WILLIE G. DAVIDSON

William G. Davidson was born in Milwaukee in 1933. Son of William H. and Ruth Godfrey Davidson, he is the grandson of William A. Davidson, one of the co-founders of Harley-Davidson. In his youth, friends and family knew him as Bill. He is shown here at about age 15.  

Some of his earliest memories from childhood included getting rides on his father’s motorcycles and visiting the factory on Milwaukee’s Juneau Ave.

Born to Ride

Willie grew up competing in grueling riding contests, including the notorious Jack Pine Endurance run. Before he ever worked formally for the Motor Company, he knew the products first-hand.

In 1954, Willie enrolled at ArtCenter in Los Angeles. There he majored in transportation design and minored in art. His time in California immersed him in the custom car and motorcycle community of the West Coast, something that also informed his future work.

1957 was a landmark year in his life. Willie joined the Transportation and Product Design group at Brooks Stevens Associates, where he worked on designing entertainment centers, automobiles, and many other products. He also married his high school sweetheart, Nancy Schewe, pictured here with Willie.

He left Brooks Stevens for a job at Harley-Davidson in 1963. Some of his earliest work was on components for Tomahawk Boats, a subsidiary of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. The Design Department, as it was called, consisted of two people: Willie G. and a model maker.  

H-D launched the first “factory custom” motorcycle in 1971. Considered Willie G.’s first major model, the 1971 FX Super Glide motorcycle combined the engine and frame of larger touring models with the nimble and lighter front fork of the Sportster models. The years that followed brought the 1977 Low Rider motorcycle and the 1977 Café Racer. The Low Rider design remains in Harley-Davidson’s offering in 2024.  

His design work was not limited to motorcycles. His expertise was also sought for designs on consumer apparel and the racing team uniforms. The designs and use of color updated the apparel line and some have been revived in recent years.

In 1981, Willie G. and twelve other investors purchased Harley-Davidson back from AMF after 11 years of ownership. The hard work was underway to restore the brand and contend with a difficult economy and changing times. Successes in the 1980s and 90s allowed for the construction of a new product development facility named after Willie. It brought testing, engineering and other capabilities into a single location, including the robust Styling group—originally the two-person design department.

Over many decades, Willie G. was at numerous rallies and events through the year to greet customers and sign autographs. Over time, Willie also became known for his artistry, mainly in watercolor paintings. They include still life, landscape and abstract designs. He also made sketches and some have led to vehicle-related designs.

Willie G. Davidson announced his retirement in 2012. He remained as a consultant to H-D Styling in the years that followed. He still lives near Milwaukee. His son Bill and daughter Karen still work for Harley-Davidson. According to Karen, "He never stops painting and drawing."

Creating a Legend

Learn more about the design and styling process at Harley-Davidson in the new exhibit “Creating a Legend – Art & Engineering at Harley-Davidson” now open at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee.