1903 - 2003
It was 1903 that 21-year old William S. Harley and 20-year old Arthur Davidson introduced the first production Harley-Davidson® motorcycle.
The bike was built to be a racer, with a 3-1/8 inch bore and 3-1/2 inch stroke.
They worked in the factory that was a 10 x 15-foot wooden shed with the words
"Harley-Davidson Motor Company"
crudely scrawled on the door.
Arthur's brother Walter later joins
their efforts.
Henry Meyer of Milwaukee, a schoolyard pal of William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson, buys one of the 1903 models directly from the founders.
The first Harley-Davidson Dealer, C.H. Lang of Chicago, Ill., opens for business and sells one of the first three production Harley-Davidson motorcycles ever made.
1903 Serial #1 bike
CLICK TO SEE LARGER PIC
© 2001 - 2003 H-D. All rights reserved
1905 On July 4th, a H-D motorcycle wins a 15 mile race in Chicago with a time of 19:02. In Milwaukee, the first full-time employee is hired.
1906 A new factory, measuring 28 x 80 feet, is built on the Chestnut St. site, later renamed Juneau Avenue. Staff size is increased to six full-time employees. Also, the first motorcycle catalog is produced by the Company and the nickname "Silent Gray Fellow" is used for the first time.
1907 William A. Davidson, brother to Arthur and Walter Davidson, quits his job as tool foreman for the Milwaukee Road railroad and joins the Motor Company.
Harley-Davidson Motor Company is incorporated on September 17th. The stock is split four ways between the four founders, and staff size has more than doubled from the previous year to eighteen employees. Factory size is doubled as well. Dealer recruitment begins, targeting the New England region.
Harley Davidson's History <===
Harley-Davidson facts
William Harley and Arthur Davidson publicly debuted their first motorcycle in 1903.
Since then, the company has grown considerably:
Number of employees: 7,100.
Number of dealerships: 1,300.
Number of Harley Owners Group members: 750,000.
2002 sales: $4.1 billion.
2002 profit: $580 million.
2002 motorcycle shipments: 263,653.
Locations:
Harley's corporate and sales offices are in Milwaukee.
Harley makes the Dyna Glide, Sportster and VRSC models in Kansas City, Mo., and its Softail and Touring models in York, Pa.
• Harley subsidiary Buell Motorcycle makes three models of sports bikes in East Troy, Wis.
• The company also has facilities in Wauwatosa, Franklin, Menomonee Falls and Tomahawk, Wis., and in Lincoln, Ala.
Sources: Harley-Davidson, Associated Press.
|
To Celebrate Corvette's 50th Anniversary, the National Corvette Museum presented a Historic Motorama of Corvettes. |
|
History will be made June 12-16, 2003 on the grounds of Henry Ford II World Center in Dearborn, Michigan, when Ford Motor Company celebrates 100 years. Now you have an opportunity to join in the celebration of Ford Motor Company's past, present and exciting future. |
|
While the actualy date of NBC 75th Anniversary fell on November 15, 2001; the network celebrated on May 5, 2002. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 25, 2002 |
|
|
|
PEZ celebrates 50 years of U.S. citizenship. |
|
- October 12, 1997, in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco: |
|
Started 100 years ago and going strong - who would believe it but Harley-Davidson is more popular than ever with Baby Boomers Generation!! |
|
Sunday, Januray 19th, 2003 The Hollywood Foreign Press Association awards the Golden Globes to honor achievements in film and television during the calendar year. |
|
March 23, 2003 |
|
|
|
1947 Rally
© 2001 - 2003 H-D. All rights reserved. .
http://www.harley-davidson.com/
Harley Davidson 100 Years Old
Started 100 years ago and going strong
- who would believe it but Harley-Davidson
is more popular than ever with Baby Boomers Generation!!
*Aging baby boomers form Harley-Davidson's customer base; the median age of Harley buyers is 46, compared with an industry average of 38. Nine percent are women, and only 16.5 percent of Harley's revenue comes from outside the United States.
"Harley will rightly argue they have plenty of boomers left. But in the long term, the most critical issue of Harley is whether buyers will start looking at Harley as the old guy's bike," said Don Brown, an independent motorcycle analyst in Irvine, Calif.,
For Harley fans, owning one of the bikes, known affectionately as "hogs," is a transcendent experience.
