Hi all new here and have a qs about when William and Arthur was 15 years old making bicycles with motors before the company was born, has anyone ever seen or heard of any of these bicycles, was there ever one sold or valued? Any pictures or links to anything will be appreciated
Ee

I thought the first engine they put into a bicycle type frame was the first Harley Davidson motorcycle, 1903 they made 3. Most early Motorcycles were in bicycle type frames.

No in 1903 they were 21 years old and that was the year of there first company bike so like I said at age15 they worked in a bicycle factory and in spare time at home they put motors in there own bicycles, this is all overthe internet if you just Google there names. What I was asking is if anyone ever seen a picture or has any of these late 1890s bicycles they made as teenagers before they became famous with the first 1903 harley

I did some research, found an interesting article that pretty much answers the history of early HD. no mention of any PRE- HD.

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/197640

What type of engines were 15 year old boys playing with in those days?

From the article, they had to build an engine to fin in a bicycle frame - and that was documented as HD.

Here's an excerpt:

William S. Harley, Arthur Davidson, Walter Davidson & William Davidson
Co-founders of The Harley-Davidson Motor Company
Founded: 1901

The Harley-Davidson motorcycle has become an American icon. Recognized around the world, it is a symbol of America's inventiveness, rugged individualism and pioneering spirit. Ironically, what would become one of the world's largest and most widely recognized motorcycle manufacturers was born out of pure and simple laziness.

Around the turn of the century, a new invention was sweeping across America-the bicycle. This two-wheeled wonder enabled individuals to travel farther and faster than ever before possible, and millions took off to explore the country with pedal-power.

But this wasn't enough for 21-year-old draftsman William S. Harley and 20-year-old pattern-maker Arthur Davidson. In 1901, these two boyhood friends embarked on a quest to "take the work out of bicycling." Their dream was to build a motorized bicycle that would enable people to travel reliably and as fast as the technology of the time would allow.

Realizing that to fulfill their dream they would need a skilled mechanic, the duo enlisted the help of Arthur's brother, Walter Davidson, a railroad machinist whom they lured from his job in Kansas by promising him a ride on their motorcycle. After arriving in Milwaukee, Walter discovered that he would have to help William and Arthur build their motorcycle before he could ride it. But he decided to stay on anyway. The eldest Davidson brother, William, then a tool-room foreman at a Milwaukee railroad shop, also offered to pitch in.

Working out of their first factory, a 10-foot by 15-foot wooden shed in the backyard of the Davidson family home with "The Harley-Davidson Motor Company" painted on the door (William Harley was given top billing because it was his idea to build a motorcycle in the first place), the four men produced their first three motorcycles in 1903. Like all their early motorbikes, the 1903 Harley-Davidson had a bicycle crank, a single-cylinder engine, pedals and a leather drive belt. To start one, riders simply pedaled the bike until enough engine compression had built up, then soared away with power.

Harley-Davidson's next few years can be summed up in two words: growth and development. The partners produced three motorcycles in 1904 and seven more in the following year. The company was growing so fast that the Davidson backyard could no longer contain it. In 1906, Harley and the Davidson brothers built a new factory on Juneau Avenue in Milwaukee and produced a record 50 machines. The company formally incorporated in 1907 and, by 1909, they had doubled the size of their factory, hired 35 employees and increased production to around 1,000 motorcycles per year.

And here is the best part of that story RK, one of the first 3 went over 100,000 miles. That's something today but back then there were no paved roads. I will email a picture of mine.
DEERSLAYER

uote="roadking"]I did some research, found an interesting article that pretty much answers the history of early HD. no mention of any PRE- HD.

https://www.entrepreneur.co
Working out of their first factory, a 10-foot by 15-foot wooden shed in the backyard of the Davidson family home with "The Harley-Davidson Motor Company" painted on the door (William Harley was given top billing because it was his idea to build a motorcycle in the first place), the four men produced their first three motorcycles in 1903. Like all their early motorbikes, the 1903 Harley-Davidson had a bicycle crank, a single-cylinder engine, pedals and a leather drive belt. To start one, riders simply pedaled the bike until enough engine compression had built up, then soared away with power.

Harley-Davidson's next few years can be summed up in two words: growth and development. The partners produced three motorcycles in 1904 and seven more in the following year. The company was growing so fast that the Davidson backyard could no longer contain it. In 1906, Harley and the Davidson brothers built a new factory on Juneau Avenue in Milwaukee and produced a record 50 m/article/197640

What type of engines were 15 year old boys playing with in those days?
E

Working out of their first factory, a 10-foot by 15-foot wooden shed in the backyard of the Davidson family home with "The Harley-Davidson Motor Company" painted on the door (William Harley was given top billing because it was his idea to build a motorcycle in the first place), the four men produced their first three motorcycles in 1903. Like all their early motorbikes, the 1903 Harley-Davidson had a bicycle crank, a single-cylinder engine, pedals and a leather drive belt. To start one, riders simply pedaled the bike until enough engine compression had built up, then soared away with power.

Harley-Davidson's next few years can be summed up in two words: growth and development. The partners produced three motorcycles in 1904 and seven more in the following year. The company was growing so fast that the Davidson backyard could no longer contain it. In 1906, Harley and the Davidson brothers built a new factory on Juneau Avenue in Milwaukee and produced a record 50
From the article, they had to build an engine to fin in a bicycle frame - and that was documented as HD.

