A century of iconic craftsmanship: Harley and Davidson’s engineering marvels

[Jonathan Fairfield]

A century of iconic craftsmanship: Harley and Davidson’s engineering marvels

 

Here’s a teaser for you: Which company, incorporated September 17th, 1907, changed its NYSE ticker code in 2006 from HDI to HOG? 

 

Okay, so there’s a clue in the title of this blog, but if you guessed Harley-Davidson, then treat yourself to a decent brandy. 

 

In fact make it a double. 

 

Anyone who said the Oklahoma Pig Farmers Consortium should soak their head in a bucket of dishwater!

 

If you would like to read on please click here

[Motard]

Hogwash

[moe666]

They left out the part it was owned for a while by a Italian Co. also AMF and during this period the quality was in the toilet.

[MINIMIGLIA]

They are so oldfashioned, like most american bikes/cars

[Muhendis]

I heard a rumour that distances between repair/service centres have been increased.

[fantom]

This is placement advertising

HD has opened a plant in Bangkok, well! Ill go to the foot of our stairs!!

[VocalNeal]

Engineering Marvels? The Vrod motor was designed by Porsche.

[PeCeDe]

Come on now, tell me someone here who didn't want'a Hawg at some point in their lives!  

 

[Dan5]

Oh, please. Harley is something of a marketing marvel, but for the last maybe 30 years or more they've been making a fortune selling a 1950s or 60s engineering design. Capitalizing on the biker image of the Harley.

[moe666]

3 hours ago, PeCeDe said:

Come on now, tell me someone here who didn't want'a Hawg at some point in their lives!  

 

What they would ride these things for a few miles to get the shot and then pack them up and drive to the next shot. Loved the movie but we all know they didn't ride these things from LA to New Orleans

[bazza73]

As far as I can make out, Harley Davidson manufactures the world's largest vibrators.

[IAMHERE]

28 minutes ago, bazza73 said:

As far as I can make out, Harley Davidson manufactures the world's largest vibrators.

A true ladies bike then. 

[fordguy61mi]

Love my 2012 Ultra Limited

[canuckamuck]

An engineering marvel: It's a marvel how they can make such a large engine sound so loud and go so slow.

[ToddinChonburi]

You boys really need to get to know a Harley  !!!      They made big changes back in the year  1999 because of Exelsior Henderson.  New designed motors and touring frame.  They also backed the bike with a 100,000 mile warranty.  By 2002 they were out selling all the Japanese bikes combined.  Of course this was after they purchased the company back from AMF .  I will say it was a big mess at that time. 

Edited September 2, 2017 by ToddinChonburi

[KarenBravo]

Shouldn't this thread be in the Farming sub-forum?

[thaiguzzi]

45 minutes ago, ToddinChonburi said:

You boys really need to get to know a Harley  !!!      They made big changes back in the year  1999 because of Exelsior Henderson.  New designed motors and touring frame.  They also backed the bike with a 100,000 mile warranty.  By 2002 they were out selling all the Japanese bikes combined.  Of course this was after they purchased the company back from AMF .  I will say it was a big mess at that time. 

Que?

'99 - Excelsior Henderson?

Re-purchase from AMF in the 21st century?

[thaiguzzi]

18 hours ago, moe666 said:

They left out the part it was owned for a while by a Italian Co. also AMF and during this period the quality was in the toilet.

# To my knowledge they were never owned by an Italian company.

# They did however, once own MV Agusta, amongst others.

# Correct, whilst AMF owned HD, quality did indeed go down the toilet. However, if they had not bought HD when they did, HD would themselves probably have gone down the toilet, and broke, just like the Brit Bike industry, in which they had similar problems. At the same time, the Italian Govt was supporting and holding up the broke and debt ridden Italian bike industry.

# Outside of Japan, and perhaps BMW, the European, British and American m/c manufacturers were in a mess in the 70's.

[PeCeDe]

39 minutes ago, KarenBravo said:

Shouldn't this thread be in the Farming sub-forum?

I'm mortified!  

[ToddinChonburi]

 1993  EX was born.    But did not live very long.

[thaiguzzi]

17 hours ago, ToddinChonburi said:

 1993  EX was born.    But did not live very long.

Yeah, no wonder it didn't last long.

Jesus Christ, that is horrific.

[Kwasaki]

On 9/1/2017 at 1:58 PM, moe666 said:

They left out the part it was owned for a while by a Italian Co. also AMF and during this period the quality was in the toilet.

I think it was around the other way and with AMF it was still in American hands. 

Some snippet of HD history :-

After the Wall Street crash a copy-cat Japanese company Meguro invested in Harley-Davidson and gained drawings,  tooling and important knowledge of metal heat treatment in order to make gearboxes.

These were then used in their vehicles and those of another early Japanese company called Rikuo (literally "Road King") !!!

The resulting transfer of American intellectual property taught the Japanese how to produce motorcycles in quantity.

Meguro were the reason Kwacka's into motorbikes.

[overherebc]

On 02/09/2017 at 8:14 AM, KarenBravo said:

Shouldn't this thread be in the Farming sub-forum?

If you really want to go 'farm gearbox' try a 750/5.

Changing gear would turn heads in the street.