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EXPLORATIONS - Harley-Davidson at 100

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EXPLORATIONS - November 20, 2002: Harley-Davidson at 100

By Paul Thompson


((Sounds of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle))

VOICE ONE:

Many people around the world know exactly what that sound is. This is Mary
Tillotson.


((Motorcycle sounds)
)


VOICE TWO:


And this is Steve Ember with the VOA Special English program EXPLORATIONS.
The sound you just heard is the engine of a Harley-Davidson Motorcycle. Today, we
tell about this famous American company. And, we tell about the year-long party
that is celebrating the one-hundredth anniversary1 of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company.


((THEME)
)


VOICE ONE:


The history of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company began in nineteen-oh-three, in
a small wooden building in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Twenty-one-year-old William Harley and twenty-year-old Arthur Davidson built a
machine that looked like a bicycle with a small engine. A friend of the two men
bought one of the first motorcycles they made. They only made three motorcycles
that year.

On the door of the little wooden building, they painted a small sign. The sign said,
“Harley-Davidson Motor Company.


VOICE TWO:


The little company grew very quickly. In nineteen-oh-six, it opened a new factory
on Juneau Avenue in Milwaukee. The company now had a total of six workers.


Two years later, in nineteen-oh-eight, the city of Detroit, Michigan bought the first
motorcycle to be used by a police department in the United States. It was a Harley-Davidson. In nineteen-twelve,
Harley-Davidson exported a motorcycle to another country for the first time. That country was Japan.


By nineteen-twenty, Harley-Davidson was the largest motorcycle company in the
world. More than two-thousand dealers2 sold Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Most
were in the United States. However, dealers sold the Harley-Davidson motorcycles
in more than sixty-seven countries around the world.

The motorcycle Harley-Davidson produced in the nineteen-twenties no longer
looked like a bicycle with an engine. It was a fast, powerful machine that provided3
good transportation. Harley-Davidson motorcycle riders were winning races and
setting4 speed records throughout the United States.

VOICE ONE:

Something else happened in nineteen-twenty that would have a lasting5 effect on the

1993: Celebrating the 90th
anniversary in Milwaukee.
(Photos - Harley-Davidson)
1903: First production
motorcycle.
1908: Walter Davidson with
the motorcycle he rode to a
perfect 1,000 points at the
American Morcyclists
Endurance6 and Reliability7
Contest.

Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The motorcycle became known as a “Hog8.” The company tells this story to
explain why.

A motorcycle racer named Leslie Parkhurst broke twenty-three speed records on his Harley-Davidson. Mister9
Parkhurst’s racing10 team had a pet animal they took with them to the races. That pet animal was a small pig, also
called a hog.

When a member of the team won a race, he would take the pig for a ride around the racetrack. The racing fans
loved the show. They would shout, “The Hog won again.” Today, if a motorcycle rider tells you he rides a
Hog, you know he is talking about his Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

((MUSIC BRIDGE))

VOICE TWO:

Harley-Davidson has made other products besides their famous motorcycle. Beginning in nineteen-twelve, the
company began selling clothing for motorcycle riders. Most of this clothing had the name Harley-Davidson
printed on it.

In nineteen thirty-eight, Harley-Davidson began making a special motorcycle jacket
for the New York City Police Department. The jacket was made of heavy leather
material. Harley-Davidson still sells a very similar jacket today. It is still popular
with motorcycle riders. It is also popular with people who just like leather jackets.
Harley-Davidson also sells pants, shirts, shoes, boots and just about everything else
a motorcycle rider might want.

VOICE ONE:


The Harley-Davidson Company has faced financial problems several times in its history. The nineteen-thirties
was a period of severe economic problems known as the Great Depression. In nineteen-twenty, Harley-Davidson
sold twenty-seven-thousand motorcycles. However, in nineteen-thirty-three, all of the American motorcycle
companies sold only six-thousand machines. About one-hundred other American motorcycle companies failed
during the Depression. Harley-Davidson survived.

VOICE TWO:

During the nineteen-sixties, a new threat faced Harley-Davidson. Japanese motorcycle companies began selling
their machines in the United States. Companies like Honda, Yamaha and Kawasaki became popular. These
companies produced good motorcycles that were not very costly11.

At the same time, Harley-Davidson had tried to expand too quickly. Their motorcycles were more costly than the
others. The factory had production problems. Oil often leaked out of the engines. The engines often failed.

People told a joke about Harley-Davidson. They said you had to buy two of their motorcycles -- one to ride and
one for the extra parts you would need to repair it.

VOICE ONE:

In nineteen-sixty-nine, Harley-Davidson officials sold control of the company to a much larger company. They
planned to use the money they received in the sale to improve their products. Harley-Davidson struggled to stay
in business during this time. The company says people who loved their motorcycles continued to buy them and
helped keep the company from failing.

In nineteen-eighty-one, thirteen top officials at Harley-Davidson bought the company. They started making
improvements12. They began developing a much better product. Two years later, Harley-Davidson asked the
International Trade Commission13 for help. The International Trade Commission agreed and gave protection to
Harley-Davidson for five years. This protection added to the price of large Japanese motorcycles.

Less than four years later, Harley-Davidson asked the International Trade Commission to end the protection. No
company had ever done this before. By lifting the protection, Harley-Davidson was saying it could compete with


2001: President Bush visits
the Milwaukee factory.
(Photo -Moreen
Ishikawa/White House)
any motorcycle company.

