Willie G. Davidson and Louie Netz - Harley-Davidson's Star Design Team
While plastic clad sport bikes are known for their outright speed, Harley-Davidsons are the leaders in style, and have been since the start. The men responsible for their stylish look in the modern era are Willie G. Davidson and Louie Netz.
1. Willie G. & Louise Netz -Design Giants
For more than 30 years, they have been close friends, co-workers, confidants, and leaders of Harley-Davidson's legendary styling department. Willie G. Davidson and Louie Netz have worked on lots of projects, including the 1977 Low Rider, 1981 Wide Gide, 1990 Fat Boy, 1993 Road King and the 1995 Bad Boy. They are reluctant to name a favorite, but the 2002 V-Rod was special to them because it featured an entirely new frame and motor. "It's not often we get to start with a clean sheet of paper," Willie G. has said.
2. Friends For Life
The two men met when a friend of Willie G. told him about Louie Netz in 1974. "Our friendship blossomed pretty quickly," Willie says. "We both are very visual people, both kind of respectfully irreverent and rebellious, and we both have similar hobbies; Louise is an avid photographer and I enjoy painting watercolors. So there was a very quick very significant connection."
3. Design Giants
Louie explains, "It was literally an office, not really a studio at all. I had a box built into the window with a fan in it for spray painting, and we made a clay oven out of plywood and a heat lamp, to keep the clay warm enough to mold." Back then real life-size models were made of clay. As Willie G. has said, "I've always believed that three-dimensions in full scale should be the ultimate approval method," because, " it's the only way to really understand all of the surfaces and proportions and how all the different parts play against one another". The image in the lower left features the Harley design team, from left to right, Dan Matre, Gene Ikeler, Willie G. Davidson, Louie Netz, and Vern Hunt.
4. Modern Day Styling
Today, computer modeling and computer-aided-design techniques are used in all phases of motorcycle design at Harley-Davidson. Even steeped as they are in tradition, the HD design team starts from scratch, using the latest in design, prototyping and manufacturing technology, to come up with parts that look right and work like they should in the 21st century. Still, nothing get into production until it passes a visual inspection, in full scale prototype form.
5. Future of Design - Live Wire
Speaking of a clean sheet, all new design, Harley-Davidson roars into the future with the prototype of it's first electric motorcycle, the Live Wire. Engineers have worked hard using all the latest computer aided design to be competitive in the electric powered motorcycle future. Although Louise Netz is no longer physically with the Harley design team, his influence is definitely present in the future designs of this iconic company.
For more on their unique collaborative friendship, dig out your copy of HOG Tales from 2005 where most of these pictures originally appeared.
For help with service and modifications on your bike, check out the how to section of HDForums.com
