Harley-Davidson is a name that is very well recognised in today’s society. With followers all over the globe, the Harley-Davidson Motor Company are known for the good build quality and style of their motorbikes, amongst other accolades. However, this hasn’t always been the case; before 1901 Harley-Davidson, or HD (as it is often abbreviated) was just an idea in William S Harvey’s mind.

The Place: Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The year: 1901. William S Harvey is just 21, and has just drawn up the plans for what will eventually turn out to be the first of a long line of engines designed by the Harley-Davidson brand. Arthur Davidson, a longtime friend of William, works alongside him to aim to produce a strong enough engine to push a standard pedal bike up the hills surrounding their home. However, this first engine was not to be, and quickly discarded and replaced with their second-generation idea. They did, however, cite the first engine as ‘good learning experience’.

Harley-Davidson may have had a humble start, but soon got it’s name in the record books when, in 1904, Edward Hildebrand rode a Harley motorcycle in the State Fair Park and won fourth position. Unbeknown to them at the time, this is first historic recording of HD to be published. By 1907, William and Arthur had progressed to owning their own factory in Milwaukee, which is where the headquarters remain to this day. The brand name of Harley-Davidson continued to grow, and with the coming of World War I, the motorcycles were used for military purposes. Approximately 15000 machines were supplied to the army during this period. By the ‘20s, they were the biggest producer of motorcycles in the world.

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, Harley was only one of two American motorbike producers to survive, and once again during World War II supplied the military with many machines. Following this, Harley’s following continued to grow, although their reputation did take a fair amount of slandering through different sources; Hollywood portrayed those who rode Harleys as outlaws or gangsters, and also they were charged for ‘restrictive practices’ in 1952. Despite this, the popularity of the Harley-Davidson brand continued to grow, and still continues to this day.

Those who drive Harleys today definitely own a machine to be proud of. However, there are aspects of owning a Harley that need to be taken into account to ensure they are safe and legal to drive on the roads. Harley brakes must be bought and replaced when needed, for example. Harley brakes can be bought at a variety of places, including on the Internet and from dealers. It is important to use specific Harley brakes because these will ensure the machines run as safely as possible. Different models of bikes will require different Harley brakes, so it is important to check which types are needed.

As mentioned previously, Harley brakes can be bought from a variety of dealers both online and in stores. It’s important to buy brakes from a reputable source, as it is obviously important that they work correctly. Such dealers are often well known and recommended by word of mouth, although it’s important to research all avenues and use sources such as online search engines to find the best dealer with the best reputation and prices for you.