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99-674: Since September 2016, Chinese auto giant Geely has been Qianjiang's largest shareholder. QJMotor is used to market the entire range of Qianjiang products in China, including motorcycles and scooters. Since 1999, Qianjiang has marketed motorcycles outside China under the Keeway brand. The company acquired the Benelli brand in 2005 and debuted the MBP Moto brand at the 2022 EICMA motorcycle show in Milan, Italy . With

198-542: A Hong Kong –based company linked to the Qianjiang Motorcycle group, trademarked the MBP name and logos – while simultaneously applying for rights to the same for "Morbidelli MBP" and "Morbidelli MBP Pesaro". In 2024, the historic Italian Morbidelli brand was acquired by Qiangjiang's Keeway Group, which made the acquisition through their MBP Moto subsidiary, which was subsequently renamed Morbidelli MBP. Initially targeting

297-568: A 17% stake in Aston Martin and owns half of Horse Powertrain , an engine manufacturing joint venture with Renault . Geely is a phonetic transliteration of the company's native name 吉利 ( pinyin : Jílì ), which means "auspicious" or "propitious" in Chinese . Geely entered the automotive industry in 1997, but only officially received national production license in November 2001. Following

396-558: A 50-50 joint venture to develop and operate the Smart brand as a global electric vehicle brand. The venture, later named Smart Automobile Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Ningbo, Zhejiang . It has a registered capital of CN¥ 5.4 billion, with each company contributing CN¥2.7 billion. The new all-electric Smart model from this joint venture was launched globally in 2022 as the Smart #1 , previously showcased as

495-435: A 600cc V-4 to power a new muscle-cruiser. A fourth four-cylinder motorcycle, the 1000RR "superbike", will be driven by an MV Agusta engine. In 2024, QJMotor announced development of its Supermono engine, a V-shaped two-cylinder arrangement with only one firing cylinder; the second cylinder and piston used only as a counterweight – borrowing the name from the famous Ducati Supermono engine (from 1990) made by cutting off

594-462: A Geely subsidiary established in 1999 and phased out in 2010. The brand was temporarily revived in 2020 by launching its first EV, the Maple 30X . In 2022, Geely launched the joint venture between Lifan and Maple called Livan ( Chinese : 睿蓝 ), and the previous Maple products were reconsolidated into Livan. Lotus Cars is a British carmaker established in 1948 that produces sports and racing cars. It

693-625: A brand at EICMA 2022 in Milan , Italy , showcasing the T1002V, a premium adventure-tourer, and the M502N roadster. The C1002V, with "muscle-cruiser styling" featuring styling cues inspired by the long-gone Harley-Davidson V-Rod , aims to compete with the new Harley-Davidson Sportster S in the "big-bore cruiser market". Other models introduced included the C650V cruiser and the SC300 maxi-scooter, both models designed for

792-466: A commemorative model in 1991. By 1990, with the introduction of the "Fat Boy" , Harley-Davidson once again became the sales leader in the heavyweight (over 750 cc) market. At the time of the Fat Boy model introduction, a false etymology spread that "Fat Boy" was a combination of the names of the atomic bombs Fat Man and Little Boy . This has been debunked, as the name "Fat Boy" actually comes from

891-614: A company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the trading code 0175HK. In March 2004, Guorun was renamed Geely Automobile Holdings Limited , a company under ZGH, retaining the same trading code. This strategy was seen as Geely's "backdoor" entry into the Hong Kong stock market, providing a means to raise funds for the company. In 2006, Geely bought a 19.97 percent equity stake in British company Manganese Bronze Holdings ,

990-728: A company-sponsored, brand-focused museum. Harley-Davidson is noted for a style of customization that gave rise to the chopper motorcycle style. The company traditionally marketed heavyweight, air-cooled cruiser motorcycles with engine displacements greater than 700 cc, but it has broadened its offerings to include more contemporary VRSC (2002) and middle-weight Street (2014) platforms. Harley-Davidson manufactures its motorcycles at factories in York, Pennsylvania ; Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin ; Tomahawk, Wisconsin ; Manaus , Brazil; and Rayong , Thailand . The company markets its products worldwide, and also licenses and markets merchandise under

1089-407: A former parent company of Volvo Cars . The deal made ZGH the biggest shareholder by number of shares with an 8.2% stake, and second by voting rights, with 15.6%. In September 2019, ZGH led a round of private funding for Volocopter that raised $ 55   million for the company. Volocopter's other private investors also include Daimler AG which owns a stake in the company. In late July 2020, it

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1188-571: A front brake in 1928, although only on the J/JD models. In the late summer of 1929, Harley-Davidson introduced its 45-cubic-inch (737 cc) flathead V-Twin to compete with the Indian 101 Scout and the Excelsior Super X . This was the "D" model produced from 1929 to 1931. Riders of Indian motorcycles derisively referred to it as the "three cylinder Harley" because the generator was upright and parallel to

1287-608: A joint venture holding company with both as co-owners. The joint venture was officially established in late May 2024 as Horse Powertrain Limited , headquartered in London , United Kingdom. In January 2021, ZGH announced a deal to create an electric vehicle joint venture together with Baidu , a Chinese multinational technology company specializing in Internet-related services, products, and artificial intelligence (AI). Baidu would develop

