3 things you (probably) don’t know about Harley-Davidson

Credit: Harley-Davidson Museum, Milwaukee

By Christina Lorey

July 18, 2024

Start your engines – Harley-Davidson Homecoming is back! This year’s fest runs July 25 to 28 in Milwaukee and will include a tribute to Willie G. Davidon, grandson of one of the founders and the chief styling officer for the brand for almost 50 years.

MORE: Everything You Need to Know About Harley-Davidson Homecoming 2024

But before the bikes come zooming in, here are 3 things you probably don’t know about the Milwaukee-based brand:

The company was actually founded by four men, not just two. Harley, Davidson, and Davidson’s two brothers (who had the same last name) launched the company from a small shed in the Davidson family’s backyard.

It’s “Harley-Davidson” and not “Davidson-Harley” because it was Harley out of the four founders who originally came up with the idea of a motorcycle. In 1907, Harley received his engineering degree and started making 150 bikes a year.

The company’s bikes were used in World War I. In 1917, when the US joined the war, the government bought one-third of Harley-Davidson’s bikes for their troops. After the ceasefire ended, the first US soldier to enter Germany rode in on a motorcycle. Soon after, the brand opened in 67 countries and became the largest motorcycle brand in the world!

MORE: Milwaukee Summer Bucket List – 30 things to do in 2024

Author

Christina Lorey

Christina is an Edward R. Murrow-winning journalist and former producer, reporter, and anchor for TV stations in Madison and Moline. When she’s not writing or asking questions, you can find her volunteering with Girls on the Run, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, and various mental health organizations.

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CATEGORIES: LOCAL HISTORY

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