Most Notable Harley-Davidsons

Posted 1 Feb 2010Photo Courtesy: Harley-Davidson Today, when you think of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle - chrome, a growling engine, sleek lines and comfort comes to mind.  The first Harley-Davidson was a basic bicycle with an engine on it.  It took years for Harley to acquire its reputation, perfection and celebrity status.  Harley-Davidson was founded in 1903 by William S. Harley, Arthur Davidson, Walter Davidson and William A. Davidson who were dedicated to making their business a success.  We asked the Harley-Davidson Museum which motorcycles are the most popular throughout the century and what's ahead for the future.Click ahead to find the most glorious Harley-Davidsons.

Photo & Info Courtesy: Harley-Davidson Museum MSRP: $14,999Estimated Units: N/ASpeed: 100 mphThe 2010 Wide Glide is a Dyna Big Twin cycle with old-school chopper style.  It has a low, stretched-out custom frame with drag bars and forward foot controls that gives the rider a real fists-in-the-wind profile. The LED stop/turn/tail light combo and side-mounted license plate keep the chopped rear fender clean.

Photo & Info Courtesy: Harley-Davidson Museum MSRP: $30,999Estimated Units: 3,500Speed: 110 mphThe Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide is a limited-production version of the popular Harley-Davidson hot-rod bagger. Powered by the largest-displacement V-Twin engine offered by Harley, this potent touring bike is loaded with sparkling chrome, electrifying paint and fresh custom-styling.The CVO Street Glide is known for its innovative Touring chassis introduced by Harley-Davidson in 2009, which was developed to withstand the demands of long-haul touring riders and today's more-powerful engines.

Photo & Info Courtesy: Harley-Davidson Museum MSRP:  $10,799Estimated Units:  Not availableSpeed:  @100 mphHere's a cycle designed to boost adrenalin levels on roads and highways around the world.  Influenced by the design of the successful Harley-Davidson XR-750 motorcycles, the XR 1200 features top street performance and handling. It has the 1200 cc Evolution V Twin Engine.

Photo &  Info Courtesy: Harley-Davidson Museum MSRP: $16,995Estimated Units: 11,000Engine: 115 HorsepowerThe 2002 V-Rod is the most award-winning motorcycle in Harley history.   This hot rod was the first in the company’s new “performance custom line” and features the first ever water-cooled Revolution engine.  This all-American cycle was inspired by Harley-Davidson’s drag racing heritage.

Photo & Info Courtesy: Harley-Davidson Museum Estimated value: $150,000Estimated units: UndocumentedSpeed: 85-100mphPreviously used only in racing applications by Harley-Davidson, the 1928 JH offered dual cams, greatly increasing the power of the mainstay “F-head” engine. The bike was only manufactured for only two model years, keeping the production numbers low. Today, an available Two-Cam rouses plenty of attention.

Photo & Info Courtesy: Harley-Davidson Museum Estimated Value: $400,000Estimated Units: 27Speed: UndocumentedIn 1909, Harley-Davidson, debuted th Model 5-D Twin motorcycle - the company's first cycle to feature a twin-cylinder engine model.  Engineers early attempts had failed, but the founders were undeterred and went back to the drawing board. Ever since, the 45-degree V-twin is identified with Harley-Davidson. This 5-D at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee is the sole surviving example.

Photo & Info Courtesy: Harley-Davidson Museum Estimated Value: $200,000Estimated Units: 25Speed: N/AHillclimbing as a form of motorcycle competition has become something of a footnote to history. With bikes typically home-built, hillclimber cycles made in the factory were a rare event. This 1932, Harley DAH Hillclimber combines a rare 45 cubic inch, overhead valve arrangement, never used on street models. It is believed about 25 examples, in various configurations, were eventually built. The cycle shown here is one of only two surviving examples that feature the frame and suspension configuration that Joe Petrali used to win the National Championship in 1932.

Photo & Info Courtesy: Harley-Davidson Museum Estimated Value: UndisclosedEstimated Units: 1Speed: 65-70mphThis bike was the third Harley owned by Elvis, and was bought in the same year that “Heartbreak Hotel” launched him into superstardom. Elvis and his friend Fleming Horne were known to ride in the middle of the night for privacy. The bike was sold to Harley-Davidson by Horne in 1995 for an undisclosed amount, complete with documentation.

Photo & Info Courtesy: Harley-Davidson Museum Estimated Value: $25,000Estimated Units: 4,700Speed: 65-70mphIn the early 1970s, funding dollars were tight, so Willie G. Davidson and his design team married the chassis of a larger touring bike with the lighter, manageable front end of the Sportster. The “Sparkling America”  cycle features red, white and blue paint and a unique “boattail” rear fender --- all trademarks that say the “70s”. Original 1971 FXs are hard to find. Why? Original owners didn’t like the “boattail” and replaced it with a more traditional bobbed rear fender.  This bike started various lines of FX-designated cycles that live on into the present day.

Photo & Info Courtesy: Harley-Davidson Museum Estimated Value: $30,000Estimated Units: 6,900 Speed: 60–70 mphThis motorcycle simply carries forward from the earlier “Duo Glide” model, but now with electric start, hence the name. The Electra Glide lives into the present day and is now the gold standard for motorcycle touring in America.

Photo & Info Courtesy: Harley-Davidson Museum Estimated Value: $100,000Estimated Units: 1,600Speed: 60mphThis bike is the father of the modern American Harley.  Not only did the engine influence all of the air-cooled twins that Harley-Davidson built after, but the styling cues have remained strong, such as the shape of the “teardrop” gas tank. More surprisingly, the first production year saw low numbers, partly because of trepidation on the part of Company founders. Their concern was misplaced, and the original “Knucklehead” is now considered a jewel.

Photo, Info & Rankings Courtesy: Harley-Davidson Museum Estimated Value:  $1,000,000Estimated Units:  20Speed:  100mph It’s believed that only about 20 “8-valves” racing cycles were built from roughly 1916 to 1923. There are thought to be only two authentic bikes left in existence, one of which is at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee.

Photo & Info Courtesy: Harley-Davidson Museum Estimated Value: $300,000 to $1,000,000+Estimated Units: 5,000Speed: 40 mphIn the first decade of Harley-Davidson’s existence, production never topped more than a few hundred motorcycles in a year. Even by 1908, annual Harley production was still under 500 bikes a year. Finding one available today is very rare, and finding an unrestored model is even more difficult.

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