Harley-Davidson Museum
Harley-Davidson Museum
The Harley-Davidson Museum opened to the public on July 12, 2008. Located east of the intersection of Sixth and Canal Streets near downtown, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. the 130,000-square-foot (12,000 m2), three building project contains a large collection of motorcycles and other Harley-Davidson memorabilia.
Besides motorcycles, the museum includes the company's corporate archives, a
restaurant, café, retail shop, and meeting space. Harley-Davidson Inc. paid an
estimated $75 million for the museum's construction.
William S. Harley
Harley-Davidson Motor Company (NYSE: HOG, formerly HDI) (often abbreviated H-D or Harley) is an American motorcycle manufacturer. Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin during the first decade of the 20th century, it was one of two major American manufacturers to survive the Great Depression. Harley-Davidson also survived a media-accelerated negative image of motorcyclists, a period of poor quality control, and competition with Japanese manufacturers.
Arthur Davidson
The company sells heavyweight (over 750 cc) motorcycles designed for cruising on the highway. Harley-Davidson motorcycles (popularly known as "Harleys") have a distinctive design and exhaust note. They are especially noted for the tradition of heavy customization that gave rise to the chopper-style of motorcycle. Except for the modern VRSC model family, current Harley-Davidson motorcycles reflect the styles of classic Harley designs. Harley-Davidson's attempts to establish itself in the light motorcycle market have met with limited success and have largely been abandoned since the 1978 sale of its Italian Aermacchi subsidiary.
Harley-Davidson sustains a loyal brand community which keeps active through
clubs, events, and a museum. Licensing of the Harley-Davidson logo accounts for
almost 5% of the company's net revenue.
In addition to manufacturing motorcycles under its own name and its licensing
and accessories line, Harley-Davidson's operations include Custom Vehicle
Operations, which makes special editions of Harley models with larger engines,
the Buell Motorcycle Company, a manufacturer of Harley-engined sportbikes and a
middleweight "beginner" bike, and Italian motorcycle manufacturer MV Agusta,
including their Cagiva subsidiary.
In 1901, William S. Harley, age 21, drew up plans for a small engine with a
displacement of 7.07 cubic inches (116 cc) and four-inch (102 mm) flywheels. The
engine was designed for use in a regular pedal-bicycle frame.
Over the next two years Harley and his childhood friend Arthur Davidson labored
on their motor-bicycle using the northside Milwaukee machine shop at the home of
their friend, Henry Melk. It was finished in 1903 with the help of Arthur's
brother, Walter Davidson. Upon completion the boys found their power-cycle
unable to conquer Milwaukee's modest hills without pedal assistance. Will Harley
and the Davidsons quickly wrote off their first motor-bicycle as a valuable
learning experiment.
Work immediately began on a new and improved second-generation machine. This
first "real" Harley-Davidson motorcycle had a bigger engine of 24.74 cubic
inches (405 cc) with 9.75 inches (25 cm) flywheels weighing 28 lb (13 kg). The
machine's advanced loop-frame pattern was similar to the 1903 Milwaukee Merkel
motorcycle (designed by Joseph Merkel, later of Flying Merkel fame.) The bigger
engine and loop-frame design took it out of the motorized-bicycle category and
would help define what a modern motorcycle should contain in the years to come.
The boys also received help with their bigger engine from outboard motor pioneer
Ole Evinrude, who was then building gas engines of his own design for automotive
use on Milwaukee's Lake Street.
The prototype of the new loop-frame Harley-Davidson was assembled in a 10- by
15-foot (3 by 5 meter) shed in the Davidson family backyard. Most of the major
parts, however, were made elsewhere, including some probably fabricated at the
West Milwaukee rail shops where oldest brother William A. Davidson was then
tool room foreman. This prototype machine was functional by 8 September 1904 when
it competed in a Milwaukee motorcycle race held at State Fair Park. It was
ridden by Edward Hildebrand and placed fourth. This is the first documented
appearance of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle in the historical record.
In January 1905, small advertisements were placed in the "Automobile and Cycle
Trade Journal" that offered bare Harley-Davidson engines to the do-it-yourself
trade. By April, complete motorcycles were in production on a very limited
basis. That year the first Harley-Davidson dealer, Carl H. Lang of Chicago, sold
three bikes from the dozen or so built in the Davidson backyard shed. (Some
years later the original shed was taken to the Juneau Avenue factory where it
would stand for many decades as a tribute to the Motor Company's humble origins.
Unfortunately, the first shed was accidentally destroyed by contractors in the
early 1970s during a clean-up of the factory yard.)
In 1906, Harley and the Davidsons built their first factory on Chestnut Street
(later Juneau Avenue). This location remains the Motor Company's corporate
headquarters today. The first Juneau Avenue plant was a 40 by 60-foot (18 m)
single-story wooden structure. That year around 50 motorcycles were produced.
