It's actually one Harley and three Davidsons, and it took all four of them working together to create a brand that would revolutionize transportation and America.You might think that Harley-Davidson was founded by two guys whose last names were Harley and Davidson, and you would be partway right.
Harley-Davidson was founded in 1903 in Milwaukee, WI and officially incorporated in 1907 with Walter Davidson acting as the first president. Arthur Davidson became the first general sales manager and the secretary while William Davidson was the first works manager. William Harley, meanwhile, became the chief engineer and treasurer.
Given the ratio of three Davidsons to one Harley, you may be wondering why the company wasn't called Davidson-Harley. Since the original idea for the motorcycle came from William Harley, the gang thought it was only fair to have his name first.
The first Harley-Davidson factory was a wooden shed in the Davidson's backyard. The current headquarters stands in the same location - in a more prominent building, of course.
The first three motorcycles produced by Harley-Davidson in 1903 all had a buckle crank, a single-cylinder engine, pedals, and a leather drive belt. You would pedal until enough engine compression was built up, at which point the engine took over.
Harley, however, wanted to take bikes to the next level, which meant a two-cylinder engine. Perfected by 1909, the engine, called a V-Twin, could reach speeds as high as 60 mph.
With such a feat, Harley-Davidson's production rose to 3,200 machines by 1910.
By 1914 the USPS using 4,800 bikes to deliver mail. Soon, the military was using Harley motorcycles as well. By the 1950s, police departments nationwide were also using a Harley-Davidson.
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MUSIC: Mi favorite song
Charlie & Klaris
Dunkins
1901
Harley Davidson Timeline
William S. Harley, aged 21, completes a blueprint for an engine designed to fit into a bicycle.1903
Harley and Arthur Davidson build the first production Harley-Davidson in 1903. It features a 3-1/8-inch bore and a 3-1/2-inch stroke yielding 7.07 cubic inches (116cc). They make a more powerful motor with the assistance of Ole Evinrude – better known as the inventor of the outboard motor. It is designed for use on the wooden velodromes where popular bicycle races are held. Harley and Davidson work in a 10 x 15-foot shed on Chestnut Street (later renamed Juneau Avenue) which is still the address of Harley-Davidson's head office.1904
The first Harley-Davidson dealer, C.H. Lang of Chicago, opens for business.1906
A new 28 by 80-foot factory is built on Chestnut Street. The company has grown to have six employees. It produces its first catalog, and coins the nickname "Silent Gray Fellows." It's a reference to the fact that the bikes were painted dove gray, and that they were quietly reliable. (Evidently, the company's founders were unaware that loud pipes save lives.)1907
William A. Davidson joins the firm. Harley-Davidson Motor Company is incorporated, with stock shared by the Harley and the three Davidson brothers.1908
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. Perhaps impressed with that reliability, Detroit becomes the first city to buy a H-D motorcycle for police use.1909
"The Motor Company" makes its first V-Twin. It has a displacement of 49.5 cubic inches and produces seven horsepower.1910
The ‘Bar & Shield' logo is used for the first time in 1910 and was trademarked one year later.
Official Harley Davidson:
- https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/museum.html
- https://twitter.com/harleydavidson
- https://www.facebook.com/harley-davidson
- https://www.youtube.com/harleydavidson
One Harley and three Davidsons, and it took all four of them working together to create a motorcycle brand that would revolutionize transportation and America.
