How Much Horsepower Did The First Harley-Davidson Have?

Harley-Davidson is known for its rugged, large, and capable motorcycles, with some of its most powerful models hitting some high horsepower figures — like the 170-horsepower VRXSE Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer. Harley-Davidson bikes weren't always this large or packed with this many horses. In fact, the first Harley-Davidson motorcycle ever, the Model 1, only produced three horsepower. Built in 1903, this small, bare bike had a relatively small engine compared to today's Harley's, an F-Head single-cylinder displacing only 24.74 cubic inches, around 400cc. 

The 178-pound Harley-Davidson Model 1 was barely propelled forward by thiseng ine, reaching a top speed of 35 mph. This is also a far cry from where Harley-Davidson is at today. The FXDR 114 is one of the quckest Harley-Davidson models, able to hit 60 mph in 2.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 115 mph. Still, it's not really the Model 1's power and speed that make it an important bike to this day. 

Around the early 1900s, racing bicyclists would ride behind motorized pacers to gain speed from their slipstream. Carl Oscar Hedstrom used this concept to create a tandem bike with an engine. By 1902, he had teamed up with fellow bicycle racer and inventor George Hendee to create the first Indian motorcycle, which featured a carburetor design that was revolutionary for the time. 

Just a year later, childhood friends William Harley and Arthur Davidson started working on their own motorcycle prototype in a shed — one of the most important moments in the brand's long history. This prototype produced 2 hp. Right after completing it, the two inventors started working on a new prototype with a bigger engine, which even debuted at a motorcycle race at a Milwaukee fair. The Model 1 was Harley-Davidson's first production bike, released in 1905 for $200 ($7,300 or so today). The Model 1 had double the engine capacity of the initial prototype, with Harley and Davidson hoping to improve on previous performances. 

After the release of the Model 1, Harley-Davidson revealed its first-ever V-twin-powered motorcycle in 1909. This was a big turning moment for the motorcycle company, an engine configuration that it still uses today. While the bike company was quick to move on from the Model 1 and its underwhelming engine, it's still an important building block that led to the comfortable cruisers and reliable tourers bikers champion today.