Harley-Davidson's "Belated" or Correct (1904-1954) 50th Anniversary?

[HarleyCreation]

I was "raised" to believe that the missing year was due to a lost civilian PRODUCTION YEAR during WW2.

That must be correct. My dad and all his service buddys deducted those years from their age too. NOT!

Let's look at it another way.

Harley-Davidson already had done what Cotten says about the WWII years. They had DROPPED a model year of production and had done so WAY back already in 1938. But the year DROPPED was the (ahem) "1903" model when they tagged the first collection bike as a 1904! We have a 1938 photograph to prove that. No "1903" bike shows up in the collection until decades later after all the founders and real old timers were in their graves.

Oops, another discrepency that pops up to spoil the 1903 MYTH!

Or had they already "forgotten" and made another "mistake" back in 1938 when old Bill Harley, Bunce, and Walter were still alive and running the show?

[T. Cotten]

Herbert asked:
"I'd still be interested in hearing when you first heard this explanation. The last few years or a long time ago? It deserves a notecard for my files."

It was a "street legend" apparently, and not worthy of a notecard, other than it was a widespread belief in Central Illinois in the mid-1970's.
(Walter's Bros H-D of Peoria is a most likely suspect to have spawned it. "Uncle Wayne" never, ever told me the truth!)

Considering restricted war-time civilian issues, it was not an explanation that was hard to accept.

It still surprises me that the MOCO didn't cash in on advance orders for '03 Anniversary models by switching back to '04 at the last minute to double their booty.

....Cotten

[Chuck#1848]

It still surprises me that the MOCO didn't cash in on advance orders for '03 Anniversary models by switching back to '04 at the last minute to double their booty.

....Cotten[/QUOTE]


Cotten..........they still have time for the 105th.........don't give em any ideas

[pem]

H-D's Belated 50th Anniversary

Anyone who has forgotten an anniversary can take solace that Harley-Davidson was a year late in celebrating its 50th, having equipped its 1954 models with this special logo on the front fender, which should have appeared on its 1953 models.

The company corrected its mistake by making the 1978 models "75th Anniversary" editions. All subsequent Anniversary editions motorcycles have remained consistent, including the 85th (1988), 90th (1993), 95th (1998), 100th (2003) and 105th (2008).

[snip]

So was there hell to pay for being a year late in commemorating the 50th? We can only assume it was smoothed over with flowers and box of chocolates.


A word comes to mind. Arrogance! I would love to know who actually wrote the above words. I just can't believe the people in the HD archive would do this. This so called apology had to come from the boardroom or from the the people in marketing or as Chris said from the legal department.

We have been talking about this "1903 Fairy Tale" for over 5 years now and the mainstream press still refers to 1903 as the first year of production and SNO #1 as the first bike. Why?

Dick

[Chris Haynes]

Remember that it was AMF that changed and made 1978 the 75th. The H-D Inc. is just following in their footsteps.

[jurassic]

so is there any mention in the 1929 enthusiast or elsewhere about the 25th anniversary?

[pem]

In Herb's book "At The Creation", on page 4, chapter 1, is a photo of SNO #1 taken in
1963 celebrating HD's 60th anniversary. HD changed there mind way before 1978. On
the front fender is a plate with 1903 and 1904. So sometime between 1954 and 1963 somebody decided to change the anniversary date. Who? This is after all the original
players have died if I'm correct.

Dick

[HarleyCreation]

Herbert asked:
"I'd still be interested in hearing when you first heard this explanation. The last few years or a long time ago? It deserves a notecard for my files."

It was a "street legend" apparently, and not worthy of a notecard, other than it was a widespread belief in Central Illinois in the mid-1970's.
(Walter's Bros H-D of Peoria is a most likely suspect to have spawned it. "Uncle Wayne" never, ever told me the truth!)

Considering restricted war-time civilian issues, it was not an explanation that was hard to accept.

It still surprises me that the MOCO didn't cash in on advance orders for '03 Anniversary models by switching back to '04 at the last minute to double their booty.

