Motorcycle History RSS

Few stories are as fascinating as the origin of Harley Davidson. From hardscrabble beginnings, the American motorcycle company has left an indelible mark on automotive history. Harley Davidson’s bikes will forever symbolize freedom, innovation, and power. Inspired by the history of their motorcycles, Competition Distributing wanted to take a ride through time and explore the factory that created these powerhouse hogs. In this piece, we’ll delve into the early years of Harley Davidson, exploring the technological and machine updates that helped shape its legacy. 1903-1905: A Small Wooden Shed Shaped the World The spark for Harley Davidson started in 1903,...

The first combustion engine motorcycle was invented in 1885 as an experimental consumer vehicle. As World War I broke out just three decades later, they were repurposed as core components of British, German, and American military fleets. Seemingly overnight, armies went from needing more horses to needing more horsepower. In the eyes of generals, motorcycles were agile machines capable of handling rugged terrain, transporting injured soldiers, and running mounted artillery. If you’re curious about what models played a role in WWI, this piece is for you. Competition Distributing, a leading vintage motorcycle parts supplier, takes a look at six motorcycles...

Harley-Davidson has come a long way since its humble beginnings. In a small wooden shed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the first motorcycle was prototyped. Fast forward to today, and the company now produces nearly 200,000 road-ready hogs every year in factories around the globe. Whether you want to cruise in comfort or be part of a passion-fueled community of owners, you can have it all with a Harley. One of the most pivotal moments in the company’s history was the creation of the JD Engine. Not only did it add some meat to the wiry pre1920s models, but it also produced...