Guide Note

The Harley-Davidson Motor Company is a motorcycle manufacturer founded in 1903 by William S. Harley, Arthur Davidson, Walter Davidson and William A. Davidson. The company is also a popular apparel and accessories brand; it sells items including jackets, shirts, sunglasses and boots.

Fast Facts

1. Founded: 1903
2. Origin: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
3. Founders: William Harley, Arthur Davidson, Walter Davidson, William A. Davidson
4. Motorcycle nickname: "Hog"
5. NYSE ticker: "HOG"

The Harley-Davidson company owes at least some of its popularity to the perception that the Harley-Davidson brand not only represents a motorcycle, but a lifestyle. According to the chairman and former chief executive of the company, Richard F. Teerlink, "It's not hardware; it is a lifestyle, an emotional attachment. That's what we have to keep marketing to."

The brand has also benefited from endorsements from celebrities like Jay Leno and Arnold Schwarzenegger, as well as by being featured in iconic films such as Easy Rider and The Wild Ones.¹