HARLEY-

DAVIDSON’S ORPHAN CHILD

HOW THIS LITTLE MOTORCYCLE IN A PERIOD FROM 1961 TO1974 EXCITED A MOVEMENT THAT IS STILL HOLDING ON 36YEARS LATERTHANKS TO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT CONTRIBUTEDINFORMATION AND PICTURES TO GET THIS TOGETHER ANDFOR THOSE THAT ARE KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVEFROM THE COLLECTION OFEDDIE BOOMHOWER

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THE BIRTH OF A LEGENDWith the invasion of the American lightweight market by the Japanesemotorcycles, Harley Davidson was forced to abandon their statesidemanufacturer of the two stoke line and look about for a more competitiveproduct. William Davidson a brilliant man and president of the Harley-Davidsoncompany spent a great deal of time in Europe hoping to find a product thatcould be purchased and eliminate the time loss of setting up a new factory. Hefinally accomplished that with the purchase of fifty percent of the Aermacchifactory, one of the oldest manufacturers in Europe, located in Italy. Thecompany had experienced a string of bad investments and was in great financialtrouble. Mr Davidson was able to purchase the deal for only two hundred andfifty thousand dollars.

They first brought in the 250cc OHV single and named it “ The Wisconsin”. The

name lacked pizzazz and was later renamed the Sprint. It was just what thefactory needed however the majority of the Harley-Davidson dealers who wereso totally buy American and leave foreign products alone, which many of themdid just that. The dealers that welcomed the line and promoted it were verysuccessful.As you might assume those that did not offered and got very little from it.The most successful selling dealers were the ones that promoted them on the

race tracks all over America. The old automotive line worked here as well. “Win

Sunday and sell on Monday”

As time went on they added a complete line of two strokes from 50cc to 250ccwhich due to the high performance Japanese and Spanish bikes placed them in ahighly unfavorable light. By 1974 just when Harley-Davidson had developed a350cc street bike of the highest quality the total market sort of went dead.The 250OHV Sprint that started it all remained and is today the favorite of theAHRMA flat trackers in all its forms, flat track, road race, scrambles, M/X.Over a long period of time it proved that William Davidson knew what he wasdoing.