Why Do Biker Gangs Like The Hells Angels Usually Ride Harley-Davidsons?

Certain things in life just go together. Macaroni and cheese, Batman and Robin, Yin and Yang. Much like those time-tested pairings, Harley-Davidson motorcycles have long been associated with biker gangs. But why does this connection between one of the most iconic symbols of open-road freedom and outlaw biker gangs exist? Surprisingly, the answer is as long as Sonny Barger’s rap sheet.
Advertisement
In 1905, Harley-Davidson’s first motorcycle (the Model 1) rolled out across the Wisconsin countryside. It was basically nothing more than a bicycle with a single-cylinder engine mounted to it. The legendary brand has been roaring through thick and thin for 120 years — literally longer than any of the 8.2 billion people walking the planet today. That’s an incredible achievement, but it also says that no one on Earth can remember a time when there wasn’t a Harley gliding down the road. So when people think of an American motorcycle, they recall one name: Harley-Davidson.
During WWI, H-D made approximately 20,000 motorcycles for the U.S. military, accounting for about half of its overall production and helping establish it as a force in America’s economy. By comparison, the Indian Motorcycle Company produced nearly 50,000 for the war effort between 1917 and 1919.
Advertisement
The first