37 Things You Never Knew About Harley-Davidson (The Real Reason They’re Called Hogs)
From their humble beginnings in a 10x15 foot tool shed to surviving the Great Depression and moving on to world motorcycle domination, the Harley-Davidson company has shown American strength and resilience for more than 100 years. Read on to learn more about how the century-old company has managed to remain an iconic part of American history.
They Made Their Name As Racing Bikes
The Harley-Davidson motorcycle was the first of its kind to average over 100 miles per hour.
One of the most famous racers sponsored by Harley-Davidson was Otto Walker. In 1921, he won a race at over 100 mph, which was the first time people realized that these bikes could really go fast.
They Became The World's Biggest Motorcycle Company In Just 20 Years
By 1920, Harley had become the world's biggest motorcycle manufacturer, with over 2,000 dealers in 67 countries.
Their "Wrecking Crew" racing team grabbed the attention of the world and began dominating the sport by 1910.
The First Harley-Davidson Was Built In A Shed
The company's first factory was a 10-foot-by-15-foot garden shed in the Davidson family's backyard. It was there that William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson created the first "real" motorcycle in 1903.
The bike was based on the design of the Milwaukee Merkel motorcycle but had a bigger engine and frame design.
They Managed To Survive The Great Depression
After the stock market crash of 1929, Harley-Davidson cut costs and reduced its workforce, but that wasn't enough.
It was once they finally made that deal with Japan's Sankyo company that they were able to stay afloat.
"The Quiet Gray Gentleman"
Long before Harley-Davidson embraced their V-Twin engine's loud, throaty growl, they prided themselves on being a quiet alternative to other motorbikes. In the early 1900s, this was because they wanted the motorcycle to be an upscale and civilized mode of transportation.
Early advertisements actually showed respectable-looking men riding the bikes. Harley-Davidsons were even once nicknamed "The Quiet Gray Gentleman."
Harley-Davidson Started The Chopper Culture
The chopper style of the motorcycle came from World War II veterans returning home and taking it upon themselves to customize their motorcycles. They wanted both speed and power.
These veterans would buy the powerful stock version of a Harley-Davidson and "chop" the fenders down to make them lighter and faster. Thus the term "chopper" was born.
There's A Reason For Harley's Signature Sound
Some of the early engines on the motorcycles had multiple sparks firing at the same time. Those sparks combined with Harley-Davidson's distinctive 45-degree motor to create the "throaty growl" we know and love today.
The sound of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle is so distinct that the company tried to trademark it at one point.
They Stole Ideas From Their Competitor
Harley-Davidson has always been linked with the V-Twin engine. Harley-Davidson introduced its first bike with this type of engine in 1909, and it has been part of their brand ever since.
The company's rival, Indian Motorcycle, actually introduced the V-Twin in 1904, and Harley-Davidson took the idea and ran with it.
Their Motorcycles Are Used By American Police Officers
It didn't take long after the company's start for police departments all across America to begin requesting custom bikes. For police, a motorcycle was a fast, maneuverable, and easy way of getting around and much more cost-effective than a motorcar.
By 1907, Harley-Davidson began providing bikes to more than 40% of police departments in America.
Their Bikes Served In WW1
When the United States joined the war in 1917, they introduced Harley-Davidson bikes to the rest of the world.
In fact, the U.S. Military ordered 15,000 new Harley-Davidsons just for the war effort.
Harley's Loud Rumble
The rumble that comes from the exhaust emits around 80 decibels. For perspective, a car emits 50 decibels at high speed, and a chainsaw emits 120.
If a Harley owner removes the muffler, the sound can go up to 100 decibels! At that level, it would only take 15 minutes of unprotected ears to cause permanent hearing loss.
They Once Made Their Motorcycles In Japan
Today, they have factories in India, Brazil, and Thailand, but their earliest one was in Japan in 1935.
The Japanese factory had a licensing deal with another motorcycle company called Sankyo. Harley-Davidson gave them the rights to build copies of their bikes for the Japanese market.
