| It was a decisive day in the history of American | | | | 1913 the model 9E's 1000cc power plant was |
| automobile culture in 1902, when two young friends | | | | producing 10bhp which gave the bike a top speed of |
| left their stable jobs at a Milwaukee engineering firm | | | | 60mph. Initially Harley-Davidson was reluctant to get |
| to embark upon a venture that would irrevocably | | | | themselves involved in racing, such as reliability runs |
| shape the course of motorcycle history forever. This | | | | however, by 1914 they changed their minds and |
| was the day when William S Harley and Arthur | | | | entered a factory team. The firm's Milwaukee crew, |
| Davidson designed and built the first single-cylinder | | | | the "Wrecking Crew" rode powerful 8-valve V-twins |
| engine (400CC) right out of a toolshed in Davidson's | | | | which were very competitive against the rival Merkel |
| backyard. Although though the first motor was | | | | and Excelsior, and Indian. This became a great period |
| reliable, it was enlarged because it was | | | | for Harley-Davidson as production rose to more than |
| underpowered. The initial frame was too weak to | | | | 22,000 bikes and 16,000 sidecars in 1919. These |
| hold the new engine so it was replaced with a | | | | numbers were cut in half in the upcoming 2 years |
| stronger, more substantial structure that was built | | | | mainly because of the Model T Ford, which put the |
| similar to the prototype. In 1903 they produced two | | | | majority of American motorcycle companies out of |
| more bikes and three the following year. By 1907, | | | | business. Harley-Davidson is known for its large |
| Harley Davidson's growing reputation for their reliable | | | | capacity V-twins but the smaller 45ci Forty Five |
| product helped to push their annual production rate | | | | played a vital part in the history of the company. The |
| to over 150. The year was also 1907 when Harley | | | | Forty Five, produced in 1928, was the first machine |
| Davidson decided it was time to raise money for | | | | with a total loss oil system. It was restyled and |
| expansion. They became a corporation and divided | | | | updated 9 years later to create the W series. It was |
| the shares among seventeen employees. They | | | | the simple and strong Forty Five that kept |
| moved themselves out of the Davidson's shed and | | | | Harley-Davidson in business through the Depression |
| into a much bigger premise which is still their location - | | | | of the 1930's. The WLA model proved to be a useful |
| Juneau Avenue in Milwaukee. The early models of | | | | military machine in which close to 80,000 were being |
| Harley-Davidson motorbikes had no lights and no | | | | used in the Second World War. These "war bikes" |
| suspension. Within a few years after production | | | | were converted for civilian use after the war was |
| began, Harley's soon had fitted leading link forks a | | | | over which helped to popularize Harley-Davidson |
| magneto ignition and a carbide gas headlamp. The | | | | worldwide. In 1936, while still suffering the effects of |
| model 5 produced in 1909 had about 4bhp from its | | | | the Depression, Harley-Davidson introduced the Model |
| 494cc inlet over exhaust engine, with a speed of | | | | 61E. This model's 61cc V-twin engine was a huge |
| 45mph. Bicycle petals were used to start the engine. | | | | advancement over other models due to its overhead |
| Once the bike was in motion the leather drive belt | | | | valve design and recirculating oil system. The neat |
| was tightened using a hand lever. (To have a more | | | | style of the 61E helped it become a huge success. It |
| contemporary view of what harley davidson parts | | | | became known as the knucklehead because of the |
| now look like, please visit our website). The first | | | | shape of the engines rocker covers. It gave it a |
| V-twin Harley was built in 1909. It was the model 5D | | | | technical advantage over its rival Indian and became |
| but was not an immediate success. The V-twin | | | | the ancestor to modern Harley's. Harley-Davidson will |
| produced close to 7bhp, which was almost twice as | | | | forever be synonymous with producing great bikes. |
| much as the single engine but it was difficult to start | | | | What started as a dream, survived the Depression, |
| and suffered from a slipping drive belt. Two years | | | | and is still going strong today. There is nothing quite |
| later, in 1911, they introduced the 45-degree V-twin | | | | like hearing the rumble of a Harley as you're heading |
| with a revised valve gear, new frame and had been | | | | for the highway. |
| fitted with a full floating seat and chain drive. These | | | | Visit Irv online to see a wide selection of motorcycle |
| new improvements made a huge difference which | | | | accessories, harley davidson motorcycle parts catalog |
| caused the V-twin's popularity to grow. By the year | | | | and more. |