Harley-Davidson

Famous owners of Harley Davidsons include professional wrestling legend The Undertaker, comedian Jay Leno and singer Elvis Presley. For more hats, see List of hats and headgear. Today, more than 800,000 members make HOG the largest factory-sponsored motorcycle organization in the world, and it shows no signs of slowing down. Additionally, if the wearer often uses a rifle, pickaxe, or shovel, the side that the implement is used on will be folded up and pinned or clipped to the crown to avoid knocking one's hat off. By 1999, worldwide membership had hit the half-million mark, and the number of local chapters totaled 1,157. Note that excessive use of sandpaper will permanantly damage the hat. As the '90s continued, HOG spread into Asia, including new chapters in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Felt hats can be cleaned with a soft hat brush for dust, a damp towel for dirt, or ginger use of very fine sandpaper for persistent stains.

Worldwide membership numbered 151,600, with 685 local chapters. Straw hats can be cleaned with a mild detergent and water. Rapid growth continued into the 1990s, and in 1991 HOG officially went international, with the first official European HOG Rally in Cheltenham, England. Leather must be cleaned with special leather cleaning compounds. By 1985, 49 local chapters had sprouted around the country, with a total membership of 60,000. Soft cotton or canvas hats can be cleaned as if they were regular clothing. Harley-Davidson established the Harley Owners Group (HOG)[1] in 1983 in response to a growing desire by Harley riders for an organized way to share their passion and show their pride. As with any other form of clothing, hats inevitably get dirty.

Harley riders also frequent certain regularly-held events:. Most hats can be stretched by up to two hat sizes. On Labor Day weekend the city of Milwaukee hosted the largest Harley-Davidson event, if not the largest motorcycle event, in history. Also note that in the UK, an equivalent hat size is an eighth inch smaller than in the US. In 2003, Harley-Davidson Company celebrated its 100th birthday. A numerical hat size is merely the average diameter of the head, determined by measuring the circumference of a person's head about 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) above the ears, dividing by pi, and rounding to the nearest centimeter or eighth inch. Ford will again produced a Harley-Davidson Edition F-150 for their 2006 model-year, as well. Finer hats are more strictly fitted to a person's head and have a numerical size.

In 2004, the Ford / Harley was changed to a Super-Duty, which continues through 2006. Generally, less expensive hats will be a named size such as small, medium, large, and extra large. In 2000, Ford changed the truck to a crew cab and in 2002 added a super-charged engine (5.4L) which continued until 2003. When a hat is made, it is also blocked to a certain hat size. This truck was an extended-cab for model year 1999. Some hats may also feature a wire in the edge of the brim so that the wearer may shape the brim in any way possible. In 1999, Ford Motor Company added a Harley-Davidson edition to the Ford F-Series F-150 line, complete with the Harley-Davidson logo. In this case, the brim is constructed so that the front or back can be turned up or down or in alternate directions and hold this shape.

Harley maintains dominance in sales to date. A hat may also have a "snap" brim. The company vehemently denies this and claims it is coincidence. It is important to support the hat by the sweatband to prevent distortion of the brim by either stuffing the crown with tissue paper or using something to approximate a head. There was a controversy that the Fat Boy model was allegedly inspired by the name of the bombs (Fat Man and Little Boy) that were dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Several hats may be stacked upon each other if they are of similar sizes and styles. By 1990, with the introduction of the "Fat Boy", Harley once again became the sales leader in the heavyweight (over 750cc) market. They are simple cylindrical cardboard boxes with a fitted lid and are often covered in colored printed paper.

Quality increased, and technical improvements were made, but these goals were never achieved at the cost of substantially modifying the design of the machine except by gradual degrees. Due to the round stiff nature of most hats, special hat boxes were created to store them when not in use. Rather than trying to match the Japanese at their own game, this new management deliberately exploited the "retro" appeal of the machines, building motorcycles that deliberately adopt the look and feel of their earlier machines and the subsequent customizations of owners of that era. Such a rolling practice was done for unblocked Panama hats, resulting in a distinctive crown with an narrow outward lengthwise crease. The motor company increased sales and gradually captured an ever increasing zealous following of loyal customers. Some straw hats can also rolled up to fit in a tube. As a result, quality and buyers slowly returned. Hats that are not explicitly advertised as such should never be folded as they may be permanantly damaged.

