Undoubtedly one of the world's largest manufacturers of big-engined motorcycles, the Harley-Davidson brand has established itself through its style and innovations across generations. Always a step ahead, it has won the hearts of two-wheel enthusiasts and become an incredible institution in the United States. More than just a motorcycle brand, it is now a true state of mind and a way of life for the owners of these machines.
The creation of the Harley-Davidson brand
The history of the Harley-Davidson brand began in 1903, in the city of Milwaukee, United States. Two friends who were keen on DIY, William Harley and Arthur Davidson, aged 20 and 21, built a motorized bicycle prototype in Arthur Davidson's mother's kitchen. However, the success of their experiment was not immediate, and they faced many failures before getting the bicycle to work. One day, an explosion occurred in the kitchen due to gasoline vapors escaping from the machine. To limit the damage, the two colleagues decided to leave Davidson's kitchen and continue operations in the tiny garage of a mutual friend, Henri Melk, who owned a lathe.
A little later, Arthur Davidson's father made his garden shed available to them to transform it into a workshop. Inside, three motorcycles would be built over the first two years of development. To do this, the two friends were helped by brothers William and Walter Davidson. Thus, the first Harley-Davidson was born: the model was called "Silent Grey." It was more precisely a single-cylinder with an automatic intake valve and operated without a gearbox.
The founding of the Harley-Davidson company
On August 28, the Harley-Davidson company was officially founded. In 1906, the first workshop was established on Juneau Avenue, which is still the location of the current headquarters. Gradually, production steadily increased. Initially, the Silent Grey Fellow was sold for $200.
In 1907, Arthur Davidson's brother, Walter, who was good at business, was appointed the first president of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. His other brother, William Davidson, managed the workshop. On the other side, William Harley was appointed chief engineer, while Arthur Davidson was in charge of all commercial aspects. The company's shares were thus distributed among the four founders.
In a short time, the company's size doubled: eighteen employees worked for the company. Walter Davidson then began to promote the idea of building bigger and faster motorcycles to win sports races.
The beginnings of competition at Harley-Davidson, the path to success
In 1908, Harley-Davidson made its first appearance on the podiums and in sports races. Walter Davidson, then 32 years old, entered the "New York's Catskill Mountain" competition with his personal Silent Grey Fellow. He won overwhelmingly, with an exceptional score of 1,000 points ahead of sixty-two other participants. The following weekend, Walter won an Economic Run, another prestigious competition held in Long Island, covering 188 miles on one gallon of gasoline. Thanks to these victories, the gamble paid off: sales began to skyrocket!
The birth of the Harley-Davidson logo
The Harley-Davidson company logo has helped make the brand famous worldwide. First visible on vehicles, it then extended to all of its products: shoes, clothing, tableware, and various accessories for riders, like a true trademark.
This logo was invented in 1909 and has remained the same until today. It is undoubtedly one of the most memorable logotypes ever created. It is also called the "bar and shield" logo because of its particular shape. It is characterized by a central shield crossed in the middle by a horizontal bar. It symbolizes grandeur, strength, and robustness, true to the brand's models.
The colors used are orange for the shield and white to highlight the company name. The font used exists nowhere else and is the result of unique customization. The logo has been protected and registered since 1982 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Harley-Davidson: a series of innovations
Upon returning from university, William Harley began to study the possibility of a more powerful engine. Instead of creating a new block, he chose to directly graft a second cylinder onto the Silent Grey Fellow. This would give birth to a new model: the Harley V-twin.
At the same time, the city of Milwaukee inaugurated a numbering system that would make 1904 the zero year of production. The 1908 models were therefore renamed "Model 4". Striking another stroke of genius, this model would be sold in 450 copies to the Detroit police department, which would further popularize Harley-Davidsons on the streets of the United States.
In 1909, the brand offered its very first twin-cylinder for sale. The V-twin reached 97 km/h (60 mph), a real feat at that time. It was then the fastest motorcycle on the market. However, only 27 V-twins would be sold, while the single-cylinder found 1,100 buyers. The reason for this failure was that the twin-cylinder was not equipped with a belt tensioner, unlike the single-cylinder. To use the V-twin, it was therefore necessary to turn off the engine at each stop and restart by pedaling, which made its use very complex. It was then withdrawn from sale.
