Which Harley Parts Get Made In the USA?
It is almost impossible to say which parts are made in the United States of America because it is all different. For example, some breaks may come from the United States, while most Harleys use Brembo brakes, which come from an Italian company that outsources much of their work to China.
If you purchase your Harley in the USA, between 70% to 85% of the motorbike is made the USA made parts. We know that Harley has several factories across the United States, and they all have their purpose.
Where Are Harley Parts Made?
Harley outsources a few contracts to overseas partners. While the drivetrain typically gets made in the United States of America, smaller parts such as the brakes could be made in Italy or China. Now, we cannot say where all of the parts come from, but we can give you a better idea of which countries are involved:
- Taiwan
- Italy
- Germany
- China
- Mexico
- Japan
Of course, Most of the parts get made in the USA. They can get manufactured by one of the factories owned by the company.
When Did Harley Start Using Foreign Parts?
Exactly when Harley started using foreign parts is a little unclear. However, the number of foreign parts used in constructing a Harley has significantly increased since 2011. You can expect the number to rise.
Remember, some countries have lower costs when it comes to manufacturing, and Harley is a company after all. So, you can expect them to try and save a few pennies, as it all adds up in the end.
Why Is Harley Not 100% American?
There are so many reasons why most companies cannot make a product 100% from its country of origin, including the United States of America.
Harley has to use foreign parts, but it is not always their decision. To better understand this, let's take a look at a few possible reasons why any company would have to source some components from different countries:
- Some parts do not get manufactured in the USA. So, they get sourced from overseas.
- The lower cost of parts makes Harley's more affordable.
- Sometimes a balance between price and quality can influence what part gets used and where it comes from.
- Companies save money by sourcing parts from overseas.
You could dive a lot deeper than that if you want, but those are the main reasons why it is becoming more challenging for companies to create products that are 100% from one single country.
Where Are Harley Davidson Engines Manufactured?
For Harleys sold in the United States, the engines get manufactured in the country. One of Harley's oldest factories is in Wisconsin, and that is where the engines are manufactured; however, there is a slight catch.
Some of the parts used in manufacturing an engine could be sourced from outside the United States. It is hard to say which parts those are as it could be different for each engine.
Are All Harleys Made In The USA?
All Harley-Davidsons were assembled in the United States for a long time. All the parts made in foreign countries would be shipped to America, and that was it. However, it is essential to remember that Harley Davidson has multiple factories in the United States and overseas.
Not all of the factories produce Harley-Davidson motorcycles, but there are four in particular that can assemble the bikes. These locations are:
- USA
- Brazil
- India
- Thailand
Harley has been using Brazil and India as locations for assembly plants for a few years. Most recently, in 2019, they announced their plans to set up an assembly plant in Thailand, hoping to avoid tariffs set up by the European Union.
Are Harleys Made In China?
An announcement was recently made that Harley has made a partnership with Qianjiang Motorcycles in China. The goal is to have the Chinese company produce a new model of Harley primarily designed for the Asian market. These bikes will be smaller than your traditional Harley.
When Harley made the announcement, some people used it as a scare tactic to say that Harley would no longer produce motorcycles in the USA. However, this was false. They simply contracted the new partner to make a different motorbike for specific countries.
Harley-Davidson In Europe: Where Are They Made?
The European Union placed tariffs on certain products. Harley-Davidson was affected by this price increase which could have seen their motorcycles becoming less desirable as they would become more out of reach for the average person.
So, to get around this, Harley-Davidson assembles some motorcycles in Thailand to be sold in Europe and other countries.
What Motorcycle Is The Most American-Made?
This has to be one of the most challenging questions to answer; however, I will give it my best shot. Harley-Davidson will always be known as an American motorcycle company that prides itself on where the products get manufactured and assembled.
And yes, Harley is currently the most American-made motorcycle, but they do have some competition to keep an eye on. Indian motorcycles use roughly the same percentage of American-made parts for their products.
It will be interesting to see if there is a future shift in the current dynamic between the two companies.
Is Harley-Davidson The Greatest American-Made Motorcycle?
The Harley-Davidson Street Bob is considered one of the greatest American-made motorcycles Harley has ever made; it is not the greatest American-made bike.
Instead, the confederate bomber seems to have the edge holding its spot at #1, and we expect it to do so in the coming years.
Is It Bad That Harley Is Not 100% American?
To say that Harley is not 100% American sounds very disingenuous. The company was founded in the United States of America. As a brand, Harley influenced and built around the culture of the people in the United States of America. Finally, their bikes get designed for the American environment.
To me, that sounds pretty American, and just because some parts get sourced from overseas, it should not be seen as bad. If bought in the United States, you can be sure that your Harley is assembled in the country and will always have that 100% American authenticity.
