points at the 7th Annual
Federation of American Motorcyclists Endurance
and Reliability Contest. Three days after the
contest, Walter sets the FAM economy record at
188.234 miles per gallon. Word of
Harley-Davidson's extremely tough motorcycle
spreads rapidly. |
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The first motorcycle sold for
police duty is delivered to the Detroit, Mich.,
police dept. |
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The six-year-old
Harley-Davidson Motor Company introduces its
first V-twin powered motorcycle. With a
displacement of 49.5 cubic inches, the bike
produces seven horsepower. The image of two
cylinders in a 45-degree configuration would
fast become one of the most enduring icons of
Harley-Davidson history. Also available for the
first time from the Motor Company are spare
parts for motorcycles. |
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The famed "Bar &
Shield" logo is used for the first time. It is
trademarked at the U.S. Patent office one year
later. |
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At least seven different first
place finishes are captured at races, endurance
contests and hillclimbs across America. All
seven winners are riding Harley-Davidson®
motorcycles. |
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The "F-head" engine becomes a
workhorse of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle
until 1929. |
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Construction begins
on what will become the six story headquarters
and main factory building at Juneau Ave. in
Milwaukee. A separate Parts and Accessories
Department is formed. |
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H-D exports motorcycles to
Japan, marking the first ever sales outside of
the U.S. Dealer network grows to over 200
nationwide. |
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The Racing Department is formed,
with William Ottaway as its first Assistant
Engineer to racing engineer William S. Harley.
Also, the Package Truck commercial delivery van
is offered for the first time. |
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Sidecars are made
available to Harley-Davidson buyers. Clutch and
brake pedals now available on F-head singles and
twins. |
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The Motor Company formally
enters motorcycle racing this year. The first
Racing Engineer is William S. Harley. Within a
few short years, team Harley-Davidson is
referred to informally as the "Wrecking Crew"
because of their incredible dominance of the
sport. |
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The Two-Speed rear hub
transmission is introduced for one year only in
the Model 10F. Patented by William S. Harley, it
was effective but discontinued in order to
further improve drivetrain function in 1915 with
a three-speed design. |
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Harley-Davidson motorcycles are
now available with three speed sliding-gear
transmissions with final and primary drive on
the same side. |
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The Enthusiast begins
its reign as the longest continuously published
motorcycle magazine in the world. |
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The Eight-Valve Racer
introduced (1916-1928). In the 1921 racing
season alone, Harley-Davidson’s Racing Team won
every single national championship race relying
heavily upon the Eight-Valve. |
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During this year,
roughly one-third of all Harley-Davidson
motorcycles produced are sold to the U.S.
military. The Quartermasters School, a
department of Harley-Davidson devoted to
training military mechanics on Harley-Davidson
motorcycles, opens for business in July. It will
later become the Service School. |
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The sale of Harley-Davidson
bicycles begins. Individual components are made
by the Davis Sewing Machine Co. of Dayton, Ohio.
The bicycles are sold through the H-D dealer
network. |
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Almost half of all
Harley-Davidson motorcycles produced are sold
for use by the U.S. military in World War I. At
War's end, it is estimated that the Army used
some 20,000 motorcycles in their efforts, most
of which were Harley-Davidsons. One day after
the signing of the Armistice, Corporal Roy Holtz
of Chippewa Falls, Wis., is the first American
to enter Germany. He is riding a Harley-Davidson. |
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The 37 cubic inch
opposed twin cylinder Sport model is introduced
and gains great popularity overseas. Unique not
only for the cylinder configuration, which was
directly opposed and flat, the Sport quickly
earns a reputation for being uncommonly quiet.
