Image via Complex Original
Wisconsin is the beating heart of Harley-Davidson. Literally. Not only is it the birthplace of the historic brand, not only is it where hundreds of thousands of passionate customers visit every year, not only is it where the museum holds a timeline of motorcycle evolution, it's home to a 912,000-square-foot facility that builds Harley-Davidson's legendary engines and transmissions.
Located in Menomonee Falls, Wisc. just outside of Milwaukee, the Pilgrim Road Powertrain Operations facility builds the guts for Touring, Softail, Dyna and Sportster models that are completed in in York, Penn. and Kansas City. Heads, crank cases, cam support plates, rocker arms, flywheels, gears, rotors, stators, and plenty of other pieces are produced right there in house. They even do their own powedercoating and heat treatment, becuase they want to make sure the standards stay true to what's Harley-Davidson approved.
The plant sits on 63 acres, has more than 1,000 employees (mostly from USW Local 2-209 IAM Lodge 78, produces close to 1,300 engines and transmissions per day (one rolls off the line approximately every 40 seconds) and has been in use since October of 1996 (Briggs and Straton used it previously since 1979, when it was built).
We were fortunate enough to take a private tour with the company, where we were able to see the ins and outs of how the parts are made, what the process of assembling powertrains is, how things are tested, and how and where everything falls into place. Take a ride with us, as we take you through what we saw while Harley-Davidson celebrates its 110th anniversary with thousands of riders from all over the world this weekend in Milwaukee.
Photos Taken by Tony Markovich with a Nokia Lumia 1020
