MOTORCYCLISTONLINE.COM | 35FIVE QUESTIONSWILLIE G. DAVIDSON, HARLEY-DAVIDSON AMBASSADOR
Catching up with The Motor Company’s Chief Styling Emeritus
BY BASEM WASEFKENT BARTON2
Tell me about your lifelong experience
riding motorcycles.What are some of the positives and
negatives of growing up a Davidson?^1 WILLIE G. DAVIDSON IS MORE THAN just a living link to
Harley-Davidson’s co-founder William A. Davidson. As The
Motor Company’s chief stylist for nearly a half century, the
84-year-old Milwaukee native played a pivotal role in forging
the brand’s distinctive look. We rapped with Davidson to
unravel his moto roots, his passion for all things two-wheeled
(and three-wheeled), and how he’s been channeling his
creative energies since retiring from the legendary motorcycle
manufacturer his grandfather established 114 years ago.I can accentuate the positives. If I was a good young man, my
father [William H. Davidson] would take me to Harley-Davidson
headquarters here in Milwaukee on the weekends and let me
wander through the great factory. That was always a big happy
day for me. My dad was a great rider who won the Jack Pine
[Enduro] in the early 1930s, and when I was growing up he
would come home with diff erent prototype motorcycles. He rode
through the winter months with a sidecar rig, so I had a lot of
pleasant motorcycling memories. If I was really a good boy he’d
take me to the fl at-track races, and that included Springfi eld and
some half-mile events close to Milwaukee. I loved that and still do.I started riding when I was about 15, and I’m 84 now. I don’t know
how old you are, but there are things that happen to you physically—
I’m fi ne, I’m healthy, I’m active every day, but you have to respect
your body and your limitations. I’m more careful and limited, but I
actually just bought another bike. The enthusiasm is continuous; it
just has to be modifi ed according to your physical talents and what
you can and can’t do. I have a nice bike collection, and our home
was designed to house my collection. We have about 30 bikes in
our house and 40 total, and they’re all milestone vehicles. Over the
years, I’ve added all of the anniversary models [which have special
paint and trim], and I just added a sidecar rig, which is kind of fun. \ \I’d like to go to
the Isle of Man.
I’ve read about
it all my life,
but I’ve never
been there.
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