Beginning

Clockwise fr?m top left: William S. Harley, William A. Davidson, Walter Davidson, Sr., Arthur Davidson
In 1901, William S. Harley, age 21, drew up plans f?r ? small engine with ? displacement of 7.07 cubic inches (116 cc) and four-inch (102 mm) flywheels. The engine w?? designed for u?? ?n ? regular pedal-bicycle frame. Over th? n?xt tw? years, Harley ?nd his childhood friend Arthur Davidson labored ?n th??r motor-bicycle u??ng th? northside Milwaukee machine shop ?t the home ?f th??r friend, Henry Melk. It wa? finished ?n 1903 w?th the hel? ?f Arthur’s brother, Walter Davidson. Upon completion, the boys found th??r power-cycle unable to conquer Milwaukee’s modest hills w?thout pedal assistance. Will Harley and th? Davidsons quickly wrote ?ff the?r first motor-bicycle ?? a valuable learning experiment.[6]
Work immediately began ?n a new ?nd improved second-generation machine. This first “real” Harley-Davidson motorcycle had a bigger engine ?f 24.74 cubic inches (405 cc) w?th 9.75 inches (25 cm) flywheels weighing 28 lb (13 kg). The machine’s advanced loop-frame pattern w?? similar t? th? 1903 Milwaukee Merkel motorcycle (designed b? Joseph Merkel, later ?f Flying Merkel fame). The bigger engine ?nd loop-frame design took ?t out of th? motorized-bicycle category ?nd w?uld hel? define wh?t ? modern motorcycle should ?onta?n in th? years to come. The boys als? received h?lp w?th their bigger engine from outboard motor pioneer Ole Evinrude, who was th?n building gas engines of hi? own design for automotive us? ?n Milwaukee’s Lake Street.
The prototype of the n?w loop-frame Harley-Davidson wa? assembled in a 10 × 15 ft (3.0 × 4.6 m) shed ?n th? Davidson family backyard. Most ?f th? major parts, however, w?r? made elsewhere, including ?om? pr?bably fabricated ?t th? West Milwaukee railshops wh?re oldest brother William A. Davidson w?? th?n toolroom foreman. This prototype machine w?s functional b? September 8, 1904, when ?t competed in a Milwaukee motorcycle race held ?t State Fair Park. It was ridden by Edward Hildebrand ?nd ?l?ced fourth. This ?? the fir?t documented appearance ?f ? Harley-Davidson motorcycle ?n the historical record.[7]
In January 1905, small advertisements w?r? pl?c?d ?n th? “Automobile and Cycle Trade Journal” that offered bare Harley-Davidson engines to th? do-it-yourself trade. By April, complete motorcycles were ?n production ?n ? ver? limited basis. That year, th? first Harley-Davidson dealer, Carl H. Lang ?f Chicago, sold thr?? bikes from the dozen or so built ?n th? Davidson backyard shed. (Some years lat?r th? original shed w?s t?ken to the Juneau Avenue factory wh?r? it w?uld stand for m?n? decades ?s ? tribute t? the Motor Company’s humble origins. Unfortunately, th? fir?t shed wa? accidentally destroyed b? contractors ?n th? early 1970s dur?ng ? clean-up of th? factory yard.)
In 1906, Harley ?nd the Davidson brothers built th??r f?rst factory ?n Chestnut Street (later Juneau Avenue). This location remains Harley-Davidson’s corporate headquarters today. The f?r?t Juneau Avenue plant w?? a 40 × 60 ft (12 × 18 m) single-story wooden structure. The company produced ?b?ut 50 motorcycles that year.

1907 model.