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By 1920,
Harley-Davidson is the largest motorcycle
manufacturer in the world. New Harley-Davidson®
motorcycles can be purchased from over 2,000
dealers in 67 countries worldwide. |
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Leslie "Red" Parkhurst breaks
23 speed records on a Harley-Davidson 61 cubic
inch racing motorcycle. Also, the "hog"
association starts when the racing team's mascot,
a pig, is carried on a victory lap after each
race won by the team. |
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The first 74 cubic
inch V-twin engine is introduced on the JD and
FD models. Harley-Davidson dealerships are now
found in sixty-seven countries. |
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Harley-Davidson riders sweep
all eight National Championship races. |
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Gas tanks on all
models now have a distinct teardrop shape. This
basic appearance is set for all subsequent
Harley-Davidson motorcycles. |
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Joe Petrali begins racing for
Harley-Davidson. He would become one of the most
successful dirt-track racers for Harley-Davidson,
and one of the most successful racers of all
time. |
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Single-cylinder motorcycles are
again sold by Harley-Davidson for the first time
since 1918. Models A, AA, B, and BA are
available in side-valve and overhead-valve
engine configurations. |
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The first
Harley-Davidson two cam engine is made available
to the public on the JD series motorcycles. The
bike is capable of top speeds between 85 - 100
mph. |
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Front wheel brakes are now
available on all Harley-Davidson motorcycles. |
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The 45 cubic inch
V-twin engine (later to be known as the "flathead")
is introduced on the D model. The engine proves
to be so reliable that variations of it are
available on Harley-Davidson motorcycles as late
as 1972. |
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Bill Davidson, Jr. wins the
Jack Pine endurance contest with 997 points of
1,000. All individual class winners are riding
Harley-Davidson® motorcycles. |
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All of Harley-Davidson's
remaining American competition is now gone
except Indian (Hendee Manufacturing). Indian and
Harley-Davidson are the only two American
motorcycle manufacturers until 1953. |
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The 45 cubic
inch-driven, three-wheeled Servi-car begins its
41 year run as a popular commercial and police
vehicle. |
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In dirt track racing,
Harley-Davidson racer Joe Petrali begins a
five-year consecutive streak of winning the AMA
Grand National Championship. Petrali also wins
the National Hill-Climb Championships for 1932
to 1935. |
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An art-deco "eagle" design is
painted on all gas tanks. This marks the
beginning of graphic designs on Harley-Davidson
motorcycles (with the exception of previously
special order-only paint schemes). This styling
decision was made in part to stimulate the low
sales numbers caused by the Great Depression. |
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The Japanese
motorcycle industry is founded as a result of
Harley-Davidson licensing blueprints, tools,
dies and machinery to the Sankyo Company of
Japan. The result is the Rikuo motorcycle.
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Joe Petrali and his
Harley-Davidson peashooter win all thirteen of
the American Motorcycle Association National
Championship dirt track races. Petrali breaks
four records in the process. |
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Harley-Davidson introduces the
EL, an overhead valve, 61 cubic inch powered
bike. With increased horsepower and bold styling
changes, the motorcycle quickly earns the
nickname of "Knucklehead," due to the shape of
its rocker boxes. The same year, the Motor
Company introduces a 80 cubic inch side valve
engine. |
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The first WL models are
produced. Joe Petrali sets a new land speed
record of 136.183 mph on a modified
Harley-Davidson 61 cubic inch overhead
valve-driven motorcycle. . The same day, he also
breaks the record for 45 cubic inch engine
motorcycles. |
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Babe Tancrede is the winner at
the Daytona 200, riding a WLDR model. |
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America is plunged
into World War II. Production of civilian
motorcycles is almost entirely suspended in
favor of military production. The Service School
is converted back to the Quartermasters School
for the training of military mechanics. |
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The FL series premieres. |
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Among other motorcycles made
for the Army, H-D produces the unique XA 750, a
motorcycle with horizontally opposed cylinders
and shaft drive, designed for desert use. The
contract is cancelled early due to war combat
moving out of North Africa. Only 1,011 XA's are
built. |
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Harley-Davidson receives the
first of its four Army-Navy "E" Awards for
excellence in wartime production. Overseas, many
American servicemen get their first exposure to
Harley-Davidson motorcycles, something they
would not forget when they would return
stateside. |
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World War II ends, and
Harley-Davidson has produced almost 90,000 WLA
models for military use. Wasting no time,
production of civilian motorcycles resumes in
November. |
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Harley-Davidson introduces the
45 cubic inch flathead WR racing motorcycle. It
proves to be one of the best racing motorcycles
ever built. |
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Attendees at the
year's Dealers Convention in Milwaukee are given
a train ride to a "secret destination," which
turns out to be the newly purchased plant on
Capitol Drive. The plant was formerly the A.O.
Smith Propeller Plant, created during the war.
Harley-Davidson uses the plant as a large
machine shop, shipping the new parts to Juneau
Ave. for final assembly.
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Harley-Davidson begins selling
what will become the classic black leather
motorcycle jacket. |
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Harley-Davidson dirt track
racer Jimmy Chann wins the first of three
consecutive AMA Grand National Championships. |
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New features are
added to the 61 and 74 overhead valve engines,
including aluminum heads and hydraulic valve
lifters. Also new are the one piece, chrome
plated rocker covers shaped like cake pans. The
nickname "Panhead" only seemed logical.
