Legend Airride

The Many Years Of Harley Davidson Bikes

admin — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Harley Davidson has now been making motorcycles for over a hundred years. The company was started in 1903 by two childhood friends and soon came to be the dominant motorcycle- making firm in the country” and soon, in the world. The military was quick to make use of their products during World War I. During the post- war years, a number of improvements were made, including a Teardrop gas tank in 1925 and a front brake in 1928. Not even the Great Depression was enough to demolish Harley Davidson, which progressed even further, adding a new flathead engine in 1935 and “dry sump” systems in 1938. Only one other motorcycle manufacturing business survived the Depression.

World War II provided another opportunity for Harley Davidson to produce more vehicles for the army. Even before the United States entered the war, H D cycles were being sold to the Soviet Union as part of the Lend- Lease Program. They also made specifically military- type cycles called WLAs, which were also produced for the Korean War; these had dull camouflage colors and blackout lights so as to vanish into the night.

Recently, the company’s four founders have joined the Labor Hall of Fame.

The Time Line Of Harley Davidson Bikes

admin — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Harley Davidson is synonymous with American motorcycles, but this was not always the case. Harley Davidson is a company with a history of over a hundred years. They had to survive many ups and downs to get to where they are now.
1903: Bill Harley and Arthur Davidson build their first 1HP motorcycle together.
1908: The Harley Davidson Motorcycle Company is born in a small barn in Milwaukee, WI. They employ twenty people to build their cycles.
1909: Harley Davidson make their first V-Twin (not the first V-Twin). It cranks out a whopping 7 HP
1910: The Harley Davidson bar and shield comes into being.
1912: Harley Davidson begins construction on a new factory and makes their first overseas sale.
1915: Harley Davidson incorporate the three speed sliding gear transmission.
1917-1918: 20,000 Harley Davidsons are used in WWI. Harley Davidson become the biggest motorcycle manufacturer in the world.
The 20s: Teardrop gas tank finds its way onto Harleys. Twin Cam engines allow cycles to reach speeds in excess of 85 mph.
The 30s: The Knucklehead is introduced and kills the Indian.
The 40s: The Panhead is introduced and Harley cements it status as the face of American Motorcycles. Harley suspends commercial motorcycle production in favor of supplying the armed forces in WWII. Hydraulic front brakes are introduced.
The 50s: A bad time for Harley, but they survived.
The 60s: Harley merges with AMF. A bad idea. Quality begins to slip.
The 70s: The Cruiser is introduced. Quality issues persist.
The 80s: Harley buys back their company from AMF and quality immediately improves. They introduce the 1340 cc V-Twin. Quality improves
The 80s to present: Harley has continued to be an innovator in the field of motorcycle production and continues to lead the industry.

Where You Can Find Harley Davidson Bikes

admin — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

There are many options for the Harley Davidson buff, casual fan or those just getting involved with Harley Davidson the American classic. Harley Davidson bikes can be purchased directly from dealers. You’ll find a dealer in most every major city. These dealerships are no different than any other type of dealership dealing in the sales of bikes.

Other options do exist however if there is not a dealer nearby or you prefer an alternate method. Consider the use of the internet to search online classifieds, auction houses and even Harley Davidson clubs where members are selling their used bike. These options are extraordinary as they can yield fantastic savings and better introduce you to the wide variety of Harley Davidson bikes that are available.

Also, you can contact Harley Davidson directly through their official web page and peruse their bikes. They offer customization and special ordering of their bikes which affords you the opportunity to make your Harley Davidson bike truly your own.

As you can see there are many outlets for locating and purchasing a Harley Davidson bike. Don’t discount your local classifieds as they too may offer Harley Davidson bikes for sale through used dealers and private citizens.

Best Rallies in Florida This Year

admin — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The weather’s warming up and you’re itching to take out your Hog and there’s no better place than the sunny peninsula of Florida. Here are a few of our favorite Florida events coming up that you can ride your bike to – it’s a day at the beach!
Jordan Frasure Poker Run: This annual event kicks off in Orlando Florida in late May. Riders race against each other and the proceeds go to a good cause, a customized wheelchair for Jordan Frasure.
2nd Annual Freedom Ride up the Coast: Starting in Daytona, this ride takes bikers all along the sandy shores of the Daytona area. Riders from as far away as Key Largo set their adt alarm key largo systems and hit the road to partake in this huge Florida rally.
Armed Forces Memorial Ride: Beginning in Clermont, FL, this ride benefits disabled American Veterans. Riders will get lunch and a memorial pin and a chance to show their US pride!
Annual Thunder Beach Autumn Rally: Held in Panama City, FL, this rally attracts thousands who come out to check out each other’s gear. Vendors, games, music and food all make appearances here and there’s no charge for this great rally.

The Direction Harley Davidson Bikes Are Heading

admin — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Harley-Davidson motorcycles of the 21st century are moving in a new direction. The Harley brand name is normally associated with choppers and highway cruisers. While the cruisers are still being made, the new V-Rod line takes Harley into uncharted territory.

Harley, trying to increase the scope of their buying demographic, introduced the V-Rod in 2001. It was designed to compete with sport and muscle bikes from America and Japan. To bring extra power to the machine, Harley-Davidson teamed up with Porsche to make the power plant that would move the V-rod, and Harley, into a new market. Now riders who wanted an American sport bike could ride with one of the best names in the business. The V-Rod’s styling was much sleeker than traditional Harley models. With handlebars that sloped back to the rider, the V-Rod was given a very low-riding and fast profile. A drag racing version of the V-Rod, the V-Rod Destroyer, was constructed to do the quarter mile in less than ten seconds.

