The Harley-Davidson Motor Co. Archive Collection [Hardcover]

Darwin Holmstrom (Author), Randy Leffingwell (Photographer), Bill Davidson (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 3, 2008

Who knew, one hundred years ago, that the freedom-loving, speed-hungry, cutting-edge motorcycle fanatics who founded Harley-Davidson were making history along with bikes?  The Harley-Davidson Collection, showcasing a century of bikes that shaped motorcycle history, brings that history to gleaming life in page after page of motorcycles beyond compare.  On the eve of the opening of the historic Harley-Davidson Museum, this book gives motorcycle enthusiasts an opportunity to pore over the bikes in the collection, and to linger over every detail that made Harley-Davidson such an icon of American open-road power and performance.  With exquisite, detailed photographs and histories of the hundred motorcycles in Harley’s collection, from serial number one built in 1903 to the latest low-slung Softail, high-revving VRSC, and touring models, the book captures the excitement of the best-known motorcycles in the world.  All that’s missing is the patented roar, which readers are invited to supply.

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

Showcasing a century of the most important motorcycles ever built, this book brings the history of Harley-Davidson to gleaming life through page after page of photographs so vivid they look as if they could roll off the page.  On the eve of the opening of the Harley-Davidson Museum, the book gives readers a chance to pore over the bikes in the collection.  With detailed photographs and histories of the hundred motorcycles in Harley’s collection, from serial number one built in 1903 to the latest low-slung Softail, the book captures the excitement of the best-known motorcycles in the world.  All that’s missing is the patented roar, which readers are invited to supply.

From the Back Cover

Since its earliest days, the Harley-Davidson Motor Co. has saved examples of nearly every motorcycle it has ever built. The resulting Archive Collection is the most important motorcycle collection on earth. In over 600 studio portraits, Harley-Davidson and master photographer Randy Leffingwell present this historically significant collection of production models, racing bikes, and one-of-a-kind prototypes.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 408 pages
• Publisher: Motorbooks; 1st edition (October 3, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0760331847
• ISBN-13: 978-0760331842
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 10.7 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #305,843 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #50 in Books > Professional & Technical > Automotive > Motorcycles > History

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Collection of Photographs, October 28, 2008

By 

David (Southern California) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Harley-Davidson Motor Co. Archive Collection (Hardcover)

First of all, Amazon's photograph of this item is misleading. The book is 12" wide and 10 1/2" tall. This is important, because the wide format allows the numerous full-page photographs of the motorcycles to be viewed in the proper perspective.

Secondly, the quality of the photographs is spectacular. It's one thing to see a crystal clear studio photo of a brand new bike in a brochure, but to see all of these incredible motorcycles photographed this way is a real treat.

Thirdly, the motorcycles in the collection go well beyond the usual suspects. The early-century singles and twins are there, of course. But there are also several pages devoted to their early bicycles. Military and racing bikes (vintage and modern) are also featured. The biggest surprise (to me) was the nice little selection of 1960's Aermacchi lightweights. Most Harley people choose to ignore these bikes, but they are part of H-D's history, and deserve to be included in their archive and this book. The AMF era is well-represented, including an experimental 1100cc OHC Twin in a triangulated frame that looks more Japanese than Harley-Davidson. There's definitely no shortage of modern-era machines, up to and including the 2008 Buells.

You get about 400 pages of georgeous photographs and concise summaries of H-D's motorcycles through the years. There's much, much more to this book than this little review can cover.

Nearly everything sold in America is produced in China, and that includes this book. Personally, I wouldn't mind paying more money for a book that was printed by men and women in North America. But that's just me.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Harley book like no other, October 29, 2008

By 

Rider Boy (Regina, Alberta, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Harley-Davidson Motor Co. Archive Collection (Hardcover)

I honestly thought I would never buy another Harley-Davidson book. I thought I had seen and read everything there was to see and read about the Motor Co. I was wrong; the amazing collection of motorcycles photographed for this book is the equivalent of finding photographic proof of the Loch Ness monster, Sasquatch, the Yeti, and the little gray space aliens who crashed at Roswell all in one volume. Think about it--this book includes a Nova touring bike. Prior to the opening of its museum, Harley-Davidson would not even admit the Nova existed, much less allow it to be photographed. It has an XA sidecar rig with a driven sidecar wheel. Make that it has the XA sidecar rig with a driven sidecar wheel, since the Motor Co. only built one for evaluation, and this is that one. It has Harley-Davidson serial number one: the very first Harley-Davidson motorcycle ever built. How would a person put a price on a bike like that? It's literally priceless, since the only way to purchase that bike would be to purchase every share of Harley-Davidson stock on the market and buy out the owners. But it's in here, in heart-stoppingly beautiful photogrpahy.

The text is good, too. You'll buy this for the photos, but even though it's brief, the history presented here is filled with new, previously unpublished information.

Now I will not buy another Harley book. There's no need to; this one has everything a Harley fan will ever need.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good price, very fast shipping, and much more than I thought I was buying, December 23, 2008

By 

Michael Grizzard (Hendersonville, TN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Harley-Davidson Motor Co. Archive Collection (Hardcover)

I bought this book for a family member for Christmas and I was somewhat worried if it would be "enough" by comparison to some other books I looked at. I received it quickly, paid $37.00 for it when it retails for $60.00, and the book is HUGE!! It's loaded with great photography, details, and there is no wasted space. I'm not a Harley Davidson fan and I found myself flipping through it for an hour in amazement of how in depth it is. I'm certain that he'll enjoy the book and it's a great conversation piece for anyone wanting to know a bit about Harley Davidson. I highly recommend this book for any collection.