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The History of Harley-Davidson | Chapter1

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Trace the history of Harley-Davidson Chapter1 1903~1929

1903

William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson make available to the public the first production Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
The bike was built to be a racer, with a 3-1/8 inch bore and 3-1/2 inch stroke.
The factory in which they worked was a 10 x 15-foot wooden shed with the words "Harley-Davidson Motor Company" crudely scrawled on the door.
Arthur's brother Walter later joins their efforts.

1907

William A. Davidson, brother to Arthur and Walter Davidson, quits his job as tool foreman for the Milwaukee Road railroad and joins the Motor Company.
Harley-Davidson Motor Company is incorporated on September 17th.
The stock is split four ways between the four founders, and staff size has more than doubled from the previous year to eighteen employees.
Factory size is doubled as well. Dealer recruitment begins, targeting the New England region.

1909

The six-year-old Harley-Davidson Motor Company introduces its first V-twin powered motorcycle.
With a displacement of 49.5 cubic inches, the bike produces seven horsepower.
The image of two cylinders in a 45-degree configuration would fast become one of the most enduring icons of Harley-Davidson history.
Also available for the first time from the Motor Company are spare parts for motorcycles.

1911

The "F-head" engine becomes a workhorse of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle until 1929.

1912

Construction begins on what will become the six story headquarters and main factory building at Juneau Ave. in Milwaukee. A separate Parts and Accessories Department is formed.
H-D exports motorcycles to Japan, marking the first ever sales outside of the U.S. Dealer network grows to over 200 nationwide.

1914

Sidecars are made available to Harley-Davidson buyers.
Clutch and brake pedals now available on F-head singles and twins.
The Motor Company formally enters motorcycle racing this year.
The first Racing Engineer is William S. Harley. Within a few short years, team Harley-Davidson is referred to informally as the "Wrecking Crew" because of their incredible dominance of the sport.
The Two-Speed rear hub transmission is introduced for two years only in the Model 10F. Patented by William S. Harley, it was effective but discontinued in order to further improve drivetrain function in 1915 with a three-speed design.

1916

The Enthusiast begins its reign as the longest continuously published motorcycle magazine in the world.

1919

The 37 cubic inch opposed twin cylinder Sport model is introduced and gains great popularity overseas.
Unique not only for the cylinder configuration, which was directly opposed and flat, the Sport quickly earns a reputation for being uncommonly quiet.

1929

The 45 cubic inch V-twin engine (later to be known as the "flathead") is introduced on the D model.
The engine proves to be so reliable that variations of it are available on Harley-Davidson motorcycles as late as 1973.




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