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Production of American-made
lightweight motorcycles begins with the model S.
Various versions will be sold until 1966. |
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Hydraulic front
forks first appear on the new Hydra-Glide models. |
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Larry Headrick wins
the AMA Grand National Championship for
Harley-Davidson in dirt track racing. |
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Harley-Davidson riders win 18
of 24 National Championships and set six new
racing records. |
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The side-valve K model is
introduced with an integrated engine &
transmission to compete with smaller, sportier
motorcycles coming mainly from Great Britain.
The K will eventually evolve into the Sportster.
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Harley-Davidson
celebrates its 50th Anniversary in style. An
attractive logo is created, depicting a "V" in
honor of the engine which had brought the
Company so far, with a bar overlaid reading "Harley-Davidson"
and the words, above and below, "50
years--American made." A medallion version of
this logo is placed on the front fenders of the
1954 models. |
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Hendee Manufacturing, the
creator of the Indian motorcycle, goes out of
business. Harley-Davidson would be the sole U.S.
motorcycle manufacturer for the next 46 years. |
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Dirt track racer Joe Leonard
wins the AMA Grand National Championship. Over
the next eight years, the Grand National
Championship will be won by Harley-Davidson
racers. |
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This year begins a seven-year
consecutive run of victories at the Daytona 200.
The victories will be shared by racers Brad
Andres, Johnny Gibson, Joe Leonard and Roger
Reiman. All ride Harley-Davidson KR models.
Reiman's victory in 1961 is on the new speedway
course. |
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The new young star Elvis
Presley poses for the cover of the May
Enthusiast sitting on a 1956 model KH. |
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The motorcycling public met a
new motorcycle called the Sportster®. It
premiers as a 55 cubic inch overhead valve
engine, and within one year of its debut,
becomes known as the first of the "Superbikes."
Another Harley-Davidson tradition and legend is
born. |
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The Harley-Davidson
Topper motor scooter is introduced and is the
only scooter platform the Motor Company ever
produced. |
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Harley-Davidson purchases a
half interest in Aeronatica-Macchi, forming
Aermacchi Harley-Davidson, a European division
that will produce small, single cylinder
motorcycles. |
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In this year of Brad Andres'
1st place finish at the Daytona 200, the top 14
finishers are also riding Harley-Davidson 750 KR
models. |
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Introduction of the Sprint
model. |
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Harley-Davidson purchases 60
percent of the stock in the Tomahawk Boat
Manufacturing Company. H-D recognizes the rising
relevance of fiberglass in motorcycle production,
and begins manufacturing its own components. As
a result, the Tomahawk Division is established
and is operational as a Harley-Davidson facility
by 1963. |
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Ralph White resumes the winning
of the Daytona 200 for Harley-Davidson, again on
a 750 KR motorcycle. |
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Roger Reiman wins
the AMA Grand National Championship for
Harley-Davidson. Reiman also scores the first of
back-to-back Daytona 200 victories on a 750 KR.
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The three-wheeled Servi-Car
becomes the very first Harley-Davidson
motorcycle to receive an electric starter.
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The Electra-Glide®
replaces the Duo-Glide and is updated with
electric starter. The Electra-Glide is the first
FL available with electric start, and the
Sportster® line would receive electric starters
soon after. |
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In a Streamliner powered by a
250cc Sprint CR racing engine, George Roeder
shatters the speed records for Class A and Class
C runs, averaging 177 miles per hour. |
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Harley-Davidson dirt track
racer Bart Markel wins the AMA Grand National
Championship in 1965 and 1966. |
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The first of the "Shovelhead"
engines is introduced on the Electra-Glide
models, replacing the Panhead. |
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Cal Rayborn wins the first of
back-to-back victories at the Daytona 200 on a
750 KR model. |
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In consideration of
new AMA rules for Class C racing, a new
Sportster®-based motorcycle, the XR 750 racer is
introduced. |
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On the Bonneville salt flats
near Wendover, Utah, racer Cal Rayborn breaks
the world record for land speed set by a
motorcycle. The vehicle is a sixteen foot
streamliner powered by a single Sportster engine,
and averages just over 265 mph. |
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In response to the
customizing craze, Harley-Davidson introduces
the FX 1200 Super Glide®, which combined a
sporty front end (similar to that of the XL
series) with the frame and powertrain of the FL
series. A new class of motorcycle, the cruiser,
is born. |
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First year of Harley-Davidson
snowmobile production. |
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The new, more powerful, more
reliable aluminum alloy XR-750 debuts. It
becomes the dominant dirt track racer through
the next three decades. Dirt track racer Mark
Brelsford wins the AMA Grand National
Championship on the XR-750 this year. |
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Motorcycle production is
upgraded when all assembly operations are moved
to a modern 400,000 square foot plant in York,
Penn. All other production operations remain in
Milwaukee and Tomahawk. The Capitol Drive plant
in Milwaukee begins production of engines.