Inventory was strictly controlled using the Just In Time system. Additionally, many soft wool felt hats are crushable or packable, meaning that the material can return to and hold its original shape even after being folded and put in a suitcase. They introduced the "Sturgis" model boasting a dual belt-drive. Felt hats also vary by stiffness, depending on how much shellac is applied to the felt. Davidson. If the hat's material is strong enough, it often can be reblocked to another shape.They also come in many sizes. In 1981, AMF sold the company back to a group of thirteen investors led by Vaughn Beals and Willie G. Blocking the hat shapes the crown by applying steam to the material to soften the fabric and, once finished and dried, fix the shape of the hat.

The venerable name of "Harley-Davidson" was mocked as "Hardly Ableson", and the nickname "Hog" became pejorative. Most felt, straw, and some fabric hats differ only by cosmetics, determined by how the hat is blocked, or shaped by a mold or by hand. Sales declined, quality plummeted, and the company almost went bankrupt. Fabric, leather and straw hats are specially constructed to be a certain shape. The bikes were expensive and far inferior in performance, handling, and quality to Japanese motorcycles. Hats are made from a variety of materials, including wool and fur felt, twill, canvas, leather and straw. The company also ceased to be an innovator in the motorcycle industry, with a design that remained basically unchanged for many years. .

This tactic resulted in a labor strike and an even lower quality of bikes. Purveyors of men's hats are called hatters and purveyors of ladies' hats are called milliners. In 1969, American Machinery and Foundry (AMF) bought the company, streamlined production, and slashed the workforce. Many hats are intended only for men or for women, while other hats are fashionable on both sexes. One of only two American cycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression, Harley-Davidson again produced large numbers of motorcycles for the army in World War II and resumed civilian production afterwards, producing a range of large V-twin motorcycles that were successful both on racetracks and for private buyers. A hat may be either placed on the head or, in the case of some women's hats, secured with hat-pins (which are pushed through the hat and the hair). A front brake was added in 1928. Hats are differentiated from caps by being more elaborate; hats have a high crown, a brim, or both and are larger than caps.

During the 1920s, several improvements were put in place, such as a new 74 cubic inch (1.2 L) V-Twin, introduced in 1922, and the gas tank we still see today, called a "Teardrop" tank, in 1925. A hat is an item of clothing which is worn on the head – a kind of headgear. A Harley-Davidson machine was the very first to win a race at an average speed of over 100 mph (160 km/h). Ushanka. In 1921, a milestone was reached in motorcycle racing. Trilby. Production was 28,189 machines. Tricorne.

Their motorcycles were sold by dealers in 67 countries. Top hat. By 1920, Harley-Davidson was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world. Sombrero. Harley-Davidson provided over 20,000 machines to the military forces during World War I. Shtreimel. The company had consolidated its position as the motorcycle of choice for police forces. Pork pie hat.

Harleys had already been used by the military in border skirmishes with Pancho Villa, but World War I was the first time the motorcycle had been broadly adopted for combat service. Panama hat. The military demanded motorcycles for the war effort. Homburg. In 1917, the United States was drawn into World War I. Fez. Although the future looked rosy, on the horizon lay the gathering storm clouds of world war. Fedora.

Production that year swelled to 16,284 machines. Cowboy hat. Despite the competition, Harley-Davidson was already pulling ahead of Indian and the rest of the pack and would also dominate motorcycle racing after 1914. Conical hat. Begun in 1910, the red brick factory with its many additions would take up two blocks along Juneau Avenue and around the corner on 38th Street. Cocked hat. By 1913 the yellow brick factory had been demolished and on the site a new 5-story structure of reinforced concrete and red brick had been built. Bucket hat.

After 1913 the majority of bikes produced by Harley-Davidson would be V-Twin models. Bowler hat. Displacing 49.48 cubic inches (810cc), the 1911 V-Twin was actually smaller than earlier twins, but gave better performance. Bicorne. (Earlier V-Twins had used "automatic" intake valves that opened by engine vacuum). Beret. In 1911 an improved V-Twin model with mechanically operated intake valves was introduced. The upturned back is an innovation to prevent the collar of the wearer's coat from hitting the hat.

By 1911 some 150 makes of motorcycles had already been built in the United States -- although just a handful would survive the 1910s. A typical hat found in the city has an upturned back and downturned front, a wide grosgrain hatband, neatly tied, and an optional feather. The success of Harley-Davidson (along with Indian's success) had attracted great attention and many imitators. They have smaller brims of three or fewer inches and are flashy and made to stand out. Production paced factory expansion, jumping from 450 motorcycles in 1908 to 1,149 machines in 1909. Urban wear hat: Hats found in urban or suburban areas are intended to be more fashionable than functional. Not bad in those days of primitive mud-rut and sand roads. Sun hat: Generally made from straw, cloth, or both and featuring an excessively large downturned brim, this style is simply designed to keep off the sun for gardening, yard work, or lounging.

