Arturo Borgia
Not long ago I got a call from my friends at G and G; in it they informed me that the VL of 35 was available for the photographs of this report. It was good news, the truth is that I always had a special interest in that motorcycle. It is the first job that I prepare for an online magazine and for me, despite the years, this internet is still a novelty that amazes me.
When I saw the Harley, the first thing that conveyed to me was the feeling I had experienced before the work of these friends: I could not say if I was in front of a machine restored to the smallest detail, in front of a freshly made 1: 1 scale model of the VL , or if I had gone back in time and found myself at the door of a Harley dealership in Chicago in 1935… I don't know! I still only smoke tobacco, and I passed the last ITV with a good note. So I don't tire you anymore; I show you the work and you judge….
[your_quote]The new Harley was an impressive motorcycle: it weighed 250 kilos, its engine cubed 1.200 cc. that yielded around 26-28 CV of power and that, in addition, was very reliable as it was a side valve mechanic ...[/ su_quote]
The Golden Age
There are small things in daily life in which through them, and without intending it, they mark the characteristics of an era, a philosophy of life, and even the genuineness of a country despite the fashions and time. In the United States during the XNUMXs we have several examples: the Barlow knife, the dollar Ingersoll pocket watch, the Zippo lighter, the Harley-Davidson motorcycles ... and we could expand the list, which can fill more than one page, but it is not the case.
It is known to any mechanics initiator of yesterday that the only motorcycle brand that exceeds more than a century of existence, remains true to the essence of its origins And despite the ups and downs of history, it is still in good commercial health is Harley-Davidson. At no time do I intend to address in this work the circumstances that made a motorcycle brand the icon of a universal myth; However, in trying to introduce you to one of its most representative motorcycles of a specific era, I will allow myself to make some reference to the commercial policies of the company, especially during the years in which the model in question was manufactured today.
Right: Illustration by Suzana Bajc
It can be said that in the history of the motorcycle, the sidecar had its golden age during the twenties and until the mid-thirties. In the United States it was not an exception, on the contrary, there were developed countless models of sidecars destined to cover the needs of both individual and commercial transport, in the most diverse fields of industry; specific models were even built for advertising purposes.
During the time to which we refer, the delivery of parcels in the cities, and the small transport of goods, were mostly entrusted to the motorcycle provided with its corresponding sidecar, not being strange that on many occasions it carried loads of more than three hundred kilos. Obviously this hard work could not be entrusted to a machine that did not have enough robustness and strength.
Business intransigence
Perhaps that was one of the reasons, among others of course, that led William Harley and Bill Ottaway to develop and present in 1929 the Big twin of the Harley-Davidson that we bring to this medium today.
We must also bear in mind that at that time the most important roads in the United States had improved enough to be able to travel long distances at good speed averages, and let's not forget that the brands that were the most direct competition of Harley-Davidson had in catalog of motorcycles with characteristics and benefits similar to the new VL that the firm offered from that moment on.
The new Harley was an impressive motorcycle: it weighed 250 kilos, its engine cubed 1.200 cc. that yielded around 26-28 CV of power and that, in addition, was very reliable as it was a mechanical side valve, a system of recognized solidity. However, the first units presented small difficulties that were soon remedied; the only thing that marred the launch of the new motorcycle was the coincidence of the start of the strong economic recession that was beginning in the United States ...
The company, which since its inception had maintained the commercial policy of "Either you are with me, or you are against me" by imposing harsh conditions on its dealers, it came without any qualms to the demand that if they distributed Harley-Davidson, not only could they not sell other brands, even second-hand ones, but they could not repair them.
But since he also had to face the consequences of the Crack that shook the American economy that year of 1929, in the years that followed the economic recession, one of the means that he used to survive was to attract his clientele with interesting price drops, while maintaining his commercial network simply by looking the other way in the performance of the distributors that suited him. At this point I want to mention a few brushstrokes about the company's line of action.
Hurricane «Crack»
Harley-Davidson from the beginning was concerned with offering its customers the highest quality motorcycles in relation to the technology of the moment. In the finishes and components, it was always sought to offer the best that existed in the industry; At the same time, training and keeping the future user of Harley informed about both the proper use and maintenance of the machine was paramount in the company.
This policy was intended for the owner to obtain the maximum benefit from his motorcycle at all times, and at the same time guaranteeing their trust in the brand. On the other hand, the demand for loyalty demanded of its distributors grated on despotism and arrogance but, in any case, as the brand was selling well, it was legion that based its existence on Harley-Davidson. The country's economic crisis was increasing, reaching its peak in 1933; That year, 5.690 motorcycles were manufactured, a figure much lower than expected for the firm's proper operation.
The problem worsened when only 3.700 units were sold. Curiously, it was the year in which more Harley-Davidsons were exported to our country. In one of the books consulted for the documentation of this work, I read the impression of one of the firm's distributors and I remember that it more or less expressed the following:
[your_quote]
"They were very hard years, You had to work seven days a week, no motorcycles were sold because there was no money, on many occasions you had to travel more than three hundred kilometers to pick up a damaged machine and, in the end, you barely earned fifty dollars a week with which you had to support a family and a business. "
[/ su_quote]
Undoubtedly the commercial skills of the Davidson brothers were once again revealed to overcome those difficult moments ...
