In 1905 Harley-Davidson wins it’s first race and hires it’s first emplyee. Three years later, in 1908, Harley-Davidson sold the first motorcycle to be used in police servic to the Detroit Police Department. In 1912 H-D started building it’s 6 story factory and exports it’s first bikes to Japan, the first time sales were extended outrside of the United States.
1914 marks the year H-D formally enters itself into the national racing circuit, and is quickly known as “The Wrecking Crew” for it’s dominance in the racing industry. By 1917 one-thrid of all motorcycles produced would be sold to the military, and was also the start of the Service School for Harley-Davidson Mechanics, for both military and civilian bikes.
By 1918 half of all bikes produced were shipped off to military for service in World War 1, and Corporal Roy Holtz would be the first soldier to ride a Harley-Davidson Motorcycle in Germany. 1920 marks the year that the motorcycle company is the largest in the world in the motorcycle industry, and has over 2,000 dealers in 67 countries worldwide.
1931 is the year that almost all of Harleys competitors are gone, with the exception of the Indian Motorcycle Company. Harley-Davidson and Indian are the only two motorcycle companies in America, until 1953. As the world enters into World War 2, so does Harley go back into Military motorcycle production, and the service school is turned back into the military motorcycle service school, also known as the Quartermaster School for military mechanics. During this time the public could hardly get their hands on a Harley-Davidson Motorcycle.
In 1945 The wartime production slows to a halt and a civilian production starts up again, and in 1947 H-D starts to sell what is now the classic black leather motorcycle jacket. Throughout this whole time Harley is consistantly winning races on street and dirt over and over and still dominates the racing circuit.
1952 was the year the Harley Sportster made it’s debut, but as the “K” series. It would not be until 1957 that it wouldn’t be named as such. In 1953 Halrey-Davidson would become the sole motorcycle manufacturer in the United States when Hendee Manufacturing, the the Indian motorcycle company, goes out of business.
Elvis Presley poses for a cover shot of Enthusiast, the motorcycle enthusiast magazone, in 1956. The 1960’s showed Harley winning race ofter race after race, and he merge with the American Machine and Foundry Campany, or AMF.
The 1970s ushered in a customizing craze amongst ehtusiasts, and Harley-Davidson going through a company and factory wide renovation and restructuring. All production machinery goes through a major modernization and a new larger production plant in Milwaukee.
Harley’s have been known to always have oil leaks and vibrate massively, sort of an attraction with Harley afficianado’s. The 80’s came in with a huge turn around with the motorcycle company, in dampening the vibration, quelling the oil leaks and making them oil tight. This coupled with a new belt drive instead of chain drive and the new “Softtail” frame with hidden rear end shocks, Harley’s became a very smooth and comfortable ride. 1981 was also the year Harley-Davidson bought out the merger AMC and took control back of the company.
The Motorcycle Company is traded on the American Stock Exchange, the first time since 1969, the year AMF merged with H-D. 1987 is the year H-D is traded on the New York Stock Exchange, and is publicly traded and the companies confidence in itself as a leader in teh motorcycle industry is evident in this move, as well as starting the “Buy Back Program” in which owners of older Harleys can trade in their old models and get full trade-in price on a new “HOG”.
Harley celebrates it’s 90 birthday and has a family reunion in Milwaukee, also taking a financial interest in Buell Motorcycles started by Erik Buell to manufacture American sport motorcycles using Harley-Davidson Engines and in 1994 enters into the superbike racing industry with it’s first liquid cooled bike called the VR1000. Harley celebrates 95 years in 1998 and 140,000 riders come to Milwaukee to help with the party and celebration. Harley buys another 49% of Buell motorcyles making them the majority owner in the company and making the founder Erik Buell chairman of operations.
In 2003, more than 250,000 riders converge on Milwaukee for the final stop of the “Open Road Tour” and to celebrate Harley-Davidson’s 100th Anniversary and Party. Harley-Davidson and the Muscular Dystrophy Association(MDA) mark 25 years together as partners in the fight against Muscular Dystrophy. In 2006 Harley annouces plans to open a museum for the motorcycle company and plans for the opening to be in 2008.
Through this time H-D has been winning races and helping charities and people to make life better. This brief history on the building of the company is just a part of the Harley-Davidson legacy. Most people associate H-D with outlaw bikers and black leather jackets but many people don’t know the otherside of things with Harley-Davidson. The work with charities and racinf through out the whole growth of the company are things many people don’t realize about this little family owned company, that is now Americas biggest motorcycle manufacturer.
