Key Takeaway
Harley-Davidson survived two world wars, a near-death corporate takeover, and a 6-year legal fight over the sound of its own engine. These 15 facts cover the parts of HD history that most articles skip.
In the 1930s, Harley-Davidson shipped their factory blueprints to Japan. A company called Rikuo built licensed copies of the Harley VL flathead — around 18,000 of them — mostly for the Japanese military. A decade later, American GIs rode Harley WLAs into battle against an enemy that was, technically, riding the same motorcycle design. That's the kind of Harley-Davidson fact that doesn't show up on most lists.
Most "interesting facts about Harley-Davidson" articles recycle the same five stories. The shed. The pig. The Fat Boy name. Here are 15 that go deeper — pulled from patent filings, military records, auction results, and corporate history that most riders have never come across.
1. Four Founders, Not Two
Everyone says "Harley and Davidson." But there were four founders: William S. Harley, Arthur Davidson, Walter Davidson, and William A. Davidson. Arthur's two brothers joined early — Walter won the first official Harley race in 1908, and William A. ran the factory floor. The company was nearly called "Davidson, Davidson, Davidson & Harley." Arthur's aunt, Jane Davidson, painted the name "Harley-Davidson" on the shed door in red paint. That stuck.
2. The Tomato Can Carburetor
The very first Harley-Davidson prototype used a tomato can as a carburetor. William Harley and Arthur Davidson were teenagers when they started tinkering with a motorized bicycle in that 10×15-foot shed behind the Davidson home in Milwaukee. The engine made about 2 horsepower. It couldn't climb the hills around Milwaukee without the rider pedaling.
3. Japan Built Licensed Harleys — Then Fought Against Them
During the Great Depression, Harley-Davidson lost most of their overseas sales to British Commonwealth nations. To offset the losses, they licensed their VL flathead design to a Japanese manufacturer through Alfred Rich Child, Harley's sales representative in Asia. The Japanese factory in Shinagawa — with HD's own chief engineer Fred Barr on site — produced these bikes under the brand name "Rikuo," meaning "Land King."
By 1937, Japan's government was turning increasingly militaristic. They pushed Harley's American staff out of the country. Rikuo continued production independently, building roughly 18,000 motorcycles — almost all for the Japanese military and police. The Type 97 sidecar variant saw combat in the Philippines and Manchuria. Rikuo survived until 1962 before going bankrupt. If you're curious how different motorcycle styles evolved from these early designs, the lineage goes back further than most people think.
4. The Sound That Took 6 Years to Lose
Every Harley rider knows the "potato-potato-potato" exhaust note. What most don't know is that the sound was originally an accident — a side effect of using a single crankpin to connect both pistons, which was a cost-saving measure, not an engineering choice. The uneven firing interval creates that distinctive rumble.
In 1994, Harley filed a sound trademark application to legally own that rumble. Thirteen companies and individuals — including Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, and Kawasaki — filed opposition papers. The legal battle dragged on for six years. In June 2000, Harley quietly withdrew the application, calling it "a practical business decision." They never became the second company after Zippo to trademark a sound.
5. 90,000 Military Bikes and a Soviet Surprise
During World War II, Harley-Davidson produced between 70,000 and 90,000 WLA military motorcycles. The designation broke down simply: "W" for the engine series, "L" for high compression, and "A" for Army. Nearly 60% were shipped overseas under the Lend-Lease program. The biggest recipient? The Soviet Union — over 30,000 Harleys went to the Red Army. Canada got its own variant, the WLC, with about 20,000 produced.
Harley won the Army-Navy "Excellence in Production Award" twice — in 1943 and 1945. And they weren't just making motorcycles. The Milwaukee factory also machined bomb shells and aircraft engine components during the war. When soldiers came home, many of them formed the first motorcycle clubs — and the biker culture we know today started taking shape.
6. Only Two American Motorcycle Makers Survived the Depression
In the early 1900s, dozens of American companies made motorcycles. By the end of the 1930s, only Harley-Davidson and Indian were left standing. Harley survived by diversifying — they built industrial engines, farm equipment, and three-wheeled delivery trikes with a 600-pound payload capacity used for hauling mail, groceries, and ice cream. They also briefly made bicycles through a deal with Davis Sewing Machine Company from 1916 to 1921.
7. When AMF Almost Killed Harley-Davidson
In 1969, American Machine and Foundry (AMF) bought Harley-Davidson and ramped up production volume at the expense of quality. Bikes left the factory with oil leaks, electrical problems, and misaligned parts. Dealers had to fix brand-new motorcycles on the showroom floor before they could sell them. Meanwhile, Japanese bikes from Honda, Yamaha, and Kawasaki offered better reliability at lower prices. By 1980, Harley was bleeding money. AMF wanted out.
On June 16, 1981, thirteen Harley-Davidson executives — led by Vaughn Beals and Willie G. Davidson — arranged a management buyout with Citibank and took the company back. They rode their motorcycles out of the York, Pennsylvania plant in a parade celebrating independence from AMF. Riders consider that date the rebirth of Harley-Davidson.
