PRINTER'S NO.  1550

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

HOUSE BILL

 

No.

1340

Session of

2011

  

  

INTRODUCED BY KORTZ, BARRAR, BOBACK, BOYD, V. BROWN, CALTAGIRONE, CONKLIN, D. COSTA, DALEY, DeLUCA, FABRIZIO, GEIST, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GOODMAN, HESS, HORNAMAN, KULA, MARSHALL, MILLARD, MIRABITO, MURT, MUSTIO, MYERS, PASHINSKI, READSHAW, REICHLEY AND FARRY, APRIL 13, 2011

  

  

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 13, 2011  

  

  

  

AN ACT

  

1

Designating the Harley-Davidson motorcycle as the official State

2

motorcycle of Pennsylvania.

3

The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:

4

WHEREAS, In 1903, the first production Harley-Davidson

5

motorcycle was made available to the public; and

6

WHEREAS, Founded by William S. Harley, Arthur Davidson,

7

Walter Davidson and William A. Davidson, the first Harley-

8

Davidson factory was erected in 1906 on Chestnut Street in

9

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where it remains today as Harley-

10

Davidson's corporate headquarters; and

11

WHEREAS, The initial Harley-Davidson motorcycle was designed

12

for use in a regular pedal bicycle frame and, when first put to

13

use, was deemed incapable of conquering the modest hills of

14

Milwaukee; and

15

WHEREAS, The prototype became functional in 1904 and placed

16

fourth in competition in a motorcycle race held at the Milwaukee

 


1

State Fair Park; and

2

WHEREAS, The first issue of "The Enthusiast," a Harley-

3

Davidson publication, was first printed in 1916 and would go on

4

to become the longest continuously published motorcycle magazine

5

in the world; and

6

WHEREAS, In 1917, approximately one-third of all Harley-

7

Davidson motorcycles produced were sold to the United States

8

Armed Forces; and

9

WHEREAS, The Quartermasters School, a department of Harley-

10

Davidson devoted to training military mechanics on Harley-

11

Davidson motorcycles, opened for business in July 1917 and would

12

later become the Service School; and

13

WHEREAS, In 1918, nearly half of all Harley-Davidson

14

motorcycles produced were sold for use by the United States

15

military during World War I and were in high demand for combat

16

service in the war effort, and is estimated that the United

17

States Army utilized approximately 20,000 Harley-Davidson

18

motorcycles during World War I; and

19

WHEREAS, The Harley Owners Group (HOG) was founded in 1920 to

20

promote camaraderie and loyalty among Harley-Davidson

21

enthusiasts and, that same year, Harley-Davidson became the

22

largest motorcycle manufacturer in the world; and

23

WHEREAS, In 1921, the Harley-Davidson motorcycle was the

24

first motorcycle ever to win a race at an average speed of more

25

than 100 miles per hour; and

26

WHEREAS, The largest Harley-Davidson manufacturing facility,

27

which opened in 1973, is located in York in the Township of

28

Springettsbury and performs a myriad of manufacturing operations

29

from machining, polishing and chrome plating to forming, welding

30

and painting; and

- 2 -

 


1

WHEREAS, The $31 million state-of-the-art paint facility

2

opened its doors at the York plant in 1992; and

3

WHEREAS, The two facilities together employ approximately

4

2,650 people; and

5

WHEREAS, Over the years, thousands of Harley-Davidson

6

enthusiasts have trekked to York to witness firsthand the living

7

legacy of Harley-Davidson USA; and

8

WHEREAS, William S. Harley, Arthur Davidson, Walter Davidson

9

and William A. Davidson were inducted into the Labor Hall of

10

Fame because of their dedicated employees who produced quality

11

motorcycles, and Harley-Davidson continues to sustain a loyal

12

brand community which remains active through clubs, events and

13

its museum; and

14

WHEREAS, The Harley-Davidson motorcycle is a true-blue

15

American iron horse manufactured in Pennsylvania by American

16

workers using American steel.

17

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

18

hereby enacts as follows:

19

Section 1.  Official State motorcycle.

20

The Harley-Davidson motorcycle is selected, designated and

21

adopted as the official State motorcycle of Pennsylvania.

22

Section 2.  Effective date.

23

This act shall take effect in 60 days.

- 3 -