Photographs courtesy of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company Archives. Copyright H-D®
UNITING INDEPENDENTS
As featured in H.O.G.® Magazine Issue 023
The Harley-Davidson Bar and Shield is a symbol of freedom, attitude and independence. It is recognized in every state and in virtually every country around the world. It brings riders together and it’s with you when you go it alone. You may think the logo has never changed in our 110-year history, but it has... many times.
In honor of the new H.O.G.® logo (introduced in H.O.G.® 023), we dug deep into the Harley-Davidson Archives to see how the Bar and Shield has evolved over time.
1910: One of the earliest preserved depictions of the Bar and Shield.
1910s: A youth baseball team, sponsored by the Motor Company, wears the Bar and Shield on its uniforms, circa 1910s.
1910: It was used on the cover of this 1910 catalog.
1912: The logo that appeared on “Genial” George Puls’s sales crate. Note the stylized “C” in “CYCLES.”
1917: The 1917 is remarkably similar to the logo in use today. But it wouldn’t stay that way for long.
1917-1932: These years were largely characterized by the variation in the shape of the shield, as seen in these four different designs from 1917, 1919, 1923, and 1927. Color choices could vary a great deal, as well.
1919: As seen on the cover of this 1919 National Dealers Convention program.
1923: Curiously, the logo on this accessories catalog says MOTOR CYCLE, singular instead of plural.
1932: This patch from a 1932 catalog is starting to look more familiar.
1961: The Bar and Shield incorporated into this Aermacchi logo (an Italian brand imported by the Motor Company in the 1960s and ‘70s) was a distinct departure.
1963: In the 1960s, more liberties were taken with the design. The retro-styling of the Bar and Shield make it almost unrecognizable. Here it is on the cover of the 1963 Rider Accessory Catalog for dealers.
1965: Logo designs similar to this one on the cover of a 1965 Accessories Catalog were in consistent use during the 1960s.
1970: A tribute to the racing plate awarded to Grand National Champion Mert Lawwill, was introduced in 1970 to honor the Harley-Davidson racers of the day.
1971: Shown here in an ad for a 1971 model Sportster® motorcycle, it would go on to become one of the most popular H-D logos of all time.
1971: The #1 logo appeared in many places, such as on the cover of this 1971 Accessories Catalog.
1972: The Bar & Shield almost went away when the AMF Corporation owned Harley-Davidson (1969-1981). Only the Harley-Davidson name is seen here.
1976: The classic Bar and Shield made a glorious return in this “Liberty Edition” graphic that helped celebrate the American bi-centennial. Note that the shape of the Bar reflects the design introduced way back in 1917.
1980: By 1980, the logo looked pretty much the same as it does now – with one small but important change to come the very next year.
1981: In 1981, “MOTOR CYCLES” was changed to “MOTOR COMPANY.” Both iterations are still used today, in different contexts.
1988: “Bar & Shield” makes the perfect name for the Harley-Davidson Motor Company employee newsletter. A 1988 edition is pictured here.
1990s: A pure "outline" version of the logo was first used in the 1980s, but gained popularity in the 1990s.
Today, this logo is used to identify CVO™ (Custom Vehicle Operations) motorcycles as seen on the tank of this model year 2014 CVO™ Softail® Deluxe.
2013: Today, fans across the globe associate the Bar and Shield with the world’s best motorcycles – and the unique lifestyle that goes along with it.
