At the Creation: Myth, Reality, and Origin of the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle, by Herbert Wagner (2003)

This is a labor of love for the author and a publication of the Wisconsin Historical Society so the research has been thorough and covers the origins of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle, which started in 1901, when William S Harley began attempting to motorize a bicycle, bore fruit in 1903 when the first Harley-Davidson saw light, and came to its destiny in 1909 with the introduction of its first V-Twin motor, a trademark of the company ever since. 

Author Herbert Wagner is a recognized authority on Harley-Davidson who did his own research digging thru tons of forgotten records, archives, and newspaper morgues learning contemporary facts and attitudes towards the Harley-Davidson company, its principals, and the machines they made.

Wagner wrote the book to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the birth of Harley-Davidson, a company that has weathered a lot of storms in that century.  Harley-Davidsons have been a part of American history having accompanied General Pershing's punitive expedition against Pancho Villa in 1916 and WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.  But this book is about the origin of the motorcycle and the motor company that began as an idea in the head of one man, William S Harley, and was brought to fruition by the work of Harley and the Davidson brothers.  They soon began to enter races and won several records all in the first couple years. 

Wagner's book points out the companies often do not understand their own genesis and the myths and legends that arise become perpetuated by the company itself as that is smart marketing.  However, the history of a company is often confused and contradictory because the company is good at what it does - manufacturing, in this case - and a good historian like Wagner is needed to take a look at all the evidence and draw conclusions apart from the corporate mythology.

There is a lot of lore presented and the understanding you will get will broaden your grasp of the history of the company and the motorcycle but also the country itself as it grew up along with the subject of the book.  Bill Harley had first seen a motorcycle demonstrated on the streets of Milwaukee - a city primarily known for its beer - in 1895 by a man named Pennington.  Apparently that was a life changing moment and Harley had seen his destiny. It just took him several years to bring it to life. 

Wagner pointed out that he did a "Milwaukee-centric" approach to his research, avoiding the propaganda handed out over the years by the Motor Co as advertising.  The newspapers and other sources gave different and more objective facts and views than the company, obviously.  The first motorcycle sold was in 1904 and the customer's name was Henry Meyer.  The company move from the 10x15' woodshed to the brick factory in 1907.  There are many firsts and some surprising conclusions offered by Wagner.  What you will read about the fabled 1903 H-D motorcycle will be contrary to the Harley-Davidson company's official position.  Wagner presents a new chronology of H-D based on independent research that is probably truer than that offered by the company itself, with its long standing penchant for self promotion and marketing its image. 

The book is paperback, with 228 pages and 150 illustrations and photographs that have probably not been seen in many years.  This book is just the ticket for serious motorcyclists, history buffs, industrial buffs, and antiquarians to add to their libraries.

Recommended: Yes