harley-davidson.com, 2002). By 1909 Harley began dominating the racing circuit. The new Harley Davidson's received a 45-degree v-twin engine and the traditional bar and shield logo that is still used to identify them today (www.carpartsplaza.com, 2002).
1912 was another huge milestone for the company when it made its first overseas sale in Japan; there are now hundreds of dealerships in Japan (www.carpartsplaza.com, 2002). The company had to start construction on a new six-story factory and continued to expand.
The following year proved to be the biggest year yet for Harley Davidson. By this time they were producing about 13,000 bikes a year (www.whdcardsvideo.com 2002). Marking on a decade of greatness, the young company decided to answer a call from the US Army. Uncle Sam put in an order for some 20,000 bikes to help in the war efforts of World War I (www.carpartsplasa.com, 2002). This very important call put Harley Davidson over the top and made them the highest selling motorcycle in the world; Harley still carries that honor today. .
As Harley Davidson looked towards its 30th anniversary they were still experiencing great success. The company was serving the US Army and tearing up the racing circuit. Joe Petrali had won the AMA Grand National Championship for five years in a row (www.harley-davidson.com, 2002). Around this time the company started to feel the effects of the Great Depression. However, a low sales volume for a few years wasn't enough to scare them out of business. Also, in the thirties, Harley designed the three-wheel sidecar (www.carpartsplaza.com, 2002). This idea was huge for its law enforcement market, as it turned the motorcycle into a commercial vehicle. .
Around the mid thirties America suffered from a severe attack when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Harley Davidson. Along with thousands of young men being sent over to fight in World War II, were thousands of WLA army-version motorcycles.