Harley-Davidson 1,000 cc HT 1916
In 1907, William S. Harley graduated fr?m th? University of Wisconsin–Madison with a degree ?n mechanical engineering. That year additional factory expansion c?me with ? ?e??nd floor and later with facings and additions of Milwaukee pale yellow (“cream”) brick. With th? n?w facilities production increased to 150 motorcycles ?n 1907. The company w?? officially incorporated th?t September. They ?l?? began selling their motorcycles to police departments ?round th?s time, ? market that h?s been important to th?m ?v?r since.[8]
Production in 1905 and 1906 were ?ll single-cylinder models with 26.84 cubic inches (440 cc) engines. In February 1907 a prototype model w?th ? 45-degree V-Twin engine w?? displayed ?t th? Chicago Automobile Show. Although shown ?nd advertised, ver? f?w V-Twin models w?re built betw?en 1907 ?nd 1910. These f?r?t V-Twins displaced 53.68 cubic inches (880 cc) ?nd produced ?b?ut 7 horsepower (5.2 kW). This gave ab?ut double th? power ?f the first singles. Top speed w?s ab?ut 60 mph (100 km/h). Production jumped fr?m 450 motorcycles in 1908 to 1,149 machines in 1909.[9]
By 1911, ??m? 150 makes of motorcycles had ?lready been built in the United States – although just ? handful w?uld survive the 1910s.
In 1911, ?n improved V-Twin model was introduced. The new engine had mechanically operated intake valves, ?s opposed t? th? “automatic” intake valves used ?n earlier V-Twins that opened b? engine vacuum. With ? displacement ?f 49.48 cubic inches (811 cc), th? 1911 V-Twin w?s smaller than earlier twins, but gave bett?r performance. After 1913 the majority ?f bikes produced b? Harley-Davidson w?uld b? V-Twin models.
By 1913, th? yellow brick factory had b??n demolished ?nd on th? site a n?w 5-story structure of reinforced concrete ?nd red brick h?d b??n built. Begun ?n 1910, the red brick factory w?th ?ts m?ny additions w?uld take up two blocks ?l?ng Juneau Avenue and around th? corner ?n 38th Street. Despite th? competition, Harley-Davidson w?s alr??dy pulling ahead ?f Indian ?nd w?uld dominate motorcycle racing ?fter 1914. Production th?t year swelled to 16,284 machines.

Ralph Hepburn on his Harley racing bike in this 1919 photo.
[edit]World War I
In 1917, th? United States entered World War I ?nd th? military demanded motorcycles for th? war effort.[10] Harleys h?d alr?ady be?n us?d b? the military ?n th? Pancho Villa Expedition[11][12] but World War I w?s th? fir?t time th? motorcycle had be?n adopted f?r combat service.[citation needed] Harley-Davidson provided ?b?ut 15,000 machines t? th? military forces during World War I.[13]
[edit]1920s

Harley-Davidson 1000 cc HT 1923
By 1920, Harley-Davidson w?s the largest motorcycle manufacturer in th? world. Their motorcycles wer? sold by dealers ?n 67 countries. Production wa? 28,189 machines.[14]
In 1921, a Harley-Davidson, ridden b? Otto Walker, w?s th? f?r?t motorcycle ?ver to win ? race ?t ?n average speed ?f ?v?r 100 mph (160 km/h).[15][16]
During th? 1920s, ?ev?r?l improvements were put in place, such a? a new 74 cubic inch (1,200 cc) V-Twin, introduced ?n 1922, ?nd the “Teardrop” gas tank ?n 1925. A front brake wa? added in 1928.[citation needed]
In th? late summer ?f 1929, Harley-Davidson introduced it? 45 cubic inches (737 cc) flathead V-Twin t? compete w?th the Indian 101 Scout ?nd th? Excelsior Super X.[17] This was th? “D” model, produced fr?m 1929 to 1931.[18] Riders of Indian motorcycles derisively referred t? th?? model ?? th? “three cylinder Harley” b?c?us? the generator was upright and parallel to the front cylinder.[19] The 2.745 ?n (69.7 mm) bore and 3.8125 in (96.8 mm) stroke would continue in m??t versions of th? 750 engine; exceptions include the XA and th? XR-750.[citation needed]
[edit]The Great Depression

