H. Res. 296
In the House of Representatives, U.S.,
July 14, 2003.
Whereas in 1903, boyhood friends, hobby designers, and tin-
kerers 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 Ar-
thur 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 ‘‘fac-
tory’’ shed in the Davidson family’s backyard at the cor-
ner of 38th Street and Highland Boulevard in Mil-
waukee, 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 mo-
torcycle competition events, giving rise to a strong tradi-
tion of victory in motorcycle racing that continues today;
Whereas in 1906, Harley-Davidson Motor Company con-
structed its first building, financed by the Davidsons’
uncle James McClay, on the site of the Company’s cur-
•HRES 296 EH
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 in-
corporated and its 18 employees purchased shares;
Whereas in 1908, the first motorcycle for police duty was de-
livered to the Detroit Police Department, beginning Har-
ley-Davidson’s long and close relationship with law en-
forcement agencies;
Whereas in 1909, to enhance power and performance, Har-
ley-Davidson added a second cylinder to its motorcycle,
giving birth to its hallmark 45-degree V-Twin configura-
tion 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 forma-
tive 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 mar-
keting motorcycles as a sport and leisure pursuit, thus
laying the groundwork for long-term prosperity;
Whereas in 1916, Harley-Davidson launched ‘‘The Enthu-
siast’’ magazine, which today is the longest running con-
tinuously 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 Ger-
many 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 in-
novation;
Whereas during the Great Depression of the 1930s, the com-
pany survived when all but 1 other domestic motorcycle
manufacturer failed, on the strength of its product qual-
ity, 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 com-
pany’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 Da-
vidson look and the company’s reputation for styling;
Whereas Harley-Davidson workers in 1937 elected to be rep-
resented by the United Auto Workers of America, thus
launching a proud tradition of working with Harley-Da-
vidson to further build the company through advocacy
and the development of effective programs and policies;
Whereas William H. Davidson, son of the late founder Wil-
liam A. Davidson, became president of Harley-Davidson
in 1942 and would lead the company until 1971;
Whereas Harley-Davidson built more than 90,000 motor-
cycles for United States and Allied armed forces use dur-
ing 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, re-
charged its sales and popularity with new models, includ-
ing 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 Har-
ley-Davidson from its then corporate parent AMF Incor-
porated;
Whereas by 1986, Harley-Davidson, against incredible odds,
restored the company’s reputation for quality and innova-
tion 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-manage-
ment relations, product innovation, manufacturing qual-
ity 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 con-
secutive 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 Amer-
ican business success story and one of the top per-
forming companies in America, as its employees, retir-
ees, suppliers, dealers, customers, motorcycle enthu-
siasts, and friends worldwide commemorate and cele-
brate its 100th anniversary milestone;
(2) recognizes the great impact that Harley-David-
son has had on the business, social, and cultural land-
scape and lives of Americans and citizens of all nations,
as a quintessential icon of Americana; and
(3) congratulates the Harley-Davidson Motor Com-
pany for this achievement and trusts that Harley-David-
son will have an even greater impact in the 21st century