Building a sidecar the Harley-Davidson way

A brochure in the Harley-Davidson Museum^™ reveals how H-D made sidecars at their Juneau Avenue factory in the 1920s

“You may know little about sidecar construction, and care less, but if you are going to be protected against ‘that tired feeling’ after a long ride, someone has to give a lot of attention to this subject.”

-Introduction to Building a Sidecar the Harley-Davidson Way

The first Harley-Davidson^® sidecar was produced 110 years ago in 1915. In the 1920s, the company published a brochure titled Building a Sidecar the Harley-Davidson Way. By highlighting the materials and construction process, it sought to educate riders about the quality of the H-D^® sidecar – as well as its superiority over other models on the market.

A quote from the brochure’s intro says: “We ask you to compare this masterpiece of ease and art with the other makes on the market and let your own motoring desire be the judge. In the meantime, we hurry on in the building of your eventual choice.”

The black and white brochure focused on sidecar bodies and frames, forgoing wheels, tires, bearings, and the motorcycle itself: “The wide expanse of related industries reaches beyond the rider’s interest and our limit of narration for these few pages.” Check out some of the key production stages discussed in the brochure, with original photos and text. For more photos and discussion of the process, visit the Museum’s Google Arts & Culture exhibit.

Want to know more about the Harley-Davidson archives collection? Curious about a particular element of H-D history? Email enthusiast.int@harley-davidson.com for a chance for the archives to answer your questions in a special post for Ask an Archivist Day this autumn.