Top speed was about 60 mph (97 km/h). The last brim style has the effect of lowering the front of the brim to better protect the wearers eyes from the sun. This gave about double the hill-climbing power of the first singles. Common styles include a safari style brim (with the brim turned down in the front and back) or a brim sharply curved up on either side. These first V-Twins displaced 53.68 cubic inches (880cc) and produced about 7 horsepower (5 kW). Made of felt or straw, they feature large brims (as wide as four inches or more) to protect against rain and sun and some are even designed to hold water in the crown. Although shown and advertised, very few dual cylinder V-Twin models were built between 1907 and 1910. Cowboy hat: Though thought of as a consistent style, cowboy hats are simply highly rugged and utilitarian hats.

But as early as February of 1907 a prototype model with a 45-degree V-Twin engine was displayed at the Chicago Automobile Show. Peak or visor - A projection of stiff material on the front of some hats to shade the eyes. Production in 1905 and 1906 were all single-cylinder models with 26.84 cubic inch (440cc) engines. Hatband - a leather strip, ribbon, or string at the intersection of the crown and brim to hold the hat's size. They also began selling their motorcycles to police departments around this time, a tradition that continues today. Sweatband - the inside part of the hat, this is the part which touches the top of the wearer's head. That September a milestone was reached when the fledgling company was officially incorporated. Brim - a projection of stiff material from the bottom of the hat's crown horizontally all around the circumference of the hat.

With the new facilities production increased to 150 motorcycles in 1907. Crown - the portion of a hat covering the top of the head. That year additional factory expansion came with a second floor and later with facings and additions of Milwaukee pale yellow ("cream") brick. Harley graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Madison with a degree in mechanical engineering. In 1907 William S.

That year around 50 motorcycles were produced. The first Juneau Avenue plant was a modest 40 by 60 foot single-story wooden structure. This location remains the Motor Company's corporate headquarters today. In 1906 Harley and the Davidsons built their first factory on Chestnut Street (later Juneau Avenue).

Unfortunately, the first shed was "accidentally" destroyed by contractors in the early 1970s during a clean-up of the factory yard.). (Some years later the original shed was taken to the Juneau Avenue factory where it would stand for many decades as a tribute to the Motor Company's humble origins. In 1905 no more than a dozen machines were built in the backyard shed. By April, complete motorcycles were in production on a very limited basis.

In January 1905, small advertisements were placed in the "Automobile and Cycle Trade Journal" that offered bare Harley-Davidson engines to the do-it-yourself trade. The machine was functional by 8 September 1904 when it was entered in a Milwaukee motorcycle race, the first known appearance of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The prototype of the new improved loop-frame model was assembled in a 10 by 15 foot (3 by 5 meter) shed in the Davidson family backyard. Davidson also lent a hand in the enterprise.

Elder brother William A. They also got help with their new engine from outboard motor pioneer Ole Evinrude. The machine's advanced loop-frame was similar to the 1903 Milwaukee Merkel motorcycle. This first "real" Harley-Davidson motorcycle would have a bigger engine of 24.74 cubic inches (405cc) with 9-3/4 inch flywheels weighing 28 pounds.

Starting fresh, work was immediately begun on a new and much improved machine. Will Harley and the Davidsons quickly wrote off their first motor-bicycle as a valuable learning experiment. Upon completion the boys found their little "power-cycle" unable to conquer Milwaukee's modest hills without pedal assistance. It was finished in 1903 with the help of Arthur's brother, Walter Davidson.

Over the next two years Harley and his boyhood pal Arthur Davidson labored on their little motor-bicycle using the northside machine shop of their friend Henry Melk. The engine was designed for use in a regular pedal-bicycle frame. Harley, age 21, drew up plans for a small engine that displaced 7.07 cubic inches (116cc) and had four-inch flywheels. The company considers 1903 to be its year of founding, though the Harley-Davidson enterprise could be considered to have started in 1901 when William S.

Note that these conventions for model designations are broken regularly by the company. Custom Vehicle Operations models can also have a number (2,3,4) added. Letters are appended singly or in pairs, as follows:. The first letter is one of the following:.

