Ever since the original appearance of its first single cylinder engine, followed by its twin cylinders, the Harley-Davidson has distinguished itself by imposing its models, known for their trustworthiness and endurance, and by how many competitions its models have won. The motorcycles powered by V-Twin Harley-Davidson engines have forged the legend of this American brand - already in business for over a century - through families of highly prestigious names: Hydra Glide, then Duo Glide and finally Electra Glide, and also Softail, Dyna, V-Rod and Sportster--names that exist and have persisted, in the case of certain models, for more than 50 years. In spite of the competition that sprang up in late years from America and then from the UK and Japan, Harley-Davidson has prevailed because of the innovations it has introduced - at times belatedly, but always the fruit of sensible reflections - and because it has diversified its family of motorcycles to make them correspond to the public's expectations. Without falling into the trap of expanding technological innovations to an exaggerated level, the new Harley-Davidson have become motorcycles offering modern performance but which have succeeded in conserving the spirit of the brand and, above all, that special Harley-Davidson character. All you need to do is climb onto the saddle and rev up a Harley-Davidson to discover a new motorcycling universe, where the concept of pleasure reveals new meaning. This is the universe that this book invites you to discover, through the history of the brand's main models, embodying nearly 110 years of motorcycling adventures, and touching upon touring, sport, customization and a simple and outright passion for motorcycles.
Born March 29, 1957 at Montereau in the department Seine-et-Marne, France, Pascal Szymezak, a journalist who specializes in motorcycles, began by collaborating with various periodicals and magazines related to motorcycling and motorcycle travel. He later became editor in chief for a monthly magazine that focused on the Harley-Davidson motorcycle, the new American models, the bikes' history and trips through the country. Since 1987 he has edited the Nice-Matin's weekly column on motorcycles, and he collaborates with Hachette on the Harley-Davidson motorcycle collection, and on the Joe Bar Team moto collection. He is the author and coauthor of various books on Harley-Davidson motorcycles, which he has regularly used since 1989 for his journeys through the American West and Far West. Since 1984 he has frequently visited the United States, not only for large scale Harley-Davidson events such as Bike Week at Daytona Beach and the Sturgis and Laughlin rallies, but also to produce documentaries on Harley-Davidson models in Milwaukee, New York and Kansas City and on customization specialists throughout the US from California to Florida, and even in Europe. He currently travels on a customized Harley-Davidson Softail Fat Boy 88 cubic inch (1450 cc).