5% of Their Sales Come From Clothing
Today, Harley-Davidson sells a lot of motorcycles. These high-priced items account for most of the $6 billion annual profit, but a whopping 5% of sales come from just their clothing lines.
That translates to more than $285 million a year just from Harley-Davidson t-shirts, jackets, and bonafide leather riding boots.
There Was A Third And Fourth Partner
It wasn't always William Harley and Arthur Davidson running the show. For a brief period of time, Arthur's older brother Walter Davidson joined the company.
Walter Davidson was a toolroom foreman in the Milwaukee rail shop, allowing many early motorcycle parts to be created for cheap.
They Tried Their Hand At Pedal Bikes
In 1916, the company decided to try selling both motorcycles and pedal bicycles.
They sold pedal bikes successfully for six years until Harley-Davidson decided to give them the ax because of costs. The bike parts were made in Dayton, Ohio then shipped to Milwaukee for assembly, making them more expensive.
Pancho Villa Inspired The Use Of Harleys In War
In 1916, bandit Pancho Villa attacked America through New Mexico using Indian Motorcycles.
President Woodrow Wilson sent 5,000 troops to the border and was inspired by police departments to use motorcycles to get there fast. After the success of using Harley-Davidsons against Pancho Villa, the army ordered more bikes.
You'll Never See A Green Harley
There are a few superstitions why olive green is considered bad luck for a Harley rider. The first is that in the early racing days, Harley-Davidson motorcycles would often be beaten out by British racers with green bikes.
The motorcycles that came back from the war were also painted green, but in terrible shape, so the green post-war bikes would often break down mid-ride.
Its First Major Movie Appearance Isn't What You Think
Most people view 1969's Easy Rider as the quintessential Harley-Davidson film, but their motorcycle appeared on the silver screen much earlier than that. They were also featured in the 1953 old Hollywood classic, The Wild One.
The film is widely believed to have kicked off the motorcycle gang film genre.
The Oldest Harley-Davidson Club Was Formed In 1928
In 1928, a famous Czech racer, B. Turek, got married and invited all his fellow Harley-Davidson riders to the reception. They had so much fun at the wedding that they decided to meet up more often.
A few months later, the first Harley-Davidson Club was officially born and based out of Prague. The club is still active today.
A Tarnished Reputation
In the 1950s and 1960s, Harley-Davidson slowly began to lose the high-end reputation it had built. After AMF bought the company, they cut the workforce and streamlined production, which led to labor strikes and low-quality bikes.
As a result, riders began switching to other companies and mocking Harley-Davidson. Thankfully, the original owners could buy back the company and put it back on track.
The Three-Wheeler Comes From The Great Depression
Harley-Davidson began manufacturing three-wheeled motorcycles in 1932 as a way to survive the Great Depression. The sales from these three-wheelers are another reason why Harley-Davidson survived the 1930s.
Today, the three-wheelers are a bonafide collector's item.
Evel Knievel Was An Avid Harley User
Evel Knievel used Harleys almost exclusively for most of his stunts, except for the bikes he handcrafted himself.
Knievel was a dream come true for Harley-Davidson because he was a living advertisement. In 1975, Knievel broke the world record for longest jump over 14 Greyhound buses while on a Harley-Davidson XR-750.
Problems With Reliability
Even though they are the most iconic motorcycle company, Harley-Davidson isn't exactly the most reliable. In fact, they're ranked second-last in reliability, only beating out BMW.
Constant breakdowns and recalls should have ruined the company's ratings, but 75% of Harley-Davidson riders still say they would buy from the American brand again.
They Actually Care About The Environment
Harley-Davidson went against the grain and became EPA-compliant. Once evidence of climate change became well-known in the early 2000s, Harley-Davidson decided to provide an "environmental warrant" on their bikes.
That means all the bike parts are not EPA compliant, but any defective materials would be replaced for free.