1386-474: A large event and concert featuring performances from Elton John , The Doobie Brothers , Kid Rock , and Tim McGraw . Construction started on the $ 75 million, 130,000 square-foot (12,000 m ) Harley-Davidson Museum in the Menomonee Valley of Milwaukee, Wisconsin on June 1, 2006. It opened in 2008 and houses the company's vast collection of historic motorcycles and corporate archives, along with

1485-766: A market that has been important to them ever since. In 1907, William A. Davidson quit his job as tool foreman for the Milwaukee Road railroad and joined the Motor Company. Production in 1905 and 1906 were all single-cylinder models with 26.84-cubic-inch (440 cc) engines. In February 1907, they displayed a prototype model at the Chicago Automobile Show with a 45-degree V-Twin engine. Very few V-Twin models were built between 1907 and 1910. These first V-Twins displaced 53.68 cubic inches (880 cc) and produced about 7 horsepower (5.2 kW). This gave about double

1584-677: A new company under its British subsidiary called The London Taxi Corporation, later renamed London Electric Vehicle Company , to resume assembly of the London black cab in Coventry , UK. In 2009, Geely bought an Australian transmission company Drivetrain Systems International (DSI), at that time the second largest automatic transmission manufacturer for A$ 70 million . In 2014, Geely sold 90% of its stake in DSI to multiple other Chinese companies after

1683-556: A new line of 3- and 4-cylinder diesel and petrol engines to replace larger engines. It has also developed a new vehicle platform called the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) . Sales reached 500,000 vehicles in 2015 for the first time in the brand's history, and continued to over 700,000 in 2023. Both company jointly developed engines and platforms, notably the Compact Modular Architecture platform that

1782-504: A partnership with Qianjiang Motorcycle Company to develop a 338cc "baby Harley" model motorcycle for Chinese and other Asian markets. The QJMotor brand entered the US market in 2023, distributing 11 models. Some of the more popular Qianjiang motorcycle and scooter models as of May 2023 are: Many of these models are rebadged under different brands. A mid-displacement cruiser called the C352LS under

1881-735: A performance and tuning brand owned by Volvo Cars, would become a standalone brand focusing on electric cars. Polestar introduced its first product, the Polestar 1 coupé on 17 October 2017. The car was produced at the Polestar Production Centre in Chengdu , China. Following an initial public offering , Polestar shares began trading on the Nasdaq exchange under the symbol PSNY on 24 June 2022. In December 2017, ZGH invested €3.25   billion into Swedish truck and construction company Volvo Group ,

1980-555: A proposed merger of both businesses. In the existing arrangement, Volvo Cars has been allowed autonomy with its resources despite being fully owned by ZGH. These merger talks were later halted, and 18% of Volvo Cars shares were listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm stock exchange in October 2021. In   March 2021, ZGH launched the Zeekr brand for premium electric vehicles. Its first model,

2079-568: A restaurant, café and meeting space. Established in 1918, the oldest continuously operating Harley-Davidson dealership outside of the United States is in Australia. Sales in Japan started in 1912 then in 1929, Harley-Davidsons were produced in Japan under license to the company Rikuo (Rikuo Internal Combustion Company) under the name of Harley-Davidson and using the company's tooling, and later under

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2178-553: A restructuring of Geely, ZGH was established as a holding company largely owned by Li Shufu in March 2003. ZGH acquired the Swedish passenger car maker Volvo Cars from Ford Motor Company in 2010. It completed the acquisition of British taxi maker Manganese Bronze Holdings in 2013 and restructured it into London Electric Vehicle Company . In 2017, ZGH acquired a majority stake in British sports carmaker Lotus Cars in 2017. ZGH's business

2277-504: A semi-step-through frame and tank. The M-65S was a M-65 with a larger tank that eliminated the step-through feature. The Rapido was a larger bike with a 125 cc engine. The Aermacchi-built Harley-Davidsons became entirely two-stroke powered when the 250 cc two-stroke SS-250 replaced the four-stroke 350 cc Sprint in 1974. Harley-Davidson purchased full control of Aermacchi 's motorcycle production in 1974 and continued making two-stroke motorcycles there until 1978, when they sold

2376-410: A valuable learning experiment. The three began work on a new and improved machine with an engine of 24.74 cubic inches (405 cc) with 9.75 in (24.8 cm) flywheels weighing 28 lb (13 kg). Its advanced loop-frame pattern was similar to the 1903 Milwaukee Merkel motorcycle designed by Joseph Merkel, later of Flying Merkel fame. The bigger engine and loop-frame design took it out of

2475-644: Is Geely Group's original and mainstream brand, primarily sold in China and select overseas markets. It has an electric vehicle product line, the Geely Galaxy for premium EV/PHEV. Geely Galaxy ( Chinese : 吉利银河 ) is Geely's mass-market range of new energy vehicles ( plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles) that was established in February 2023. In October 2024, the Geely Geometry line has been merged with Geely Galaxy. Radar Auto ( Chinese : 雷达汽车 )

