The Story of Harley-Davidson: From a Backyard Shed to the Open Road

In 1903, by the company's own count, two young men in Milwaukee finished a motorcycle in a backyard shed ten feet wide and fifteen feet long. This documentary tells the full story of Harley-Davidson in order: the four founders, the first V-twin and the racing team, the Knucklehead, the Hollister weekend of 1947 and the reputation that followed it, the Sportster and the Electra Glide, the arrival of Honda, the AMF years, the buyback of 1981, the tariff of 1983, the Evolution engine and the comeback, the hundredth anniversary in 2003, the aging rider, the electric LiveWire and the company's plans in 2026. Clear narration over photographs and film from open archives. This is an independent history, not affiliated with or endorsed by any company. Chapters 00:00 A Hundred Years 01:37 The Shed 03:49 Four Founders 05:32 Two Cylinders 07:22 Largest in the World 08:30 The Knucklehead 10:27 Hollister 12:41 The Only One Left 14:31 Honda Arrives 16:08 The AMF Years 18:31 The Buyback 20:19 The Tariff 22:07 The President in York 23:50 Waiting Lists 25:31 The Aging Rider 27:24 What Stands Now Film from Wikimedia Commons: Christilpetersen (CC BY-SA 3.0, 1 item). Pictures from Wikimedia Commons: mbaylor (CC BY 2.0, 1 item); Michael Barera (CC BY-SA 4.0, 51 items); Callmeace (CC BY-SA 4.0, 1 item); GPGamble (CC BY-SA 3.0, 1 item); Cullen328 (CC BY-SA 3.0, 1 item); Auge=mit (CC BY-SA 3.0, 2 items); Daniel Hartwig (CC BY 2.0, 1 item); Kenneth C. Zirkel (CC BY-SA 4.0, 1 item); Vincent Desjardins (CC BY 2.0, 1 item); Royalbroil (CC BY-SA 4.0, 1 item); DrReload (CC BY 4.0, 2 items); Bruxton (CC BY-SA 4.0, 1 item); aismallard (CC BY-SA 3.0, 1 item); LibertyGroup25 (CC BY-SA 3.0, 1 item); Chief335 (CC BY-SA 4.0, 1 item); Alexxx1979 (CC BY-SA 4.0, 1 item); Nick Number (CC BY 4.0, 1 item); Rundvald (CC BY-SA 4.0, 1 item); Craig Howell (CC BY 2.0, 1 item); Cristiano Tomás (CC BY-SA 4.0, 1 item); BrendelSignature (CC BY-SA 3.0, 1 item); nccmrm97 (CC BY-SA 2.0, 1 item); order_242 (CC BY-SA 2.0, 4 items); Bob P. B. (CC BY 2.0, 1 item); noelweathers (CC BY 2.0, 1 item); Calreyn88 (CC BY 4.0, 1 item); Huhu Uet (CC BY 3.0, 1 item); Glen Bowman (CC BY 2.0, 1 item); Downtowngal (CC BY-SA 4.0, 1 item); TaurusEmerald (CC BY-SA 4.0, 1 item); Jiří Sedláček (CC BY-SA 4.0, 1 item); John Goetzinger (CC BY-SA 2.0, 1 item); Marc Blackburn-Wilson (CC BY 2.0, 1 item); Mj-bird (CC BY-SA 3.0, 1 item); Alain106 (CC BY-SA 4.0, 1 item); TenPinGeek (CC BY-SA 3.0, 1 item); Ronald Saunders (CC BY-SA 2.0, 1 item); Vauxford (CC BY-SA 4.0, 1 item); HombreDHojalata (CC BY-SA 4.0, 1 item); Z1ocn (CC BY-SA 3.0, 1 item); Mike Schinkel (CC BY 2.0, 1 item); Dennis Bratland (CC BY-SA 4.0, 1 item); Brian Snelson (CC BY 2.0, 1 item); Thomas Vogt (CC BY-SA 2.0, 2 items); Olinone (CC BY-SA 4.0, 2 items); Farragutful (CC BY-SA 4.0, 1 item); Christopher L. Riley (CC BY-SA 4.0, 1 item); Reg Mckenna (CC BY 2.0, 1 item); Rainmaker47 (CC BY-SA 3.0, 1 item); Difference engine (CC BY-SA 4.0, 1 item); Jacek Halicki (CC BY-SA 4.0, 1 item); bluescast (CC BY 2.0, 1 item); Michel Curi (CC BY 2.0, 1 item); Nacho (CC BY 2.0, 1 item); Ben+Sam (CC BY-SA 2.0, 1 item); ajay_suresh (CC BY 4.0, 1 item); Harrison Keely (CC BY 4.0, 1 item); Bob Adams (CC BY-SA 2.0, 1 item); Dori (CC BY-SA 3.0 us, 1 item); Mossirl64 (CC BY-SA 3.0, 1 item); Nitot (CC BY-SA 3.0, 1 item); David Shankbone (CC BY 3.0, 1 item); Michael Rivera (CC BY-SA 4.0, 2 items); しおつち (CC BY-SA 4.0, 1 item); Fred Romero (CC BY 2.0, 1 item); Decio "desmodex" (CC BY-SA 2.0, 1 item); Bengt Nyman (CC BY 2.0, 1 item); Awkwafaba (CC BY-SA 3.0, 1 item). License texts: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0, creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/deed.en.