EARLY RIDING WEAR

To our eyes, they look conventional, if not stuffy—an image that clashes with the individuality and spirit of Harley-Davidson motorcycle riders. The reason has to do with the solid business sense of the early Harley-Davidson Motor Company. All motorcycle companies at the time were marketing a relatively new and untried product. For a growing business in an unfamiliar industry, as Harley-Davidson was in the 1910s and 1920s, it was important to have broad appeal.

Harley-Davidson used marketing and advertising to relate to the masses. They reached out to the business owner who needed a way to serve customers more efficiently, the city dweller who sought an easy way to get away for the weekend, and the worker who wanted an affordable means of transportation that offered more freedom than the streetcar or sidewalk.

Part of appealing to conventional interests meant presenting an image of the early rider that reflected the conventions of dress at the time: from the suit of the office worker to the uniforms of delivery workers and the “Sunday-best” traveling outfits worn by daytrippers. This was an era when the conservative and impeccable was considered the only proper way to present oneself in public, and motorcyclists in the first three decades of the 20th century certainly reflected the status quo of fashion in American society.

But the clothing worn by motorcyclists was not entirely conventional. There were items designed or adapted to meet the particular needs of the motorcycle rider.

For instance, the unprecedented speeds achieved by the motorcycle resulted in harsher wind effects than those experienced on more common and slower means of transportation. As a result, long-wristed, sturdy gauntlets were created to provide extra protection for the wrists and lower arms and especially to prevent wind from blowing up the coat sleeve—a curse for the early rider and one that could not be prevented by traditional short-wristed gloves.

Because motorcycle riding shared traits with horseback riding, the high boots and wide pants of equestrians were adapted for motorcycle use. The pants, called jodhpurs, allowed freedom of movement for the knees and hips. And the high boots provided the necessary protection from the heat of the engine and the constant barrage of debris thrown up from the dirt roads that were an inescapable part of travel at the time.

Long-distance riders and racers took the protection provided by high boots one step further by creating the "puttee," an ultra-heavy, strap-on lower leg shield that offered the necessary armor against the relentless punishment dished out by dirt tracks traversed at high speeds and dirt roads on long runs.

Though riders donned many types of hats, given headwear was appropriate dress for the time, riders’ protective gear also included lightweight helmets and riding or motoring caps. These added to the sense of propriety for riders, especially women, as it helped shield their hair from dirt and wind in addition to providing modest protection and keeping hair from the face. Goggles were another early layer of protection, appearing in Harley-Davidson parts & accessories catalogs as early as 1915.