2574-643: Is a battery electric pick-up truck brand owned by ZGH. The brand's first vehicle, the Radar RD6 , was unveiled in 2022. The brand was consolidated into Geely Auto in November 2024. Polestar is a publicly traded electric car brand established in Sweden under the Volvo Cars Group. Polestar was initially 50.5% owned by ZGH and 49.5% by Volvo Cars. Zeekr ( Chinese : 极氪 ) is a premium battery electric vehicle brand of ZGH owned by Geely Automobile Holdings. The company

2673-623: Is divided into five business units: Geely Auto Group which includes the brands Geely Auto, Lynk & Co, and Proton Holdings ; Volvo Car Group which includes the brands Volvo Cars and Polestar ; Geely New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group which include the brands London Electric Vehicle Company and Yuancheng (Farizon); Geely Group (New Business) which includes the brands Caocao, Terrafugia , Qianjiang Motorcycle , Joma , and other new businesses; and Mitime Group ( 铭泰集团 ; Míngtài Jítuán ) which includes ZGH educational institutions, motorsports business, and tourism business. Its global operations span

2772-453: Is in a joint venture with Marzocchi to make motorcycle suspensions in China. The MBP brand enters the Indian market with the M502N naked bike and C1002V cruiser, marketed by Adishwar Auto Ride India Private Limited (AARIPL). The MBP models will be sold across India alongside Keeway and Benelli models. As part of its "More Roads to Harley-Davidson" strategy, Harley-Davidson announced June 2019

2871-501: Is listed on the New York Stock Exchange since May 2024. The brand was founded in 2021 as an offshoot of Lynk & Co , as its first vehicles were meant to be Lynk & Co models. However after a major shareholding restructuring in 2024, it holds 51% of Lynk & Co currently. Lynk & Co ( Chinese : 领克 ) was established in 2017 that uses technology developed jointly by Volvo Cars and Geely Auto. Before 2024, It

2970-567: Is owned 51% by ZGH since 2017, while the rest is owned by Etika Automotive. Farizon Auto ( Chinese : 远程汽车 ) was established in 2016 to focus on the development and sales of electric commercial vehicles. Farizon also has a sub-brand called Ouling ( Chinese : 欧铃 ) selling gasoline-powered lower end micro trucks. London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) is a brand owned by ZGH that produces and sells electric black cabs . It adopted its current name in 2017 to reflect its new mission of developing and producing electric commercial vehicles. It

3069-473: Is used by Volvo, Geely and Lynk & Co vehicles. Improving technical expertise and a sophisticated production management system led to a significant sales surge for Geely from 2010 onwards. In October 2016, Geely Auto released its new brand called Lynk & Co in Berlin , Germany, which is intended to bridge the gap between Geely and Volvo brands. The brand was launched with three production models, all based on

Qianjiang Motorcycle - Misplaced Pages Continue

3168-563: The 2023 , season, QJmotor became the main sponsor of Gresini Racing in the Moto2 championship. Geely Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd. (ZGH) , commonly known as Geely Holding ( / ˈ dʒ iː l i /  ; Chinese : 吉利控股 ; pinyin : Jílì Kònggǔ ), is a Chinese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang . The company is privately owned by Chinese entrepreneur Li Shufu , and mainly engaged in

3267-514: The Compact Modular Architecture (CMA). In August 2017, ZGH, Geely Automobile Holdings and Volvo Car Group signed an agreement at Geely Auto's Hangzhou Bay R&D Center to establish the Lynk & Co joint venture. Geely Auto controls 50% of Lynk & Co, Volvo Cars held 30%, and ZGH held the remaining 20%. In May 2017, ZGH purchased a 51% controlling-stake in Lotus Cars from its owner, DRB-HICOM ,

3366-662: The Concept #1 at the 2021 Munich Motor Show. Smart electric vehicles from the partnership are based on the Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) electric vehicle platform developed by Geely. In August 2021, ZGH through its subsidiary Geely Auto formed a strategic partnership with Renault . In January 2022, the two companies signed an agreement by which Renault's South Korean subsidiary, Renault Korea Motors , would produce vehicles based on Geely Compact Modular Architecture platform , initially intended for

3465-480: The Great Depression along with its historical rival, Indian Motorcycles . The company has survived numerous ownership arrangements, subsidiary arrangements, periods of poor economic health and product quality, and intense global competition to become one of the world's largest motorcycle manufacturers and an iconic brand widely known for its loyal following. There are owner clubs and events worldwide, as well as

3564-590: The Lend-Lease program numbered at least 30,000. The WLAs produced during all four years of war production generally have 1942 serial numbers. Production of the WLA stopped at the end of World War II, but was resumed from 1950 to 1952 for use in the Korean War . The U.S. Army also asked Harley-Davidson to produce a new motorcycle with many of the features of BMW's side-valve and shaft-driven R71. Harley-Davidson largely copied

3663-478: The University of Wisconsin–Madison with a degree in mechanical engineering. That year, they expanded the factory with a second floor and later with facings and additions of Milwaukee pale yellow ("cream") brick. With the new facilities, production increased to 150 motorcycles in 1907. The company was officially incorporated that September. They also began selling their motorcycles to police departments around this time,

