Pedal like it’s 1917
Museum selling replicas of Harley-Davidson bicycles made a century ago
Harley-Davidson Inc. is unveiling a new bike, but it’s powered by pedals, not a rumbling V-Twin engine. The olive-green cruiser is a tribute to a bicycle sold by Harley in 1917. It’s the first of 10 hand-built bicycles the Harley-Davidson Museum will offer for sale this summer for approximately $4,200 each. Harley was in the bicycle business for a short time, from 1917 through 1922, with a line of about six models each year.
The bicycles were intended to introduce young riders to the Harley-Davidson brand and were styled to look like the company’s motorcycles.
For Harley’s 115th anniversary this year, the museum staff wanted a bicycle that would represent the style and character of the original 1917 Model 7-17 Standard model.
Heritage Bicycles, of Chicago, created the replica.
“Harley asked us to replicate the original as closely as possible,” Heritage owner Mike Salvatore said in a statement.
“We were not going to just pull a frame out of the basement and paint it green,” he said.
Heritage modified the replica’s frame to make it a little bigger than the original.
“We wanted the adults we assume will be buying the new bike to be able to ride it comfortably,” said Joel Van Twisk, Heritage’s bike operations director.
The replica has the “H-D” logo stamped into the front sprocket, a distinctive feature of the original Harley bicycles.
St. Francis artist Jeff Williams handapplied pinstripes.
These are hand-built bicycles, so names will be taken to reserve one when it’s available. An online purchase option is coming in the near future.
The first replica will be displayed Thursday during “Bike Night” at the Harley-Davidson Museum. Those who arrive at the event by bicycle will get a discount on the museum entrance fee.
Wisconsin Bike Fed will have a group ride to the museum Thursday, starting at 5:30 p.m., from its office at 3618 W. Pierce St., and from the Red Arrow Park Bublr Bikes station.