In 1907, William S. Harley graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison
with a degree in mechanical engineering. That year additional factory expansion
came with a second floor and later with facings and additions of Milwaukee pale
yellow ("cream") brick. With the new facilities production increased to 150
motorcycles in 1907. The company was officially incorporated that September.
They also began selling their motorcycles to police departments around this
time, a market that has been important to them ever since.
Production in 1905 and 1906 were all single-cylinder models with 26.84 cubic
inch (440 cc) engines. In February 1907 a prototype model with a 45-degree
V-Twin engine was displayed at the Chicago Automobile Show. Although shown and
advertised, very few V-Twin models were built between 1907 and 1910. These first
V-Twins displaced 53.68 cubic inches (880 cc) and produced about 7 horsepower (5
kW). This gave about double the power of the first singles. Top speed was about
60 mph (97 km/h). Production jumped from 450 motorcycles in 1908 to 1,149
machines in 1909.
By 1911 some 150 makes of motorcycles had already been built in the United
States – although just a handful would survive the 1910s.
In 1911, an improved V-Twin model was introduced. The new engine had
mechanically operated intake valves, as opposed to the "automatic" intake valves
used on earlier V-Twins that opened by engine vacuum. With a displacement of
49.48 cubic inches (810 cc), the 1911 V-Twin was smaller than earlier twins, but
gave better performance. After 1913 the majority of bikes produced by
Harley-Davidson would be V-Twin models.
By 1913, the yellow brick factory had been demolished and on the site a new
5-story structure of reinforced concrete and red brick had been built. Begun in
1910, the red brick factory with its many additions would take up two blocks
along Juneau Avenue and around the corner on 38th Street. Despite the
competition, Harley-Davidson was already pulling ahead of Indian and would
dominate motorcycle racing after 1914. Production that year swelled to 16,284
machines.
In 1917, the United States entered World War I and the military demanded
motorcycles for the war effort. Harleys had already been used by the military in
the Pancho Villa Expedition but World War I was the first time the
motorcycle had been adopted for combat service. Harley-Davidson provided about
15,000 machines to the military forces during World War I.
By 1920, Harley-Davidson was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world.
Their motorcycles were sold by dealers in 67 countries. Production was 28,189
machines.
In 1921, a Harley-Davidson, ridden by Otto Walker, was the first motorcycle ever
to win a race at an average speed of over 100 mph (160 km/h).
During the 1920s, several improvements were put in place, such as a new 74 cubic
inch (1200cc) V-Twin, introduced in 1922, and the "Teardrop" gas tank in 1925. A
front brake was added in 1928.
In the late summer of 1929, Harley-Davidson introduced its 45 cubic inch
flathead V-Twin to compete with the Indian 101 Scout and the Excelsior Super X.
This was the "D" model, produced from 1929 to 1931. Riders of Indian motorcycles
derisively referred to this model as the "three cylinder Harley" because the
generator was upright and parallel to the front cylinder. The 2.745 in (69.7
mm) bore and 3.8125 in (96.8 mm) stroke would continue in most versions of the
750 engine; exceptions include the XA and the XR750.
The Great Depression began a few months after the introduction of their 45 cubic
inch model. Harley-Davidson's sales plummeted from 21,000 in 1929 to less than
4,000 in 1933. In order to survive, the company manufactured industrial
power plants based on their motorcycle engines. They also designed and built a
three-wheeled delivery vehicle called the Servi-Car, which remained in
production until 1973.
join a Gypsy Tour
In the mid-'30s, Alfred Rich Child opened a production line in Japan with the 74ci VL. The Japanese license-holder severed its business relations with Harley-Davidson in 1936 and continued manufacturing the VL under the Rikuo name.
An 80 cubic inch flathead engine was added to the line in 1935, by which time
the single-cylinder motorcycles had been discontinued.
In 1936, the 61E and 61EL models with the "Knucklehead" OHV engines was
introduced. Valve train problems in early Knucklehead engines required a redesign
halfway through its first year of production and retrofitting of the new
valve train on earlier engines.
By 1937, all Harley-Davidson's flathead engines were equipped with dry-sump oil
recirculation systems similar to the one introduced in the "Knucklehead" OHV
engine. The revised 74 cubic inch V and VL models were renamed U and UL, the 80
cubic inch VH and VLH to be renamed UH and ULH, and the 45 cubic inch R to be
renamed W.
In 1941, the 74 cubic inch "Knucklehead" was introduced as the F and the FL. The
80 cubic inch flathead UH and ULH models were discontinued after 1941, while the
74" U & UL flathead models were produced up to 1948.
