Just saying hello
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,693
Likes: 0
Welcome from west Florida!
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Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,684
Likes: 2
From: Sunny Beach's of NC
Welcome to the forum,,, a little history:
The 1960's (check "Also in 1962")
As the 1960’s began, Harley-Davidson president, William H. Davidson, announced a program to support the growing lightweight motorcycle market in the United States, which would also boost the company’s position in the overseas market. Harley-Davison International, a wholly-owned Swiss-based subsidiary, was created to provide a foothold in the overseas marketing of motorcycles, parts and accessories, and scooters. Two years later, Harley-Davidson purchased half interest in an Italian firm, Aeronautica Macchi, and Aermacchi Harley-Davidson was formed. Aermacchi Harley-Davidson was to produce a line of lightweight Harley-Davidson motorcycles for the American market. The first of these Italian lightweights with a Harley-Davidson nameplate was the 1961 250cc Sprint. The Sprint utilized a horizontal four-stroke, single cylinder engine. Its torque and power helped it quickly grow in popularity. At the same time, Harley-Davidson was also offering the domestically produced Topper motor scooter and the new 165cc Super-10.
By 1960, interest in motorcycling was on an upswing. More the half a million motorcycles were registered in the United States, and Harley-Davidson enjoyed a sixteen percent increase in business that year. Contributing much to this success were the top-of-the-line Duo-Glide and Sportster models.
In 1961, William J. Harley was named chairman of Aermacchi Harley-Davidson, and William H. Davidson’s son, John, joined the company in the dealer relations department. In 1962, the H-D product line saw several significant changes. The 165 was enlarged to 175cc and was offered in three versions. The Pacer was a traditional street version. The Ranger was exclusively for off-road, devoid of lights and sporting knobby tires. And the Scat served as a hybrid model, for both on-road and off-road riding.
Also in 1962, Harley-Davidson established the Tomahawk Division. This expansion was the result of Harley’s purchase of a company in Tomahawk, Wisconsin, which had previously been devoted to the production of fiberglass boats. This was also a time when Harley-Davidson decided to branch out into the golf cart business. With their all-fiberglass bodies, the golf carts became an end product of the Tomahawk plant. By the end of the decade, Harley-Davidson was producing about one third of all gasoline and electric powered golf carts in the United States.
There were no major additions or changes in 1963. A few subtle enhancements to the Duo-Glide included a fishtail muffler, brilliant colors, huskier brakes, and new backswept optional fiberglass saddlebags.
A new employee started in 1963 as the company’s director of styling. This person would have a profound, lasting effect on Harley-Davidson and American motorcycling as a whole. The oldest son of William H. Davidson, he assumed responsibility for designing all future Harley-Davidson models and many of their accessories. Riders nationwide would come to know him as Willie G.
With the company’s diversification into the golf cart business, H-D felt a need to change the company logo. In 1964, the familiar bar and shield trademark, which dated back to the 1900’s, was dropped. The words “Motor Cycles” were dropped and the new logo was simply the words “Harley-Davidson”, bordered on top and bottom by elongated triangles. The old logo was, of course, revived in the future.
In 1965, Harley-Davidson installed an electric starter on a leisure motorcycle for the first time. The Duo-Glide was transformed into the Electra Glide. This was also the year the Aermacchi branch released the new M-50, a 50cc, two-stoke model with a step-through frame. The M-50 claimed an amazing 180 mpg.
Harley produced substantial power upgrades in their 1966 model line. The Electra Glide received an updated engine with “power pac” aluminum heads that produced ten percent more horsepower. Because of the shape of their combustion chambers, these new heads earned the engine the nickname of “shovelhead”. The Sportster also received a fifteen percent boost in power by virtue of a new carburetor and cams.
The XLH Sportster received an electric starter, and the M-50 was jacked up to 65cc in 1967. This is also the year the Electra Glide got a new, contemporary styled, fiberglass sidecar.
Except for the addition of the 125cc Rapido, little changed in 1968. Along came 1969 and the Sprint engine was given a power increase to 350cc. The look of the Rapido was updated this year, which gave it a sleeker, more modern appearance.
By the end of this decade, Harley-Davidson had a well-rounded line of lightweight motorcycles and an established and popular pair of heavyweights in the Sportster and Electra Glide. The company was about to enter into another era in its long history. Having gone public in 1965, Harley-Davidson stock was well spread among both the officers and the public. Late in the decade, facing hostile takeover from a company intent on making wide-ranging changes, H-D instead merged with an east coast company with a heavy emphasis on bowling, billiards and other leisure sports products. In 1969, Harley-Davidson became a part of American Machine and Foundry (AMF), a corporation of small to medium-sized companies chaired by a one-time Harley rider, Rodney C. Gott. After six and a half decades of forging ahead on its own, Harley-Davidson now had to answer to a higher corporate authority.
