Editing Harley-Davidson (section)

===World War I===

In 1917, the United States entered [[World War I]] and the military demanded motorcycles for the war effort.<ref>{{cite web |title=The National World War One Museum – Recent Acquisitions – Model J 1917 Harley-Davidson Army Motorcycle |url=http://www.theworldwar.org/s/110/display.aspx?sid=110&gid=1&pgid=967 |publisher=The National World War One Museum |access-date=June 13, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081224180234/http://www.theworldwar.org/s/110/display.aspx?sid=110&gid=1&pgid=967 |archive-date=December 24, 2008}}</ref> Harleys had already been used by the military in the [[Pancho Villa Expedition]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sterling |first=Christopher H. |title=Military Communications: From Ancient Times to the 21st Century|year=2007|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-85109-732-6|page=493|chapter=V: Vehicles and Transport}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|first1=Philip S.|last1=Jowett |first2=A. M.|last2=De Quesada |first3=Stephen |last3=Walsh |title=The Mexican Revolution, 1910–20|year=2006|publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=978-1-84176-989-9|page=61}}</ref> but World War I was the first time that it was adopted for military issue, first with the British [[Model H]] produced by [[Triumph Engineering Co Ltd]] in 1915.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.history.co.uk/study-topics/history-of-biker-gangs/history-of-the-motorcycle |title=History of the Motorcycle |date=September 12, 2015|access-date=August 27, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160906033102/http://www.history.co.uk/study-topics/history-of-biker-gangs/history-of-the-motorcycle|archive-date=September 6, 2016}}</ref> The U.S. military purchased over 20,000 motorcycles from Harley-Davidson.<ref name="PBS HD 9-2006">{{cite web |first=Tukufu |last=Zuberi |title=History Detectives – Episode 9, 2006: Harley-Davidson Motorcycle, Flemington, New Jersey |website=[[PBS]] |url=https://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/investigation/harley-davidson-motor-cycle/ |year=2006 |access-date=June 13, 2009 |archive-date=December 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111208035051/http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/investigation/harley-davidson-motor-cycle/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Harley-Davidson launched a line of bicycles in 1917 in hopes of recruiting more domestic customers for its motorcycles. Models included the traditional [[diamond frame]] men's bicycle, a [[step-through frame]] 3–18 "Ladies Standard", and a 5–17 "Boy Scout" for youth. The effort was discontinued in 1923 because of disappointing sales.<ref>Harley-Davidson Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, various artifacts, ephemera, and placards. One placard states "''Harley-Davidson began as a motorcycle manufacturer unlike competitors such as Indian and Pope, which has [''sic''] previous histories in bicycling prior to building motorcycles. The many connections between bicycling and motorcycling prompted Harley-Davidson to begin selling bicycles in 1917. Despite heavy promotion, sales were disappointing and production was discontinued in 1923.''"</ref> The bicycles were built for Harley-Davidson in [[Dayton, Ohio|Dayton]], Ohio by the Davis Machine Company from 1917 to 1921, when Davis stopped manufacturing bicycles.<ref name="HeroBicycle">{{cite book |last=Youngblood |first=Ed |year=2003 |title=The Heroes of Harley-Davidson|url={{Google books|EsYzQ5W3d2sC|The Heroes of Harley-Davidson |page=137 |plainurl=yes}} |location=St. Paul, Minn. |publisher=Motorbooks International |page=137 |isbn=0-7603-1595-7 |access-date=April 19, 2014}}</ref>