H. Res. 296

In the House of Representatives, U.S.,

July 14, 2003.

Whereas in 1903, boyhood friends, hobby designers, and tinkerers William S. Harley, then 21 years old, and Arthur

Davidson, then 20 years old, completed the design and

manufacture of their first motorcycle, with help from Arthur Davidson’s brothers, Walter Davidson and William

A. Davidson;

Whereas, also in 1903, Harley and the Davidson brothers

completed 2 additional motorcycles in a makeshift ‘‘factory’’ shed in the Davidson family’s backyard at the corner of 38th Street and Highland Boulevard in Milwaukee, Wisconsin;

Whereas the design features and construction quality of the

early Harley-Davidson motorcycles proved significantly

more innovative and durable than most other motorcycles

of the era, giving Harley-Davidson a distinct competitive

advantage;

Whereas in 1905, Walter Davidson won the first of many motorcycle competition events, giving rise to a strong tradition of victory in motorcycle racing that continues today;

Whereas in 1906, Harley-Davidson Motor Company constructed its first building, financed by the Davidsons’

uncle James McClay, on the site of the Company’s cur-
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rent world headquarters one block north of the Davidson

home site, and manufactured 50 motorcycles that year;

Whereas in 1907, Harley-Davidson Motor Company was incorporated and its 18 employees purchased shares;

Whereas in 1908, the first motorcycle for police duty was delivered to the Detroit Police Department, beginning Harley-Davidson’s long and close relationship with law enforcement agencies;

Whereas in 1909, to enhance power and performance, Harley-Davidson added a second cylinder to its motorcycle,

giving birth to its hallmark 45-degree V-Twin configuration and the legendary Harley-Davidson sound;

Whereas during the years 1907 through 1913, manufacturing

space at least doubled every year, reaching nearly

300,000 square feet by 1914;

Whereas Arthur Davidson, during Harley-Davidson’s formative years, set up a worldwide dealer network that would

serve as the focal point of the company’s ‘‘close to the

customer’’ philosophy;

Whereas Harley-Davidson early in its history began marketing motorcycles as a sport and leisure pursuit, thus

laying the groundwork for long-term prosperity;

Whereas in 1916, Harley-Davidson launched ‘‘The Enthusiast’’ magazine, which today is the longest running continuously published motorcycle magazine in the world;

Whereas also in 1916, Harley-Davidson motorcycles saw their

first military duty in skirmishes in border disputes along

the United States border with Mexico;

Whereas in World War I, Harley-Davidson supplied 17,000

motorcycles for dispatch and scouting use by the Allied
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armed forces, and the first Allied soldier to enter Germany after the signing of the Armistice was riding a

Harley-Davidson motorcycle;

Whereas by 1920, Harley-Davidson was the world’s largest

motorcycle manufacturer, both in terms of floor space

and production, with continual engineering and design innovation;

Whereas during the Great Depression of the 1930s, the company survived when all but 1 other domestic motorcycle

manufacturer failed, on the strength of its product quality, the loyalty of its employees, dealers, and customers,

steady police and commercial business, and a growing

international presence;

Whereas in 1936, Harley-Davidson demonstrated foresight,

resolve, and faith in the future by introducing the company’s first overhead valve engine, the ‘‘Knucklehead’’ as

it would come to be known, on its Model EL motorcycle,

thus establishing the widely recognized classic Harley Davidson look and the company’s reputation for styling;

Whereas Harley-Davidson workers in 1937 elected to be represented by the United Auto Workers of America, thus

launching a proud tradition of working with Harley-Davidson to further build the company through advocacy

and the development of effective programs and policies;

Whereas William H. Davidson, son of the late founder William A. Davidson, became president of Harley-Davidson

in 1942 and would lead the company until 1971;

Whereas Harley-Davidson built more than 90,000 motorcycles for United States and Allied armed forces use during World War II, earning 4 Army-Navy ‘‘E’’ Awards for

excellence in wartime production;
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Whereas Harley-Davidson, during the 1950s and 1960s, recharged its sales and popularity with new models, including the Sportster and the Electra Glide, new engines, and

other technological advances;

Whereas the Company developed the concept of the ‘‘factory

custom’’ motorcycle with the 1971 introduction of the

Super Glide and the 1977 Low Rider, under the design

leadership of William ‘‘Willie G’’ Davidson, vice president

of Styling and grandson of company founder William A.

Davidson;

Whereas since 1980, as a national corporate sponsor of the

Muscular Dystrophy Association, Harley-Davidson has

raised more than $40,000,000 through company, dealer,

customer, and supplier contributions, to fund research

and health services;

Whereas in 1981, a group of 13 Harley-Davidson executives,

led by chairman and CEO Vaughn Beals purchased Harley-Davidson from its then corporate parent AMF Incorporated;

Whereas by 1986, Harley-Davidson, against incredible odds,

restored the company’s reputation for quality and innovation and returned the company to vitality, thus ensuring

a highly successful initial public stock offering;

Whereas throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Harley-Davidson

became a national role model for positive labor-management relations, product innovation, manufacturing quality and efficiency, and phenomenal growth;

Whereas President Ronald Reagan, President William J.

Clinton, and President George W. Bush all have visited

Harley-Davidson manufacturing facilities and extolled the

example set by Harley Davidson through its practices;
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Whereas the Harley Owners Group, with more than 800,000

members and 1,200 chapters worldwide, is celebrating its

20th anniversary year in 2003 as a driving force in the

company’s heralded ‘‘close to the customer’’ operating

philosophy; and

Whereas Harley-Davidson Motor Company is today the

world’s leading seller of large displacement (651 cc plus)

motorcycles, with annual revenues in excess of

$4,000,000,000, annual motorcycle shipments in excess

of 290,000 units, strong international sales, and 17 consecutive years of annual revenue and earnings growth

since becoming a publicly held company: Now, therefore,

be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) recognizes the achievements of Harley-Davidson

Motor Company, widely regarded as a tremendous American business success story and one of the top performing companies in America, as its employees, retirees, suppliers, dealers, customers, motorcycle enthusiasts, and friends worldwide commemorate and celebrate its 100th anniversary milestone;

(2) recognizes the great impact that Harley-Davidson has had on the business, social, and cultural landscape and lives of Americans and citizens of all nations,

as a quintessential icon of Americana; and

(3) congratulates the Harley-Davidson Motor Company for this achievement and trusts that Harley-Davidson will have an even greater impact in the 21st century
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and beyond as a leading force for innovative business

practices and products that will continue to provide enjoyment, transportation, and delight for generations to

come.

Attest:

Clerk.