Willie G. Davidson to Retire From Harley-Davidson
Willie G. Davidson, Chief Styling Officer, Senior Vice President, and grandson of William A. Davidson officially announced that he’ll be retiring from the MoCo at the end of April. He’s been the head of styling at Harley for the last fifty years, and has finally decided to leave at age 78.
He won’t be leaving the company completely though. Davidson will continue his involvement as an ambassador at rallies and events, and will participate in special design projects as Chief Styling Officer Emeritus. If you’ve ever looked at a Fat Boy, V-Rod, or Heritage Softtail then you’ve seen Davidson’s work.
Ray Drea will be Davidson’s successor in the styling department. The two have had plenty of collaborations in the past 20 years, so don’t expect to see a massive change in styling anytime soon.
Here are some of his parting words:
“Throughout my life, I have been truly fortunate to have the opportunity to marry my passion for design with my love for this amazing brand that runs so deeply in my veins,” Davidson said. “What’s most rewarding has been to see the impact our motorcycles have on the lives of our customers. Everything we do in styling is based on the notion that form follows function, but both report to emotion. I look forward to spending time with riders at rallies and to my involvement in special design projects.”