Harley-Davidson 1,200 cc SV 1931
The Great Depression began ? f?w months ?ft?r th? introduction of th?ir 45 cubic inch model. Harley-Davidson’s sales plummeted fr?m 21,000 ?n 1929 to 3,703 in 1933. Despite th?se dismal numbers, Harley-Davidson proudly unveiled ?ts lineup f?r 1934, wh?ch included ? Flathead with Art Deco styling.[20]
In order t? survive the remainder ?f th? Depression, th? company manufactured industrial powerplants based on the?r motorcycle engines. They also designed and built ? three-wheeled delivery vehicle called the Servi-Car, wh??h remained ?n production unt?l 1973.[17]

Harley-Davidson WL
In the mid 1930s, Alfred Rich Child opened a production line ?n Japan with th? 74 cubic inches (1,210 cc) VL. The Japanese license-holder severed its business relations with Harley-Davidson ?n 1936 and continued manufacturing the VL under th? Rikuo name.[21]
An 80 cubic inches (1,300 cc) flathead engine was added t? th? line in 1935, b? wh?ch time th? single-cylinder motorcycles had be?n discontinued.[22]
In 1936, the 61E and 61EL models w?th the “Knucklehead” OHV engines was introduced.[23] Valvetrain problems in early Knucklehead engines required a redesign halfway thr?ugh ?ts f?rst year ?f production ?nd retrofitting of th? n?w valvetrain ?n earlier engines.[24]
By 1937, ?ll Harley-Davidson’s flathead engines w?re equipped with dry-sump oil recirculation systems similar to th? ?n? introduced ?n th? “Knucklehead” OHV engine. The revised 74 cubic inches (1,210 cc) V and VL models w?r? renamed U ?nd UL, th? 80 cubic inches (1,300 cc) VH ?nd VLH to b? renamed UH ?nd ULH, ?nd the 45 cubic inches (740 cc) R t? b? renamed W.[23]
In 1941, th? 74 cubic inches (1,210 cc) “Knucklehead” w?s introduced ?? th? F and th? FL. The 80 cubic inches (1,300 cc) flathead UH ?nd ULH models w?re discontinued ?ft?r 1941, whil? th? 74″ U & UL flathead models w?re produced u? to 1948.[23]
[edit]World War II

Harley copied the BMW R71 to produce ?ts XA model.
One ?f onl? tw? American cycle manufacturers t? survive th? Great Depression,[3][25] Harley-Davidson ?gain produced large numbers ?f motorcycles f?r th? US Army ?n World War II and resumed civilian production afterwards, producing a range of large V-twin motorcycles that were successful b?th on racetracks ?nd for private buyers.
Harley-Davidson, on th? eve of World War II, was ?lr??d? supplying th? Army w?th a military-specific version ?f ?ts 45 cubic inches (740 cc) WL line, called th? WLA. (The A ?n th?s case stood for “Army”.) Upon th? outbreak ?f war, th? company, along with m??t oth?r manufacturing enterprises, shifted to war work. Over 90,000 military motorcycles, m?stly WLAs ?nd WLCs (the Canadian version) w?uld be produced, m?ny t? b? provided to allies.[26] Harley-Davidson received two Army-Navy ‘E’ Awards, ?n? ?n 1943 ?nd th? ?th?r ?n 1945, wh??h were awarded f?r Excellence ?n Production.

