Harley-Davidson Motorcycles

About harley-davidson

Harley-Davidson Inc (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 motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression.

The company sells today only heavyweight motorcycles with over 700 cc, designed for cruising on highways. Harley-Davidson motorcycles, or "Harleys", are noted for the tradition of heavy customization. Harley-Davidson's attempts to establish itself in the light motorcycle market have met little success and have largely been abandoned since the 1978 sale of its Italian Aermacchi subsidiary.

In 1901, William S. Harley, age 20, 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. On a practice, though, it was only experiment, somewhat unsuccessful but a start for more. So 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).

In September 8, 1904, Harley competed in a Milwaukee motorcycle race held at State Fair Park. This is the first documented appearance of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle in the historical record.

Production in 1905 and 1906 were all single-cylinder models with 26.84 cubic inches (440 cc) engines. Starting from 1907, V-Twin engines appeared, having 53.68 cubic inches (880 cc) and producing about 7 horsepower (5.2 kW).

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 (811 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 1920, Harley-Davidson was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world, with 28,189 machines produced, and dealers in 67 countries.

During the 1920s, several improvements were put in place, such as a new 74 cubic inch (1,212.6 cc) V-Twin, introduced in 1922, and the "Teardrop" gas tank in 1925. A front brake was added in 1928 although notably only on the J/JD models. In the late summer of 1929, Harley-Davidson introduced its 45 cubic inches (737 cc) flathead V-Twin, "D" model. An 80 cubic inches (1,300 cc) flathead engine was added to the line in 1935, by which time the single-cylinder motorcycles had been discontinued.

After World War II, as part of war reparations, Harley-Davidson acquired the design of a small German motorcycle, the DKW RT 125, which they adapted, manufactured, and sold from 1948 to 1966. Harley experienced changes in ownership in the ‘60s, going public in 1965 and eventually merging with American Machine and Foundry (AMF) in 1969. The ‘80s and ‘90s saw the introduction of model families that continue to this day, like the Softail, FLT and Road King lines, joining classic models like the Electra Glide. The story continues today.

Moto blog

Harley-Davidson Gets Early Start on 110th Anniversary Celebrations

Harley-Davidson‘s 110th anniversary is still a year away but that hasn’t stopped The Motor Company from planning the party. Early celebration plans already include a rally in Rome, Italy, June 13-16, 2013, and the main party in Milwaukee over Labor Day Weekend, Aug. 29-Sept.

2012 Harley-Davidson Seventy-Two and Softail Slim Revealed

As expected, Harley-Davidson pulled the wraps off of two new 2012 models, the ’70s-styled Seventy-Two Sportster (pictured above) and the bobber-styled Softail Slim. Motorcycle.com‘s Tom Roderick attended the launch of the two new 2012 Harley-Davidson models and he’ll have a full report. In the mean time, here’s a quick look at the two new offerings from The Motor Company.Like the Forty-Eight first introduced in 2010, the 2012 Harley-Davidson Seventy-Two is named for the era that inspired its design.

2012 Harley-Davidson Seventy-Two Revealed in CARB Documents; Softail Slim Bobber Also Rumored

Harley-Davidson will introduce a new 1200cc Sportster model  released by the California Air Resources Board. The new 2012 Harley-Davidson Seventy-Two is expected to be announced at the company’s winter dealer meeting next month, and it may not be alone. Newly released documents from the CARB reveal the Harley-Davidson Seventy-Two among the company’s 1200cc Sportster offerings alongside the Forty-Eight, 1200 Custom and Nightster.

Harley-Davidson Reports Q4 2011 Results

Harley-Davidson reported a 10.9% growth in motorcycle sales in the fourth quarter and a total annual growth of 5.9% for 2011. The growth resulted in a net profit of $599.1 million for Harley-Davidson. The Motor Company sold 235,188 motorcycles in 2011, up from 222,110 units sold in 2010.

2012 New York International Motorcycle Shows Preview

The 2011-2012 International Motorcycle Shows tour hits the Big Apple this weekend with a number of debuts, Jan. 20-22 at the Jakob K. Javits Convention Center.

Harley-Davidson Adds Twin Cam 96 and 103 Engines to Factory Remanufacturing Program

Harley-Davidson has added the Twin Cam 96, Twin Cam 103 and 2003-2006 CVO Twin Cam 103 engines to its engine remanufacturing program. The program, which previously accepted 1984 and newer Evolution 1340, Twin Cam 88, Twin Cam 88B and Twin Cam 95 powerplants, takes used engines, rebuilds and repaints them. Customers can take their existing Harley-Davidson motorcycle to a dealer which will remove the engine and send it back to the factory.

Harley Art

A new display in the Harley-Davidson museum in Milwaukee is set to open at the end of this week exhibiting the artwork of the firm's styling chief Willie G Davidson. As well as being the grandson of the original 'Davidson' and in charge of all Harley's styling, it turns out that Willie G is a dab hand with a paintbrush. According to Harley-Davidson, the display will include “idyllic rural landscapes and still life watercolour paintings with strong luminosity and form that hint at time spent in the countryside during 48 years as the pacesetter in motorcycle design.” The firm's museum has also announced other special exhibits planned for later in the year, including “Journey of the Iron Elite: The Evolution of Motorcycle Culture through the Eyes of African-Americans” and “Born to be Wild: The Black Leather Jacket” - a 4000-square-foot display dedicated purely to black biker jackets...

Lehman Trikes Founder Passes at 60

Lehman Trikes announced the passing of its founder and director, John K. Lehman, from heart failure brought on by an embolism. The 2009 Sturgis Hall of Fame member died Jan.

New Delhi Auto Expo 2012 – Motorcycle Manufacturers Draw Battle Lines for World’s Second Largest Market

In past years, the biennial Auto Expo in India slipped under the radar while the industry was focused more on shows such as EICMA in Italy and Intermot in Germany. But with India’s middle class starting to flex its financial muscle while other markets continue to struggle, the New Delhi show is becoming much more prominent, with major OEMs positioning themselves to claim a piece of the India’s 13 million vehicles-a-year market. We’ve already looked at India-produced Royal Enfield’s new Thunderbird 500 and Hero Moto’s hybrid scooter concept which debuted at the Auto Expo, and today we’ll look at what the major international OEMs presented.

Would you pay £160,000 for this?

Pretty it may be, but you wouldn't catch me spending £160,000 on this 1915 Harley-Davidson 11-F Twin that's coming up for sale at a Bonhams auction. It's allegedly one of the most sought-after Harleys and has buyers from around the world itching to splash out on it. Not literally, you'd hope.