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Apparently, the current Harley-Davidson Motor Co. is still having trouble understanding and coming to terms with its own history; specifically the reason why the 50th Anniversary was celebrated with the 1954 models.
Until recently modern Harley-Davidson, Inc. said that they didn't know the answer and that it was a mystery to them. But now that story has changed. In the Fall, 2008, issue of Harley-Davidson's Enthusiast magazine some amazing new reasons are given. It is now stated that the original family-owned Harley-Davidson Motor Co. back in 1953-54 forgot the right year and made a mistake. A mistake that was corrected in 1978.
Here's the actual text from that issue, page 14:
This appears to be an attempt to slam the door shut on this continuing nagging problem for the modern Motor Company. Significantly, there is no name associated with these statements nor any evidence supporting them. To the dedicated Harley enthusiast this will not pass the "smell test." Cynical types might even call it a flimsy cover-up attempt.
All of the original evidence that I have seen and examined from when the actual events occurred dating from 1901 onwards, shows that the Harley-Davidson Motor Co. did NOT make a mistake in 1954. Nor did they forget. On the contrary, they correctly remembered. The 50th Anniversary medallion was placed on the 1954 models because people at Harley-Davidson and around Milwaukee at that time knew what was rediscovered again in recent years. That Bill Harley and the Davidsons did NOT have a marketable motorcycle ready in 1903 or a machine worthy of their name in that year. Nor did they sell any bikes in 1903 because there wasn't yet a proper Harley-Davidson motorcycle in existence.
Original evidence shows that the FIRST real Harley-Davidson motorcycle prototype wasn't finished until around September of 1904, and that bikes were not produced for sale or marketed until 1905. That version of events backed up with original documentation and evidence has appeared in several books and articles published since 2001.
Quite correctly, therefore, the 50th Anniversary medallion was put on the 1954 bikes because the older generation back in 1953-54 remembered or knew that 1904 marked the actual correct year during which the founders finished the first real "Harley-Davidson" motorcycle.
That is a logical, reasonable, and simple explanation. All of the known period evidence supports that time-line. In that version of events we do not have to blame or disrespect the original Harley-Davidson Motor Co. of 1953-54 for having "forgotten" or making a "mistake" that had to be "corrected" by AMF/Harley-Davidson. After all, who would better know the truth? Guys in 1953-54 who had worked closely with H-D's founders and whose own memories went back to the early days, or AMF guys in 1978?
The correct year that Harley-Davidson built and marketed their first motorcycles is of fundamental importance for everyone who loves Harley-Davidson or is interested in American motorcycle history and correct model year chronology. However, in recent years modern Harley-Davidson has come up with its own origin story with a radically different early model chronology from the one outlined above. From what I can gather, modern Harley-Davidson's version is not based on original evidence or proof. Rather, they have attempted to fit square pegs into round holes as they continue to prop up old advertising myths first spun back in the teens. Now, as people continue to point out embarrassing discrepancies such as the 1904-1954 50th Anniversary, the modern firm finds it necessary to accuse the original family-owned Motor Company of screwing things up!
How lame can it get?
For the record, here's the current "official" early chronology from the Harley-Davidson, Inc. website as of November 26, 2008. They make some mighty big claims here for 1903 and 1904. But where is the evidence or proof? Has anybody ever seen it?
From: http://www.harley-davidson.com
1903* William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson make available to the public the first production Harley-Davidson® motorcycle. The bike was built to be a racer, with a 3-1/8 inch bore and 3-1/2 inch stroke. The factory in which they worked was a 10 x 15-foot wooden shed with the words "Harley-Davidson Motor Company" crudely scrawled on the door. Arthur's brother Walter later joins their efforts.
Henry Meyer of Milwaukee, a schoolyard pal of William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson, buys one of the 1903 models directly from the founders.
1904* The first Harley-Davidson Dealer, C.H. Lang of Chicago, IL, opens for business and sells one of the first three production Harley-Davidson motorcycles ever made.
Until recently modern Harley-Davidson, Inc. said that they didn't know the answer and that it was a mystery to them. But now that story has changed. In the Fall, 2008, issue of Harley-Davidson's Enthusiast magazine some amazing new reasons are given. It is now stated that the original family-owned Harley-Davidson Motor Co. back in 1953-54 forgot the right year and made a mistake. A mistake that was corrected in 1978.
Here's the actual text from that issue, page 14:
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.
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.
All of the original evidence that I have seen and examined from when the actual events occurred dating from 1901 onwards, shows that the Harley-Davidson Motor Co. did NOT make a mistake in 1954. Nor did they forget. On the contrary, they correctly remembered. The 50th Anniversary medallion was placed on the 1954 models because people at Harley-Davidson and around Milwaukee at that time knew what was rediscovered again in recent years. That Bill Harley and the Davidsons did NOT have a marketable motorcycle ready in 1903 or a machine worthy of their name in that year. Nor did they sell any bikes in 1903 because there wasn't yet a proper Harley-Davidson motorcycle in existence.
Original evidence shows that the FIRST real Harley-Davidson motorcycle prototype wasn't finished until around September of 1904, and that bikes were not produced for sale or marketed until 1905. That version of events backed up with original documentation and evidence has appeared in several books and articles published since 2001.
Quite correctly, therefore, the 50th Anniversary medallion was put on the 1954 bikes because the older generation back in 1953-54 remembered or knew that 1904 marked the actual correct year during which the founders finished the first real "Harley-Davidson" motorcycle.
That is a logical, reasonable, and simple explanation. All of the known period evidence supports that time-line. In that version of events we do not have to blame or disrespect the original Harley-Davidson Motor Co. of 1953-54 for having "forgotten" or making a "mistake" that had to be "corrected" by AMF/Harley-Davidson. After all, who would better know the truth? Guys in 1953-54 who had worked closely with H-D's founders and whose own memories went back to the early days, or AMF guys in 1978?
The correct year that Harley-Davidson built and marketed their first motorcycles is of fundamental importance for everyone who loves Harley-Davidson or is interested in American motorcycle history and correct model year chronology. However, in recent years modern Harley-Davidson has come up with its own origin story with a radically different early model chronology from the one outlined above. From what I can gather, modern Harley-Davidson's version is not based on original evidence or proof. Rather, they have attempted to fit square pegs into round holes as they continue to prop up old advertising myths first spun back in the teens. Now, as people continue to point out embarrassing discrepancies such as the 1904-1954 50th Anniversary, the modern firm finds it necessary to accuse the original family-owned Motor Company of screwing things up!
How lame can it get?
For the record, here's the current "official" early chronology from the Harley-Davidson, Inc. website as of November 26, 2008. They make some mighty big claims here for 1903 and 1904. But where is the evidence or proof? Has anybody ever seen it?
From: http://www.harley-davidson.com
1903* William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson make available to the public the first production Harley-Davidson® motorcycle. The bike was built to be a racer, with a 3-1/8 inch bore and 3-1/2 inch stroke. The factory in which they worked was a 10 x 15-foot wooden shed with the words "Harley-Davidson Motor Company" crudely scrawled on the door. Arthur's brother Walter later joins their efforts.
Henry Meyer of Milwaukee, a schoolyard pal of William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson, buys one of the 1903 models directly from the founders.
1904* The first Harley-Davidson Dealer, C.H. Lang of Chicago, IL, opens for business and sells one of the first three production Harley-Davidson motorcycles ever made.
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