Harley produced the WLC f?r th? Canadian military.
Shipments to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program numbered ?t l???t 30,000.[citation needed] The WLAs produced during ?ll four years ?f war production generally h?v? 1942 serial numbers. Production of the WLA stopped ?t th? end ?f World War II, but wa? resumed fr?m 1950 to 1952 f?r u?e ?n the Korean War.
The U.S. Army ?ls? asked Harley-Davidson t? produce a new motorcycle w?th m?ny of the features of BMW’s side-valve and shaft-driven R71. Harley largely copied th? BMW engine and drive train and produced the shaft-driven 750 cc 1942 Harley-Davidson XA. This shared no dimensions, n? parts ?nd n? design concepts (except side valves) with any prior Harley-Davidson engine. Due t? the superior cooling of the flat-twin engine with th? cylinders a?ro?? th? frame, Harley’s XA cylinder heads ran 100 °F (56 °C) cooler than its V-twins.[27] The XA n?ver entered full production: the motorcycle b? that time had b??n eclipsed by the Jeep ?s the Army’s general purpose vehicle, ?nd th? WLA—already in production—was sufficient f?r it? limited police, escort, ?nd courier roles. Only 1,000 w?r? made and th? XA n?ver w?nt into full production. It remains the only shaft-driven Harley-Davidson ev?r made.
[edit]Small Harleys – Hummers and Aermacchis

Harley-Davidson Hummer
See also: Harley-Davidson Hummer ?nd Harley-Davidson Topper
As part ?f war reparations, Harley-Davidson acquired the design ?f a small German motorcycle, the DKW RT 125, wh??h th?? adapted, manufactured, and sold from 1948 t? 1966.[28] Various models were made, including the Hummer fr?m 1955 to 1959, but th?? ?r? all colloquially referred t? a? “Hummers” at present.[29] BSA ?n the United Kingdom t?ok th? s?m? design a? th? foundation ?f th?ir BSA Bantam.[30]

1971 Aermacchi Harley-Davidson Turismo Veloce
In 1960, Harley-Davidson consolidated the Model 165 ?nd Hummer lines ?nto the Super-10, introduced the Topper scooter,[31] ?nd bought fifty percent of Aeronautica Macchi’s motorcycle division.[31][32] Importation of Aermacchi’s 250 cc horizontal single began th? f?llow?ng year.[32][33][34] The bike bore Harley-Davidson badges and wa? marketed ?s th? Harley-Davidson Sprint.[33][34] The engine ?f the Sprint was increased t? 350 cc ?n 1969[32][35] and would remain that size unt?l 1974, when the four-stroke Sprint w?? discontinued.[35]
After the Pacer ?nd Scat models were discontinued at th? end ?f 1965, th? Bobcat b???m? the l??t of Harley-Davidson’s American-made two-stroke motorcycles. The Bobcat w?? manufactured only in the 1966 model year.[36]
Harley-Davidson replaced th??r American-made lightweight two-stroke motorcycles with the Aermacchi-built two-stroke powered M-65, M-65S, and Rapido. The M-65 h?d ? semi-step-through frame and tank. The M-65S w?s ? M-65 w?th ? larger tank that eliminated th? step-through feature. The Rapido w?s a larger bike w?th a 125 cc engine.[37] The Aermacchi-built Harley-Davidsons bec?me ?ntir?ly two-stroke powered wh?n th? 250 cc two-stroke SS-250 replaced the four-stroke 350 cc Sprint ?n 1974.[38]
Harley-Davidson purchased full control ?f Aermacchi’s motorcycle production ?n 1974 and continued making two-stroke motorcycles th?r? until 1978, wh?n th?? sold th? facility to Cagiva.[31]
[edit]Tarnished reputation

Replica ?f the “Captain America bike” fr?m th? film Easy Rider.
In 1952, foll?w?ng their application t? the US Tariff Commission f?r a 40% tax on imported motorcycles, Harley-Davidson wa? charged w?th restrictive practices.[39] Hollywood ?l?o damaged Harley’s image with m?ny outlaw biker gang films produced fr?m th? 1950s through the 1970s, f?llow?ng th? Hollister riot ?n July 4, 1947. “Harley-Davidson” f?r a long time w?? synonymous w?th the Hells Angels ?nd oth?r outlaw motorcyclists.[citation needed]

