The name Harley-Davidson is synonymous with the US motorcycle industry. It is now, after more than a century of operation, one of only two US-based manufacturers to survive. Although the company's origins are older, 1903 is generally regarded as the year when the company's first motorcycle was produced. Three years later, the company's first factory was opened. By 1917, and the US entry into World War 1, Harley-Davidson had been making motorcycles for more than a decade and, during the USA's relatively brief involvement in that conflict, no fewer than 20,000 motorcycles were supplied to the military helping the company to become the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world by 1920. Surviving the Great Depression, Harley-Davidson was to become one of the prime suppliers of equipment again when hostilities resumed, producing no fewer than 90,000 motorcycles for US and Canadian forces during World War 2 with a further 30,000 going to the Soviet Union as part of the Lend-Lease program.

In Military Harley-Davidson, Pat Ware explores the Harley-Davidson motorcycle in military service from the earliest days onwards. Providing initially an overview of the company and its history from 1903, the bulk of the book concentrates on the range of models produced by the company and how they were exploited for military use. Whilst the book concentrates primarily on those motorcycles produced for use by the Allies in World War 2, the continuing military role of the Harley-Davidson in other theaters postwar is also covered. Alongside the narrative and a fascinating selection of images, the book also includes a full technical specification for each of the models discussed.

The Harley-Davidson is one of the great names in the history of motorcycles with a fan-base that extends worldwide. The role of the company in the provision of military hardware is a less well known but fascinating part of the history of the company and its products. This book will be of interest to Harley-Davidson fans and owners and all motor cycle enthusiasts, military historians, wargamers and preservationists.

REVIEWS

"Far and above the best book on the Harley that I have found. Definitely one to add to the library."Armorama.com, 04/08

A must-read for every biking enthusiast, this richly illustrated book chronicles the history and successes, near failures and survival of Harley Davidson, the most famous name in American-made motorcycles. Photos.

Webster's bibliographic and event-based timelines are comprehensive in scope, covering virtually all topics, geographic locations and people. They do so from a linguistic point of view, and in the case of this book, the focus is on "Harley-Davidson," including when used in literature (e.g. all authors that might have Harley-Davidson in their name). As such, this book represents the largest compilation of timeline events associated with Harley-Davidson when it is used in proper noun form. Webster's timelines cover bibliographic citations, patented inventions, as well as non-conventional and alternative meanings which capture ambiguities in usage. These furthermore cover all parts of speech (possessive, institutional usage, geographic usage) and contexts, including pop culture, the arts, social sciences (linguistics, history, geography, economics, sociology, political science), business, computer science, literature, law, medicine, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology and other physical sciences. This "data dump" results in a comprehensive set of entries for a bibliographic and/or event-based timeline on the proper name Harley-Davidson, since editorial decisions to include or exclude events is purely a linguistic process. The resulting entries are used under license or with permission, used under "fair use" conditions, used in agreement with the original authors, or are in the public domain.

This elegantly written and lavishly illustrated book presents a series of portraits of Harley enthusiasts and their often obsessive attachment to this iconic motorcycle. From the President of Harley-Davidson USA to a backstreet mechanic, it will portray men and women in Britain and throughout the world who restore old Harleys, collect them, customize them, race them, tour on them, and even lead outlaw lives with Harleys as their transport.

great book on Harley-davidson motorcyles from the 1900,s til present

Harley-Davidson is the most famous name in the world of motorcycling. No other motorcycle can match the style, look or sound of these polished chrome masterpieces with rumbling engines evoking images of cruising on the open road and the Easy Rider lifestyle. This exciting book celebrates the best of this magnificent heritage, detailing more than 50 machines. The most famous production models are included, from the Silent Gray Fellow of 1911 to today's motorcycles with their Twin Cam 88 and water-cooled engines. In addition, the book covers sports bikes, racers and three-wheelers, as well as some magnificent custom machines built by specialist manufacturers. Stunning specially commissioned photography highlights every aspect with superb double page pictures and close-up detail shots. The book fully examines the parts of each machine, and explores the fascinating history that makes each bike so special. Comprehensive specifications accompany each model.

One-hundred years of Harley-Davidson is often reduced to a tale of machines. Equally fascinating, and often overlooked, are the men and women behind the machines. The Harley and Davidson founders, the engineers, the racers, the designers, the dealers, the flesh-and-blood heroes made the company and the bikes the success they are today. This book was written in cooperation with the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum to accompany an exhibit that opened in 2003. After a brief introduction, the book is divided into three sections: 1. Heroes of H-D;2. Exhibition catalog;3. H-D historical overview.