HARRY V. SUCHER
William S. Harley and the Davidsons
Success and Disappointment
The Roaring Twenties
Oriental Interlude
Disappointment and Disaster
The Great Depression
World War II
Post War Problems
A time of Change
The AMF Era
A new Beginning
The Excelsior Motorcycle
A general guide to the descrptive designation of Harley-Davidson Models
Bibliography
Index
Harley-Davidson did not seriously enter industry until 1907, at which point they faced strong competition from the already well-established makes of motorcycle. With sound products to offer and an aggressive sales and marketing campaign, the company grew substantially through World War I only to endure a crippling blow from the advent of the mass-produced cheap automobile. They survived this too, only to face the encroachment of vigorous Japanese competition. This book provides a history of the development of the company and the designs it produced, distinguished by its typification of the American spirit of free enterprise. Based on the creativity and hard work of two young men, Harley-Davidson became an American success story.