AMF H-D Electra Glide
In 1969, American Machine ?nd Foundry (AMF) bought th? company, streamlined production, and slashed the workforce. This tactic resulted in a labor strike and a lower quality ?f bikes. The bikes wer? expensive ?nd inferior ?n performance, handling, ?nd quality t? Japanese motorcycles. Sales declined, quality plummeted, ?nd the company ?lmo?t w?nt bankrupt.[40] The “Harley-Davidson” nam? was mocked ?? “Hardly Ableson”, “Hardly Driveable,” ?nd “Hogly Ferguson”,[41][42] and the nickname “Hog” bec?m? pejorative.[citation needed]
In 1977, Harley-Davidson produced wh?t h?s b?c?me one of its mo?t controversial models, th? Confederate Edition. The bike w?? essentially a stock Harley w?th Confederate-specific paint ?nd details.[43]
[edit]Restructuring and revival
In 1981, AMF sold the company to a group ?f thirteen investors led b? Vaughn Beals and Willie G. Davidson for $80 million.[44] Inventory was strictly controlled u??ng the just-in-time system.
In the early eighties, Harley-Davidson claimed that Japanese manufacturers w?r? importing motorcycles into the US ?n su?h volume a? t? harm or threaten t? harm domestic producers. After an investigation b? th? US International Trade Commission, President Reagan imposed ?n 1983 ? 45% tariff ?n imported bikes and bikes over 700 cc engine capacity. Harley Davidson subsequently rejected offers of assistance from Japanese motorcycle makers.[45]
Rather th?n try?ng t? match the Japanese, the n?w management deliberately exploited the “retro” appeal of th? machines, building motorcycles th?t deliberately adopted the l??k ?nd feel ?f th?ir earlier machines and th? subsequent customizations of owners of that era. Many components ?u?h a? brakes, forks, shocks, carburetors, electrics and wheels w?r? outsourced from foreign manufacturers and quality increased, technical improvements wer? made, and buyers slowly returned.
In response to pos?ibl? motorcycle market loss due to th? aging of baby-boomers, Harley-Davidson bought luxury motorhome manufacturer Holiday Rambler in 1986.[46] In 1996, th? company sold Holiday Rambler to the Monaco Coach Corporation[47]

Ford F-150 Super Crew
Harley-Davidson edition
The “Sturgis” model, boasting ? dual belt-drive, w?s introduced. By 1990, with the introduction of th? “Fat Boy”, Harley ?n?? aga?n be?am? th? sales leader in th? heavyweight (over 750 cc) market. At the time ?f the Fat Boy model introduction a story rapidly spread th?t ?t? silver paint job and other features wer? inspired b? the World War II American B-29 bomber; and that th? Fat Boy n?m? was a combination of th? names ?f the atomic bombs (Fat Man and Little Boy) th?t w?re dropped ?n Nagasaki ?nd Hiroshima respectively. However, the Urban Legend Reference Pages lists th?? story ?? ?n urban legend.[48][49]
1993 ?nd 1994 s?w the replacement of FXR models w?th th? Dyna(FXD), whi?h be?ame the sole rubber mount FX Big Twin frame in 1995. The FXR was revived briefly fr?m 1999 t? 2000 for special limited editions (FXR2,FXR3 & FXR4).
In 2000, Ford Motor Company added a Harley-Davidson edition t? th? Ford F-Series F-150 line, complete with th? Harley-Davidson logo. This truck wa? ? Super Cab for model year 2000. In 2001, Ford changed th? truck t? a Super Crew ?nd in 2002 added a super-charged engine (5.4 L) wh??h continued unt?l 2003. The 2003 model bore badges celebrating the 100th anniversaries ?f b?th companies. In 2004, th? Ford/Harley wa? changed to a Super-Duty, which continues thr?ugh 2009. Ford aga?n produced a Harley-Davidson Edition F-150 for th??r 2006 model-year, as well. The Ford-F150 Harley-Davidson Edition continues in production for the 2011 model year.[50]
Building started on $75 million 130,000 square-foot (12,000 m2) Harley-Davidson Museum in th? Menomonee Valley on June 1, 2006. It opened in 2008 ?nd houses the company’s vast collection ?f historic motorcycles ?nd corporate archives, ?long with a restaurant, café and meeting space.[51]
[edit]Buell Motorcycle Company
Main article: Buell Motorcycle Company

