The History of Harley-Davidson: Part 3

Most Americans know that Harley-Davidson motorcycles are extremely customizable, loud, and that they can hit some ridiculously fast speeds, but you might not know the fascinating history of the company. The history of Harley-Davidson is something that every Harley enthusiast should know a little bit about!

In the first part in our series on the history of Harley-Davidson, we introduced you to the men that started the company in a small shed in Milwaukee. Our second installment took a closer look at the formative years of the brand and the events that established Harley-Davidson as America’s leader in motorcycle production. In this blog post, we’re going to look at the importance of Harley Davidson in World War I. RC Components is your go-to resource for custom Harley-Davidson wheels, exhaust pipes, and aftermarket modifications. Don’t forget to browse our extensive online catalog when you’ve finished reading this post!

World War I

When you think about the different technological developments employed during World War I, the motorcycle probably isn’t one that comes to mind. While most people think about tanks, poison gas, and machine guns when they think of World War I technologies, the motorcycle played an enormous and undercredited role in the American war effort. In fact, the United States purchased a whopping total of roughly 80,000 motorcycles during World War I! It’s important to note that the United States military had used the motorcycle prior to World War I, but it was only at the peak of the war that the versatility and value of the motorcycle was truly showcased.

The United States officially entered World War I in 1917. Although the American military enlisted the help of several motorcycle companies including Harley-Davidson, Indian, Henderson, and others, the bulk of the motorcycles purchased came from Harley-Davidson. By the time that World War I ended, roughly half of all motorcycles produced by Harley-Davidson had been sold to the military!

Motorcycles played crucial roles in the military that cars and other forms of transportation simply couldn’t handle. Communication technologies were still being developed throughout the war, and although many advancements were made by the United States military, the newly developed technologies could be unreliable and problematic. The ability to reliably relay a message or supplies from one unit to another was often a matter of life and death, and the speed and versatility of the motorcycle provided the perfect solution to this problem.

The speed and reliability of motorcycles, and particularly, the motorcycles produced by Harley-Davidson, allowed for orders, messages, and supplies to be quickly moved between units. The speed and maneuverability of motorcycles made them the perfect vehicle for scouts, couriers, supply carriers, and some of them were even converted into casualty evacuation vehicles! A sidecar with a stretcher could fit up to two men and provided the United States with an effective way to save lives on the battlefield.

Harley-Davidson produced a 15 horsepower motorcycle with a sidecar for the United States military that was based on their J-series motorcycle, which had been climbing in popularity since 1915. These sidecars were fully equipped with mounted machine guns, shields, and heavy armor to protect the men inside them. It’s an understatement to say that the motorcycle revolutionized the military, and Harley-Davidson’s presence in the United States military continued to grow throughout the war.

We hope that you’ve enjoyed this look at Harley-Davidson’s role in World War I. Stay tuned for our next post, where we’ll be taking a look at Harley-Davidson’s role in World War II. RC Components is proud to carry an extensive selection of Harley-Davidson parts that allow you to fully customize your bike. Browse our selection of custom Harley exhaust pipes, custom Harley wheels, and so much more today!