William Harley, Walter Davidson AND Arthur Davidson / "Harley-Davidson"

Home

Harley-Davidson

All second half of 20 centuries in States carries the "epoch" name harleja ». Harley-Davidson, probably, the unique company in the world which became a legend, not having put to it of any efforts. The history itself has created this fantastic image and has immortalised it during lifetime of firm founders. William, Uolter, Arthur Davidsons and William Harlej began the business during times when motorcycles transported on horses.

All second half of 20 centuries in States carries the "epoch" name harleja ». Harley-Davidson, probably, the unique company in the world which became a legend, not having put to it of any efforts. The history itself has created this fantastic image and has immortalised it during lifetime of firm founders. William, Uolter, Arthur Davidsons and William Harlej began the business during times when motorcycles transported on horses.

Now over firm Harley-Davidson serious threat has hung. If in 1980 the average owner of a legendary motorcycle was the young man about 26 years by 2002 to the basic buyers Harley-Davidson has passed for 50. «If the situation does not change, in the near future we should be reoriented on release of invalid carriages, - with irony the head of motor-giant Dzheffri Bleshtejn has noticed. - that to pension average earnings of our overage clients have increased to $73 thousand a year» Is pleasant.

buy blog reviews

In spite of the fact that the present US president just gets to an age category of consumers Harley-Davidson, he has flatly refused to sweep on the well-known motorcycle. «For me 55 years are an original restriction of speed», - George Bush at a last year's meeting with employees of the company has shy joked. But he has visited Harley-Davidson not casually. As he said, Harley-Davidson it was possible to create the present legend, «it is unique the American motorcycles» which have subdued all world.

In 2001 the majority of automobile firms worked with zero profit. Harley-Davidson it has not confused - they managed to increase the incomes by 26 % because each motorcycle was on sale on the average on $4 thousand more expensively the cost price. When hundreds firms in America have simply gone bankrupt, company Harley-Davidson sales volume has increased to $3,3 mlrd, and the profit has made $435 million

«1000 % it are frivolous. With such income as at General Electric, we would be ruined for a long time. Intel? Undoubtedly, 7000 % - impressive figure. But for the same 16 years of the action of our company have grown for 15000 percent!», - with pathos and undisguised pleasure has declared Dzheffri Bleshtejn at meeting of shareholders of the company following the results of last year. Though it could and not to be. In the beginning of 20 centuries in America existed more than 300 firms on manufacture of motorcycles. The small enterprise based by William Harleem and brothers Uolterom and Arthur Davidsons, first has simply got lost among set of competitors.

The first motorcycle a Harley and Davidson have constructed on the basis of model of French firm De Dion in 1902. All mechanisms for this motorcycle have been made manually, in the garage located on suburb Milwaukee, the State of Wisconsin. The carburettor, for example, have collected from an old can. And designers bought gasoline pintami in the next drugstore. The unsightly bicycle with the big motor which maximum speed did not exceed 7 miles at an o'clock became a result of their works. Besides to drive on this motorcycle on a hill, even small, it was practically impossible. However businessmen were on the top of the world with happiness, and in 1903 have registered Harley-Davidson Motor Company.

Attempts to modernise the invention appeared successful, and in due course at the company the first buyers began to appear. In 1905 the motorcycle of stamp Harley-Davidson, having driven 15 miles for 19 mines 02 sek, has won motorcycle races in Chicago.

In 1920 in the world it has been sold 27 thousand "harleev". As advertising Harley-Davidson placed the logos on sweaters, T-shorts and even female suits. By then the company had constant clients. The army of the USA became one of the basic customers. Firm affairs at first went successfully, but there was a Great depression which nearly has not made bankrupt all motorcycle industry.

From several hundreds the companies which were engaged in manufacture of motorcycles to survive it was possible only to two - Indian and Harley-Davidson. And that - only because the state structures, such as army and police were their clients. But during depression sales volumes have decreased several times, and in 1933 Harley-Davidson have sold all 6 thousand motorcycles.

Development of both motorcycle companies was promoted by the Second World War. The USA have concluded with them mullions-strong contracts on delivery of motorcycles to allies. Requirements of army for vehicles were so great, that in home market motorcycles have practically disappeared. To buy in shop a motorcycle in days of war it was impossible. But William Harlej possessed intuition: it has used in advance the communications in the Pentagon and has achieved that the certain part of production was on sale in the country. And their main competitor - company Indian - in a pursuit of profit delivered on front all of 100 % of the products. As a result of Harley-Davidson it was possible to save a marketing network and recognition of the stamp, and Indian for years of war consumers had time to forget.

Legend Harley-Davidson was born in 1946. Having returned from war, the youth has seen the «one-storeyed America» absolutely other eyes. It has appeared, that well-known «the American dream» for which they battled, simply does not exist.

