| As all Harley-Davidson fans know, the bike has the | | | | These movies were made after the 1947 Hollister, |
| typical badass American image that is so appealing to | | | | CA biker riot on the 4th of July. Also, |
| bikers all over the world. Over the years, the Harley, | | | | Harley-Davidson motorbikes were used by the |
| as it is so popularly called, has become the very | | | | famous or rather infamous outlaw gang, otherwise |
| image of adventure and daredevilry. Aggression and | | | | known as the Hells Angels. It was popular among |
| violence as necessary attributes have been tagged | | | | other biker gangs as well. |
| to it. This is also due to the reason that throughout | | | | In 1969, American Machinery and Foundry (AMF) |
| time, in movies and literature the bike has always | | | | bought the company and brought about a lot of |
| been associated with violence and aggression. It has | | | | administrative changes. The production was curtailed |
| been mostly portrayed as a gangster bike. However, | | | | and even the number of employees was slashed. As |
| as a result, in spite of its overwhelming popularity, | | | | a result there were a lot of problems within the |
| the Harley-Davidson image has been tarnished to a | | | | company and the employees struck. The quality of |
| great extent. And often, this has been unfairly so, | | | | the bikes fell and also became more expensive. With |
| because there has been a point when it had often | | | | such a fall in quality, sales went down and |
| been the target of unjust vilification in the public | | | | subsequently the Harley-Davidson Company almost |
| forum. | | | | crashed financially. The once famous Harley-Davidson |
| In 1952, the Harley-Davidson company had applied to | | | | name now became distorted into a variety of |
| the US Tariff Commission for a 40 per cent tax on | | | | derogatory nicknames. The most famous ones were |
| imported motorcycles. This was followed by an | | | | "Hardly Ableson", "hardly Drivable" and "Hogly |
| immediate governmental backlash when the company | | | | Ferguson". |
| was charged as being the abettor to many unlawful | | | | Thus, the company underwent a complete |
| and disturbing activities. Hollywood had a lot to do | | | | turnaround in its fortune, in the worst way possible. |
| with this, because, this backlash was preceded by a | | | | The image garnishment was followed by the AMF |
| slew of Hollywood movies which were produced | | | | takeover which could not have taken place at a |
| from the 1950s till the 1970s. These were the typical | | | | worse time. Things just went from bad to worse |
| biker gangster movies which had liberal quantities of | | | | after that. At a time, when proper management |
| blood and gore. As a result the image of the | | | | would have ensured that the company's continuing |
| motorbike was vilified to a great extent and | | | | success, the labor strike almost sealed the fate of |
| therefore a huge public outcry against the bike which | | | | the company. But luckily, a sea change was just |
| was said to encourage violence and aggression. | | | | waiting in the wings. |