MOTORCYCLE SUPERSTORE
A Short History of Motorcycles - Harley Davidson and Beyond
Motorcycles; when the subject is brought up the picture that comes to
mind is guys in black leather jackets, motorcycle boots, helmets and gloves
straddling a big motorized bike. We think of the guys in West Side Story, the
Hell's Angels, and today's baby boomers riding their new Harleys.
There are about 200 million motorcycles
on the road today. They do not use as much gas as the most efficient car and in
some societies are the most popular form of transportation. The biggest
motorcycle societies are India, China, Indonesia and Vietnam. They have even
made taxis built like a three wheeled motorcycle.
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Some people ride motorcycles strictly for pleasure. They take them for
trips to the mountains and other rural areas. Urban riders prefer motorcycles
because they can ride down the sidewalks if necessary during a traffic jam.
There are street legal and non street legal motorcycles.
One of the most well known motorcycle names is Harley Davidson. Two
guys (Harley and Davidson, of course) developed the first engine for a
motorcycle in 1901 and made it available to the public two years later. The
first store opened in Chicago in 1904. Production models were sold there. Four
years later the first Harley Davidson for police use was sold in Detroit to
their police department. By 1920, Hogs (as these motorcycles are called) is the
largest motorcycle dealer in the world with dealers in over 60 countries.
In 1941, the production of the private owner Harley Davidson was
stopped because of WWII. It won four production awards during the war. In 1957,
Harley celebrated its golden anniversary (50 years).
The Electro-glide debuted in 1965 and is available with an electric
start. They merged with AMF in 1969. The stock was repurchased by the company
in 1981. The Fat Boy and the Road King both debuted in the 1990's. in1998, it
was the 95th anniversary and the king of motorcycles bought its first plant
outside the U.S. (Brazil).
The new millennium was ushered in by the introduction of the Soft Tail
(2000) deuce. In 2006 the first dealer opened on mainland China.
109 years after a dream, Harley Davidson is still the preferred brand
of most motorcycle riders.
Even small cities have a big motorcycle superstore. Depending on the
area, they may specialize in off road racing, snow cross, or pleasure riding.
It might seem unusual but even brands that are no longer made are highly prized
and costly to purchase. In motorcycles, the most important thing is the
expertise of the builder. Smaller and less weighty motor cycles like Suzuki and
Yamaha are often called "bikes" because they are smaller, lighter,
and easier to use.
Buell became part of the organization many years ago
yet its name is still widely recognized. One competitor that once rivaled
Harley Davidson is Indian which was started in 1901, two years before HD. The
company is currently experiencing a comeback after going bankrupt in 2003. With
the introduction of its 2009 styles the company is "on the warpath"
again and back into the competition in a big way. No matter what the brand, it
takes a certain kind of person to ride a motorcycle.
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