3762-574: The Zeekr 001 was launched in April 2021, and deliveries began in October 2021. In May 2024, Zeekr filed its initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange . Zeekr raised around US$ 441 million , making it the largest IPO of a Chinese company since 2021. In February 2024, Volvo Cars announced its plan to reduce its stake in Polestar by the third quarter of 2024 from currently 48.3% to around 18% by ceding it to ZGH. In September 2024, Li Shufu,

3861-505: The automotive industry . Geely was founded 1986 as a refrigerator parts company, before transitioning to motorcycles in 1994 and entering the automotive industry in 1997. ZGH as a holding company was founded in 2003. As of 2023 , the company ranks 225 in the 2023 Fortune Global 500 list of the world's largest companies. In 2023, the group produced a total of 2.79 million vehicles globally, including 980,000 plug-in electric vehicles . The company manufactures and sells vehicles under

3960-585: The 74-cubic-inch "Knucklehead" was introduced as the F and the FL . The 80 cu in (1,300 cm ) flathead UH and ULH models were discontinued after 1941, while the 74-cubic-inchU & UL flathead models were produced up to 1948. One of only two American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression (the other being the Indian Motorcycle Manufacturing Company ), Harley-Davidson again produced large numbers of motorcycles for

4059-474: The BMW engine and drive train and produced the shaft-driven 750 cc 1942 Harley-Davidson XA . This shared no dimensions, no parts or no design concepts (except side valves) with any prior Harley-Davidson engine. Due to the superior cooling of the flat-twin engine with the cylinders across the frame, Harley's XA cylinder heads ran 100 °F (56 °C) cooler than its V-twins. The XA never entered full production:

Qianjiang Motorcycle - Misplaced Pages Continue

4158-534: The Davidson family backyard. Most of the major parts, however, were made elsewhere, including some probably fabricated at the West Milwaukee railshops where oldest brother William A. Davidson was toolroom foreman. This prototype machine was functional by September 8, 1904, when it competed in a Milwaukee motorcycle race held at State Fair Park. Edward Hildebrand rode it and placed fourth in the race. In January 1905,

4257-601: The European market. At the end of 2023, the company announced "two naked streetfighters", models N250 and N300, the former to be sold in Europe in accordance to A2 licensing standards, the latter headed for Asian markets. Media reports in January 2024 stated that MBP would be introducing to Europe the C352LS, "a stylish, retro-modern cruiser with styling cues borrowed from the likes of Indian and Harley-Davidson". In 2022, Powerlink Technology,

4356-532: The FXST Softail. In response to possible motorcycle market loss due to the aging of baby-boomers, Harley-Davidson bought luxury motorhome manufacturer Holiday Rambler in 1986. In 1996, the company sold Holiday Rambler to the Monaco Coach Corporation . The "Sturgis" model, boasting a dual belt-drive, was introduced initially in 1980 and was made for three years. This bike was then brought back as

4455-477: The Harley-Davidson brand, among them apparel, home décor and ornaments, accessories, toys, scale models of its motorcycles, and video games based on its motorcycle line and the community. In 1901, 20-year-old William S. Harley drew up plans for a small engine with a displacement of 7.07 cubic inches (116 cc) and four-inch (102 mm) flywheels designed for use in a regular pedal-bicycle frame. Over

4554-664: The Italian brand." In recommitting to their investment in Benelli, Qianjang Motors general manager Haimei Yan said, "Although we have not yet turned a profit in the budget, we are here to stay, and believe in the company." The company announcement in late-2021 of the new TRK 800 adventure bike model stated it was "born in the Benelli Style Centre and developed by the R&;D department of the House of

4653-592: The Japanese "big four" manufacturers ( Honda , Kawasaki , Suzuki , and Yamaha ) revolutionized the North American market by introducing what the motoring press would call the Universal Japanese Motorcycle . In comparison, Harley-Davidson's bikes were expensive and inferior in performance, handling, and quality. Sales and quality declined, and the company almost went bankrupt. The "Harley-Davidson" name

4752-532: The Juneau Avenue factory where it stood for many decades as a tribute. In 1906, Harley and the Davidson brothers built their first factory on Chestnut Street (later Juneau Avenue), at the current location of Harley-Davidson's corporate headquarters. The first Juneau Avenue plant was a 40 ft × 60 ft (12 m × 18 m) single-story wooden structure. The company produced about 50 motorcycles that year. In 1907, William S. Harley graduated from

4851-598: The Leoncino in Pesaro, where the headquarters and the heart of the company are located." In 2023 MV Agusta Motor S.p.A. announced a strategic partnership with QJMotor for distribution of its motorcycles in China. Dongshao Guo, general manager of Qianjiang Motor, said of the arrangement, "We hope [...] we will be able to work together to import more high-performance motorcycles for Chinese customers, that are fashionable, easy to handle, and fun to ride." Qianjiang had an agreement to make

