"Come on," you say, "are there ten things about Harley-Davidson that almost nobody knows? Hasn't everything been published, researched and discussed during the years of this legendary company's existence?
But in the century-old history of the Harley-Davidson brand, there are indeed a lot of curious and interesting facts. And the whole new generation, now falling under the charm of this brand, may not know much about the manufacturer of their favorite motorcycles.
Of course, depending on your age, knowledge, and love of history you may not know a lot, but we decided to select ten most interesting and little-known facts about one of the most legendary motorcycle companies in the world.
10. Company Harley-Davidson once made bicycles
Yes, since 1916, Harley-Davidson has been manufacturing bicycles for several years. To tell the truth, designing, designing, and manufacture of motorcycles, for the most part, has roots in cycling. Harley-Davidson bicycle parts were manufactured by Davis home appliance Co. from Dayton, Ohio, and assembled in Milwaukee. Harleys were stylish and durable, but quite expensive, and the bicycle market was crowded. Production of motorcycles promised much more profit, so Harley-Davidson decided to roll over all the work on bicycles in 1921.
9. 1903 was not the first year of the current production of H-D
William Harley and Arthur Davidson finished work on one motorcycle in 1903, and the following year they made two more. Production of the first car took two years in cooperation with a German designer named Emil Kroger. One of the next two prototypes was sold to a Mr. Meyer in 1904, and after four other owners had been in the hands for the following years, the motorcycle mileage was believed to be eighty-three thousand miles (approximately 133 thousand kilometers). The first year of "serial" production was 1905 when H-D made eight motorcycles.
8. "Harleys did not immediately take a leading position in the motorcycle market
In the first decade of the 20th century, there were more than a hundred motorcycle manufacturers in America. The Indian company had almost five years of advantage in terms of serial production. George Hendee, one of the co-founders of Indian, was a former bicycle racer and an amazing marketer; his partner, Oscar Hedstrom, was a brilliant designer.
For the first five years, the company from Milwaukee only swallowed dust behind Indian. By 1910, Harley-Davidson was producing about 3,000 motorcycles per year, while the Indian figure was twice as high. The competitor's success in racing and sales forced Harley-Davidson to abandon its policy of not supporting competition. In 1914, the company created a "racing" department, and the legendary racing team Wrecking Crew began its triumphant march on numerous competitions, giving the brand the necessary reputation. By 1920, the company Harley-Davidson became the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer.
7. The company manufactured two-cylinder engines such as Boxer
Company Harley-Davidson is first of all known for the two-cylinder V-shaped engines, and historians-lovers know and about one-cylinder engines which set in motion early "Harleys". But did you know that Harley-Davidson also made opposition two-cylinder engines (Boxer)?
The 584cc Harley-Davidson W Sport (1919-1922) was equipped with an opposed two-cylinder engine, the cylinders of which were installed in the same line with the wheels. With six horsepower, the bike did not impress with its speed even at that time, but thanks to its low center of gravity it was easy to control. This lightweight model was not very well sold in the U.S., but was popular on the other side of the ocean - a total of about ten thousand W Sport was produced. Harley-Davidson WJ, equipped with a battery ignition with an inductance coil instead of a magneto, was the first motorcycle to conquer Mount Baldy.
Another "Harley" without a V-engine was the XA of 1942, created by order of the U.S. Army, which wanted to take advantage of the cardan gear. The design of this motorcycle used an opposing two-cylinder engine with a volume of 742 "cubes", mounted on the manner of the engine BMW Boxer. A thousand of these vehicles were made, and then the military decided that the XA was too expensive, and the WLA model with a V-shaped engine will cope with the work no worse.
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