The History of Harley Davidson

The history of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle began in Milwaukee in 1903. Bill Harley and Arthur Walter Davidson developed a one-cylinder motorcycle originally built for racing as well as it being a transport vehicle. In 1910, the legendary "Bar and Shield" logo was placed on the motorcycle. This would become the recognizable symbol of Harley-Davidson. Another trademark is the teardrop shaped gas tank.

From its inception, the Harley-Davidson motorcycle began to set records. In 1908, the Harley reached a record 188.234 miles per gallon. It even took seven first place finishes in 1910 motorcycle racing, and by 1912 it had 200 U.S. distributors.

By the 1960s "the hog," as it also known as, scored seven consecutive victories at the Daytona 200. During the next decade the Harley took four consecutive wins at the AMA Grand National Championships and broke the world motorcycle record for land speed.

To say that the Harley-Davidson is America's most recognized motorcycle would be an understatement. From its beginning,the bike has had a unique and characteristic sound. The pistons are connected to its crankshaft in a way that causes the motor to give two "pops" then a quiet pause as it hummed along the road.

An interesting piece of American history is that during World War I Harley-Davidson manufactured nearly 20,000 motorcycles for the U.S. government. During World War II, almost all of the Harleys produced went towards the war effort.

Harley-Davidsons are enjoyed by individuals and groups who find biking a wonderful way to travel. Who has not seen these bikes along the highway?