4950-657: The Lucky Explorer MV Agusta adventure bike (and use their large-capacity four-cylinder engine in future models). Of the two versions of this bike QJMotor was due to build for MV Agusta – the 5.5 and 9.5 (denoting engine size) – manufacture of the 5.5 was halted with the purchase of a 25.1% stake in the Italian company by the Pierer Mobility Group , owner of KTM and Husqvarna , which has as a long-standing partnership with CFMoto (a QJMotor competitor). MBP, short for " Moto Bologna Passione ", officially debuted as

5049-480: The Reagan administration in 1983, giving Harley-Davidson time to implement their new strategies. Revising stagnated product designs was a crucial centerpiece of Harley-Davidson's turnaround strategy. Rather than trying to mimic popular Japanese designs, the new management deliberately exploited the "retro" appeal of Harley motorcycles, building machines that deliberately adopted the look and feel of their earlier bikes and

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5148-416: The Super-10, introduced the Topper scooter, and bought fifty percent of Aermacchi 's motorcycle division. Importation of Aermacchi 's 250 cc horizontal single began the following year. The bike bore Harley-Davidson badges and was marketed as the Harley-Davidson Sprint. The engine of the Sprint was increased to 350 cc in 1969 and would remain that size until 1974, when the four-stroke Sprint

5247-401: The US Army in World War II and resumed civilian production afterwards, producing a range of large V-twin motorcycles that were successful both on racetracks and for private buyers. Harley-Davidson, on the eve of World War II, was already supplying the Army with a military-specific version of its 45 cubic inches (740 cm ) WL line, called the WLA . The A in this case stood for "Army". Upon

5346-424: The US, European, and Chinese markets, the newly-renamed brand's range will comprise 125cc–500cc scooters and 125cc–1,000cc motorcycles, with an electric range to be revealed in 2025. The Centro Stile Morbidelli ( ' Centro Styling Center ' ) and a new research and development center will be built in Bologna. Prior to its purchase by Keeway Group, Morbidelli had not produced motorcycles for 40 years. Qianjiang

5445-414: The VL under the Rikuo name. An 80 cubic inches (1,300 cm ) flathead engine was added to the line in 1935, by which time the single-cylinder motorcycles had been discontinued. In 1936, the 61E and 61EL models with the " Knucklehead " OHV engines were introduced. Valvetrain problems in early Knucklehead engines required a redesign halfway through its first year of production and retrofitting of

5544-481: The automotive value chain , from research and development and design to production, sales and service. Geely was established in 1986 in Ningbo, Zhejiang by Li Shufu as a refrigerator parts manufacturer located in Taizhou, Zhejiang . To start the company, Li Shufu had to borrow funds from his family. In 1994, Geely transitioned into the motorcycle industry by acquiring a state-run firm , and started producing China's first scooter . In 1997, Geely completed

5643-475: The brand name MBP, or Moto Bologna Passione, was announced for the European market in May 2024, as were the MBP N250 and N300 (the latter destined for Asian markets). Recent QJMotor engine development includes launching a new 800cc machine in 2023 for the SRK 800RR model, the company’s third four-cylinder engine. Launched in 2020, SRK 600RR, China’s first four-cylinder bike, was based on an engine designed by Benelli. QJMotor "teased" new four-cylinder engine in 2023,

5742-417: The brand was ranked among the top ten in the Chinese automobile market. In 2002, Geely was restructured from being a family-operated entity to a joint-stock company managed by professional management. On 24 March 2003, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd. (ZGH) was established with a registered capital of CN¥ 930 million. In January 2004, Li Shufu bought controlling shares in Guorun Holdings Co., Ltd.,

5841-490: The brands of Geely and Lynk & Co , which are part of the Geely Auto Group business unit, along with its subsidiaries and joint ventures such as Zeekr , Volvo Cars , Polestar , Proton , Smart and Lotus , as well as commercial vehicles under the London EV Company , Radar Auto and Farizon brands. It produces motorcycles under its subsidiaries Zhejiang Geely Ming Industrial (Jiming and Geely), Qianjiang Motorcycle (QJMotor and Keeway), and Benelli . It also holds

5940-466: The carmaker's first-ever SUV, the Proton X70 was introduced in Malaysia in December 2018. It is based on first-generation Geely Boyue . In July 2023, after the internal restructuring in Geely Group, the Proton brand was consolidated into the balance sheets of Geely Auto . Volvo Cars is owned 78.7% by ZGH (post Volvo Cars IPO). ZGH acquired Volvo Cars from Ford Motor Company in 2010. The Maple brand name originated with Shanghai Maple Automobile ,

6039-404: The company placed small advertisements in the Automobile and Cycle Trade Journal offering bare Harley-Davidson engines to the do-it-yourself trade. By April, they were producing complete motorcycles on a very limited basis. That year, Harley-Davidson dealer Carl H. Lang of Chicago sold three bikes from the five built in the Davidson backyard shed. Years later, the company moved the original shed to

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6138-489: The company suffered losses. Following continuing losses in that year, Ford Motor Company offered Volvo Cars for sale in December 2008. On 28 October 2009, Ford confirmed that, after considering several offers, the preferred buyer of Volvo Cars was ZGH. On 23 December 2009, Ford confirmed the terms of the sale to ZGH had been settled. A definitive agreement was signed on 28 March 2010 for US$ 1.8 billion . The European Commission and China's Ministry of Commerce approved