Harley Davidson has been considered as the iconic American bile for ages and owning this bike is luxury for some and sheer passion for alot of others.
Harley Davidson Motor Company based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in USA is the manufacturer of these fine motorcycles.
The Harley Davidson Sportster Motorcycle happens to be the proud member of the Harley Davidson Motorcycles family and came into existence in the year 1958.
The Sportsters bikes were inaccurately based on the then popular K-model racer. The first ever Harley Davidson Sportster was pretty lightweight, relatively narrow and stripped down and had earned a good amount fanfare among the sports bike enthusiasts.
Many bike lovers believe that the Harley Davidson Sportster gradually evolved to become the Harley’s cruiser bike model.
There is a group of people who also like to call this beautiful bike as the semi-sports bike, now that is an interesting way to name a bike!
Today’s evolved Sportster resembles the XLCH Sportster bike model that was created in the year 1958 but amusing enough every single part of the Sportster is different when compared to the XLCH Sportster of 1958.
The batteries and battery boxes, engines, carburetors and air cleaners, exhaust, mufflers, brakes and rotors, rotors, cables and charges, gas tank, oil tank, swing arm, rear shocks, wheels, forks, frames, everything is different but surprisingly the resemblance is austere.
One has to bear in mind that Harley Davidson bikes have always been considered as or rather was intended to be the chopper style bikes. In fact it was Harley Davidson bike that has given a rise to the new whole new cult of custom created bikes.
People often find this fact as contradictory but then if you have ever owned a Harley Davidson or have been an avid admirer of any model of Harleys you would know what it means to be believe in evolution but not revolution.
It is this characteristic of the Harley Davidson Sportster Motorcycle that has made the bike what it is today, a truly retro yet state-of-the-art bike till this date.
It is for this fact that the Harley Davidson motorcycle company, which is the oldest motorcycle manufacturing company, has retained its popularity and credibility as the one of the most renowned motorcycle companies in the world.
The Sportster Motorcycle too lives up to the standards set by the earlier models of Harley Davidson’s motorcycle company. By this yardstick the Harley Davidson Sportster Motorcycle is a real-time example of the evolving work or let’s say a work in progress. Have you ever seen two Sportsters that looked exactly the same?
Believe me one doesn’t have to be a Harley Davidson motorcycle fanatic to be able to answer this. Any layman who knows a little bit about Harleys will answer the question. You will never find two Sportsters that look same, it is again for the reason that the like any other Harley Davidson bike, the Harley Davidson Sportster Motorcycle too is full of possibilities when it comes to the additions and modifications.
This is especially true for the basic XLH 883 and XLH 1200 models. The type and number of modifications that you can do to your Harleys Sportster can be limited only by your own creativity and imagination.
Whether it’s engine performance, safety accessories, comfort and convenience accessories, appearance accessories, the possibilities are many.
It is the final touches that you give to your Sportster that lends the personality to your Sportster.
No wonder that even today a well-maintained and well-treated Sportster is capable of fetching you a 100% of the original cost price as the resale value.
Nothing, and I mean nothing, to me symbolizes the spirit of freedom and strength more than a Harley Davidson. Ever since Hell’s Angels gained notoriety and biker gangs started their wild roaming through the interstates of the United States, the Harley Davidson has been synonymous with classic themes of focused passion and power, most especially rock and roll music.
As a rock fanatic and a biker myself, the Harleys have long had a very special place in my heart. If you’re thinking of owning one just because you’ve got tons of money and want to show off how rich you are, I am going to wholeheartedly tell you now, DON’T. You’ll give the real bikers and rockers out there a bad name. Not to mention you’ll look funny, and everyone will be laughing at you behind your back. Or in your face, depending on how polite they are.
Okay, that said and done, let’s talk about the bike. Harleys have pretty much set a trend and there are tons of posers out there that have come up with easy riders that try to at least imitate the bad-boy look of a Harley Davidson. The real bikers spend most of their time laughing their butts off at these imitations.
There is no way to counterfeit the look, the feel, and the sound of a real Harley. Making a line of Harley look-alikes is like trying to take a mule and asking it to pretend it’s a thoroughbred stallion. No comparison, end of story.
