Apr 11
6
Harley Davidson’s went from being the most popular make of motorcycle in the world to a company which nearly went bankrupt, and now once again enjoy elite status. Harley-Davidson’s history is full of successes, with one crucial period of setback.
In 1901, William Harley was 21 when he designed an engine to attach to a bicycle to power it. With the help of his childhood friend, Arthur Davidson, and his brother Walter, he spent two years bringing his design to life. Upon discovering the motorised bicycle could not make it up the hills in their hometown of Milwaukee without the rider pedalling, the young men abandoned their first project.
Correcting for their initial error, the partners, who now included oldest Davidson brother William, started producing bigger and better engines, and attaching them to larger bespoke frames. This Harley Davidson prototype was entered in a local competition in which it came fourth. This was the beginning of “American” cruiser motorcycles.
By 1905 complete Harley Davidson motorcycles were being manufactured—in the same shed – in the Davidson’s yard – as the initial prototype. In 1906, Harley and the Davidson’s built a new factory to increase productivity. The site of that first factory remains to be Harley-Davidson headquarters to this today. Fifty handmade motorcycles were sold that year and in the following year, significant improvements were made to the factory and the company gained a new and important customer in the form of the police force. Motorcycles sold to American Police forces have account for a significant volume of Harley-Davidson’s sales every since.
During the First World War motorcycles were using by most of the major armies and the United States was no exception. Harley-Davidson produced over 15,000 machines for the war effort and many of these were designed to be combat motorcycles.
By 1920 – a mere 19 years after that first failed engine prototype – Harley-Davidson became the largest manufacturer of motorcycles in the entire world, making sells in over 67 countries.
During the Great Depression Harley-Davidson sales fell by over 85 percent. Despite these dismal numbers the founders of the company continued to work on innovations which were unveiled after the Depression and triggered an increase in sales.
Only two American motorcycle producers survived the Depression, and Harley-Davidson was one of them. When World War II began they were awarded a contract produce over 90,000 machines for the American military and its allies.
In the 1950s, Harley Davidson lobbied for a 40 percent tax on all imported bikes. This style of fighting back against the Japanese motorcycle companies was deemed improper and legal action was taken against the company. Around the same time, many Hollywood movies featured biker gangs riding Harley-Davidsons, and the brand became identified with criminal activity. A workers strike resulted in reduced quality, leading to an even farther drop in their popularity.
In the 1980s a tariff was imposed on imported motorcycles and Harley-Davidson started to capitalize on the “retro” feel of its machines. Rather than try to compete with foreign motorcycles Harley-Davidson made a resounding comeback by capitalizing on its image as a part of American history.
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