6237-471: The company to a group of 13 investors led by Vaughn Beals and Willie G. Davidson for $ 80 million. The new management team improved product quality, introduced new technologies, and adopted just-in-time inventory management. These operational and product improvements were matched with a strategy of seeking tariff protection for large-displacement motorcycles in the face of intense competition with Japanese manufacturers. These protections were granted by

6336-488: The construction of relevant factories and initial investment preparations to enter the automobile industry. This made Geely the first private automobile company in China, whereas other carmakers are state-owned enterprises such as Chery . Geely's first car, the Geely Haoqing , rolled off the assembly line in Linhai, Zhejiang on 8 August 1998. However, Geely did not obtain its national production license until 9 November 2001, which delayed mass production until 2002. By 2002,

6435-403: The deal on 6 and 29 July 2010, respectively. The deal closed on 2 August 2010 with Geely paying $ 1.3 billion cash and a $ 200 million note. At the time of the purchase, is the largest overseas acquisition by a Chinese automaker. This acquisition facilitated Volvo's recovery and brought significant technological and managerial advancements to Geely. Under Geely ownership, Volvo Cars has developed

6534-424: The design of a small German motorcycle, the DKW RT 125 , which they adapted, manufactured, and sold from 1948 to 1966. Various models were made, including the Hummer from 1955 to 1959, but they are all colloquially referred to as "Hummers" at present. BSA in the United Kingdom took the same design as the foundation of their BSA Bantam . In 1960, Harley-Davidson consolidated the Model 165 and Hummer lines into

6633-532: The domestic market. As of January 2022 , production was slated to start by 2024. In May 2022, Renault said a Geely subsidiary was set to acquire a 34% stake of Renault Korea Motors through capital increase as part of their partnership, although the company would continue to be majority owned by Renault and a consolidated subsidiary of it. In November 2022, Renault said it plans to combine its powertrain production and development operations (including internal combustion engines and hybrid systems) with Geely's into

6732-500: The electric car's software while Geely would manufacture the car. The companies formed Jidu Auto in the same year, combining elements of both company names. Later, in August 2023, they launched the Ji Yue brand, with Geely owning 65% and Baidu 35%. Ji Yue is a subsidiary of Geely Group that was formed to circumvent restrictions on car manufacturing qualifications. Jidu Auto now focuses on technology solutions, including product design and AI development, for Ji Yue vehicles. Geely Auto

6831-459: The facility to Cagiva , owned by the Castiglioni family. In 1952, following their application to the U.S. Tariff Commission for a 40 percent tax on imported motorcycles, Harley-Davidson was charged with restrictive practices. In 1969, American Machine and Foundry (AMF) bought the company, streamlined production, and slashed the workforce. This tactic resulted in a labor strike and cost-cutting produced lower-quality bikes. Simultaneously,

6930-649: The first step in this strategy, Geely announced to merge all the Geely Geometry dealership into Geely Galaxy dealership, further integrate its brand portfolio and sales channel. In November 2024, Geely Holding Group (Geely) announced to transfer its 11.3% stake in Zeekr Intelligent Technology (Zeekr) to Geely Automobile Holdings ( Geely Auto ). Geely Auto's shareholding ratio in Zeekr increased to 62.8%. Zeekr announced to purchase 20% stake of Lynk & Co from Geely Auto for 3.6 billion yuan and acquire Volvo Car 's 30% stake in Lynk & Co for 5.4 billion yuan. This made Zeekr hold 51% of Lynk & Co in total, while

7029-420: The founder of the Geely, released the "Taizhou Declaration", announcing that the company has entered a new stage of strategic transformation that Geely would promote the integration of internal resources, further clarify the positioning of each brand, straighten out equity relationships, reduce conflicts of interest and duplication of investment, and improve resource utilization efficiency. In October 2024, As

7128-448: The front cylinder. In 1929, Vivian Bales drove a record 5,000 miles across the United States and Canada on a D-model. The Great Depression began a few months after the introduction of their 45 cu in (740 cm ) model. Harley-Davidson's sales fell from 21,000 in 1929 to 3,703 in 1933. Despite this, Harley-Davidson unveiled a new lineup for 1934, which included a flathead engine and Art Deco styling. In order to survive

7227-499: The largest shareholder of Malaysian carmaker Proton Holdings . The remaining 49% were acquired by Etika Automotive, a holding company of Proton's major shareholder Syed Mokhtar Albukhary . Proton had owned Lotus since 1996, and largely struggled to turn the fortunes of the sports car maker around. ZGH also purchased a 49.9% stake in Proton Holdings, which was agreed on 23 June 2017 and finalised on 29 September 2017. The purchase

7326-440: The manufacturer of London black cabs . Both companies started a £53 million joint venture to produce the black cabs in China, with Geely holding 52 percent and the British company 48 percent. The company has since reduced costs by producing parts in China. In February 2013, ZGH fully acquired Manganese Bronze Holdings for £11.04 million , after the British company entered administration due to lack of funding. ZGH established

