Harley-Davidson is the undisputed legend of motorcycle manufacturing. Along with Indian, it survived the Great Depression and became the major American motorcycle company. H-D has been one of the market leaders for over a century, and it keeps transforming to meet the needs of drivers. They create not only excellent two-wheelers but also consummate components and accessories. Check out these LED headlights for Harley Davidson motorcycles, if you’re not sure. Now, let’s commemorate the 117th anniversary of the legend and learn some exciting facts!
1. V-Twin Engine is 111 Year Old
Harley’s V-Twin engine family has always been a standard of quality and performance. In 2016, YourMotoBro.com visited the presentation of the 9th generation of the engine, which was the first major upgrade in 15 years. The first model of the unit was created back in 1909. Although it had huge performance issues and couldn’t survive more than 1 year in production, it established one of the most famous motorcycle engine lines in history!
2. 19 Years to Excellence
In less than 20 years, Harley managed to become the largest motorbike manufacturer worldwide. Although the company wasn’t the first and drew many of its concepts from Indian, its sports leadership in the mid-1910s and build quality helped to reach the top so fast. In 1920, H-D had dealers in 67 countries.
3. Tomato Can Carburetor
It’s impossible to check this fact, but it’s still very fun. Many sources say that the first motorcycle by H-D had a simple 1-cylinder unit (which is 100% true) and a carburetor made of a tomato can!
4. 5% is Apparel
Believe it or not, but Harley is a large clothing manufacturer too. Over 5% of its $6-billion annual revenue is generated by sales of leather jackets, branded t-shirts, boots, jeans, toys, and collectible models.
5. Harley The Hog
Many H-D owners and press call these motorcycles hogs. This nickname appeared in 1920 when Harley’s racer Ray Weishaar won the 200-mile race in Marion and gave his pet piglet a drink of Coke. After that, the piglet had been the mascot of the H-Ds racing team for many years.
Is That All?
It’s always good to have fun, but Harley-Davidson is a very serious brand, after all. The most exciting fact is, perhaps, the number of motorbikes sold. Despite the decrease in motorcycle sales worldwide, the company sells over 235,000 two-wheelers every year. Of course, that’s not too many in comparison with India’s local companies, but still a whopping number as for a 117-year-old company.
