The Harley-Davidson Story


Book Description

The Harley-Davidson Story: Tales from the Archives is a fascinating, visually driven overview of the motor company's rich story, created in cooperation with the Harley-Davidson Museum. The story of Harley-Davidson is a classic American tale of spirit, invention, and the right idea at the right time. From its beginning in a small Milwaukee shed in 1903, William Harley and his cousins, the Davidson brothers, set in motion what would eventually become the world’s most iconic motorcycle company. While other motorcycle companies rose and fell through the teens and 1920s, Harley went from strength to strength, whether introducing its first V-twin motor or dominating race tracks across America. The Milwaukee Miracle even prospered during WWII, building war bikes for the armed forces. By the 1950s, they’d buried their last American-built competitor, Indian, and gained a hold over the US market that they maintain to this day. A remarkable story deserves a remarkable space to recount it. Such is the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, which opened in 2009. Harley-Davidson partnered with Motorbooks to create this book relaying Harley-Davidson’s story, as told through the museum’s displays and archive assets.




Growing Up Harley-Davidson


Book Description

Motorcycles have been a way of life for Jean Davidson. Her grandfather was Walter Davidson, one of the four founders and the first president of Harley-Davidson. Her father was company vice president Gordon Davidson. And Jean herself was a Harley-Davidson dealer, rubbing elbows with all the Harleys and Davidsons as well as the Hell's Angels and Outlaws, famous racers, and Evel Knievel. This is the history of Harley-Davidson motorcycles no one else knew-until now! Here is the fairy-tale story of how four boys built their first motorcycle in a shed; how a slippery-handed maid stole all the company's earnings from the coffee can that served as their "bank"; and how a hermit uncle donated his life's savings to resurrect the company and set it on the path to becoming the world's most famous motorcycle maker. Here is the inside scoop on behind-the-boardroom-door politics and corporate battles, the unknown history of the first Knucklehead and Sportster, the secret friendship with arch-rival Indian motorcycles, and more. Here are family stories and rare photos from the family album that no one else has seen before.




The Complete Harley-Davidson


Book Description

Arranged chronologically, presents a history of every major motorcycle model produced by the legendary company since 1903.




Harley Davidson


Book Description

Harley-Davidson is the king of motorcycles, the one every rider dreams of owning. This lavish volume with more than 20 foldouts celebrates the American company and its legendary models, from its first single-cylinder bike in 1903 to the modern, large V-twin series products. These V-twin engines have propelled families of Harley-Davidsons with prestigious names such as Electra Glide and Softail that continue to thrill cyclists. Every model has its own story, and the ones told here give a surprisingly human dimension to Harley-Davidsons, and also provide insight into their technical data."




Harley-Davidson


Book Description

Tells the story of the world's most famous motorcycle from the days of the Silent gray fellow to the latest XL Cafe racer 1000.




Rebuilding the Brand


Book Description

Looks at how branding and the employees of Harley-Davidson helped in rebuilding its image.




Harley-Davidson


Book Description

Harley-Davidson: words that evoke the open American road and the 'Made in America' tradition like no others. The sweeping chopper handlebars, the distinctive throaty 'potato potato' roar of the engine and the unmistakable logo are all emblems recognized the world over. This book expertly ties together the mechanical evolution of the Harley's engines – from the earliest motorized pedal bicycles to the iconic heavyweight twin cylinder V-engines we know and love today – and the social history of the brand's phenomenal rise in the twentieth century, as innovative survivor of the Great Depression, supplier of the military during both World Wars and enduring symbol of freedom and rebellion in movies such as 'Easy Rider'. It is fully illustrated with pictures of the bikes and those who have ridden them as well as beautiful examples of H-D's distinctive design aesthetic in advertising and collectibles.




100 Years of Harley-Davidson


Book Description

Sumptuous official 100th anniversary book. The inside story told for the first time by the grandson of the founder.




The Harley-Davidson Source Book


Book Description

The Harley-Davidson Source Book is the ultimate curated survey of the ultimate motorcycle. It details the most significant designs and models throughout the Motor Company's history.




Harley-Davidson Softail


Book Description

Harley-Davidson's Softail line is one of Harley's best-selling series, and in fact is one of the most popular large-displacement motorcycle series in the world. No question, the Softail defines the cruiser genre, the best-selling segment in the U.S. motorcycle market. Combine the bikes' popularity, their beautiful design, and the relative few books on the subject, and Harley-Davidson Softail is the perfect choice for Harley enthusiasts.This Softail bible discusses the story behind the original Softail chassis, built and marketed by Bill Davis before being purchased by Harley, and continues by focusing on the various Softail models, such as the Heritage, Springer, Fat Boy, and the latest Softail series, which uses the innovative dual counterbalanced Twin Cam 88B engine.