The History Of The Legendary Harley Davidson Motorcycles

Harley Davidson is a famous brand of motorcycles, and it all started back in 1901 when a young man by the name of William Harley crafted a blueprint of an engine that would fit onto a bicycle.

In 1903 the very first Harley Davidson motorcycles were made available to the public when William Harley and his friend Arthur Davidson produced one built as a racing motorcycle. It was purchased by one of their childhood school friends, Henry Meyer. During this time, the Harley Davidson production plant was nothing more than a crude wooden shed with the words "Harley Davidson Motor Company" scratched across the front door.

1905 was an important year for Harley Davidson, as they hired their first full time employee and one of their motorcycles won a race in Chicago, putting them on the map in a sense. The first years came in so quickly for the company that after 3 years, Harley-Davidson motorcycle production was transferred at Chestnut Street (that was later become Juneau Avenue). This is still the Harley-Davidson headquarters up to this time.

In 1907, William received a degree in mechanical engineering at University of Wisconsin. This helped them to development of better Harley-Davidson engines in the future. The same year also provided them a much needed factory expansion for the growing motorcycle demands. The year 1907 introduced the 45-degree V-Twin engine which has become the sole Harley-Davidson engine for a very long time.

Over the years, the company has gained so much popularity that was converted into sales output. During the First World War, Harley-Davidson was commissioned to provide more than 20,000 units for military use. The story of the Second World was the same for the company. They produced thousand upon thousands of motorcycle.

Before the entry of the 70's, AMF or the American Machinery and Foundry bought Harley-Davidson. Policies had changed that resulted to labor strike and substandard bikes. The popularity and reputation of the company was severely damaged.

In 1983 the Harley Owners Group was formed, and was referred to as H.O.G. It became the largest motorcycle club in the world to be sponsored by a factory. In a mere six years, the club had grown to include more than 90,000 members. In 1987, Harley Davidson became listed on the New York Stick Exchange, and owners everywhere realized what a wise investment they had made!

More years pass, with Harley Davidson inventing new motorcycles on a regular basis, winning more races, and selling more motorcycles than any other manufacturer. In 2006, Harley Davidson appointed the first authorized dealer of their motorcycles in China.

Today, Harley Davidson produces a wide variety of motorcycles that come in all different styles, shapes and colors. Harley Davidson not only makes recreational and sport racing motorcycles, they also make touring bikes. The Ultra Classic Electra Glide is the king daddy of them all, loaded with extra features and offering the ultimate in comfort. It even comes with an advanced audio system!

While Harley Davidson is most well known for their motorcycles, they also produce a full line of accessories to compliment their motorcycles. Some of the available accessories include sidecars, saddlebags and pouches, chrome covers, windshields, seats, mirrors, backrests, hand controls and sissy bars. Since then, the popularity of Harley-Davidson motorcycles was unquestionable. They regained their leadership in motorcycle industry as they create a unique line of motorcycles, different from the conventional Japan made. Now, after more than a hundred years of existence, Harley-Davidson motorcycles have become an attraction in every road around the world.

They also make a full line of clothing including leather goods, warm, cold and wet weather gear, helmets, gloves, jackets, vests, shirts, pants, boots, eyewear, as well as racing attire. There clothing accessory line is available in a wide range of sizes for men and women, as well as children.

If you are in the market to buy a Harley Davidson, you'll be able to find one no matter where you are in the world. Harley Davidson has dealerships in over 60 countries, and as a company employs more than 9,000 people.