There Was A Television Show About The Company
In 2016, Discovery Channel released Harley and the Davidsons. The show was a dramatization of the early period for the company, from Arthur's first time tinkering with an engine to their first factory and, eventually, world motorcycle domination.
The company approved of the show and, by all standards, said it was pretty accurate.
You Can Visit The Harley-Davidson Museum
The Harley-Davidson Motor Company is one of the few manufacturers who own and operate their own museum that's completely open to the public.
At the Milwaukee-based museum, you can sit on old motorcycles and even visit an engine room where they show you how their V-Twin engines are made.
Porsche Collaborated With Them
In the mid-1970s, while Harley-Davidson was still under AMF, they decided to create a mid-weight sports bike. What resulted was the Harley-Davidson Nova, which was unique because it had a compact, liquid-cooled V-4 engine.
This engine was a result of Harley-Davidson partnering with Porsche. Unfortunately, the Porsche engine project was shelved when the company was bought back.
They Made A Shaft Driven Bike
During World War II, the United States Army asked Harley-Davidson if they could create a motorcycle equivalent to the BMW R71.
The company was quick to respond and created a shaft-driven bike called XA for Experimental Army. While they made 1,000 of these bikes, they were never fully adopted into the United States Military.
The Founders Are In The Labor Hall Of Fame
Back in 2004, William Harley, Arthur Davidson, Walter Davidson, and William Davidson were all inducted into the Labor Hall of Fame for their smart use of resources and dedication to starting and maintaining their company.
Over the years, they also overcame a lot of hard circumstances, proving their resilience and skill in the business.
The King Kong Bike
In the 1950s, a Harley-Davidson enthusiast named Felix Predko created a Harley that had two knucklehead engines and two transmissions.
The bike had two seats, four pipes, and two handlebars. It was a whopping 13 feet long and was given the title of "King Kong." The bike took 4,000 hours to build and can now be seen in the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee.
The Company Was Briefly Bought Out
In 1969, Harley-Davidson was struggling financially and even considered selling the company. Luckily, American Machine and Foundry (AMF) decided to purchase the company.
In fact, AMF primarily produced bowling balls. It wasn't long until motorcycle sales dropped even more. Thankfully, this further drop allowed for the 13 former Harley-Davidson executives to repurchase the company.
Harleyfest Is A Beloved Tradition
The company hosts the Harley-Davidson Ride Home event every five years, often referred to as Harleyfest.
It's basically a pilgrimage for motorcycle riders to visit the hometown of the company, Milwaukee.
The Seven Types Of Harley-Davidsons
There are seven different kinds of Harley-Davidsons. Generally, those seven types fall into six different categories; Softail, Heritage, Touring, Sportsters, Dyna, VROD, and Porsche.
The only one you can’t buy anymore is the Dyna, but true collectors still find ways.
Harleys Are The Least Stolen Motorcycle
A report published in 2011 showed that Harley Davidsons were the least stolen out of the top five motorcycle brands. The most stolen honor went to Honda.
It’s logical to think that with Harleys' high maintenance cost and low reliability, they wouldn’t be popular among bike thieves.
The History Of The Logo
The Harley-Davidson shield and bar logo is one of the greatest aspects of their brand, although the logo didn't even come about until 1910, 7 years after the start of the company.
While little is known about who designed it or the initial designs, today, it's one of the company's best advertising strategies.
They Weren’t Supposed To Be Racing Bikes
Despite earning their reputation in the early 1900s as racing bikes, Harley Davidson’s weren’t designed for the track. Arthur Davidson saw no interest in selling racing bikes, but the brand would ensure exposure and increased sales by winning races.
Harley’s racing bikes were designed to go fast and had no brakes.
Why Are They Called "Hogs"?
We've all heard Harley-Davidson motorcycles called hogs, but do you know why? It harks back to their racing days. One of the Harley-Davidson racing team members, Ray Weishaar, owned a piglet as a pet.
Whenever they would win a competition, the racing team members would take a victory lap on their Harley-Davidsons with the team's unofficial mascot on their bike.
