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Happy birthday -

Harley-Davidson celebrated it 120th anniversary in 2023. But how did the company come about?

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The beginning -

Harley-Davidson was founded by four men in 1903 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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The founders -

The founders of Harley-Davidson were (L-R) brothers William Davidson, Walter Davidson, and Arthur Davidson, and William Harley.

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Founders: William Harley -

William S. Harley was the man who idealized the motorcycle. He was the first chief engineer and treasurer of the company.

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Founders: William Davidson -

William "Bill" Davidson left his high-paying job with the Milwaukee Road railroad to become the works manager at Harley-Davidson.

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Founders: Arthur Davidson -

Arthur Davidson was Harley-Davidson’s first general sales manager and secretary.

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Founders: Walter Davidson -

Walter Davidson was the first president and general manager of Harley-Davidson. He also went on to become a Harley racer.

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The first Harley-Davidson factory -

The company’s first factory was essentially a wooden shed located in the Davidson's backyard on Chestnut Street (later Juneau Avenue) in Milwaukee.

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Harley-Davidson's headquarters -

The company’s headquarters remain in the same location, although in a different building.

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First motorcycles -

The first Harley-Davidson motorcycles were made in 1903. These featured a single-cylinder engine and pedals.

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Innovative engine -

Harley-Davidson’s iconic two-cylinder engine, known as the V-Twin, was introduced in 1909. This new engine allowed motorcycles to reach speeds of up to 60 mph (approximately 100 km/h).

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Military use -

In 1917, the US entered the First World War and 20,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycles were bought and used by the military.

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International operation -

By 1920, Harley-Davidson was the world’s biggest motorcycle manufacturer, with dealers in 67 countries.

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Sponsor -

In 1920, Harley-Davidson sponsored a racing team called The Wrecking Crew. At the time, this was quite a bold move, and worked wonders to advertise the brand.

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Hogs -

The moniker Hog has its origins in the Wrecking Crew racing team member Ray Weishaar. He used to carry the team's mascot, which happened to be a small pig (aka a hog), around on victory laps.

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Services -

Harley-Davidson started to be used by numerous companies, as well as the police.

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Racing record -

In 1921, Otto Walker became the first man to win a race at an average speed greater than 100 mph (160 km/h). The record was set on a Harley-Davidson.

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World War II -

Harley-Davidson was one of the few motorcycle companies that survived the Great Depression. When the war broke out, they managed to supply motorcycles for the US Army.

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World War II -

The company built a military-specific version of the 740CC WL line, named the WLA (“A” stood for Army). Over 90,000 units were produced.

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Word War II -

Harley-Davidson also produced a motorcycle for the Canadian military—the WLC.

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Evel Knievel -

Famous daredevil "Evel" Knievel rode a Harley-Davidson XR-750 to perform his stunts.

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A counterculture symbol -

Riding a Harley-Davidson became synonymous with rebellion. The 1969 movie ‘Easy Rider’ features Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper riding Harleys.

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Community -

Harley rider groups from all over the world come together to celebrate their bikes and love for riding.

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Factories -

Harley-Davidson has factories in the US, but parts are also built in Brazil, India, and Thailand.

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Model families -

Harley-Davidson has released a number of models with different characteristics. All motorcycles fall within one of the manufacturer's seven model families, namely: Touring, Softail, Dyna, Sportster (pictured), Vrod, Street, and LiveWire.

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Market -

Harley-Davidson have reinvented themselves to appeal to younger riders. New, smaller models have been developed.

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New trends -

Released in 2019, the LiveWire is Harley-Davidson’s first electric motorcycle.

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It's always been a popular choice -

Here’s British racing motorist Sir Malcolm Campbell (who set world speed records) riding a Harley.

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Celebs love Harleys -

Many famous people ride Harleys. Here is Arnold Schwarzenegger back in 1982 riding his.

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Celebs love Harleys -

Here's George Clooney riding his big Harley. 

Sources: (Insider) (Harley-Davidson Insurance) (Rare Historical Photos)

See also: Get your motor runnin’ with these motorcycle facts

© NL Beeld