Here's an excerpt:

William S. Harley, Arthur Davidson, Walter Davidson & William Davidson
Co-founders of The Harley-Davidson Motor Company
Founded: 1901

Sorry maybe I should have posted this link of my research first about 15 year olds building these motor bikes well here it is



The Harley-Davidson motorcycle has become an American icon. Recognized around the world, it is a symbol of America's inventiveness, rugged individualism and pioneering spirit. Ironically, what would become one of the world's largest and most widely recognized motorcycle manufacturers was born out of pure and simple laziness.

Around the turn of the century, a new invention was sweeping across America-the bicycle. This two-wheeled wonder enabled individuals to travel farther and faster than ever before possible, and millions took off to explore the country with pedal-power.

But this wasn't enough for 21-year-old draftsman William S. Harley and 20-year-old pattern-maker Arthur Davidson. In 1901, these two boyhood friends embarked on a quest to "take the work out of bicycling." Their dream was to build a motorized bicycle that would enable people to travel reliably and as fast as the technology of the time would allow.

Realizing that to fulfill their dream they would need a skilled mechanic, the duo enlisted the help of Arthur's brother, Walter Davidson, a railroad machinist whom they lured from his job in Kansas by promising him a ride on their motorcycle. After arriving in Milwaukee, Walter discovered that he would have to help William and Arthur build their motorcycle before he could ride it. But he decided to stay on anyway. The eldest Davidson brother, William, then a tool-room foreman at a Milwaukee railroad shop, also offered to pitch in.

Working out of their first factory, a 10-foot by 15-foot wooden shed in the backyard of the Davidson family home with "The Harley-Davidson Motor Company" painted on the door (William Harley was given top billing because it was his idea to build a motorcycle in the first place), the four men produced their first three motorcycles in 1903. Like all their early motorbikes, the 1903 Harley-Davidson had a bicycle crank, a single-cylinder engine, pedals and a leather drive belt. To start one, riders simply pedaled the bike until enough engine compression had built up, then soared away with power.

Harley-Davidson's next few years can be summed up in two words: growth and development. The partners produced three motorcycles in 1904 and seven more in the following year. The company was growing so fast that the Davidson backyard could no longer contain it. In 1906, Harley and the Davidson brothers built a new factory on Juneau Avenue in Milwaukee and produced a record 50 machines. The company formally incorporated in 1907 and, by 1909, they had doubled the size of their factory, hired 35 employees and increased production to around 1,000 motorcycles per year.[/quote]

Sorry here is the link to what I was saying about 15 year old Harley and Davidson building motorbikes but I'm going to assume no one knows what may have happened to these bikes

https://www.biography.com/people/william ... y-20903181

Thank you for the replies guys, but i am not talking about the first days of the established company but before when it was a dream to a couple of teenagers ,but you really need to look at the link I posted this website showswhen they were 15 they were experimenting with other made motors on bicycles I also have other websites that say the same thing which I can post but please read the link I posted here before replying, you may not be aware, I. Know I wasn't before I read into these websites, thank you

No info on any Pre- Harley Bicycles with motors.



I read your link, here is the info- it doesn't say they built any bicycles pre- HD. It summarizes the facts.

I'm not a historian, but common sense dictates that there were NO ENGINES pre 1903 that would even fit in a bicycle frame let alone 15 years old possessing them or having the ability to modify a frame or have parts to make it work.

Briggs&Stratton - mini bikes and go kart motors didn't exist then. At that time Steam engines were the power plant of choice. That's why they had to design and build their own engine to fit in the bicycle.

Here is what was going on in the world at that time.

Running by February, 1893 and ready for road trials by September, 1893 the car built by Charles and Frank Duryea, brothers, was the first gasoline powered car in America. The first run on public roads was made on September 21, 1893 in Springfield, MA. They had purchased a used horse drawn buggy for $70 and installed a 4 HP, single cylinder gasoline engine. The car (buggy) had a friction transmission, spray carburetor and low tension ignition. It must not have run very well because Frank didn't drive it again until November 10 when it was reported by the Springfield Morning Union newspaper. This car was put into storage in 1894 and stayed there until 1920 when it was rescued by Inglis M. Uppercu and presented to the United States National Museum.

Henry Ford had an engine running by 1893 but it was 1896 before he built his first car. By the end of the year Ford had sold his first car, which he called a Quadracycle, for $200 and used the money to build another one. With the financial backing of the Mayor of Detroit, William C. Maybury and other wealthy Detroiters, Ford formed the Detroit Automobile Company in 1899. A few prototypes were built but no production cars were ever made by this company. It was dissolved in January 1901. Ford would not offer a car for sale until 1903.

As for Pictures - the same was with the camera - not quite as ubiquitous as today.

Listen road king if you read the link carefully you would have noticed it says they STARTED experimenting with putting motors on bikes at 15, also your wrong about a motor that would fit a bike before 1903, you seem to forget that Indian had a motor on a bicycle in 1901 also what you said about not being a historian is true cause I got that link from a historian that agrees with me. If my info is incorrect how do I know that yours isn't also? And as for a small motor not being around back then, well what about the 12 company's that were making small gas engines. Well I quess everyone has there opinions, I along with the historian i have been in touch with both agree that its amazing how many people don't know Harley Davidson past before they were a company.