I could go on about the specs of the machine, but that’s not the point. A Harley isn’t about numbers and figures like RPMs in the motor. It’s something you have to ride to experience and understand. If your heart doesn’t match up with the spirit of the bike, if you don’t like rock and roll and are afraid of things like noise, power, roaming around, and change, then the experience of riding the bike will most likely terrify you. Like a wild horse sensing a newbie rider, the bike will most likely throw you at the first opportunity.
It’s not for everyone, I can honestly say. That’s what makes the Harley so special. It’s all about attitude, and loving the concepts of freedom, chaos, and living life to the fullest. If you think you can handle that, then give a Harley a try, and see if you’ve got what it takes to run with the pack.
Have you ever wanted to purchase a motorcycle? If you are into motorcycles I am sure you would want a Harley Davidson Motorcycle. But the problem with Harley Davidson for the normal consumer is that these bikes are very expensive. Especially if you want a bulky fully decked out version. Of course you may like to look at the entry level Harley. But even these bikes are on the pricey side. Knowing this what other options do you have.
Buying used is another option for purchasing a Harley Davidson. Their are a lot of Harley Davidson owners that have older bikes that they have just grown out of. Or the owner just can’t ride anymore. Some cases you may even find a bike where, sorry to say, the owner has just past away. In these cases you may find a late model Harley that is in perfect condition that you can get for a great price.
Another option is to go the salvage way. Salvage Harley Davidson bike are bikes that have either been in an accident or have been damaged in some way. This could be from flood damage. Be sure to find out what happened to the bike before buying. Some of these salvage bikes are not able to get repaired. They just may have too much damage and would cost to much to get them back on the road. In that case you could use the parts to bring another Harley back to life. But in some occasions you will find a salvage Harley that just does not need so much to get it back running. It may be the case that the salvage Harley is a recovered stolen bike and the insurance company worked out a deal with the owner to get a payoff of the bike. Now, the insurance company is just trying to get the bike off of its books. This is a perfect opportunity for you the consumer. The bank is motivated to release the bike at a significant discount. You just have to know how to put in a bid that the bank will accept.
Auctions are another option for finding Harley Salvage For Sale. Sites like eBay has a number of salvage Harley that are ready for purchase. Once again it is about producing the right price to get your hands on the bike.
So, you are thinking of getting your first Harley-Davidson motorcycle? Well, there are a few things that you’ll want to become knowledgeable about if you want to have any hope of fitting in with the custom Harley Davidson crowd.
Owning a Harley-Davidson motorcycle brings you into a tight knit brotherhood with a culture all its own. But getting a Harley doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be included into this self-proclaimed elite group of America loving, free spirited souls. The Harley culture is a proud one and, like any organization, they have traditions, expectations, and unwritten rules that each biker is expected to follow.
Right off the bat, you should know that your Harley isn’t really a Harley unless it’s a custom Harley Davidson. In other words, you don’t want to pull up to the local biker bar in an “off the shelf” Harley bike. A man’s (or woman’s) bike should be a reflection of themselves, and therefore no two Harleys should be alike.
Your bike tells others who you are, what you are like, and may very well be the thing that other bikers judge you by.
Secondly, make sure all your custom parts are made by American companies. You bought a Harley because of the pride, sophistication, and attention to detail that went into its creation. By customizing your bike with non-American parts, you go counter to the made-in-America attitudes of the Harley culture. If your bike has parts that aren’t made in America, then the bike itself is no longer a work of American art.
And when it comes to the helmet that you wear, forget the face mask. Those are for wimps!
Sure you can buy a Harley motorcycle and not follow any of the brotherhood’s rules, but you can expect to be shunned by every other Harley biker on the road. Think I’m joking? Maybe the following story will change your mind.
One part of the Harley culture, as mentioned earlier, is to buy American. Harley-Davidson is an American company and owners of these American-made bikes are very proud to be riding on a machine put together by American hands. That means your bike should be running parts from American manufacturers right down to the spark plugs.
A biker entered a parts store one day and complained about the rough running of his V-twin engine. The parts manager recommended replacing his spark plugs with the NGK (a Japanese company) brand. The biker did so reluctantly. Turns out he liked the NGK spark plugs much better and chose to run them instead of the OEM plugs that his bike came with originally.
Only problem was that he knew he would be shunned by his fellow bikers for running a Japanese part on his bike, so he manually painted the HD logo onto his NGK spark plugs to prevent any suspicion.
When working with your custom Harley Davidson, remember where your “hog” came from and be sure to honor the culture that you have joined.
