It was in 1910 that the famous Harley-Davidson bar and shield logo in orange and black (shown here in black and white) was registered with the patent office, several years after the Harley-Davidson Motor Company was founded, according to this interesting post on the Cyril Huse blog
Over the years the logo went through some variations, most notably in 1933, the year the Eagle was added as a symbol of patriotism to spur cycle sales just after the Great Depression.
Some of the comments on the post are interesting too, including a comment from someone who recommended the book, At the Creation: Myth, Reality, and the Origins of the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle, 1901-1909 by Herbert Wagner.
The product description on Amazon describes the book as:
Backed by a decade of research, At the Creation documents for the first time the early and critical years of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle in its birthplace of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Herbert Wagner brings to life the human side of Harley-Davidson’s quest to motorize the bicycle and then promote it as a powerful, fast, reliable, and thrilling means of personal transportation. This book examines the origins of two-wheeled transportation at a time when combining the gasoline engine with the bicycle was the province of dreamers and con men. This is the definitive account of the beginnings of the only American motorcycle brand to ultimately succeed and survive.
Might make a pretty neat gift for a Harley enthusiast, don’t you think?
Check out more Harley Davidson Gifts for Your Favorite Biker
