Does the paint Atomic Blue makes your pulse faster? Does Pepper Red thrill your senses? Does Anniversary Yellow invite you to stand and sing out? What about Gypsy Green; does that make you choose to jump on your motorbike and go for a long drive together with the dreams of uncovering adventure and romance at the other end?
These are simply some of the many colors used on old Harleys that not only kept the corrosion off your stock sheet metal, but had been the stuff of hopes and dreams for a youngster like me in the 1950s. Every day, in front of my senior high school, a 1962 H-D Servi-Car was parked; it had been painted with Police Silver, an in-depth magnificent color that came to symbolize authority and power in my opinion all those years back. Brilliant Black Harleys were the ride of outlaws in the 1960's, and it usually felt so sinister and dark to me back then. Hollywood Green was a nice and mild color that sensed like the walls of the local hospital or psych ward always steer clear of that shade of madness, I say!
Paint was applied to the earliest H-D, and the available color palette broadened over the many decades becoming a virtual spectrum of options. Color can define your style and provided the best way for you to tailor your machine. It can make a proclamation about your personality and enables you to stand above the pack.
The year 1903 ushered in the first age bracket of coated Harleys in the form of Piano Black. Combined with nickel sheeting of the cylinder heads and various components, the bike was an eye-catcher from Day One. Realizing the demand for alternative, these motorcycles followed with Carmine pinstripes on Renault Gray, a classy and refined combination, and the name Silent Gray Fellow was born. Silent mainly because H-D prided themselves on being silent so as not to bother the horses and nearby neighbors of the time, gray because that was its full color, and fellow because Harley riders were gentlemen!
Years shift, and so do things such as taste in tone. The twentieth century's later teens saw the application of olive green as the common color. People perceived to like that quite a bit. That lasted through the early '30s, when folks started to be unsettled again for more selections. Probably it had been the fact Indian was now owned by the Du Pont family and to its chemical business and paint merchandise association, you can get your motorcycle coated from the manufacturing plant in almost any color Du Pont supplied. This was a game changer. Or maybe the depth of the depression motivated the demand for full color and sparkle in a time of anxiety and difficulty. Whatever the solution, paint burst on the motorbike scene and certainly, there was no going back.
1930s observed the creation of colors like Bronze Brown and Delphine Blue and also Teak Red and Venetian Blue. These paint would likely carry on to define the age, and when machines from this vintage display at an AMCA events, men and women pay attention.
Cruiser Green and Skyway Blue, Flight Red, and Azure Blue were released in the 40s. Postwar drivers were a lot more concerned about finding a bike than what coloration it was.
The 1950s was really a decade for colorations! How about Metallic Congo Green, Persian Red, Rio Blue, and Tropical Green, with Birch White used for side panel positions and emphasizing. So cool, so fresh, so exciting to watch!
Fast-forward to modern times when H-D takes paint more serious than ever. In addition to the stock colors a number of custom made colors in minimal volumes are for sale to design your motorcycle distinctive. On my last trip of the York factory, I noticed a shelf of gas tanks that were declined as a result of paint flaws, and I was amazed! The littlest of imperfections rejected them from inclusion on a motorcycle. This is definitely a testament to the level of standard the modern models incorporate.
About the Author:
Make it a point to always wear safety gear just like a classic Biltwell Helmet that have actually been accepted by DOT. It could spare you from major head injuries or possibly your own life! Style and safety makes sense to me.
