A superb and rare photo of the powerful
1929 Harley-Davidson Model D with Vivian
Bales.
Harley-Davidson has a long and very interesting history
that started as early as in 1901. That year, William S. Harley, age 21, drew up
plans for a small engine with a displacement of 7.07 cubic inches
(116 cc) and four-inch (102 mm) flywheels. The engine was designed
for use in a regular pedal-bicycle frame. Over the next two years Harley and
his childhood friend Arthur Davidson labored on their motor-bicycle using the
northside Milwaukee
machine shop at the home of their friend, Henry Melk. It was finished in 1903
with the help of Arthur's brother, Walter Davidson. Upon completion the boys
found their power-cycle unable to conquer Milwaukee's
modest hills without pedal assistance. Will Harley and the Davidsons quickly
wrote off their first motor-bicycle as a valuable learning experiment. Work
immediately began on a new and improved second-generation machine. This first
"real" Harley-Davidson motorcycle had a bigger engine of
24.74 cubic inches (405 cc) with 9.75 inches (25 cm)
flywheels weighing 28 lb (13 kg). The machine's advanced loop-frame
pattern was similar to the 1903 Milwaukee Merkel motorcycle (designed by Joseph
Merkel, later of Flying Merkel fame). The bigger engine and loop-frame design
took it out of the motorized-bicycle category and would help define what a
modern motorcycle should contain in the years to come. The boys also received
help with their bigger engine from outboard motor pioneer Ole Evinrude, who was
then building gas engines of his own design for automotive use on Milwaukee's Lake Street. The
prototype of the new loop-frame Harley-Davidson was assembled in a
10 ft × 15 ft (3.0 m × 4.6 m) shed in
the Davidson family backyard. Most of the major parts, however, were made
elsewhere, including some probably fabricated at the West
Milwaukee railshops where oldest brother William A. Davidson was
then toolroom foreman. This prototype machine was functional by September 8, 1904, when it
competed in a Milwaukee
motorcycle race held at State
Fair Park.
It was ridden by Edward Hildebrand and placed fourth. This is the first
documented appearance of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle in the historical record.
In January 1905, small advertisements were placed in the "Automobile and
Cycle Trade Journal" that offered bare Harley-Davidson engines to the
do-it-yourself trade. By April, complete motorcycles were in production on a
very limited basis. That year the first Harley-Davidson dealer, Carl H. Lang of
Chicago, sold
three bikes from the dozen or so built in the Davidson backyard shed. (Some
years later the original shed was taken to the Juneau Avenue factory where it would
stand for many decades as a tribute to the Motor Company's humble origins.
Unfortunately, the first shed was accidentally destroyed by contractors in the
early 1970s during a clean-up of the factory yard.) In 1906, Harley and the
Davidsons built their first factory on Chestnut Street (later Juneau Avenue). This location remains the
Motor Company's corporate headquarters today. The first Juneau Avenue plant was a 40 by 60-foot
(18 m) single-story wooden structure. That year around 50 motorcycles were
produced. In 1907, William S. Harley graduated from the University of
Wisconsin–Madison with a degree in mechanical engineering. That year additional
factory expansion came with a second floor and later with facings and additions
of Milwaukee
pale yellow ("cream") brick. With the new facilities production
increased to 150 motorcycles in 1907. The company was officially incorporated
that September. They also began selling their motorcycles to police departments
around this time, a market that has been important to them ever since. Production
in 1905 and 1906 were all single-cylinder models with 26.84 cubic inches
(439.8 cc) engines. In February 1907 a prototype model with a 45-degree
V-Twin engine was displayed at the Chicago Automobile Show. Although shown and
advertised, very few V-Twin models were built between 1907 and 1910. These
first V-Twins displaced 53.68 cubic inches (879.7 cc) and produced
about 7 horsepower (5.2 kW). This gave about double the power of the
first singles. Top speed was about 60 mph (97 km/h). Production
jumped from 450 motorcycles in 1908 to 1,149 machines in 1909. By 1911, some
