Harley Davidson Beginnings

In 1900, 15 years after Gottlieb Daimler invented the world's foremost powered two-wheeler, when William Sylvester Harley and Arthur Davidson got together to build their own motorcycle in a Milwaukee basement. That was after they were being impressed by a variety act where comedienne Anna Held rode a French-built motorcycle across the stage of Milwaukee's Bijou theatre.

William S. Harley was 20 years old at that time and was working with a bicycle manufacturer as a draughtsman for six years. Arthur Davidson who was one year younger, was working as a pattern maker with the same company as Harley and was already working on a small petrol engines. They first started work on the first Harley Davidson engine in 1900 and these was based on one of the do-it-yourself kits resembling the French De Dion-Bouton design.

One of the first Harley Davidson prototype that was dated 20 July 1901, was a 7.07cu in (115.8cc) engine with a bore and stroke of 2 x 2.25in (50 x 55mm). When the engine was installed on a bicycle, power from the engine was found to be insignificant. Soon subsequent improvements to the prototype followed that resulted in a machine capable of speeds up to 25mph and measuring 10.2cu in (167cc). The duo finally realized that more technical expertise such as a skilled mechanic was required if the motorcycle was ever to achieve greater speed and they recruited Arthur's brother, Walter Davidson, when he was back in Milwaukee for the wedding of a third Davidson brother, William A. (Bill). Walter Davidson was a railroad machinist in Parsons, Kansas then. The founders became four when William, the eldest Davidson brother and a foreman railway toolmaker with the Chicago, Milwaukee and St Paul Railroad, came on board and the four began the ride of their lives.

The First Harley Davidson

The first original Harley Davidson engine was built during the 1902-3, having a similar Bore and Stroke of 3 x 3.5in (76.2 x 88.9mm) for a displacement of 24.74cu in (405cc) similar to the one locally manufactured by Merkel and Mitchell except that the Harley Davidson's engine had incorporated many technical improvements.

The new engine was of F-Head layout, with better and larger cooling fins as well as a much larger flywheel that measured almost 10in (250mm) across. There was a saying that the first Harley Davidson's carburetor was made from a discarded tomato can and Bill Harley described the engine's spark plug as big as a doorknob. Ole Evinrude who was Arthur's childhood friend, was already researching on liquid-cooled engines on his own had helped the founders with the design of the new engine. The engine scaling 491lbs (22kg) was installed in a loop frame bicycle similar to the existing Merkel design and all these was done in the Davidsons family's back yard at 315 37th Street.

Harley Davidson Lifestyles

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