....Cotten

Hope you don't mind, but I did make a notecard.

Those details may tell a lot. In the mid-1970s there may have been advance talk about a 75th Anniversary with the dealers discussing the same things we're discussing now. Apparantly at that time they were trying to explain away "1904-1954" by any convoluted means and shift it to "1903-19xx," which makes sense time-wise considering that the 1978 "75th" was on the horizon.

Seems like there was Bruce Walters. Was he still alive? Who was "Uncle Wayne"? Sounds like a story there!

[HarleyCreation]

so is there any mention in the 1929 enthusiast or elsewhere about the 25th anniversary?

If there was anything significant, it escaped my notice and still has.

One note in my files says in the Feb. 1929 Enthusiast, p.6, shows a photo of a collection bike they there call a "1906" model (photo taken in 1920s), but was later tagged a "1905" model, and is today SNO #2 as portrayed in Willie G.'s book.

[HarleyCreation]

In Herb's book "At The Creation", on page 4, chapter 1, is a photo of SNO #1 taken in
1963 celebrating HD's 60th anniversary. HD changed there mind way before 1978. On
the front fender is a plate with 1903 and 1904. So sometime between 1954 and 1963 somebody decided to change the anniversary date. Who? This is after all the original
players have died if I'm correct.

Dick

You're right. There was a shift apparent by 1963.

I've pondered that one myself and it's hard to reach any one conclusion. Because by putting two years on one bike could mean different things.

In other words, what was their reasoning?

Was it to mean that ONE motorcycle that looked like that one was started in 1903 and finished in 1904? That would be more or less right. Or did they mean it represented two distinct and different model years? A 1903 model year and a 1904 model year? That would NOT be right. But did they explain it? I don't think so.

[Paps]

An excerpt I took from the link below. Another view on the subject. This excerpt is about half way down the link page. Paps

1953 marked the 50th anniversary of Harley Davidson motorcycles. The organization marked this event by creating a special logo which included a "V", with a bar overlaid reading "Harley Davidson" and the words "50 Years American Made". Every motorcycle manufactured in 1954 had a medallion version of the logo placed on the front fender.

http://www.squidoo.com/theharleydavidsonmotorcycles

[HarleyCreation]

An excerpt I took from the link below. Another view on the subject. This excerpt is about half way down the link page. Paps

1953 marked the 50th anniversary of Harley Davidson motorcycles. The organization marked this event by creating a special logo which included a "V", with a bar overlaid reading "Harley Davidson" and the words "50 Years American Made". Every motorcycle manufactured in 1954 had a medallion version of the logo placed on the front fender.

http://www.squidoo.com/theharleydavidsonmotorcycles

Notice in this one how they skate around the problem with more or less contradictory statements.

If "1953 marked the 50th anniversary" like it states, then why would "Every motorcycle manufactured in 1954 had a medallion version of the logo placed on the front fender"?

Why not the 1953 models?

Oh, that's right, they "forgot" the right year.

[Paps]

Just pointing out how the issue was addressed. I am skeptic on it also. Paps

[milw.pirates]

75th anv.

Hope you don't mind, but I did make a notecard.

Those details may tell a lot. In the mid-1970s there may have been advance talk about a 75th Anniversary with the dealers discussing the same things we're discussing now. Apparantly at that time they were trying to explain away "1904-1954" by any convoluted means and shift it to "1903-19xx," which makes sense time-wise considering that the 1978 "75th" was on the horizon.

Seems like there was Bruce Walters. Was he still alive? Who was "Uncle Wayne"? Sounds like a story there!

Herb,
Did you attend the 75th,at Capitol dr. plant?

[bmh]

Perhaps, and this is just a thought, the madalions were placed on the 54's to celebrate 50 years of production. This could not have been done in 53 as the 50th year of production was just then in progress. Perhaps the concept of not being able to celebrate a milestone untill it had passed led to some fuzzy math. I don't know, but if I had to guess who got it wrong my money is on AMF in 78.