By
Shaun Stevens
Submitted On December 12, 2010
Ask motorcycle enthusiasts especially "Harley" riders about the
development and origins of their craft and they will detail to you that
motorcycles were of course designed built and developed by the creator
the universe him or herself. Yet it might be said that the motorcycle as
a version of transportation developed concurrently and alongside that
of the automobile. However for the most part Americans preferred
standard cars and trucks as opposed to motorcycles and scooters for
reasons of safety, load carrying ability and practicality.
While it can be held that the steam locomotive preceded the motorcycle by at least a century in time, it was more an industrial workhorse than a personal and individual form of transport and transportation. However with the manufacturing economy of the twentieth century came the opportunities for more personal and individual forms of transportation. With the birth of mass production of Ford motor cars may have become available to the ordinary person yet it seems that the birth, growth and development of motorcycles took a different road and divergent path.
Overall it might be said that although motorcycles and the sport of motorcycling took off in the time period of the 1920's the economic great depression of the dirty thirties afforded a hit of reality and practicality to this automotive market segment. However by the mid 1930's times had changed somewhat so that American riders could now have the V-twin of their choice. The American motorcycle industry offered riding enthusiasts either their choices of the "Indian" from Springfield Massachusetts or the "Harley Davidson" from Milwaukee Wisconsin. However in both cases these were "big bikes" or just large vehicles overall.
Yet it might be said that just like in the early American automotive industry, the motorcycle enterprise had its upstarts and innovators - the later heroes of this field. All in all however it can be said that the field can be said to have been dominated by four mainstays or bed rocks. By the 1920's the field had coalesced to basically four market heavyweights.
These four dominant American founders of the US based motorcycle manufacturing field were George Hendee and Oscar Hedstrom of Indian Motorcycles and William Harley & Arthur Davidson of the Harley Davidson clan fame. It might be said that interestingly from the beginning that "Indian "had a couple of years "head start". However as luck and fortune had it that basically as the market for new machines grew young Harley & Davidson called in their "big brothers", grew and prospered to develop into the full blooded "Harley Davidson" Motor Company.
Once started from then on legends and products grew and developed as the marketplace grew, enthusiasts and racers honed their skills and prowess. It could only be onwards and upwards from those humble beginnings as simple developers and makers of fine domestic American motorcycle design, production and producers of these fine and fast machines. Both the legend and the mold had been laid and cast. What determined motorcyclist and motorcycle enthusiast could ask for more?
Article Source:
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While it can be held that the steam locomotive preceded the motorcycle by at least a century in time, it was more an industrial workhorse than a personal and individual form of transport and transportation. However with the manufacturing economy of the twentieth century came the opportunities for more personal and individual forms of transportation. With the birth of mass production of Ford motor cars may have become available to the ordinary person yet it seems that the birth, growth and development of motorcycles took a different road and divergent path.
Overall it might be said that although motorcycles and the sport of motorcycling took off in the time period of the 1920's the economic great depression of the dirty thirties afforded a hit of reality and practicality to this automotive market segment. However by the mid 1930's times had changed somewhat so that American riders could now have the V-twin of their choice. The American motorcycle industry offered riding enthusiasts either their choices of the "Indian" from Springfield Massachusetts or the "Harley Davidson" from Milwaukee Wisconsin. However in both cases these were "big bikes" or just large vehicles overall.
Yet it might be said that just like in the early American automotive industry, the motorcycle enterprise had its upstarts and innovators - the later heroes of this field. All in all however it can be said that the field can be said to have been dominated by four mainstays or bed rocks. By the 1920's the field had coalesced to basically four market heavyweights.
These four dominant American founders of the US based motorcycle manufacturing field were George Hendee and Oscar Hedstrom of Indian Motorcycles and William Harley & Arthur Davidson of the Harley Davidson clan fame. It might be said that interestingly from the beginning that "Indian "had a couple of years "head start". However as luck and fortune had it that basically as the market for new machines grew young Harley & Davidson called in their "big brothers", grew and prospered to develop into the full blooded "Harley Davidson" Motor Company.
Once started from then on legends and products grew and developed as the marketplace grew, enthusiasts and racers honed their skills and prowess. It could only be onwards and upwards from those humble beginnings as simple developers and makers of fine domestic American motorcycle design, production and producers of these fine and fast machines. Both the legend and the mold had been laid and cast. What determined motorcyclist and motorcycle enthusiast could ask for more?
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