Tales from the archives.
While Harley-Davidson isn’t everyone’s first choice when it comes to a motorcycle brand, there’s no denying that the iconic company has a rich and unique history when it comes to being a motorcycle manufacturer. I’m sure there have been more books written about Harley-Davidson than any other motorcycle company, but not all of them are written in conjunction with the Harley-Davidson Museum, where there are more secrets buried about the Motor Company than anywhere else.
The Harley-Davidson Story is written by Milwaukee-based motorcycle journalist Aaron Frank (former Motorcyclist magazine contributor), who had unprecedented access to curatorial staff at the Harley-Davidson Museum, and starts with an introduction by Jim Fricke, the museum’s curatorial director.
This 224-page coffee-table book covers topics that stem from the original shed in the backyard of the Davidson home where William Harley and the Davidson brothers worked at designing and building an engine to power bicycles. The book naturally moves on to Serial #1, the Motor Company’s first V-twin of 1909, and continues to highlight engine and model milestones, racers, world travellers, clubs and many more characters.
The Harley-Davidson Story touches on Project Serengeti (code name for the 2018 Softail and Milwaukee-eight engine) and Project Livewire, but just as a museum-based book should, it covers much of the company’s early history of such obscure creations as the “hip leisure machine,” as H-D described the Topper scooter; the company’s entry into Grand Prix racing with a two-stroke 250 that shattered Yamaha’s four-year winning streak; the more than 5,000 rocket engines that H-D manufactured for U.S. Navy drones; as well as Project Nova, which never really got past the prototype stage, although some of you might recognize design similarities to the early-’80s FXRT. And how about the Penster, a reverse trike developed in 1998 – almost a decade before the BRP Spyder? The big difference being the Penster leaned into corners. Did you know H-D debuted a reverse trike called the Forecar in 1914?
This and so much more is included in the book’s 45 chapters that feature 250 colour photos. It’s a book for not only for motorcycle fans, but also for fans of the grit and determination of early business development and turn-of-the-century industry.
Published by Quarto (Motorbooks) with an MSRP of $52, the book is available at quartoknows.com or the regular outlets like Amazon and Chapters. But shop around, as prices seem to fluctuate considerably. I found it on amazon.ca for $35.90.
ISBN – 13:9780760360712
