Harley-Davidson Model 1

From CycleChaos
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Harley-Davidson Museum Serial Number One cropped.jpg
Harley-Davidson Model 1
Manufacturer
Production 1905-1906
Class Types of motorcycles#Standard|Standard
Engine
440cc single-cylinder four-stroke engine
Top Speed 56 km/h
Horsepower 3 kW
Weight
Manuals Service Manual

The Harley-Davidson Model 1 was the first motorcycle produced by the American manufacturer Harley-Davidson. The purchase price was 200 US dollars; 38 copies were made. [1]

History[edit | edit source]

William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson developed the first prototype of a motorcycle in 1903. The engine was designed according to the system De Dion-Bouton, had a displacement of 167 cc and made about 2 ps (1.5 kw). Since Harley and Davidson were dissatisfied with the performance, in 1904, cubic capacity was increased to 405 cm³ at one of bore 76 mm and one stroke 89 mm. From this pre-production model came two copies.[2]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Rafferty, Tod (1997), Auflage. Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart, ISBN 3-613-01796-2 
  2. Hatfield, Jerry (2006), Standard Catalog of American Motorcycles 1898-1981, Krause Publications, ISBN 0-89689-949-7