Bolfert, Thomas. The Big Book of Harley-Davidson: Official Publication by Harley-Davidson Motor company; Centennial Edition. Milwaukee: Harley-Davidson, 2002.
http://www.dfwhog.com/history/h1960.htm
The 1960's (check "Also in 1962")
As the 1960’s began, Harley-Davidson president, William H. Davidson, announced a program to support the growing lightweight motorcycle market in the United States, which would also boost the company’s position in the overseas market. Harley-Davison International, a wholly-owned Swiss-based subsidiary, was created to provide a foothold in the overseas marketing of motorcycles, parts and accessories, and scooters. Two years later, Harley-Davidson purchased half interest in an Italian firm, Aeronautica Macchi, and Aermacchi Harley-Davidson was formed. Aermacchi Harley-Davidson was to produce a line of lightweight Harley-Davidson motorcycles for the American market. The first of these Italian lightweights with a Harley-Davidson nameplate was the 1961 250cc Sprint. The Sprint utilized a horizontal four-stroke, single cylinder engine. Its torque and power helped it quickly grow in popularity. At the same time, Harley-Davidson was also offering the domestically produced Topper motor scooter and the new 165cc Super-10.
By 1960, interest in motorcycling was on an upswing. More the half a million motorcycles were registered in the United States, and Harley-Davidson enjoyed a sixteen percent increase in business that year. Contributing much to this success were the top-of-the-line Duo-Glide and Sportster models.
In 1961, William J. Harley was named chairman of Aermacchi Harley-Davidson, and William H. Davidson’s son, John, joined the company in the dealer relations department. In 1962, the H-D product line saw several significant changes. The 165 was enlarged to 175cc and was offered in three versions. The Pacer was a traditional street version. The Ranger was exclusively for off-road, devoid of lights and sporting knobby tires. And the Scat served as a hybrid model, for both on-road and off-road riding.
Also in 1962, Harley-Davidson established the Tomahawk Division. This expansion was the result of Harley’s purchase of a company in Tomahawk, Wisconsin, which had previously been devoted to the production of fiberglass boats. This was also a time when Harley-Davidson decided to branch out into the golf cart business. With their all-fiberglass bodies, the golf carts became an end product of the Tomahawk plant. By the end of the decade, Harley-Davidson was producing about one third of all gasoline and electric powered golf carts in the United States.
There were no major additions or changes in 1963. A few subtle enhancements to the Duo-Glide included a fishtail muffler, brilliant colors, huskier brakes, and new backswept optional fiberglass saddlebags.
A new employee started in 1963 as the company’s director of styling. This person would have a profound, lasting effect on Harley-Davidson and American motorcycling as a whole. The oldest son of William H. Davidson, he assumed responsibility for designing all future Harley-Davidson models and many of their accessories. Riders nationwide would come to know him as Willie G.
With the company’s diversification into the golf cart business, H-D felt a need to change the company logo. In 1964, the familiar bar and shield trademark, which dated back to the 1900’s, was dropped. The words “Motor Cycles” were dropped and the new logo was simply the words “Harley-Davidson”, bordered on top and bottom by elongated triangles. The old logo was, of course, revived in the future.
In 1965, Harley-Davidson installed an electric starter on a leisure motorcycle for the first time. The Duo-Glide was transformed into the Electra Glide. This was also the year the Aermacchi branch released the new M-50, a 50cc, two-stoke model with a step-through frame. The M-50 claimed an amazing 180 mpg.
Harley produced substantial power upgrades in their 1966 model line. The Electra Glide received an updated engine with “power pac” aluminum heads that produced ten percent more horsepower. Because of the shape of their combustion chambers, these new heads earned the engine the nickname of “shovelhead”. The Sportster also received a fifteen percent boost in power by virtue of a new carburetor and cams.
The XLH Sportster received an electric starter, and the M-50 was jacked up to 65cc in 1967. This is also the year the Electra Glide got a new, contemporary styled, fiberglass sidecar.
Except for the addition of the 125cc Rapido, little changed in 1968. Along came 1969 and the Sprint engine was given a power increase to 350cc. The look of the Rapido was updated this year, which gave it a sleeker, more modern appearance.
By the end of this decade, Harley-Davidson had a well-rounded line of lightweight motorcycles and an established and popular pair of heavyweights in the Sportster and Electra Glide. The company was about to enter into another era in its long history. Having gone public in 1965, Harley-Davidson stock was well spread among both the officers and the public. Late in the decade, facing hostile takeover from a company intent on making wide-ranging changes, H-D instead merged with an east coast company with a heavy emphasis on bowling, billiards and other leisure sports products. In 1969, Harley-Davidson became a part of American Machine and Foundry (AMF), a corporation of small to medium-sized companies chaired by a one-time Harley rider, Rodney C. Gott. After six and a half decades of forging ahead on its own, Harley-Davidson now had to answer to a higher corporate authority.
Bolfert, Thomas. The Big Book of Harley-Davidson: Official Publication by Harley-Davidson Motor company; Centennial Edition. Milwaukee: Harley-Davidson, 2002.
http://www.dfwhog.com/history/h1960.htm
