[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 52 (Friday, May 1, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E736]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       HARLEY-DAVIDSON: CELEBRATING 95 YEARS OF GREAT MOTORCYCLES

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GERALD D. KLECZKA

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 30, 1998

  Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, Milwaukee is known across the country for 
its great ball teams, great beer, and great bratwurst. Now, my hometown 
will attract worldwide notoriety when it will be descended upon by 
thousands and thousands of hogs--not swine, but Harley-Davidson 
Motorcycles. This summer Harley-Davidson will celebrate its 95th 
birthday with an anniversary reunion and rally throughout the streets 
of downtown Milwaukee.
  In the finest Milwaukee tradition, Davidson brothers William, Walter, 
and Arthur, and William Harley crafted their first litter of ``hogs'' 
in a 10-foot by 15-foot wooden shed in 1903 using the best available 
tools, ingenuity, and a lot of hard work.
  Responding to the needs of our national defense, Harley-Davidson 
became an important government contractor by supporting the military in 
border skirmishes with Pancho Villa in the early 1900s, providing 
20,000 motorcycles in World War I, and supplying American and Allied 
forces with more than 90,000 motor bikes during World War II.
  During the 1950s and 1960s, the only American-made motorcycles 
transformed from merely a mode of transportation to an American icon. 
Motorcycle-riding movie stars Marlon Brando in the ``Wild Ones,'' and 
Peter Fonda in ``Easy Rider'' epitomized the free-spirited 
individualism associated with Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Harley's 
popularity continues to spread to modern day Hollywood celebrities like 
Tonight Show host Jay Leno. However, an influx of low-priced imports 
dramatically reduced Harley-Davidson's market share during the late 
1960s and 1970s.
  Not to be deterred, innovative company officials and dedicated 
employees worked hard to return the slumping motorcycle producer back 
to its ``king of the road'' status. Through improving and streamlining 
its operations with the help of its dedicated employees, Harley-
Davidson returned to public ownership in 1986 with a successful stock 
offering. Capital raised through public ownership allowed the 
motorcycle company to diversify into other recreational vehicles.
  Thanks to public support, the company's commitment to quality, and 
employee involvement, Harley-Davidson now owns a huge share of the 
heavyweight and superheavyweight motor bike market.
  The City of Milwaukee is proud to call itself the birthplace of the 
original hog. On behalf of the people of the 4th Congressional District 
in Wisconsin, I wish Harley-Davidson Motorcycles a happy 95th birthday 
with many more to come!




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