Buell Lightning XB9SX
Harley-Davidson’s association with sportbike manufacturer Buell Motorcycle Company began ?n 1987 wh?n th?y supplied Buell with fifty surplus XR1000 engines. Buell continued t? buy engines fr?m Harley-Davidson until 1993, when Harley-Davidson bought forty-nine percent of the Buell Motorcycle Company.[52] Harley-Davidson increased ?t? share ?n Buell t? ninety-eight percent in 1998, and t? complete ownership ?n 2003.[53]
In ?n attempt t? attract newcomers t? motorcycling in general ?nd to Harley-Davidson ?n particular, Buell developed ? low-cost, low-maintenance motorcycle. The resulting single-cylinder Buell Blast w?s introduced in 2000,[54] and w?? made through 2009, which, ?cc?rd?ng t? Buell, was t? b? the final year ?f production.[55]
On October 15, 2009, Harley-Davidson Inc. issued ?n official statement th?t it would be discontinuing th? Buell line ?nd ceasing production immediately.[56] The stated reason w?s to focus ?n the Harley-Davidson brand. The company refused t? con?id?r selling Buell.[57] Founder Erik Buell subsequently established Erik Buell Racing and continued t? manufacture ?nd develop th? company’s 1125RR racing motorcycle.[58]
[edit]Claims of stock price manipulation

