American Iron Magazine Presents 1001 Harley-Davidson Facts. Tyler Greenblatt
or not, essentially wiped out all of the small-time motorcycle manufacturers that could no longer effectively maintain a dealership network.
142 Amid the economic downturn of the early 1920s, Harley-Davidson cut output by almost two-thirds and laid off half of its employees. Arthur Davidson knew that the dealerships would play a pivotal role in keeping the entire operation in business. He sought to improve brand loyalty through the new dealership strategy. He also implored dealers to host rides, meetings, and competition events to increase the amount of fun that people had on their motorcycle and to encourage others to take up the sport. In addition, it was at about this time that a new pay-as-you-ride program began, now known as Harley-Davidson Financial.
143 Harley-Davidson produced nearly three times fewer motorcycles for the U.S. government during World War I than Indian. But the fact that it did supply army bikes gave The Motor Company the opportunity to advertise its part in supporting the war effort.
144 Racing is expensive at any level and sponsors weren’t as engrained in the sport in first half of the 20th Century as they are now. To give you an idea: Harley-Davidson spent only $250,000 on the 1920 race season. If The Motor Company had kept and maintained its old race bikes through the years, it could have proven quite profitable. Factory racers from the 1920s have sold at auction for up to $420,000, and private sales often fetch far more than that!
145 In 1920, $250,000 was a lot of money, even for mighty Harley-Davidson. However, it had sold only 11,000 motorcycles in 1920, so at the end of the 1921 season, it cancelled the racing program. The team found out about the disbanding only after the races in Phoenix, Arizona. The Motor Company gave everyone money only to cover food and hotel expenses, but no salary or money for the trip home. Only the mechanics received their salaries and trip money to Milwaukee, with the understanding that they would take the motorcycles, tools, and any other equipment back with them. Legend has it that the racers had to borrow money from the local Harley-Davidson dealer to get home.
146 Many people know about the wartime production restrictions during World War II, but did you know that the United States used similar measures during World War I? In addition to Harley-Davidson’s military contracts, it was allowed to continue producing civilian models as well, which were seen as efficient modes of transportation for industrial and government workers. Bill Harley was a member of the Motorcycle War Service Board and pushed to give two-wheelers a B-4 classification, meaning that it was an essential industry.
147 Harley-Davidson assisted the war effort by supplying thousands of motorcycles to the U.S. army and its allies’ armies, and 312 H-D employees volunteered and served in the military. Three made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. At the war’s end, The Motor Company invited every employee who served to return to their jobs at the same standing that they had before they left.
148 To introduce the 1924 models, Harley-Davidson released an advertisement that featured images of President Walter Davidson and Bill Harley enjoying a sidecar-equipped JD in a variety of ways. Each photo was captioned describing the activity and showed how the founders used their products in much the same way as those who bought them. Walter penned a personal letter for the ad in which he invited the reader to step into the nearest dealership to explore the new machines. Interesting, the letter states, “Bill Harley and I and my brothers have ridden motorcycles, built them, and lived with them for 21 years.” Because the ad was released for the 1924 models, Walter’s letter suggests that the first motorcycle was built in 1903.
149 By the early 1920s, Harley-Davidson had developed its first complete line of branded clothing and riding accessories. The line included sweaters, jerseys, gloves, goggles, and waterproof gear. It wasn’t until 1928, however, that a leather jacket made its first appearance in the H-D clothing line. 1929 was the first year for decorative accessories and jewelry intended for off- and on-motorcycle use, a concept that has continued to present.
150 Headwear appeared in Harley-Davidson’s parts and accessories catalog as early as 1915 with the introduction of riding goggles that kept dust and wind out of a rider’s eyes at high speeds. Following that, the catalog featured knit caps, hats, and a Tourist Hood that provided protection for long, fast rides. It wasn’t until 1921 that the first “protective” headwear became available through the catalog: the $8 Leather Touring Helmet and the $3 Tourist Helmet. They are advertised as a way to keep wind and dirt out of the rider’s hair without losing the shape.
151 Harley-Davidson beefed up its frames for 1916 so they were better suited for sidecar use and also to handle the additional power output of the V-twin. A new front fender featured more curve to match the 28-inch wheel and more protection for the rider and machine. The fender used front and rear flat mounting struts that are body colored and bolted to the underside of the fender. The old fender used a basic round metal bracket in the rear only; the fender had a tendency to shake around. A wider front end and larger steering head bearings were added to handle the added width and weight. The wheelbase was lengthened to 59.5 inches.
152 The 1916 models received a more-rounded, larger gas tank to go with the updated frame. It now carried oil and gas on the left side, but still only gas on the right side. Fuel capacity increased to 2.75 gallons but oil capacity was cut from 4 quarts to 5 pints. The color changed from Renault Gray to Harley-Davidson Gray for the 1915 and 1916 models; 1916 was the last year of the traditional gray paint scheme.
153 By 1916, Harley-Davidson’s model naming system had become confusing. The model numbers trailed the year by four, and after 13 years in business, those new to the brand couldn’t figure out why. Because of this, The Motor Company changed the system to match the model number with the year, meaning that 1916 model numbers started with “16.” The year was stamped into engine numbers until the mid-1970s, but the practice of using the year in the model name soon ended.
154 Even though The Motor Company offers numerous paint options today, that wasn’t the case during the company’s first 30 years. Customers were limited to the company’s choice of color. Beginning in 1917, because so many of its machines were serving military duty, the official color became Military Drab, which is basically Olive Green. Rumor has it that this color remained even after the war because The Motor Company had a massive oversupply that it didn’t want to waste.
155 One of the most popular options in the early years was a luggage rack that mounted above the rear axle and to the front of the rear fender. It allowed for the easy mounting of throwover saddlebags or any type of equipment. The retail price of the rack in 1921 was $6. Today, an original luggage rack is worth about $900.
156 Even though the Olive Green paint was changed to the darker Brewster Green in 1922 and 1923, Harley-Davidson didn’t offer multiple color options until the 1926 model year. The standard color went back to Olive Green, but buyers could opt for white or cream paint.
157 The timeless form of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle first appeared in 1925. The seat height was reduced 3 inches to provide the rider with the “in the bike feel” that separates cruisers from other machines today. The huge reduction in seat height provided a massive feeling of control and additional comfort to the rider while also lowering center of gravity for ease of handling. Even though the seat was now 3 inches lower, engineers actually managed to increase the length of the spring inside the seat post from 9 to 14 inches for a cushier ride. A new frame brace underneath the engine, between the downtube and seat post, held the engine lower and more solidly.
158 Because of the lower seat height, which would have impeded the 1924’s gas tank, H-D introduced a streamlined, teardrop tank, the basic style of which is used today. To go with the lower seat height and the increasing sportiness of its machines, The Motor Company stopped using the straight pullback handlebars in favor of bars that stayed tighter to the front end and curved down slightly; they resemble modern handlebars. A pair of smaller 27-inch wheels with wide 3.85-inch tires also helped to modernize the appearance and performance of the 1925s. Tipping the scales at just over 400 pounds, the redesigned J models needed the extra load-bearing ability.
159 Did you know that Harley-Davidson produced an opposed Flathead twin for public use in 1919? Many