Harley-Davidson: Milwaukee Marvel

by Harry V. Sucher

Book Overview

Harley-Davidson did not seriously enter industry until 1907, at which point they faced strong competition from the already well-established makes of motorcycle. This book provides a history of the development of the company and the designs it produced.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 085429936X
• ISBN13: 9780854299362
• Release Date: January 1986
• Publisher: Motorbooks International
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 7.2" x 9.9"

Customer Reviews

Good Book

While some may not be comfortable with a history of H-D written by an Englishman, I say NUTS! What I read was clear and to the point! No favoritism and no bias....The way it should be....BTW, Harry Sucher was a fan of "The Big Yank"...

A good reference book without the pretty picturues

For the real Harley and motorcycle fan. If you want a book of large color photos (many seen in other books & magazines) then don't go for this one. However, if you want an informative complete text of the history of the company, its ups and downs and the machinery it put out in the 20th. Century, then this is the book.It contains many rare black and white photos from all ages of Harley, with reproduction of trade ads and extracts from manuals from various periods.It is apparent why the author was the Offical Historian of the Harley Davidson Owners' Association (until the association was disolved by H-D when the company formed its own, factory sponsored owners' group). He tackles his subject matter in a historian's complete manner, but never loses sight of the fact it is an exciting ongoing subject he is dealing with and not some museum piece.Unlike other reviewers (each to their own), I found this a great book and would certainly recommend it to Harley riders or fans of motorcycles who want to get a full picture of America's premier make and its models through the years.

Great reading for the history buff

If you like detail, this is the H-D book. The author has been around the block more than a few times, having traveled the world extensively to assist in gathering information for this exhaustive work. Of particular interest to me was that considerable information was included that provides insight into the personalities of the founding fathers, as well as many other key figures that influenced the course of H-D for the last 95 years. I got a little bogged down in some areas of the book, feeling somewhat side-tracked into loosely related areas I didn't feel were particularly pertinent. From the title, (the Milwaukee Marvel) I was expecting it would deal mainly with the mechanical and technical aspects of H-D motorcycles. But the text is packed with information the author has gleened from personal experience as well as countless interviews he has had with people formerly connected with the Motor Company. What I found revealing were factors that shaped company policy and manufacturing practices. Unlike "Official Publications" of H-D (which tend to contain information and historical facts that only reflect favorably on the company), I felt that this work presents an honest and objective history. For H-D gurus who are looking for all the historical details, this one is a "must-have" for your library..