One of only two American cycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression,
Harley-Davidson again produced large numbers of motorcycles for the US Army in
World War II and resumed civilian production afterwards, producing a range of
large V-twin motorcycles that were successful both on racetracks and for private
buyers.
Harley-Davidson, on the eve of World War II, was already supplying the Army with
a military-specific version of its 45" WL line, called the WLA. (The A in this
case stood for "Army".) Upon the outbreak of war, the company, along with most
other manufacturing enterprises, shifted to war work. Over 90,000 military
motorcycles, mostly WLAs and WLCs (the Canadian version) would be produced, many
to be provided to allies. Harley-Davidson received two Army-Navy ‘E’ Awards, one
in 1943 and the other in 1945, which were awarded for Excellence in Production.
American Hero
Shipments to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program numbered at least
30,000. The WLAs produced during all four years of war production generally have
1942 serial numbers. Production of the WLA stopped at the end of World War II,
but was resumed from 1950 to 1952 for use in the Korean War.
The U.S. Army also asked Harley-Davidson to produce a new motorcycle with many
of the features of BMW's side-valve and shaft-driven R71. Harley largely copied
the BMW engine and drive train and produced the shaft-driven 750 cc 1942
Harley-Davidson XA. This shared no dimensions, no parts and no design concepts
(except side valves) with any prior Harley-Davidson engine. Due to the superior
cooling of an opposed twin, Harley's XA cylinder heads ran 100 °F (55 °C) cooler
than its V-twins. The XA never entered full production: the motorcycle by
that time had been eclipsed by the Jeep as the Army's general purpose vehicle,
and the WLA—already in production—was sufficient for its limited police, escort,
and courier roles. Only 1,000 were made and the XA never went into full
production. It remains the only shaft-driven Harley-Davidson ever made.
oil in glass jars
due to the wartime shortage of metal
As part of war reparations, Harley-Davidson acquired the design of a small
German motorcycle, the DKW RT125 which they adapted, manufactured, and sold from
1947 to 1966. Various models were made, including the Hummer from 1955 to 1959,
but they are all colloquially referred to as "Hummers" at present. BSA in the
United Kingdom took the same design as the foundation of their BSA Bantam.
In 1960, Harley-Davidson consolidated the Model 165 and Hummer lines into the
Super-10, introduced the Topper scooter, and bought fifty percent of Aeronautica
Macchi's motorcycle division. Importation of Aermacchi's 250 cc horizontal
single began the following year. The bike bore Harley-Davidson badges and was
marketed as the Harley-Davidson Sprint. The engine of the Sprint was increased
to 350 cc in 1969 and would remain that size until 1974, when the four-stroke
Sprint was discontinued.
After the Pacer and Scat models were discontinued at the end of 1965, the Bobcat
became the last of Harley-Davidson's American-made two-stroke motorcycles. The
Bobcat was manufactured only in the 1966 model year.
Harley-Davidson replaced their American-made lightweight two-stroke motorcycles
with the Aermacchi-built two-stroke powered M-65, M-65S, and Rapido. The M-65
had a semi-step-through frame and tank. The M-65S was a M-65 with a larger tank
that eliminated the step-through feature. The Rapido was a larger bike with a
125 cc engine. The Aermacchi-built Harley-Davidsons became entirley
two-stroke powered when the 250 cc two-stroke SS-250 replaced the four-stroke
350 cc Sprint in 1974.
Harley-Davidson purchased full control of Aermacchi's motorcycle production in
1974 and continued making two-stroke motorcycles there until 1978, when they
sold the facility to Cagiva.
In 1952, following their application to the US Tariff Commission for a 40% tax
on imported motorcycles, Harley-Davidson was charged with restrictive practices.
Hollywood also damaged Harley's image with many outlaw biker gang films produced
from the 1950s through the 1970s, following the 1947 Hollister, CA biker riot on
July 4. "Harley-Davidson" for a long time was synonymous with the Hells Angels
and other outlaw motorcyclists.
In 1969, American Machinery and Foundry (AMF) bought the company, streamlined
production, and slashed the workforce. This tactic resulted in a labor strike
and a lower quality of bikes. The bikes were expensive and inferior in
performance, handling, and quality to Japanese motorcycles. Sales declined,
quality plummeted, and the company almost went bankrupt. The
"Harley-Davidson" name was mocked as "Hardly Ableson", "Hardly Driveable," and "Hogly
Ferguson", and the nickname "Hog" became pejorative.
In 1981, AMF sold the company to a group of thirteen investors led by Vaughn
Beals and Willie G. Davidson for $80 million. Inventory was strictly controlled
using the Just In Time system.