8. Porsche Engineered a Harley Motor
In the late 1990s, Harley partnered with Porsche AG's engineering division to design a liquid-cooled, 60-degree V-twin engine. The result was the Revolution engine, which powered the VRSCA V-Rod from 2001 to 2017. It was Harley's first water-cooled production motorcycle — a radical departure from air-cooled tradition. Many loyal riders rejected it. But the V-Rod earned a cult following in Europe and among drag racers. Today, clean V-Rods command premium prices on the used market.
9. How a Pig Named a Motorcycle Brand
In 1920, a Harley racing team member named Ray Weishaar owned a piglet he'd bring to the track. After every win, Weishaar would ride a victory lap with the pig sitting on the gas tank. Fans started calling the team "hog boys," and the bikes "hogs." The nickname stuck for a century. In 1983, Harley formalized it by creating the Harley Owners Group — H.O.G. — which grew into the world's largest factory-sponsored motorcycle club with over 1 million members in 131 countries.
10. The Willie G Skull — Biker Culture's Most Recognized Logo
Willie G. Davidson — grandson of co-founder William A. Davidson — spent over 40 years as Harley's chief styling officer. He designed the Super Glide, the Low Rider, and the Wide Glide. But his most lasting contribution might be a simple drawing: the Willie G skull. It combined a skull with Harley's winged logo and became one of the most recognizable symbols in biker culture. The design bridged corporate branding and outlaw aesthetics — something no other motorcycle company has managed. You'll see it on everything from gas tanks to skull rings to leather jackets.
11. Boats, Snowmobiles, Golf Carts, and Bomb Shells
Harley-Davidson's product history goes way beyond two wheels. They bought the Tomahawk Boat Manufacturing Company and made fiberglass boats — from 11-foot fishing models to 18-foot pleasure craft. From 1962 to 1982, they produced three- and four-wheel golf carts powered by gas or electricity. During the AMF years, they even built snowmobiles. And in WWII, the factory machined bomb shells and aircraft engine parts alongside the WLA motorcycles.
12. Elvis Bought His First Harley at 21
In 1956, a 21-year-old Elvis Presley walked into a Memphis Harley-Davidson dealer and bought his first motorcycle — a KH model. He went on to own at least nine Harleys over his lifetime. Elvis rode them around Graceland, through Memphis back streets, and occasionally gave them away as gifts. His relationship with Harley helped cement the brand's connection to rock and roll. We covered his motorcycle collection in our Elvis and his Harleys piece.
13. The Pope's Harley Sold for 241,500 Euros
In 2014, a Harley-Davidson Dyna Super Glide sold at Bonhams auction in England for 241,500 euros. The previous owner? Pope Francis. The tank carried the inscription "Francesco." His biker jacket sold separately for 57,500 euros. Both items had been presented to the pontiff a year earlier during Harley-Davidson's 110th anniversary celebration. The proceeds went to charity.
14. The Fat Boy Name — Atomic Bomb or Not?
The Fat Boy is one of Harley's most iconic models — partly thanks to Arnold Schwarzenegger riding one in Terminator 2. There's a persistent legend that the name combines "Fat Man" and "Little Boy," the two atomic bombs dropped on Japan. Harley-Davidson has never confirmed this. The more likely explanation is simpler: the bike has a wide, heavy build with solid disc wheels. Fat Boy just fits. But the rumor won't die — and it makes for a better story either way.
15. LiveWire — The Electric Bet That's Still Playing Out
Harley announced an electric concept in 2014 and launched the LiveWire in 2019 at $29,799. In 2022, they spun it off as a separate brand. The numbers tell the story: LiveWire sold just 653 motorcycles in all of 2025 — though that reportedly represents about 70% of all on-road electric motorcycles sold in the US that year. The brand posted a $75 million operating loss. It's a gamble on a market that barely exists yet. Whether it pays off depends on how fast electric motorcycle adoption grows — and whether traditional Harley riders ever accept a bike that doesn't make the potato sound.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who actually founded Harley-Davidson?
Four people: William S. Harley, Arthur Davidson, Walter Davidson, and William A. Davidson. All four were involved from the early years, though the company name only reflects two surnames.
Why does a Harley-Davidson sound different from other motorcycles?
The V-twin engine uses a single crankpin for both pistons, creating an uneven firing interval. That's what produces the "potato-potato-potato" rumble. It was originally a cost-saving design choice that became the brand's signature.
What does H.O.G. stand for?
Harley Owners Group. Harley formed H.O.G. in 1983 as a nod to the "hog" nickname that had been around since the 1920s. It's the largest factory-sponsored motorcycle club in the world, with over 1 million members across 131 countries.
What happened to Harley-Davidson during the AMF years?
AMF bought Harley in 1969 and pushed production volume while cutting quality. Bikes shipped with leaks and defects. Japanese competitors took market share. By 1981, thirteen Harley executives arranged a management buyout and took the company back. Riders consider June 16, 1981 the rebirth of HD.
Harley-Davidson has been around for over 120 years. In that time, they've made motorcycles, boats, golf carts, and bomb shells. They've armed both sides of a world war — intentionally or not. They fought the US patent office for the right to own a sound. And they survived corporate mismanagement that would have killed most brands twice over. The symbols, patches, and style that grew around Harley — from skull rings to wallet chains to leather jackets — that's not merchandising. It's the physical expression of a riding culture that's been building since four guys in a shed decided a tomato can could be a carburetor.