7425-625: The military demanded motorcycles for the war effort. Harleys had already been used by the military in the Pancho Villa Expedition but World War I was the first time that it was adopted for military issue, first with the British Model H produced by Triumph Motorcycles Ltd in 1915. The U.S. military purchased over 20,000 motorcycles from Harley-Davidson. Harley-Davidson launched a line of bicycles in 1917 in hopes of recruiting more domestic customers for its motorcycles. Models included

7524-603: The motorcycle by that time had been eclipsed by the Jeep as the Army's general-purpose vehicle, and the WLA ;– already in production – was sufficient for its limited police, escort, and courier roles. Only 1,000 were made and the XA never went into full production. It remains the only shaft-driven Harley-Davidson ever made. As part of war reparations , Harley-Davidson acquired

7623-413: The motorized bicycle category and marked the path to future motorcycle designs. They also received help with their bigger engine from outboard motor pioneer Ole Evinrude , who was then building gas engines of his own design for automotive use on Milwaukee's Lake Street. The prototype of the new loop-frame Harley-Davidson was assembled in a 10 ft × 15 ft (3.0 m × 4.6 m) shed in

7722-462: The name Rikuo. Production continued until 1958. In 1998, the first Harley-Davidson factory outside the US opened in Manaus , Brazil, taking advantage of the free economic zone there. The location was positioned to sell motorcycles in the southern hemisphere market. In August 2009, Harley-Davidson launched Harley-Davidson India and started selling motorcycles there in 2010. The company established

7821-438: The new valvetrain on earlier engines. By 1937, all Harley-Davidson flathead engines were equipped with dry-sump oil recirculation systems similar to the one introduced in the "Knucklehead" OHV engine. The revised 74 cubic inches (1,210 cm ) V and VL models were renamed U and UL, the 80 cu in (1,300 cm ) VH and VLH to be renamed UH and ULH, and the 45 cu in (740 cm ) R to be renamed W. In 1941,

7920-448: The next two years, he and his childhood friend Arthur Davidson worked on their motor-bicycle using the northside Milwaukee machine shop at the home of their friend Henry Melk. It was finished in 1903 with the help of Arthur's brother Walter Davidson. Upon testing their power-cycle, Harley and the Davidson brothers found it unable to climb the hills around Milwaukee without pedal assistance, and they wrote off their first motor-bicycle as

8019-454: The observation that the motorcycle is somewhat wider than other bikes when viewed head-on. 1993 and 1994 saw the replacement of FXR models with the Dyna (FXD), which became the sole rubber mount FX Big Twin frame in 1994. The FXR was revived briefly from 1999 to 2000 for special limited editions (FXR , FXR & FXR ). Harley-Davidson celebrated their 100th anniversary on September 1, 2003 with

8118-568: The outbreak of war, the company, along with most other manufacturing enterprises, shifted to war work. More than 90,000 military motorcycles, mostly WLAs and WLCs (the Canadian version) were produced, many to be provided to allies. Harley-Davidson received two Army-Navy "E" Awards , one in 1943 and the other in 1945, which were awarded for Excellence in Production. Shipments to the Soviet Union under

8217-416: The power of the first singles, and top speed was about 60 mph (100 km/h). Production jumped from 450 motorcycles in 1908 to 1,149 machines in 1909. In 1911, the company introduced an improved V-Twin model with a displacement of 49.48 cubic inches (811 cc) and mechanically operated intake valves, as opposed to the "automatic" intake valves used on earlier V-Twins that opened by engine vacuum. It

8316-487: The production of electric vehicles in different segments starting in 2022. Jidu Auto is owned 55% by Baidu and 45% by Geely. Harley-Davidson This is an accepted version of this page Harley-Davidson, Inc. ( H-D , or simply Harley ) is an American motorcycle manufacturer headquartered in Milwaukee , Wisconsin , United States. Founded in 1903, it is one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive

8415-688: The purchase of the Morbidelli brand in 2024, MBP Moto became Morbidelli MBP. In 2024, QJ Motor arranged exclusive distribution of its models in Europe with SIMA (replacing DIP SAS in that role). The new agreement covers Belgium , France , Luxembourg , the Netherlands , and Switzerland. SIMA distributes other motorcycle brands in Europe, including Hyosung and Royal Enfield , while owning retro-maker Mash Motorcycles. In 2005, Qianjiang acquired Benelli. In 2009 they invested an added $ 26 million "to help revitalize

8514-470: The rear cylinder of its Desmoquattro two-cylinder engine. In 2022, a patent appeared for a new 900cc parallel-twin to be developed by QJMotor and used by Benelli in a new model motorcycle. Similarities to theKTM LC8c, licensed to CFMoto , were noted. In 2022 , QJMotor became the main sponsor of Avintia Esponsorama Racing in the Moto3 class with its two riders, Matteo Bertelle and Elia Bartolini . Then from

8613-612: The remainder of the Depression, the company manufactured industrial powerplants based on their motorcycle engines. They also designed and built a three-wheeled delivery vehicle called the Servi-Car , which remained in production until 1973. Alfred Rich Child opened a production line in Japan in the mid-1930s with the 74 cu in (1,210 cm ) VL. The Japanese license-holder, Sankyo Seiyaku Corporation, severed its business relations with Harley-Davidson in 1936 and continued manufacturing