In the early eighties, Harley-Davidson claimed that Japanese manufacturers were
importing motorcycles into the US in such volume as to harm or threaten to harm
domestic producers. After an investigation by the US International Trade
Commission, President Reagan imposed in 1983 a 45% tariff on imported bikes and
bikes over 700 cc engine capacity. Harley Davidson subsequently rejected offers
of assistance from Japanese motorcycle makers.
engine wall
Rather than trying to match the Japanese, the new management deliberately exploited the "retro" appeal of the machines, building motorcycles that deliberately adopted the look and feel of their earlier machines and the subsequent customizations of owners of that era. Many components such as brakes, forks, shocks, carburetors, electrics and wheels were outsourced from foreign manufacturers and quality increased, technical improvements were made, and buyers slowly returned. To remain profitable Harley continues to increase the amount of overseas-made parts it uses, while being careful not to harm its valuable "American Made" image.
The "Sturgis" model, boasting a dual belt-drive, was introduced. By 1990, with
the introduction of the "Fat Boy", Harley once again became the sales leader in
the heavyweight (over 750 cc) market. At the time of the Fat Boy model
introduction a story rapidly spread that its silver paint job and other features
were inspired by the World War II American B-29 bomber; and that the Fat Boy
name was a combination of the names of the atom bombs (Fat Man and Little Boy)
that were dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima respectively. However, the Urban
Legend Reference Pages lists this story as an urban legend.
speedy delivery
year round in all weather
1994 saw the replacement of the FXR frame with the Dyna, though it was revived briefly in 1999 and 2000 for special limited editions.
special for mounted officers
In 1999, Ford Motor Company added a Harley-Davidson edition to the Ford F-Series F-150 line, complete with the Harley-Davidson logo. This truck was an Super Cab for model year 1999. In 2000, Ford changed the truck to a crew cab and in 2002 added a super-charged engine (5.4 L) which continued until 2003. In 2004, the Ford/Harley was changed to a Super-Duty, which continues through 2006. Ford again produced a Harley-Davidson Edition F-150 for their 2006 model-year, as well.
Harley Chapters
one of about 1400
Building started on $75 million 130,000 square-foot (12,000 m2) Harley-Davidson Museum in the Menomonee River Valley on June 1, 2006. It opened in 2008 and houses the company's vast collection of historic motorcycles and corporate archives, along with a restaurant, café and meeting space.
museum parking
Harley-Davidson's association with sportbike manufacturer Buell Motorcycle Company began in 1987 when they supplied Buell with fifty surplus XR1000 engines. Buell continued to buy engines from Harley-Davidson until 1993, when Harley-Davidson bought forty-nine percent of the Buell Motorcycle Company. Harley-Davidson increased its share in Buell to ninety-eight percent in 1998 and to complete ownership in 2003.
the museum
In an attempt to attract newcomers to motorcycling in general and to Harley-Davidson in particular, Buell developed a low-cost, low-maintenance motorcycle. The resulting motorcycle, the single-cylinder Buell Blast, was introduced in 2000.
museum entrance
During its period of peak demand, during the late 1990s and early 2000s, Harley-Davidson embarked on a program of expanding the number of dealerships throughout the country. At the same time, its current dealers typically had waiting lists that extended up to a year for some of the most popular models. Harley-Davidson, like the auto manufacturers, records a sale not when a consumer buys their product, but rather when it is delivered to a dealer. Therefore, it is possible for the manufacturer to inflate sales numbers by requiring dealers to accept more inventory than desired in a practice called channel stuffing. When demand softened following the unique 2003 model year, this news lead to a dramatic decline in the stock price. In April 2004 alone, the price of HOG shares dropped from over $60 to under $40. Immediately prior to this decline, retiring CEO Jeffrey Bleustein profited $42 million on the exercise of employee stock options. Harley-Davidson was named as a defendant in numerous class action suits filed by investors who claimed they were intentionally defrauded by Harley-Davidson's management and directors. By January 2007, the price of Harley-Davidson shares reached $70.
On February 2, 2007, upon the expiration of their union contract, about 2,700
employees at Harley-Davidson Inc.'s largest manufacturing plant in York, PA went
on strike after failing to agree on wages and health benefits. During
the pendency of the strike, the company refused to pay for any portion of the
striking employees' health care.
The day before the strike, after the union voted against the proposed contract
and to authorize the strike, the company shut down all production at the plant.
The York facility employs more than 3,200 workers, both union and non-union.
Harley-Davidson announced on February 16, 2007, that it had reached a labor
agreement with union workers at its largest manufacturing plant, a breakthrough
in the two-week-old strike. The strike disrupted Harley-Davidson’s national
production and had ripple effects as far away as Wisconsin, where 440 employees
were laid off, and many Harley suppliers also laid off workers because of the
strike.
Text from Wikipedia