Harley-Davidson

Harleys hold a special place in my heart because of my Grandpa Bruce. He has a couple motorcycles, accompanied with many a brand memorabilia. (Wish I had a picture of his shop! It looks a lot like this museum). First a story:

One Christmas Grandpa gave me a pair of bright yellow H-D shoes.

These are exactly what they were like! Thank you internet!

You'd have to know my Grandpa, but his favorite colors are the yellow of the number 1 pool ball and black (yep, that Wiz Khalifa song was written with him in mind). So, naturally these were the perfect gift for me. But oh no, I did not like them (I think it was the chunky heel mostly) and I didn't know what to say to him! So like all 14 year old's (I was around that age), I talked to my mom and she told me just to tell him so we could exchange them. Which I did. And all was fine. But we still laugh about this story to this day. It was a memorable Christmas gift for sure.

But now I'm wishing I had them to wear to the Harley Davidson Museum! It is one of the greatest museums I've ever been to. The transformation of motorcycles over time, why the motors have that distinct sound, racing, how the brand came about, etc. It was so fascinating!
Worth every penny.

The first motorcycles. Engines attached to bikes.

All types of engines. The tell-tale sound of a Harley comes from the 45 degree angle between the cylinders.

The "Bar and Shield" logo has been around since 1910.

Funny how the marketing tactic has always been the 'motorcycle to get the girls'. These are pictures from an early photoshoot.

Steve liked how H-D made motorcycles specifically for war.

H-D is the only companies that has kept one motorcycle from every year for a personal collection.

Nanci with her side car... for shopping!

I can't wait to visit again with Grandpa. It will be like having a personal tour guide!