Tweet
H&D miniseries:
I started watching part 2. Although it ain't my conception of REAL Harley-Davidson history, it is starting to grow on me. The mini-series does hit several high points:
There was a predecessor first vehicle--although it was portrayed as being nearly as capable as the 1904 job--so the important back-to-the-drawing-board first learning experience was missed.
The danger of motordrome racing was nicely expressed along with H-D's reluctance to race the drome--although they larded on plenty of fictions to show it.
The point was made that H-D (Walter) had factory speed-raced early on then dropped out. This important point is almost universally missed by writers and historians but it's fact! Then in the early teens H-D came back strong in the dirt. Most accounts tell that H-D didn't race before that time. Totally false.
The importance of the 1916 Dodge City 300 miler to H-D was well portrayed--however the real 1916 winner Irving Janke was dumped for Shrimp Burns & Ray Weishaar. Poor Irving got the short shaft!
Only after the 1916 Dodge City race is the Harley 8-valve unveiled in the film--and it looked pretty darn good for a mock up bike--but in fact the Harley 8-valve won Dodge City in 1916. Events and bikes out of joint again.
The famous piglet was nicely shown after 1916 Dodge City--although the real piggie was in the 1920s not 1916. I appreciated the reference being made that Weishaar was a man "who hogged the track" and NOT the dubious claim that's how the "hog" nickname originated which is a much more recent (1960s?) invention and didn't originate in the 1920s as now claimed.
Similarly, the moniker "wrecking crew" was also introduced after Dodge 1916 in the film--although from another thread we know it appeared only after WW1 and may not have been used as a proper name title for Harley's racing team until possibly decades later. Another possible mythical introduction posing as fact.
In the trailer for part 3 there's a 36EL in evidence, so the direction in which this thing is going is clear. So maybe in a warped kind of way they did do their homework like Billy D. said! Seems like it's shaping up that way.
I started watching part 2. Although it ain't my conception of REAL Harley-Davidson history, it is starting to grow on me. The mini-series does hit several high points:
There was a predecessor first vehicle--although it was portrayed as being nearly as capable as the 1904 job--so the important back-to-the-drawing-board first learning experience was missed.
The danger of motordrome racing was nicely expressed along with H-D's reluctance to race the drome--although they larded on plenty of fictions to show it.
The point was made that H-D (Walter) had factory speed-raced early on then dropped out. This important point is almost universally missed by writers and historians but it's fact! Then in the early teens H-D came back strong in the dirt. Most accounts tell that H-D didn't race before that time. Totally false.
The importance of the 1916 Dodge City 300 miler to H-D was well portrayed--however the real 1916 winner Irving Janke was dumped for Shrimp Burns & Ray Weishaar. Poor Irving got the short shaft!
Only after the 1916 Dodge City race is the Harley 8-valve unveiled in the film--and it looked pretty darn good for a mock up bike--but in fact the Harley 8-valve won Dodge City in 1916. Events and bikes out of joint again.
The famous piglet was nicely shown after 1916 Dodge City--although the real piggie was in the 1920s not 1916. I appreciated the reference being made that Weishaar was a man "who hogged the track" and NOT the dubious claim that's how the "hog" nickname originated which is a much more recent (1960s?) invention and didn't originate in the 1920s as now claimed.
Similarly, the moniker "wrecking crew" was also introduced after Dodge 1916 in the film--although from another thread we know it appeared only after WW1 and may not have been used as a proper name title for Harley's racing team until possibly decades later. Another possible mythical introduction posing as fact.
In the trailer for part 3 there's a 36EL in evidence, so the direction in which this thing is going is clear. So maybe in a warped kind of way they did do their homework like Billy D. said! Seems like it's shaping up that way.
Comment