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The first of four more
consecutive years of Harley-Davidson AMA Grand
National Championships in dirt track racing.
Gary Scott wins in 1975. The following three
years are won by racing legend Jay Springsteen. |
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Harley-Davidson introduces the
FXS Low Rider® to the public in Daytona Beach.
With drag style handlebars, unique engine and
paint treatments, the Low Rider lives up to its
name by placing the rider in a lowered seating
position than was typical. Later in the same
year, Willie G. Davidson's dynamic version of
the Sportster, the Cafe Racer, is released.
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Introduction of the
FXEF Fat Bob, "Fat" because of the dual gas
tanks, "Bob" for the bobbed fenders.
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Harley-Davidson
debuts the FLT with its vibration dampening,
rubber-isolated drivetrain and unique trailing
front fork. The FLT also debutes an engine and
five-speed transmission that are hard bolted
together. |
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A kevlar belt replaces the
chain as the final drive. The belt is cleaner
running, and needs less adjustments and
maintenance. It isn't long before belt final
drive is standard on all Harley-Davidson®
motorcycles. |
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The AMA Grand National
Championship in dirt track racing goes to yet
another Harley-Davidson racer, Randy Goss. |
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In honor of the historic
Sturgis motorcycle rally, Harley-Davidson
releases the FXB Sturgis model, employing belt
drive, black chrome appointments and 80 cubic
inch engine. |
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The FXWG Wide Glide is
introduced for the 1980 model year. |
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On February 26,
thirteen Harley-Davidson senior executives sign
a letter of intent to purchase Harley-Davidson
Motor Company from AMF. By mid-June, the buyback
is official, and the phrase "The Eagle Soars
Alone" becomes a rallying cry. |
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Scott Parker begins racing for
team Harley-Davidson on the AMA dirt track
circuit. He will become the most successful
racer in Harley-Davidson history, accumulating
93 career victories and, more incredibly,
winning 9 Grand National Champion titles in a 10
year period. |
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More innovations
demonstrate a new commitment to quality, such as
the FXR/FXRS Super Glide® II with its
rubber-isolated, five-speed powertrain and the
welded and stamped frame for the new Sportster®
models. |
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The top three finishers in the
AMA Grand National Championship are Ricky
Graham, Jay Springsteen and Randy Goss. This
begins a two year run of dirt track Championship
wins for Harley-Davidson. Goss takes the
Championship in 1983. |
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The Materials As Needed (MAN)
application is introduced to production.
Generally, this means that parts and raw
materials are purchased and built only as they
are required. This dramatically lowers
production costs and improves quality. |
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Harley-Davidson
successfully petitions the International Trade
Commission (ITC) for tariff relief, which is
granted April 1, 1983. The tariff, scheduled to
end five years later, is placed on all imported
Japanese motorcycles 700cc or larger as a
response to Japanese motorcycle manufacturers
stockpiling inventories of unsold motorcycles in
the United States. |
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One of Harley-Davidson's most
unique endeavors begins: Harley Owners Group®.
Fondly referred to as H.O.G.®, the Group
immediately becomes the largest
factory-sponsored motorcycle club in the world.