"Getting your first Harley is like having your first love, sometimes more," said George Miller, a 46-year-old Harley rider who works at a Houston refinery.
The company and its hefty motorcycles have left indelible marks on American culture, giving rise to the rebellious motorcycle culture immortalized in the movies The Wild One in 1953 and Easy Rider in 1969. That has helped feed a side business of merchandise that bears the famed black, white and orange Harley-Davidson logo.*
(*According to story by: Melissa McCord - Associates Press - August 27, 2003)
Full Story On H-D Site.
The first event of the 100th Anniversary is going on now! Nine cities around the world will experience the world's largest rolling birthday party—a Harley extravaganza.
The Open Road Tour has something for everyone including museum-quality exhibits, collections of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, musical entertainment and children's activities. And it's all for a good cause - to help raise money for MDA.
The Ride Home
Meet up with riders making the journey home to Milwaukee for Anniversary events. Four unguided rides allow you to travel at your own pace and gather in Milwaukee on August 27, 2003.
Attend an Exclusive Party on your Ride Home to Milwaukee. There are four Exclusive Parties to choose from and each of these exclusive events provides exciting 100th Anniversary experiences with a local flavor.
This once-in-a-lifetime celebration includes three days of special Anniversary events in and around Milwaukee that will include music, entertainment and Harley-Davidson history.
An exclusive event is planned for the 20th anniversary of H.O.G., and to be enjoyed by all, a spectacular Harley-Davidson 100th Anniversary Parade.
Due to capacity constraints the event venues,
ticket packages for the Celebration are now sold out.
For those who did not purchase a ticket package but
still want to join in the fun, there will be limited
single day admission available for the
Summerfest Grounds and the Harley-Davidson
Experience on Thursday, August 28 and Friday, August 29
The Celebration Guide, included with every Celebration
Ticket Package, contains information on events
and activities as well as local maps for your stay in Milwaukee.
The Parade
Be a part of history on August 30 as you observe
10,000 motorcycles take part in the Harley-Davidson 100th
Anniversary Parade. Led by a group of MDA fundraisers, the Parade will include Harley-Davidson dealership representatives, a H.O.G. Chapter parade of
flags, Motor Company employees and randomly selected riders who purchased 100th Anniversary Celebration tickets before May 1.
The public is invited to watch the journey along the streets of Milwaukee to celebrate the Harley-Davidson 100th Anniversary.
The Party
Fourteen months of celebrations culminate in this event that will launch Harley-Davidson into its next 100 years.
Visit harley-davidson.com for the latest information.
The Ride Home
Congratulations!!
Another American Icon - Baby Boomers favourite American car!
Corvette
The anniversary of a legend is upon us.
In 1953, the first Corvette traveled down the
assembly line and into our hearts.
It was the birth of the dream.
Fifty years later, that dream has evolved
into a passion shared by enthusiasts worldwide.
To commemorate this enthusiasm and support,
Chevrolet is throwing the celebration of a lifetime.
The Corvette 50th Anniversary Celebration.
It's their way of saying thanks for 50 years
of sustained loyalty.
THE CELEBRATIONS
All Roads Lead to Nashville
On June 27 and 28, 2003, Nashville will sing with
a choir of engines as the Anniversary Celebration
launches full bore.
Centrally located in the heart of America
and just a short jaunt from Bowling Green,
Kentucky, and the National Corvette Museum ,
Nashville is the perfect backdrop to celebrate and showcase 50 years of an icon
. Vehicle displays. Concerts. Engineering talks.
Exhibits…thousands of Corvettes.
Corvette 50th Anniversary <=== Site Closed
Chevy Club Connections
National Corvette Museum
Special Display
Caravan Coverage
MORE BLAST FROM THE PAST
• ABC 50Th Aniversary• 60Th Annual Golden Globe Award
• KOREA War 50Th Anniversary
• 50Th Anniversary - Mount Everest
• Queen Elizabeth's 50Th Anniversary
• Central Park 150Th Anniversary
Please come back and visit this page again.
