William Harley and Arthur Davidson produced the first production motorcycle in 1903.  This bike was to be a racing bike, and was built in a small wooden shed with the words Harley Davidson Motor Company written on the front door.  One year later Harley Davidson produced three bikes for the public.  Harley Davidson won it's first race in 1905 and hired it's first employee.  Three years later Harley Davidson sold the first motorcycle to be used by the Detroit Police Department.  In 1912 they started building it's six story factory and exports it's first bikes to Japan, the first time sales were extended outside of the US.  In 1914 Harley Davidson dominated the racing industry.  By 1917 one third of all bikes produced would be sold to the military.  Corporal Roy Holtz would be the first soldier to ride a Harley Davidson motorcycle in Germany.  1920 marks the year that the motorcycle company is the largest in the world in the motorcycle industry and has over 2,000 dealers in 67 countries worldwide.  During all wartimes Harley Davidson has helped the war efforts by stepping up and producing bikes for the military.  In 1947 Harley Davidson starts to see what is now the classic black leather motorcycle jacket.  Throughout this whole time Harley is consistently winning races and dominates the racing circuits.  In 1957 Harley Davidson would become the sole motorcycle manufacturer in the US when Hendee Manufacturing the Indian motorcycle company goes out of business.  The 1970s the Harley Davidson goes through a company and factory wide renovation and restructuring.  All production machinery goes through a major modernization and a new larger production plant in Milwaukee.  Throughout Harley Davidson's history they have been winning races and helping charities and people to make life better.  This brief history on the building of the company is just a part of the Harley Davidson legacy.  Many people associates Harley Davidson with outlaw bikers and black leather jackets but many people do not know the other side of things with Harley Davidson.  The work with charities and racing throughout the whole growth of the company are things many people do not realize about this little family owned company, that is now Americas biggest motorcycle manufacturer.