The sequences can be long, as in the 2006 model designation FLHTCUSE. Harley model designations are a sequence of letters and numbers, combined in limited ways. After six years, Harley-Davidson withdrew their trademark application. These objections were followed by litigation.

Nine of Harley-Davidson's competitors filed comments opposing the application, arguing that cruiser-style motorcycles of various brands use a single-crankpin V-twin engine which produce a similar sound. On 1 February 1994, the company filed a trademark application for the distinctive sound of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle engine: "The mark consists of the exhaust sound of applicant's motorcycles, produced by V-twin, common crankpin motorcycle engines when the goods are in use". This design, which is covered under several United States patents, gives the Harley-Davidson V-twin its unique "potato-potato" sound. On the V-twin, the sequence is as follows:.

This design causes the pistons to fire at uneven intervals. The crankshaft has a single pin, and both pistons are connected to this pin through their connecting rods. The classic Harley-Davidson engines are two-cylinder, V-twin engines with the pistons placed at a 45 degree angle. .

Since 1998 Harley-Davidson has also owned Buell Motorcycle Company. It also licenses its logo, which is a profitable side business ($41 million of revenue in 2004, or almost 5% of net income). Harleys are especially noted for the tradition of heavy customization that gave rise to the chopper-style of motorcycle. The company supplies many domestic police forces with their motorcycle fleets.

This is attributed to an American pedigree that favors designs for long, low-speed cruising on flat, straight roads. Detractors contend that Harleys are badly engineered, under-powered and under-performing, and have poor handling and suspension. A well maintained vehicle might never drop in value at all, although regular maintenance is expected. Harley-Davidson motorcycles (popularly referred to as "Harleys") are distinctive in design and attract a loyal following, and hold their resale value very well compared to other vehicles.

The company emphasizes heavy bikes designed for cruising and known for their distinctive exhaust noise. The Harley-Davidson Motor Company NYSE: HDI is a manufacturer of motorcycles based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, making it one of the two remaining American mass-producer of motorcycles (along with Victory Motorcycles). to raise awareness of veteran issues (specifically POW/MIA soldiers). Rolling Thunder - An annual rally in Washington, D.C.

Myrtle Beach Bike Week - A spring and fall rally in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Click on link here. Republic of Texas Biker Rally - A popular event in Austin, Texas held every June. Daytona Beach Bike Week - Held since 1937 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Located in Laconia, New Hampshire.

Laconia Motorcycle Week - Held since the first Loudon classic race started 1923. Sturgis Motorcycle Rally - Held at the beginning of August each year in Sturgis, South Dakota, 514,951 attended in 2004. The Destroyer is a turn-key motorcycle tuned to make sub 10-second quarter-mile runs in the hands of a pro-level rider. engine, air shifter and wheelie bar, among other features.

The Screamin’ Eagle V-Rod Destroyer is a 165+hp, professional-level drag-racing motorcycle designed exclusively for competition by Harley-Davidson Custom Vehicle Operations; it comes stock with larger 79 cu.in. There is also a non-street fifth variant: the VRXSE SE Destroyer. At first it was used in a single model called the V-Rod; it now comes in four consumer models: The V-Rod, the "roadster-styled" Street Rod, the long and low Night Rod, and the VRSCSE² Screamin’ Eagle V-Rod. Revolution, 2002-present, 69 cubic inches (1.1 L), used in VRSC (V-Twin Racing Street Custom) models.

Evolution, 1986-present, 883, 1100 and 1200 cc. Ironhead, 1957-1985, 900 and 1000 cc. Revolution, 2002-present, 69 cubic inches (1.13 L), 60 degree V-twin (all of the above are 45 degrees), Liquid cooled (all of the above are air cooled). Twin Cam 88B (counter balanced version of the Twin Cam 88) 2000-present, 88 cubic inches (1.4 L).

Twin Cam 88 (aka "Fathead") 1999-present, 88 cubic inches (1.4 L). Evolution (aka "Evo" and "Blockhead"), 1984-99, 80 cubic inches (1.3 L). Shovelhead, 1966-85, 74 cubic inches (1.2 L) and 80 cubic inches since late 1978. Panhead, 1948-65, 61 and 74 cubic inches (1.0 and 1.2 L).

Knucklehead, 1936-47, 61 and 74 cubic inches (1.0 and 1.2 L). Flathead, 1909-1936. there is a 405° gap (as both cylinders go through their exhaust stroke) until the first piston fires again. the other piston fires at 315° into the stroke.

the first piston fires (this is the 0° position).