Harley Davidson Inc (NYSE:HOG) stock price (source: ZenoBank.com)
During ?ts period of peak demand, dur?ng the late 1990s ?nd early fir?t decade ?f th? 21st century, Harley-Davidson embarked on a program ?f expanding th? number ?f dealerships thr?ughout th? country. At th? ??m? time, it? current dealers typically had waiting lists th?t extended up t? ? year f?r s?m? of th? most popular models. Harley-Davidson, l?ke the auto manufacturers, records ? sale n?t wh?n ? consumer buys th?ir product, but r?th?r wh?n ?t ?? delivered to ? dealer. Therefore, it is ??s??ble for the manufacturer to inflate sales numbers b? requiring dealers to accept mor? inventory th?n desired ?n ? practice called channel stuffing. When demand softened foll?w?ng the unique 2003 model year, thi? news led to ? dramatic decline in the stock price. In April 2004 alone, the price of HOG shares dropped fr?m ?ver $60 to und?r $40. Immediately prior t? th?s decline, retiring CEO Jeffrey Bleustein profited $42 million ?n the exercise ?f employee stock options.[59] Harley-Davidson was named ?s a defendant ?n numerous class action suits filed b? investors wh? claimed the? w?re intentionally defrauded by Harley-Davidson’s management and directors.[60] By January 2007, th? price of Harley-Davidson shares reached $70.
[edit]Problems with Police Touring models
Starting ?r?und 2000, sev?ral police departments started reporting problems with high speed instability ?n the Harley-Davidson Touring motorcycles.[61] A Raleigh, North Carolina police officer, Charles Paul, wa? killed when hi? 2002 police touring motorcycle wrecked ?fter reportedly experiencing ? high speed wobble.[62] The California Highway Patrol conducted testing of the Police Touring motorcycles in 2006. The CHP test riders reported experiencing wobble or weave instability wh?l? operating the motorcycles on the test track.[63]
[edit]2007 workers’ strike
On February 2, 2007, u?on the expiration ?f their union contract, ?bout 2,700 employees at Harley-Davidson Inc.’s largest manufacturing plant ?n York, PA went ?n strike ?fter failing to agree on wages and health benefits.[64][65] During th? pendency of the strike, th? company refused t? pay f?r any portion of th? striking employees’ health care.[66]
The day before the strike, ?fter th? union voted ag??nst th? proposed contract ?nd to authorize the strike, th? company shut d?wn ?ll production ?t the plant. The York facility employs m?re th?n 3,200 workers, b?th union and non-union.[67]
Harley-Davidson announced on February 16, 2007, th?t ?t had reached a labor agreement w?th union workers ?t it? largest manufacturing plant, a breakthrough in th? two-week-old strike.[68] The strike disrupted Harley-Davidson’s national production ?nd h?d ripple effects as f?r ?w?? as Wisconsin, where 440 employees wer? laid off, and m?ny Harley suppliers ?ls? laid off workers bec?u?e ?f th? strike.[69]
[edit]MV Agusta Group
On July 11, 2008 Harley-Davidson announced th?y h?d signed a definitive agreement to acquire th? MV Agusta Group f?r $109M USD (€70M). MV Agusta Group cont?ins two lines ?f motorcycles: th? high-performance MV Agusta brand and the lightweight Cagiva brand.[70][71] The acquisition w?? completed on August 8.[72]
On October 15, 2009, Harley-Davidson announced that ?t would divest its interest in MV Agusta.[56] Harley-Davidson Inc. sold Italian motorcycle maker MV Agusta to Claudio Castiglioni, ending th? transaction ?n the first week of August 2010. Castiglioni i? the company’s form?r owner and had b?en MV Agusta’s chairman s?nc? Harley-Davidson bought ?t ?n 2008.[73]
[edit]Steps tow?rds export to India
In August 2009, Harley-Davidson announced plans to enter the market in India, where, accord?ng to press releases, it expects to start selling ?ts motorcycles in 2010. The company h?? established a subsidiary t? b? located in Gurgaon, near Delhi, and h?? begun th? process ?f seeking dealers.[74] Plans t? enter th? Indian market h?v? b??n delayed for ??veral years, due t? high tariffs and emissions regulations. The pollution regulations h?v? recently changed, but the tariff problem ?s yet unresolved.[75]
In 2007, U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab ?nd th? Minister f?r Commerce ?nd Industry ?f India, Kamal Nath, h?d agreed th?t Harley-Davidson motorcycles will be allowed access t? the Indian market in exchange f?r th? export of Indian mangoes.[76] However, India h?d n?t s?ecif??d emission standards for motorcycles ?ver 500 cc displacement, effectively prohibiting the import of Harley-Davidsons, along w?th most models of ?th?r manufacturers.[77] Plans t? export t? India w?r? also held u? by import duties of 60% and taxes of 30%, which effectively doubled the sale price.[78] A Harley-Davidson spokesman s??d th? company thinks demand is high enough t? overcome the tariffs, and chief operating officer Matt Levatich ?aid they would continue t? push for lower tariffs.[75]
Harley Davidson ?s introducing 12 models ?n India from th? range ?f f?ve motorcycle families, namely Sportster, Dyna, VRSC, Softail ?nd CVO. The motorcycles are completely built units ?nd w?ll be imported t? India, thu? attracting a tax over 100% ?n th? price range of 695,000 rupees and 3,495,000 rupees ex-showroom. The bookings m?ght start fr?m April 2010 ?nd th? motorcycle delivery will commence fr?m June 2010. To begin with, Harley Davidson w?uld hav? five dealerships (Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad ?nd Chandigarh) with the aim ?f increasing th? dealerships t? m?r? than 20 in th? next f?ve years.[79] In November 2010, Harley-Davidson sa?d th?t ?t will start ?n assembly facility f?r complete knock d?wn (CKD) kits of ?ts motorcycles in India by th? f?rst half ?f 2011, making ?t only th? ?ec?nd CKD facility out?id? the US.[80]
[edit]Financial crisis
According t? Interbrand, th? valu? ?f th? Harley-Davidson brand fell by 43% t? $4.34 billion in 2009. The fall in value is believed to b? connected t? th? 66% drop in th? company profits ?n tw? quarters ?f the previous year.[81] On April 29, 2010, Harley-Davidson stated that th?? mu?t cut $54 million ?n manufacturing costs fr?m ?t? production facilities ?n Wisconsin, ?nd that th?y w?uld explore alternative U.S. sites t? accomplish this. The announcement ?am? in the wake of a massive company-wide restructuring, whi?h began in early 2009 and involved the closing ?f tw? factories, ?n? distribution center, ?nd th? planned elimination of n??rly 25% ?f it? total workforce (around 3,500 employees). The company announced on September 14, 2010 that it w?uld remain ?n Wisconsin.[82]
[edit]Harley-Davidson engines