Despite this error, the brand continued to develop other increasingly stunning models, giving greater importance to ease of use and without compromising on performance. Customization of certain elements was also offered to create designs adapted to each client's expectations. In 1913, the historic workshop was transformed into a 28,000 m2 factory, and the company dominated the market with a production of 12,904 machines.
World War I and II: Crucial Moments for Harley-Davidson
During World War I, and more precisely in 1917, the United States entered the war in Europe. To support the war effort, the armed forces requested motorcycles. Harley-Davidson was chosen to supply the army. Thus, by 1920, already the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer, the brand distributed 28,189 machines in no less than 67 countries!
During World War II, and following the 1929 crisis, only two motorcycle manufacturers managed to survive. One of them was, of course, Harley-Davidson. Bolstered by the partnership forged during World War I, the brand was once again chosen to support the American armed forces and their allies. Harley-Davidson was then able to resume civilian production, achieving great success in competition. In 1932, it marketed a tricycle for the first time, called the "Servi-Car," a 750 cm3 WL motorcycle whose rear had been modified to incorporate a trunk. Production of this model would then cease in 1973.
From the 60s, difficult years for the Harley-Davidson brand.
In 1960, Harley-Davidson acquired the Italian factory Aermacchi and produced small-displacement motorcycles there, under the name Aermacchi Harley-Davidson. Then, in the early 1970s, problems began for the brand. Harley-Davidson evolved little and preferred to continue using existing models, thus avoiding design changes for many years. Manufacturing costs and resale prices became quite high, and performance did not meet customer expectations. Worse still, competition was fierce: the other motorcycle giant, Honda, was emerging in Japan and beginning to spread worldwide, overshadowing the American brand.
To cope, Harley-Davidson released the 1000 XLCR Cafe Racer in 1977. The model at least had the power to surprise the public but did not achieve the expected success. A few years later, the firm tried again with the XR 1000 model, but it also met with commercial failure, mainly due to its price of $6,000, a significant sum for the period.
With its back against the wall, the company was bought out in the mid-70s by the company AMF (American Machine and Foundry), which would increase production. However, this strategy led to a sharp decline in quality. Sales plummeted, and Harley-Davidson was on the verge of bankruptcy. The brand lost all its value and began to be mocked by the public. Finally, AMF sold the company to a small group of investors. They would then slow down production and introduce innovative production techniques, allowing them to regain and even improve the quality of yesteryear. Thus, rather than fighting against Japan, this new direction would emphasize Harley-Davidson's retro and lifestyle appeal, which would restore the firm's excellent reputation after these difficult times.
In October 1978, the premises and tools used by the company were sold to Claudio Castiglioni, laying the first stone of what would become Cagiva. A Harley-Davidson motorcycle thus became a true collector's item, retaining invaluable worth when well-maintained, especially for the larger models. Furthermore, all items bearing the brand's logo also contribute to significant revenue and strong advertising visibility.
Finally, in 2018, Harley-Davidson chose to relocate part of its production outside the United States: to Brazil, India, and Thailand, due to increasing European taxes. Production abroad is now faster.
Today, a brand that shines worldwide:
Today, the Harley-Davidson brand continues to shine worldwide. In the United States, it is undeniably part of the "American Way of Living," and it is not uncommon to see the brand's models on the country's most famous roads. In France, Brigitte Bardot sang "Je n'ai besoin de personne en Harley-Davidson…" (I don't need anyone on a Harley-Davidson…), a song written by Serge Gainsbourg that would make this brand even more iconic.
Every year in the United States, numerous biker gatherings take place in all regions, bringing together thousands of the brand's fans. Moreover, passionate clubs are present in countries all over the world under the name HOG (Harley Owners Group). It is the largest motorcycle club in the world, with over a million members to date.
Finally, the Harley-Davidson brand places particular importance on the strong sense of community among customers, as it has introduced a membership system in dealerships allowing members to enjoy organized outings, to meet, ride, and discuss the latest branded clothing and accessories.