Within six years, H.O.G. membership soars to
more than 90,000. By the year 2000, it exceeds
500,000 members. |
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Dirt track racer Randy Goss
wins the AMA Grand National Championship this
year. |
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Harley-Davidson unveils the
1340cc V²® Evolution® engine on five models
including the all-new Softail®. The result of
seven years of development, the Evolution engine
produces more power at every speed, runs cooler,
cleaner and is oil-tight. Also witnessed is the
debut of the Softail design and its
trend-setting method of "hiding" the
motorcycle's rear shock absorbers. |
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In another bold
styling and engineering move, Harley-Davidson
releases the Heritage Softail®. |
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The Motor Company is listed on
the American Stock Exchange, the first time
Harley-Davidson is publicly traded since 1969,
the year of the AMF merger. |
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The Sportster® motorcycle line
receives the Evolution V-twin engine. |
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To diversify its holdings,
Harley-Davidson purchases Holiday Rambler
Corporation, producer of quality motor homes. |
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Harley-Davidson is
listed on the New York Stock Exchange. |
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Harley-Davidson makes both
business and American history. H-D petitions the
International Trade Commission for early
termination of the five-year tariffs on
heavyweight motorcycles. In effect, the move
demonstrated confidence in H-D's ability to
compete in the marketplace. |
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Harley-Davidson begins the "Buy
Back Program," for the XLH 883 Sportster, which
offers full trade-in value within two years on
either a model FL or FX. |
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Upon its introduction, the
FLSTF Fat Boy® almost instantaneously becomes a
modern legend of motorcycle design. |
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Installation of a
$31 million state of the art paint facility
begins at the York, Penn., factory. It becomes
fully operational in 1992. |
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The Dyna line of motorcycles
debuts with the 1991 FXDB Dyna Glide Sturgis®. |
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Harley-Davidson buys a minority
interest in the Buell Motorcycle Company. Erik
Buell created the Company to manufacture
American sport motorcycles using
Harley-Davidson® XL 883 engines. |
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Harley-Davidson celebrates its
90th Anniversary in Milwaukee with a Family
Reunion. An estimated 100,000 people ride in a
parade of motorcycles.
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Harley-Davidson enters
Superbike racing with the introduction of the
VR1000, a dual overhead cam, liquid-cooled
motorcycle. |
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The
classically-styled FLHR Road King® is
introduced.
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The 30th Anniversary Ultra
Classic® Electra Glide® becomes the first
production Harley-Davidson motorcycle to include
sequential port electronic fuel injection. |
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A new, state-of-the-art Parts
and Accessories Distribution Center opens in
Franklin, Wis. By the beginning of 1997, all
inventory is moved from the original warehouse
at Juneau Avenue to the new 250,000-sq.-ft.
facility. |
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A new
217,000-sq.-ft. Product Development Center opens
next to the Capitol Drive plant in Milwaukee.
The building is dedicated to Willie G. Davidson.
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Powertrain Operations at
Capitol Drive expanded its capacity by moving FL
engine and transmission production to a newly
purchased plant located in Menomonee Falls. XL
engines and transmissions, as well as Genuine
Parts Manufacturing, remain at Capitol Drive. |
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A new 330,000-sq.-ft. plant in
Kansas City produces its first Sportster. |
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Harley-Davidson
celebrates its 95th Anniversary. 140,000 plus
riders are warmly received by Milwaukee to help
with the celebration. |
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A new assembly facility opens
in Manaus, Brazil, the first operations outside
of the U.S. |
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Harley-Davidson buys a
remaining 49% interest in Buell Motorcycle
Company. Erik Buell is named Chairman of Buell
operations. |
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All 1999 model year
big twins receive the new Twin Cam 88® engine.
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The FXSTD Softail®
Deuce™ is introduced to the immediate delight of
riders and the motorcycle media. |
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The 2000 model year Softail®
and Dyna Glide models are outfitted with the
Twin Cam 88B™ engine, a counter-balanced version
of the Twin Cam 88. |
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Fuel injection is unveiled as a
feature new to the Softail line of motorcycles
for the 2001 model year. |
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The VRSCA V-Rod® is
introduced for the 2002 model year. Inspired by
the VR-1000 racing motorcycle, the V-Rod is
Harley-Davidson's first motorcycle to combine
fuel injection, overhead cams and liquid cooling,
and delivers 115 horsepower. |
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Harley-Davidson Racing
announces the latest addition to the team: 17
year old Jennifer Snyder, the first woman to win
a national event in the Formula USA National
Dirt Track Series. |
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Harley-Davidson announces
expansions at the Product Development Center
(Milwaukee), as well as Tomahawk, WI, and York,
PA, facilities. |
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The all-new Buell®
Firebolt® storms onto the scene. |
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The Open Road Tour debuts in
Atlanta, GA, in July to celebrate the upcoming
Harley-Davidson 100th Anniversary. |
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Buell Motorcycle
Company unleashes the Lightning® XB9S. |
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History