Due to economical hardship, Harley-Davidson will begin performing final assembly on its trikes beginning with the 2011 model year.
The Tri Glide and Street Glide trikes will start being assembled this summer at the York Vehicle Operations facility in York, Pa. Harley said final assembly of these trikes has been performed under a supplier agreement with Lehman Trikes, Inc. in Spearfish, S.D.; Lehman was listed as “strategic supplier” to The Motor Company since 2008.
“The restructuring of Harley-Davidson’s York operations provides the opportunity for us to build trikes in-house and streamline trike assembly ..read more
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In 1940 Babe Tancrede is the winner at the Daytona 200, riding a WLDR model.
In 1941 America is plunged into World War II. Production of civilian motorcycles is almost entirely suspended in favor of military production. The Service School is converted back to the Quartermasters School for the training of military mechanics.
The FL series premieres in 1941.
In 1942 H-D produces the unique XA 750, ..read more
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Otto Walker was a leading motorcycle racer in the 1910s and early 1920s and was one of Harley-Davidson’s first factory riders. Walker won the first major race for the Harley-Davidson factory team on April of 1915– an FAM 300-mile road race in Venice, California. Walker set numerous speed records during his eight-year professional racing career. He earned the impressive distinction of being the first rider ever to win a motorcycle race at an average race speed of over 100 mph in 1921.
In ..read more
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For 1915, a proper three-speed transmission was offered, along with a magneto and electric lighting system incorporating a taillight that could be removed for use as a nighttime service light.
The model featured in this article, however, is equipped with a Prest-O-Lite headlight, which is powered by acetylene gas.
Harley-Davidson’s 61-cubic-inch F-head V-twin, while not a true overhead-valve design (only the intake was ohv), was more advanced than the flathead engines that powered some competitors.
Furthermore, the 1915 models gained an automatic oiler and larger intake valves, ..read more
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In 1914 Sidecars are made available. Some models are briefly available with a two-speed transmission in the rear hub. Also, belts go out of fashion – for the moment. Harley-Davidson is one of the last motorcycle manufacturers to switch from leather drive belts to chains. The leather belts slipped, stretched and rotted, so chains are a big improvement.
The Motor Company formally enters motorcycle racing this year. The first Racing Engineer is William S. Harley. Within a few short years, team Harley-Davidson is referred to informally as the “Wrecking Crew” because ..read more
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