Instead of it - tiresome sermons, Puritan customs, a facade and general kommertsializatsija. Soldiers could not find themselves in a peace life. Having climbed up the motorcycles, they have gone on new war which declared to the "grown mouldy" society. Then in 1946 well-known flight squadron Hell ` s Angels (ON) - "Angela Ada" has been disbanded. The full structure of pilots ON remained without job. Dressed in black leather jackets with stripes in the form of wings, they drove on army "harlejah", frightening sleepy America. Soldiers considered, that them have betrayed: «We were heroes, and now we are not necessary to anybody». The semidrunk gang of aggressively adjusted people directed horror all over the country. « The triumph »bikers has fallen to 1947 when the crowd of motorcyclists has crushed two small towns in California. Some days successively rebels cheerfully rushed on streets and broke show-windows, driving on motorcycles in shops and cafe. Local residents in horror hid on houses. To stop defeat it was possible only to national guards by means of firemen with huge fire engines.

The sheriff of one of these cities has named the raged swells people «out of the law» (outlaw), and the American motorcycle association publicly from them otkrestilas, having declared, that among all motorcyclists of America such hooligans make only one percent. Bikers have reacted instantly. The next day on their jackets there were new stripes: outlaw and «1 %». Those years magazine Time has published the big photo of mortally drunk biker sitting astride "harlee" in a heap of empty bottles on the front page. Journalists and directors have there and then picked up a new image, and on light there was a cult film "Savage" about a life of bikers from Marlonom Brando in a leading role. All characters of a picture went exclusively by motorcycles Harley-Davidson.

Hell’s Angels was not a unique motor club in post-war America. Into the four of leaders entered also The Outlaws, The Pagans and The Bandidos. The press willingly wrote about «the big four» motor clubs. The owner "harleja" could be the present biker only. All the others contemptiously called "motorcyclists". There was even a tradition of original lynching "neharleev". Having caught sight on road an objectionable motorcycle, bikers there and then selected it and long carried on streets on a cord. Then it is demonstrative on it were wetted, suspended on a tree, and in couple of days burnt.

Respectable America was in a shock. Having caught a motorcycle roar, people hid on houses, ran in gates and, constraining breath, waited, while bikers will disappear behind turn.

Company Harley-Davidson was frightened also. Hooligan image of its motorcycle has indissolubly merged with image of the gangster, frightening off all other clients. The firm management otkreshchivalos from bikers, but otkreshchivalos is very cautious, being afraid to offend the basic consumers. Besides bikers in many respects helped the company, constantly modifying the motorcycles. For example, they have created the well-known colour "metallic", having added in a nacreous paint metal powder. Nevertheless, quality of legendary motorcycles was at all at height. In the absence of real competitors the company presumed to let out partly out-of-date production. Infected bikers all rest by idea completed independently.

But in the late sixties the American market was flooded with cheap and better production from Japan. Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki - the main competitors - have thrown out on the market the motorcycles very similar on appearance on "harlei", but much easier, cheap and qualitative. All it along with tarnished reputation of the American motor-giant has caused sharp decrease in profits of the company. Within ten years Harley-Davidson unsuccessfully tried to struggle by own strength with competitors. However it is essential it was not possible to improve quality of made production. There was a pejorative joke: «That the general between a dog and„ harleem “? Both of them spend time most part, rolling in the trailer».

Export of the Japanese motorcycles steadily increased. Company Harley-Davidson sustained enormous losses and was on the verge of bankruptcy. In 1969 in search of money William Harleja's descendants and brothers Davidson who by this moment posessed the company, have sold controlling interest Harley-Davidson to the American machine-building firm AMF. Then company cost made $40 million (less than 1 % from present capitalisation). But financial affairs and have gone uphill.

In 1981 thirteen top-managers, including present head Dzheffri Bleshtejna, have redeemed controlling interest Harley-Davidson at AMF. After that they directly have addressed to administration of the president with the request to enter protectionist measures and to rescue «the American legend» from inevitable destruction. In 1982 president Ronald Reagan has imposed import production with high duties, and the firm has thrown all forces on working out of new models. Within three years Harley-Davidson it was possible to restore the lost positions and to return itself leadership. By 1988 the company occupied 54 % of the motorcycle market of the USA. Subsequently Reagan has named it «the present history of the American success».

Since 1985, Harley-Davidson annually increased manufacture of motorcycles by 13 %. The main merit in it belongs all to the same Bleshtejnu. In due time present motor-fan Dzheffri has spent the whole eight years for improvement "harlejskogo" the engine.

In 1986 Harley-Davidson have entered the share market. From now on the company profit increased on the average on 37 % a year. Today the firm occupies 56 % of the American motorcycle market. While staff of the motor-giant makes all 4,7 thousand persons, the company annually makes 243 thousand motorcycles. Almost half of let out production is necessary on powerful and heavy bajki in cost $15 thousand About 30 % - the elite models equipped with the onboard computer and the musical centre. Cost of such car exceeds $22 thousand Other part - the easy sports motorcycles which price makes about $8 thousand Are intended they specially for attraction of a young audience.

Harley-Davidson Have united the efforts with Porsche and have created the new engine with system of liquid cooling that became the present revolution as before throughout 100 years motors "harleja" were cooled only by means of air. The company has let out on the market advanced model in October, 2001. The model was accompanied by a slogan «Cold day in a hell», that was in good spirits Hell ` s Angels. Statement Dzheffri Bleshtejna sounded so: «It is not simple an innovation. This original statement to all world that a centenary„ harleja “in 2003 - only a mark in our history, instead of its termination».