With the V-Rod, Harley-Davidson has ushered in a new era of American motorcycles. Motorcycles that can compete in the market with Japanese sport bikes. While still building the old classics, every enthusiast is interested in the future developments of Harley-Davidson.

The History Of Harley Davidson Bikes

admin — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The history of Harley Davidson Bikes began in 1903 with Bill Haley and Arthur William Davidson developing a 1-cylinder motorcycle. It was very reliable and a real beautiful bike. It didn’t take long before it was bought and by 1905 they had built 11 more. In 1908 their production was up to 154 and the company was officially born in an old wooden barn. Within a short period of time they had 20 employees turning out their bikes in a big stone building. The “Bar and Shield” logo was added in 1910 and is still the emblem of the Harley today. 1912 the first bike was sold to Japan and the company had 200 dealerships nationwide. 20,000 bikes were sold for use in the war in 1915 and the dealership was up to 2000. Today, Harley Davidson owns 62 of the motorcycle market. Between 1950 and 1970, Harley Davidson had the bad boy image, due to the movies portraying outlaw bike gangs. Once known for just young rebels who ride these bikes, the average age today about 47 years old. To a loyal Harley owner, this is the one and only true motorcycle. All others are just knock offs of the original.

2011 Drag Race Schedule

www.legend-airride.com — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The All Harley Drag Racing Association has put out their 2011 Screamin’ Eagle Championship Series schedule and the lineup looks like this:

March 5-6: Florida Bike Week Nationals (Orlando, FL)April 16-17; Mid-West Nitro Nationals (Tulsa, OK)April 30-May 1: Carolina Spring Nitro Nationals (Rockingham,NC)May 21-22: Liberty Nitro Nationals (Numidia,PA)June 4-5: Ohio Bike Week Nationals (Norwalk,OH)June 25-26: Northeast Nitro Nationals (Atco, NJ)August 5-6: Thunder in the Valley Nationals (Bristol, TN)August 10-11: Race at the Rally (Sturgis, SD)August 27-28: Northwest Nitro Nationals (Woodburn, OR)September 17-18: Cajun Nitro Nationals (Belle Rose, LA)October 8-9: Jim McClure Nitro Nationals (Rockingham, NC)

Make sure you mark your calendars to catch the action of Top Fuel riders like Jay Turner and Steve Dorn; Street Pro riders like Mike Roberts and Rich Vreeland, and Screamin’ Eagle V Rod Destroyer riders like Brian MacAlister and Jim Sweet.

Four Spring Events

www.legend-airride.com — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

When the snow is lying frozen along the highway and there’s nothing much beckoning you to the great outdoors it’s a pretty good time to get your calendar out and plan your upcoming year.We thought we’d throw a few events out to inspire you to either commit the date in ink or to at least make sure your bike is ready should you decide to hit the road on the spur of the moment.

Daytona Bike Week (March 4 March 13) You can’t miss this one it’s considered one of the largest rallies in the world and draws names like Orange County Choppers and Arlen Ness. Enjoy beachfront rides in a setting you’ll not soon forget!
Arizona Bike Week (March 30 April 3) There’s nothing like the desert in the spring, and Scottsdale is no exception. Enjoy Heart in concert and the 6^th annual T-Bar Trail Ride.
Leesburg Bikefest (April 7 April 10) should be on your list for a Florida destination if you aren’t able to make it to Bike Week in Daytona. Main Street will be for motorcycles only and it will be a happening time with eight stages and over 40 free concerts!
Laughlin River Run (April 27 May 1) is yet another opportunity to get to the desert if you missed out on Scottsdale. This year marks the event’s 29^th year and includes the requisite poker runs and Ms. Laughlin River Run.

There are of course a lot of smaller venues happening all around the country, but this are the big dogs. Check out some sites like Motorcycle Montser for a pretty thorough list of geographic-specific events as well as reviews of past events.

Holiday Gift Ideas for 50 or Less

www.legend-airride.com — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000

If there’s a Harley lover in your family and you want to embrace that notion this holiday season, why not consider one of the following gift ideas that will surely get their engine’s revving (all available at the official Harley site or your local Harley store). Holiday Stocking: Awesome black stocking emblazoned with an embroidered Bar & Shield logo and a decorative front buckle. The stocking is made of 100 wool with faux leather trim at retails for 25.Bar & Shield Logo Flask Set: It can get nippy riding in the winter, so why not think about packing a stainless steel flask that even includes four shot glasses and a funnel? A perfect gift idea for the home bar or the roadie, the set retails for 40.Wine Rack: If you know someone who enjoys wine as much as their whiskey you might want to gift an iron wine rack with three faux leather wine cradles that are embossed with bar & shield logo to hold the recipients three favorite bottles. The 12.5″ high rack retails for 50. Photo Album: Everyone deserves a brag book, and the Harley lover is no exception. Indulge someone with a 40-page album that’ll hold 120 4×6 inch images of their latest and greatest pictures from rallies, rides, or whatnot. The album is embossed with repeat Harley logo graphics, has a bar & shield medallion on the lower corner, and retails for 30.And if you want to make sure your gift selection is presented by paying homage to Harley as much as possible you might want to consider wrapping it in Harley-Davidson script ribbon (15 for a 25 foot roll) or placing it in any number of graphic gift bags (ranging from skulls and flames to oil cans and more assorted pricing).

Questions about buying/renting a Harley-Davidson

www.legend-airride.com — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 21:33:45 +0000

There are multiple options when it comes to getting a Harley-Davidson. For instance, you don