William Harley and Arthur Davidson: Men Behind the Iconic Motorcycle

As promised, in 1911, Harley-Davidson Inc. made the V-Twin model available. This was an engine that had mechanically-operated intake valves rather than the “automatic” valves which opened by engine vacuum.

This set a precedent. After 1913, the majority of bikes they produced were V-Twin models.

Always one step ahead of the competition, in 1912, Harley-Davidson Inc. introduced their patented “Ful-Floteing Seat.” It had a coil spring in the seat tube and twin spring supports in the rear.

This was a great improvement over the original seats–which were basically modified bicycle seats. These seats came standard on all Harley-Davidsons until 1958.

WWI, The Great Depression, WWII

In 1917, the US entered World War I and demanded that Harley-Davidson, Inc. produce motorcycles for the war effort. Over the next four years, the US military purchased over 20,000 motorcycles from the company.

The “Great Depression” (1929-1939) began just a few months after Harley-Davidson, Inc. introduced their 45 cubic-inch (740 cm3) model. However, most Americans had no money to spend on transportation or luxury items.

Sales fell from 21,000 in 1929 to 3,703 in 1933. But that didn’t deter the company from unveiling new models in 1934 featuring their new “flathead” engine and “Art Deco” styling.

To weather the Depression, Harley-Davidson, Inc. manufactured industrial “powerplant” engines based on their motorcycle engines. They introduced a three-wheeled delivery vehicle called the “Servi-Car,” which sold well enough to remain in production until 1973.

They were one of only two American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the “Great Depression.” The other was the Indian Motorcycle Manufacturing Company.