VOICE TWO:

Today, the Harley-Davidson Motor Company is one of the most successful
companies in the United States. It produces about two-hundred-forty-three-thousand
motorcycles each year. It sells all of them. The company has about eight-thousand
workers. About half of them ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. These riders
include the top official of the company, Jeffrey Bleustein. Harley-Davidson workers
not only make the product, they use it. They also help the company by suggesting
improvements.

Forbes Magazine is a top financial and business publication14 in the United States.
Each year it lists the companies that it considers to be the most successful. Last year,
Forbes Magazine named Harley-Davidson its Company of the Year. That same year,
Harley-Davidson announced that the company had made a record-breaking profit
during the past fifteen years.

((MUSIC BRIDGE))

VOICE ONE:

Harley-Davidson and the people who ride their famous motorcycles are busy celebrating the one-hundredth
anniversary of the company. They are doing this by holding a year-long birthday party. The party began in July
of this year and will end in August of next year. The celebrations this year are local birthday parties. Harley-
Davidson motorcycle riders around the world are making plans to celebrate in many cities next year.

For example, in March, the party will be held in Sydney, Australia. In April, the party will move to Tokyo, Japan.
In June, riders in Europe will travel to Barcelona, Spain to celebrate. In July, Harley-Davidson owners will ride
to Hamburg, Germany for the party.

VOICE TWO:

In August of next year, Harley-Davidson riders will begin what is called the “Ride Home.” Harley-Davidson
riders will cross the United States from four directions. Most of these riders will come from the United States.
However, many will come from Europe and Asia.

There will be birthday parties held by Harley-Davidson dealers at several cities during the trip. Plans call for the
“Ride Home”
to end in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by August twenty-seventh.

A four-day celebration and birthday party will follow. More than two-hundred-thousand Harley-Davidson riders
are expected to attend the events. Top company official Jeffrey Bleustein says Harley-Davidson is very excited
about sharing the company’s history with family and friends from around the world.

((Motorcycle sounds, fades to theme))

VOICE ONE:

This program was written by Paul Thompson. It was produced by Caty Weaver15. I’m Mary Tillotson.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Steve Ember. Join us again next week for EXPLORATIONS, a program in Special English on the
Voice of America.


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 anniversary Cw0zD     
n.周年(纪念日)
参考例句:
  • They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。
  • Today is my parents'30th wedding anniversary.今天是我父母结婚30周年纪念日。
2 dealers 95e592fc0f5dffc9b9616efd02201373     
n.商人( dealer的名词复数 );贩毒者;毒品贩子;发牌者
参考例句:
  • There was fast bidding between private collectors and dealers. 私人收藏家和交易商急速竞相喊价。
  • The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers. 警察腐败,与那伙毒品贩子内外勾结。
3 provided PkNzng     
conj.假如,若是;adj.预备好的,由...供给的
参考例句:
  • Provided it's fine we will have a pleasant holiday.如果天气良好,我们的假日将过得非常愉快。
  • I will come provided that it's not raining tomorrow.如果明天不下雨,我就来。
4 setting 7i5zmt     
n.背景
参考例句:
  • The play has its setting in Vienna.该剧以维也纳为背景。
  • Where and when a story takes place is called the setting.故事发生的地点和时间称为故事背景。
5 lasting IpCz02     
adj.永久的,永恒的;vbl.持续,维持
参考例句:
  • The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
  • We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。
6 endurance endurance     
n.耐久力,忍耐力,耐久的时期,持续的时间
参考例句:
  • She reached the end of endurance.她到了忍受的极限。
  • The exercise obviously will improve strength and endurance.这种锻炼会明显改善体力增加耐力。
7 reliability QVexf     
n.可靠性,确实性
参考例句:
  • We mustn't presume too much upon the reliability of such sources.我们不应过分指望这类消息来源的可靠性。
  • I can assure you of the reliability of the information.我向你保证这消息可靠。
8 hog TrYzRg     
n.猪;馋嘴贪吃的人;vt.把…占为己有,独占
参考例句:
  • He is greedy like a hog.他像猪一样贪婪。
  • Drivers who hog the road leave no room for other cars.那些占着路面的驾驶员一点余地都不留给其他车辆。
9 mister rnQzwB     
n.(略作Mr.全称很少用于书面)先生
参考例句:
  • Mister Smith is my good friend.史密斯先生是我的好朋友。
  • He styled himself " Mister Clean ".他自称是“清廉先生”。
10 racing 1ksz3w     
n.竞赛,赛马;adj.竞赛用的,赛马用的
参考例句:
  • I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
  • The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。
11 costly 7zXxh     
adj.昂贵的,价值高的,豪华的
参考例句:
  • It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
  • This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用,左不过贵了些。
12 improvements f867a4fdb09b251cca05d0a8937af271     
增加或修改( improvement的名词复数 ); 改进; 改善; 改良
参考例句:
  • improvements in efficiency at the factory 工厂效率的提高
  • They've spent a lot of money on home improvements. 他们花了很多钱装修家居。
13 commission 1bkyS     
n.委托,授权,委员会,拥金,回扣,委任状
参考例句:
  • The salesman can get commission on everything he sells.这个售货员能得到所售每件货物的佣金。
  • The commission is made up of five people,including two women.委员会由五人组成,其中包括两名妇女。
14 publication xScxx     
n.出版,发行;出版;公布,发表
参考例句:
  • They don't think this article is suitable for publication.他们认为这篇文章不宜发表。
  • The government has delayed publication of the trade figures.政府已将贸易统计数字延后公布。
15 weaver LgWwd     
n.织布工;编织者
参考例句:
  • She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快,而且布的质量很好。
  • The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

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