150 makes of motorcycles had already been built in the United States –
although just a handful would survive the 1910s. In 1911, an improved V-Twin
model was introduced. The new engine had mechanically operated intake valves,
as opposed to the "automatic" intake valves used on earlier V-Twins
that opened by engine vacuum. With a displacement of 49.48 cubic inches
(810.8 cc), the 1911 V-Twin was smaller than earlier twins, but gave
better performance. After 1913 the majority of bikes produced by
Harley-Davidson would be V-Twin models. By 1913, the yellow brick factory had
been demolished and on the site a new 5-story structure of reinforced concrete
and red brick had been built. Begun in 1910, the red brick factory with its many
additions would take up two blocks along Juneau Avenue and around the corner on 38th Street. Despite
the competition, Harley-Davidson was already pulling ahead of Indian and would
dominate motorcycle racing after 1914. Production that year swelled to 16,284
machines. In 1917, the United
States entered World War I and the military
demanded motorcycles for the war effort. Harleys had already been used by the
military in the Pancho Villa Expedition but World War I was the first time the
motorcycle had been adopted for combat service. Harley-Davidson provided about
15,000 machines to the military forces during World War I. By 1920,
Harley-Davidson was not by far the largest motorcycle manufacturer in the
world, though their motorcycles were sold by dealers in 67 countries.
Production was 28,189 machines. In 1921, a Harley-Davidson, ridden by Otto
Walker, was the first motorcycle ever in the USA to win a race at an average
speed of over 100 mph (160 km/h). During the 1920s, several
improvements were put in place, such as a new 74 cubic inch (1200cc) V-Twin,
introduced in 1922, and the "Teardrop" gas tank in 1925. A front
brake was added in 1928. In the late summer of 1929, Harley-Davidson introduced
its 45 cubic inch flathead V-Twin to compete with the Indian 101 Scout and the
Excelsior Super X. This as the "D" model, produced from 1929 to 1931.
Riders of Indian motorcycles derisively referred to this model as the
"three cylinder Harley" because the generator was upright and
parallel to the front cylinder. The 2.745 in (69.7 mm) bore and
3.8125 in (96.8 mm) stroke would continue in most versions of the 750
engine; exceptions include the XA and the XR750. The Great Depression began a
few months after the introduction of their 45 cubic inch model.
Harley-Davidson's sales plummeted from 21,000 in 1929 to 3,703 in 1933. Despite
those dismal numbers, Harley-Davidson proudly unveiled its lineup for 1934,
which included a Flathead with art deco styling. In order to survive the
remainder of the Depression, the company manufactured industrial powerplants
based on their motorcycle engines. They also designed and built a three-wheeled
delivery vehicle called the Servi-Car, which remained in production until 1973.
In the mid-'30s, Alfred Rich Child opened a production line in Japan with the
74ci VL.
This is your rare chance to own
this non period photo that reflects a very interesting and historic
piece of motorcycle history. Therefore it is printed in a nice large format of
ca. 8" x 10” (ca. 20 x 26 cm).
Shipping costs will only be $ 7.00 regardless of how many photos you
buy. For 5 or more photos, shipping is free!
(Note: A. Herl, Inc. does not appear on
photo, for ebay purposes only)
No copyright
expressed or implied. Sold as collectable item only. We are clearing out our
archives that we have gathered from various sources.
All items always sent well
protected in PVC clear files and board backed
envelopes.
We have
photographs that came from professional collections and/or were bought from the
original photographer or press studio! They are all of professional and
excellent quality.
After many decades
of professionally collecting photographs and posters we are clearing out our
archives. They make the perfect gift and are perfectly suited for framing. They
will look gorgeous unframed and will be a true asset nicely framed with a
border. They are a gorgeous and great asset in every home, workshop, workplace,
restaurant, bar or club!
First come -
first served. And you can always contact us for your requests. Please ask any
questions before the auction ends.