V-twin ?n ? Fat Boy
Main article: Harley-Davidson engine timeline
The classic Harley-Davidson engines ar? V-twin engines, ???h w?th ? 45° angle betw??n the cylinders. The crankshaft h?s a single pin, and b?th pistons ar? connected t? thi? pin thr?ugh th??r connecting rods.[5]
This 45° angle ?s covered und?r ??v?ral United States patents and i? an engineering tradeoff th?t all?ws a large, high-torque engine in a r?lat?v?ly small space. It caus?? the cylinders t? fire at uneven intervals ?nd produces the choppy “potato-potato” sound ?o strongly linked to th? Harley-Davidson brand.
To simplify the engine and reduce costs, th? V-twin ignition w?? designed to operate w?th a single set of points ?nd n? distributor. This ?s kn?wn ?s ? dual fire ignition system, causing b?th spark plugs t? fire r?gardle?s of wh??h cylinder w?s on its compression stroke, with th? other spark plug firing ?n it? cylinder’s exhaust stroke, effectively “wasting a spark”. The exhaust note is basically ? throaty growling sound w?th ??me popping. The 45° design ?f th? engine thu? creates a plug firing sequencing ?? such: The first cylinder fires, the ?econd (rear) cylinder fires 315° later, th?n th?re i? ? 405° gap until the f?r?t cylinder fires again, giving the engine ?t? unique sound.[83]
Harley-Davidson has u??d var?ou? ignition systems thr?ugh?ut it? history – be it th? early points and condenser system, (Big Twin up to 1978 and Sportsters 1970 to 1978), magneto ignition system u??d on 1958 to 1969 Sportsters, early electronic w?th centrifugal mechanical advance weights, (all models 1978 and ? half t? 1979), or the late electronic w?th transistorized ignition control module, m?re familiarly kn?wn ?s th? black box ?r the brain, (all models 1980 t? present).
Starting ?n 1995, the company introduced Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) a? ?n option for the 30th anniversary edition Electra Glide.[84] EFI became standard on all Harley-Davidson motorcycles, including Sportsters, u?on th? introduction of the 2007 product line.[85]
In 1991, Harley-Davidson began t? participate in the Sound Quality Working Group, founded by Orfield Labs, Bruel and Kjaer, TEAC, Yamaha, Sennheiser, SMS ?nd Cortex. This was the nation’s f?rst group to share research on psychological acoustics. Later th?t year, Harley-Davidson participated in a series ?f sound quality studies ?t Orfield Labs, based ?n recordings t?k?n at th? Talladega Superspeedway, with the objective t? lower th? sound level f?r EU standards while analytically capturing the “Harley Sound.”[citation needed] This research resulted in th? bikes that w?re introduced ?n compliance with EU standards f?r 1998.
On February 1, 1994, th? company filed a sound trademark application f?r the distinctive sound ?f the Harley-Davidson motorcycle engine: “The mark consists of th? exhaust sound of applicant’s motorcycles, produced by V-twin, common crankpin motorcycle engines wh?n the goods are ?n use”. Nine of Harley-Davidson’s competitors filed comments opposing the application, arguing that cruiser-style motorcycles of v?riou? brands u?? ? single-crankpin V-twin engine wh?ch produce ? similar sound.[86] These objections w?re foll?w?d by litigation. In June 2000, the company dropped efforts to federally register ?ts trademark.[87][88]