William Harley and Arthur Davidson on early motorcycles - photo

[Toolmaker51]

About 18 months back there was an incredibly good TV movie, a 2 or 3 part series, on their start and reorganization. One of the main failures was protecting innovative mechanisms with patents. In that time period, many many other motorcycles were in production. Probably 90% adopted [usurped] the HD engineering.

Turns out to be 3 years and a month! Doubling my 18 month estimate, hopefully means I'm getting younger. Like our re-setting of clocks back in the fall, right?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harley_and_the_Davidsons

Like many here, have ridden a good variety of motorcycles. Inline threes and fours my be fast, yet rather soul-less. Singles, twingles, opposed and vertical twins with flat or 180° crankshafts, not to mention Vee'd engines are where the riding sensation is for me, and superb on a big single or a Vee.
I'm all about that torque, that torque. Like when a bit of throttle and handful of clutch smoke a hemi-powered Dodge off the line.
Of course I'm not advocating street racing....