1903 was an amazing year for motorized vehicles in America. Henry Ford started producing his first Model A, the Wright Brothers made the world's first successful powered flight — and Bill Harley and Arthur Davidson began building motorcycles.
The first Harley-Davidson was a single- cylinder racer, but in 1909 the firm introduced the motor design that would become its defining image, the 45-degree V-twin engine.
Three years later Harley-Davidson made its first overseas sale — to Japan — beginning a relationship that is thriving 95 years on. While Japanese motorcycle makers dominate the worldwide market, at home it's Harley-Davidson that perennially tops the domestic sales charts in the over-750cc class.