What Is the Harley-Davidson Logo?
The Harley-Davidson logo is the Bar & Shield: a shield crossed by a horizontal bar that carries the name HARLEY-DAVIDSON, often with the words MOTOR above and CYCLES below. Harley-Davidson applied to register it as a trademark in July 1910. The logo belongs to Harley-Davidson, the American motorcycle maker that William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson started in a backyard shed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1903.
The Bar & Shield appears in black and orange, in single colours and, on some products, without any lettering at all. The version with MOTOR CYCLES is available as the Harley-Davidson logo SVG.
Harley-Davidson Logo Facts
| Introduced | 1910 |
| Symbol | A shield crossed by a bar carrying the company name |
| Logo type | Emblem: the name set across the shield |
| Owner | Harley-Davidson Motor Company |
What the Harley-Davidson Logo Means
Nobody knows exactly what the Bar & Shield was meant to say. Harley-Davidson's own archive states that no records confirm who designed the logo or what inspired it, and points out that other companies used shields, crests and similar shapes both before and after Harley-Davidson did.
What the shape does is give the long double-barrelled name a frame. The bar is wide enough to carry HARLEY-DAVIDSON in one line, and the shield above and below holds MOTOR and CYCLES, so the whole company name fits inside one compact badge. The archive describes the mark as a symbol of American craftsmanship, innovation and freedom.
Harley-Davidson Logo History
Harley and Davidson began experimenting with motorised bicycles in 1901, sold their first motorcycle to a friend, Henry Meyer, and incorporated the Motor Company on 17 September 1907. Arthur's brothers Walter and William joined the business.
The Bar & Shield followed within three years. Among the earliest items in the Harley-Davidson Archives that bear the logo is the back cover of the 1910 motorcycle catalogue, and the company filed its trademark application with the US Patent Office on 19 July 1910. A renewal filed in 1930 stated that the mark had been in continuous use since 6 May 1910.
The pairing of the logo with black and orange is most closely dated to 1922, when packaging for parts and accessories changed. In 1931 Harley-Davidson sold a monogram patch whose design later became the source of the modern logo.
By 1964 the Bar & Shield had been replaced by two simplified, modernised versions. The more common of the two, the diamond logo, was cleaner and suited new product lines such as golf and utility vehicles.
In 1976 the company went back to the Bar & Shield, in the version it has used since, with black and orange as its consistent colours. The first fuel tank to wear the present-day logo was the 1977 XLCR Café Racer. In the 2000s Harley-Davidson added an update that removed the letters, leaving the bar and shield shapes on their own.
For more brands like Harley-Davidson, browse our car logos.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Harley-Davidson logo called?
The Bar & Shield, after the bar carrying the company name and the shield behind it.
When was the Harley-Davidson logo created?
The earliest known uses date to 1910. Harley-Davidson filed its trademark application on 19 July 1910 and later stated the mark had been in use since 6 May that year.
Who designed the Harley-Davidson logo?
It is not known. Harley-Davidson's archive says no records confirm who designed the Bar & Shield or what inspired it.
Why did Harley-Davidson stop using the Bar & Shield in the 1960s?
By 1964 it had switched to simpler, more modern versions, including the diamond logo, which also suited its new golf and utility vehicles. The Bar & Shield came back in 1976.