Harley Gets the Mail Delivered On Time

[panhead_jim]

I've been searching for pictures of early Harley-Davidson use by the US Postal Service for sometime. Finally found enough to put together a short history of motorcycle use by the US Postal Service before 1930.



Harley Gets the Mail Delivered On Time

[Bills37]

Thanks for the great pics and narrative.

[sirhrmechanic]

HD did a marketing piece, as I recall, that proved the motorcycle was cheaper than shoe leather... Riding being cheaper than walking.

If I remember right, before winning USPS contracts, they also got Bell Telephone and some other neat customers. Motorcycles in the early days were as much about business transport as anything. Until the Model T became far cheaper and the MC became a 'fun' toy, it was a business machine as much as the NCR cash register or the meat cutting wheel.

Great narrative, PJim. I always enjoy reading your stuff.

Cheers,

Sirhr