Feedback Form
Home Features Mastermind Forums About Advertise Blog Network Contact Be An Author

Lesson #1: The Innovative Process Can Help You Reinvent the Wheel

William Harley Arthur Davidson Articles
Lesson #1: The Innovative Process Can Help You Reinvent the Wheel

Today, Harley-Davidson isn’t one of the largest manufacturers of motorcycles in the U.S. just because their bikes worked well or they looked particularly fashionable with their Bar & Shield logos. Harley-Davidson motorcycles were unlike any others at the time; they had parts and engines that had never been seen before, and they were able to go up to speeds that were unheard of for a motorbike. Indeed, it was by engaging in a constant process of innovation that the Harley-Davidson Motor Co. was able to stay at the front of the pack.

It was in large part thanks to the unique relationship of William Davidson with his co-workers that Harley-Davidson became an industry leader, with a reputation for original designs and ground-breaking technology. In charge of the company’s human resource division, Davidson took the time to foster closer relationships with his workers. He would spend much of his time going down to the factory line, soliciting information and ideas from the employees, and actually listening to and using those ideas to construct new products and more efficient manufacturing techniques. Many of the innovative ideas for which Harley-Davidson has become known today are a result of this interaction between Davidson and his people.

In 1908, Walter Davidson brought a Harley-Davidson motorcycle to compete in the 7th Annual Federation of American Motorcyclists Endurance and Reliability Contest; the bike scored a perfect 1,000 points. Three days later, the motorbike also set a new FAM economy record at 188.234 miles per gallon. These achievements were made possible because of the heavy emphasis the company had placed on innovation, making improvements were few others even saw the potential.

The Harley-Davidson Motor Co. was one of the first in the industry to introduce a V-twin powered motorcycle, which with a displacement of 49.5 cubic inches was able to produce seven horsepower. In 1914, the company introduced a revolutionary sidecar, making it possible for two people to ride one of their bikes. That same year, clutches and brake pedals were also made available.

The long list of Harley-Davidson innovations goes on: the two-speed rear hub transmission for which William Harley received a patent, the three-speed sliding gear transmission, the uncommonly quiet 37 cubic inch opposed twin cylinder model, the three-wheeled Servi-car, and a unique motorcycle with horizontally opposed cylinders and shaft drive that was designed for desert use during WWII.

In addition to the innovative designs of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, the company engaged in many other novel ideas that would help it grow. From a Harley-Davidson service school that trained qualified mechanics, to helping promote the American Motorcyclists Association that would bring together industry members and riders and help promote the sport, the company blazed its own new path. The four boyhood friends proved that they were fearless innovators who were willing to take whatever risks were necessary to outshine – and outlast – their competition. They not only reinvented the wheel, but they turned two wheels into a machine that people the world over would continue to enjoy for decades to come.





Lesson 1 The Innovative Process Can Help You Reinvent the Wheel

Like this article? Share it with your friends

Article Feedback
 Article Feedback No article feedback found.
  Leave Your Feedback
article feedback

Article Feedback
Dianne Crampton
Dianne Crampton is an executive leadership coach, team consultant, author and president of TIGERS Success Series, Inc. Dianne has been helping CEO's and Executives connect their employees to their core values and goals for over 20 years using the trademarked TIGERS team culture process, which stands for trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. To download a free white paper on behaviors that build strong teams and behaviors that will predictably tear them down go here. - Visit Dianne Crampton's Website

Jeff Foster
WebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas.  We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing
- Visit Jeff Foster's Website

Kim Castle
With nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website

Dave Kurlan
Dave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website


To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us.

Famous Entrepreneur Video
William Harley Arthur Davidson Video - Host Evan Carmichael discusses how Harley-Davidson got started, what factors led to their success, and what you can learn from them to help you grow your company. - Produced by Toronto Video Production Company
Famous Entrepreneur Video

William Harley Arthur Davidson Picture William Harley Arthur Davidson Newsletter
Get our free newsletter to learn more about William Harley Arthur Davidson and other famous entrepreneurs!

Name:
Email:





Evan Elite Authors
Cheryl Matthynssens  
John Alexander  
Stephanie Robey  
Evan Elite Authors

Become An Author
Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details.
Become An Author

Evan's Latest Video
Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media
Evan's Latest Video

Business Opportunities
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"

How to Start An Online Business

Click Here To Learn More
Business Opportunities



Evan's Newsletter
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Name:
Email:
Evan`s Newsletter

Free Downloads
Double Digit Growth eguide Icon Double Digit Growth eguide
Book of Leadership Icon Book of Leadership
Consultative Selling ebook Icon Consultative Selling ebook
Confidentiality Agreement Icon Confidentiality Agreement
Instant Brochures Icon Instant Brochures
Free Downloads - Complete List

Entrepreneur Tools and Guides
Top 50 Productivity Blogs To Watch In 2008
Top 50 Productivity Blogs
Top Blogs To Watch In 2008
 
Top 50 Social Media Blogs
Top 50 Social Media Blogs
Top 50 Social Media Blogs
 
Entrepreneur Tools and Guides

SEO For Africa
SEO For Africa
Komi Attilego Assahoun, Togo,
Komi Attilego
Assahoun, Togo
SEO For Africa

If I Were A Startup...
Erez Zevulunov, $150k to $504k in 2 years
Erez Zevulunov
$150k to $504k in 2 years
Frank Cianciulli, $2.3 to $7.5 Mil in 2 years
Frank Cianciulli
$2.3 to $7.5 Mil in 2 years
If I Were A Startup... - Complete List

Famous Entrepreneurs
Craig Newmark, Craigslist
Craig Newmark
Craigslist
Ty Warner, Beanie Babies
Ty Warner
Beanie Babies
Famous Entrepreneurs - Complete List

Entrepreneur Advice
Tom Peters, In Search Of Excellence
Tom Peters
In Search Of Excellence
Jay Conrad Levinson, Guerilla Marketing
Jay Conrad Levinson
Guerilla Marketing
Entrepreneur Advice - Complete List

Popular Articles
(Premium Authors)

     Does Your Web Site Need A Workout?
By Kalena Jordan
     11 Reasons Why You Should Consider a Job in Search Engine Marketing
By Kalena Jordan
     How to Create a Favicon for Your Web Site
By Kalena Jordan

Have A Suggestion?
Toronto Salsa Classes / Toronto Salsa Lessons Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
Have A Suggestion?

More Evan Carmichael
More Information