8712-618: The remaining 49% of Lynk & Co shares continues to be held by Geely Auto. The electric pickup brand Radar Auto has been consolidated into Geely Auto . In 2018, Li Shufu through his investment company Tenaciou3 Prospect Investment Limited purchased a 9.7% stake in Daimler AG (now Mercedes-Benz Group ), owner of the Mercedes-Benz and Smart brands. As of 2024 , Li Shufu is the second largest Mercedes-Benz AG shareholder after BAIC Group . In January 2020, ZGH and Daimler AG announced

8811-462: The subsequent customizations of owners of that era. Many components such as brakes, forks, shocks, carburetors, electrics and wheels were outsourced from foreign manufacturers and quality increased, technical improvements were made, and buyers slowly returned. Harley-Davidson bought the "Sub Shock" cantilever-swingarm rear suspension design from Missouri engineer Bill Davis and developed it into its Softail series of motorcycles, introduced in 1984 with

8910-531: The traditional diamond frame men's bicycle, a step-through frame 3–18 "Ladies Standard", and a 5–17 "Boy Scout" for youth. The effort was discontinued in 1923 because of disappointing sales. The bicycles were built for Harley-Davidson in Dayton , Ohio by the Davis Machine Company from 1917 to 1921, when Davis stopped manufacturing bicycles. By 1920 Harley-Davidson was the largest motorcycle manufacturer in

9009-425: The world, with 28,189 machines produced and dealers in 67 countries. In 1921, Otto Walker set a record on a Harley-Davidson as the first motorcycle to win a race at an average speed greater than 100 mph (160 km/h). Harley-Davidson put several improvements in place during the 1920s, such as a new 74 cubic inch (1,212.6  cc) V-Twin introduced in 1921, and the "teardrop" gas tank in 1925. They added

9108-412: The yellow brick factory had been demolished and a new five-story structure had been built on the site which took up two blocks along Juneau Avenue and around the corner on 38th Street. Despite the competition, Harley-Davidson was already pulling ahead of Indian and dominated motorcycle racing after 1914. Production that year swelled to 16,284 machines. In 1917, the United States entered World War I and

9207-543: Was announced that the Xingma Group had agreed to transfer a 15.2% stake of its shares in the Ma'anshan -based heavy truck manufacturer Hualing Xingma to Geely New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of ZGH. After the transaction, Geely New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group would become the de facto controlling shareholder of Hualing Xingma. In February 2020, Volvo Cars and Geely started formal discussions about

9306-567: Was discontinued. After the Pacer and Scat models were discontinued at the end of 1965, the Bobcat became the last of Harley-Davidson's American-made two-stroke motorcycles. The Bobcat was manufactured only in the 1966 model year. Harley-Davidson replaced their American-made lightweight two-stroke motorcycles with the Italian Aermacchi -built two-stroke powered M-65, M-65S, and Rapido. The M-65 had

9405-614: Was mocked as "Hardly Ableson", "Hardly Driveable", and "Hogly Ferguson", and the nickname "Hog" became pejorative . In 1977, following the successful manufacture of the Liberty Edition to commemorate America's bicentennial in 1976, Harley-Davidson produced what has become one of its most controversial models, the Harley-Davidson Confederate Edition . The bike was essentially a stock Harley-Davidson with Confederate -specific paint and details. In 1981, AMF sold

9504-411: Was owned 50% by Geely Auto, 30% by Volvo Cars, and 20% by ZGH. It currently 51% owned by Zeekr and 49% owned by Geely Auto after restructuring. Proton is a national car brand of Malaysia, established in the 1980s at the behest of the government and later reverted to private ownership under DRB-HICOM . Since 2017, the brand is owned 49.9% by ZGH and 50.1% by DRB-HICOM. Its first Geely-based vehicle, also

9603-477: Was previously known as The London Taxi Company, which has roots from Manganese Bronze Holdings , the original manufacturer of black cabs that Geely acquired in 2013. With a new factory in Ansty Park , near Coventry, it has begun production of a new generation of zero-emission -capable new taxi vehicle in late 2017. Jidu Auto ( Chinese : 集度 ) is a joint venture between ZGH and Baidu that would be engaged in

9702-551: Was seen to facilitate future export growth in right-hand drive markets, and making inroads into the lucrative ASEAN region. Proton confirmed that it would not downsize its workforce following its deal with Geely. In July 2017, the company purchased Terrafugia , an American maker of flying cars . In November 2017, ZGH announced completion of the Terrafugia acquisition, including approval from all relevant regulators. In October 2017, Volvo Cars and ZGH announced that Polestar ,

9801-466: Was smaller than earlier twins but gave better performance. After 1913, the majority of bikes produced by Harley-Davidson were V-Twin models. In 1912, Harley-Davidson introduced their patented "Ful-Floteing Seat", which was suspended by a coil spring inside the seat tube. The spring tension could be adjusted to suit the rider's weight, and more than 3 inches (76 mm) of travel was available. Harley-Davidson used seats of this type until 1958. By 1913,

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