Harley-Davidson is one of the most recognized brands in the world. The Harley bar and shield logo has been an American Icon for over 100 years.

And the distinctive sound of a Harley Davidson is so unique that it’s part of the brand. But Harley-Davidson will probably never be a poster child for “green”. That’s too bad, because the “bad boy” image of Harley-Davidson covers up a lot of interesting innovations the Milwaukee based motorcycle company has undertaken to eliminate waste in their operations and improve fuel efficiency in their machines. (Full disclaimer- I was born and bred in the Beer City, and had my first Harley Ride when I was 15 on an old 1931 model, so I’m a little in love.)



I took my first ride on a bike a lot like this one. Photo© Harley -Davidson

And Harley-Davidsons, unlike love, seem to last forever. When was the last time you saw one in a landfill? You didn’t- because they are rebuilt again and again, lovingly restored and modified. The company itself has a thriving business rebuilding their engines to ride another day, and the company still supplies parts going back to 1917. Harley has a heritage of driving out waste in manufacturing processes and their bikes average 45-55 mpg or more. This is no Prius or scooter we’re talking about but a full size motorcycle. Way back in 1908 they set a fuel efficiency record of 188 mpg.

They’ve reduced hydrocarbon emissions by as much as 99% in some manufacturing process, even paid for state of the art pollution prevention upgrades for parts suppliers who couldn’t afford it on their own.



Reuse and recycling are in the jeans- sorry, genes- at Harley. The first Harley Davidson rolled out of a machine shed in 1903 on the same site where their 1912 manufacturing facility was built, which has since been recycled into their company headquarters. Harley-Davidson is a piece of Americana, still manufactured only in the US. Bikes are shipped worldwide in reusable and recyclable steel crates. When Japan launched an End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) Recycling Law in 2005, Harley-Davidson Japan, voluntarily launched a motorcycle recycling program, even though the law did not cover motorcycles. The program costs the consumer nothing and is the first of its kind in the automobile and motorcycle industries. The company is preparing for the day when end-of-life motorcycle recycling will be a way of life.

Interested buyers can search for used bikes section on the Harley Davidson website- how many companies actually help you to find a used product to buy instead of a new one? All part of the heritage. While the models vary and the custom options are limitless, the basic look of a Harley is instantly recognizable and they are built to last.



An advertising poster shows a Road King bike (above) next to an old building that is being torn down. The caption reads: “Concrete is so temporary”. They’ve used the same gas tank for decades. The founder’s grandson, Willie G. Davidson has said: “Our gas tank design hasn’t changed in 50 years because the truth never changes!”

But don’t think that Harley is living in the past. Their new Product Development Center Annex was LEED certified and built under budget. The company has developed an ongoing plan to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions as part of their integrated sustainability strategy, and is taking steps to prepare for the transition to a low carbon economy. Their operations have reduced energy use and related greenhouse gas emissions every year since 2004. Through implementation of control improvements at their Kansas City plant, Harley reduced natural gas consumption by 17.6 percent and reduced GHG emissions by 1,315 metric tons per year. They’ve instituted energy efficient lighting at their facilities resulting in savings of approximately 40 percent for lighting. Since 1990, the Company’s headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin has been partially cooled during the summer by using ice made at night when electricity demand and costs are lower. In 2007, the facility doubled its ice storage capacity, further reducing its peak demand by 3,500 kW per day or 16 percent of its total electricity needs at HD HQ.



Recycling efforts across all Harley-Davidson Motor Company include paper, cardboard, metal, plastics and packaging. Harley recycled approximately 3,000,000 pounds of steel in 2008 from old motorcycle shipping skids alone. Total tonnage of other recycled materials has continued to increase to over 13,000 tons in 2007. Recent examples of recycling innovation include recycling plastic shipping materials and blending and reuse of paint solvents. One power train manufacturing facility installed a recycling system to reduce coolant use by63 percent -196,000 gallons- from 2006 to 2008, and then duplicated this process at another facility.

Harley-Davidson put together a Strategic Sustainability Team of 15 senior leaders from different business groups across the Company and is developing a five-year environmental sustainability strategic plan for further reduction of water use, waste generation, air emissions and increased recycling.



What’s Harley’s innovative edge in the next century?  Electric Electra Glides? Bio diesel V-Rods? Hybrid Hogs? Maybe not in our lifetimes, but Harley Davidson has done more than some companies who merely talk about waste to resources. Harley riders love the open road, the great outdoors and quality machines that stand the test of time. They may never be an environmental icon, but that may be a sprig of green you see peeking out from underneath those leathers.

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