The Harley Davidson Company officially commenced with the completion of its first bike in 1903. Unofficially it all began in 1901 when 21-year-old William S. Harley drew up plans for a small engine that displaced 7.07 cubic inches and had 4-inch flywheels.

By 1903 William Harley had joined with his boyhood friend Arthur Davidson, as well as Arthur’s brother Walter. They used the machine shop of their pal Henry Melk to finish the prototype of their first engine-powered bike. The engine that powered this prototype was not quite strong enough to propel the motored-bike up Milwaukee’s modest hills without the rider resorting to pedal power.

The first “real” Harley Davidson motorbike was finally completed with additional help from another Davidson brother named William. It was regarded as having a bigger engine of 24.74 cubic inches with 9-3 / 4 in. flywheels weighing 28 pounds. The new bike was functional by September 08, 1904, and made its first appearance in a Milwaukee motorcycle race.

The 1st Harley Davidson Motor Company factory was built in 1906 on Chestnut Street. It was a modest forty by sixty foot single story wooden structure. Chestnut Street was later renamed Juneau Avenue, and though the first structure got replaced, this location remains the Motor Company’s corporate HQ to this day. A total of fifty motorbikes were produced in 1906.

The following year, 1907 led to much change for the fledgling company. William S. Harley graduated from the school of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in mechanical engineering. The factory was expanded and the company officially incorporated. Production increased to 150 motorcycles in 1907.

Success continued in the years that followed. The original factory was demolished and replaced by a new 5-story structure of reinforced concrete and red brick. It soon grew to take up two blocks along Juneau Avenue and round the corner on 38th Street. During this period bikes produced by Harley Davidson began to rule the motorbike racing arena and production reached 16,284 in 1914.

World War I saw the clamor for bikes in the army. Harley Davidson provided over 20,000 bikes to army forces during World War I. Enhancements and increased production continued after the war. The Harley Davidson Motor Company was actually one of just two American cycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression. The company continued to supply machines for the military throughout World War Two and the Korean War. The Jeep then replaced it in renown.

The Harley Davidson Motor Company is still going powerful today, in spite of bumps and bruises along the way. You will recognize it on the stock market under the symbol HOG.

Now, here’s more on Actron’s Autoscanner Series from the Actron Scanners blog.