Harley-Davidson® 115th Anniversary - The Countdown has Started

There are a lot of different things that people collect. From classic cars, coins, books, baseball cards, vintage motorcycles, to dolls and action figures, and for many of us, all things Harley-Davidson®. Did you know that Harley-Davidson's® 115th Anniversary is next year, in 2018? It’s another quinquennial anniversary (occurring every five years), dating back to Harley’s founding in 1903. There have been 22 of these anniversaries for Harley-Davidson, the last one being the 110^th Anniversary of 2013. 

Harley-Davidson® officially celebrates the passing of a quinquennial anniversary with special multi-day events which attract thousands of Harley® riders from around the world. And for years, Harley has introduced limited edition items with dedicated logos to celebrate quinquennials - and that presents us with an opportunity. As in the past, these anniversary items are unmatched in design and quality. They are truly one-of-a-kind.

The history of Harley’s dedicated quinquennial celebration logos for clothing and clothing accessories goes back to at least 1950 when a 50^th Anniversary varsity bomber jacket with logo appeared. After that, belt buckles were added. It has now evolved from jackets and belt buckles to a full line of clothing and accessories that bear these quinquennial logos.

The 115th Anniversary logo appears on almost 70 different items of clothing, clothing accessories, jewelry, and game-room items dedicated to the anniversary. The logo features a badge depicting the Harley® Eagle guarding a Harley-Davidson® Bar & Shield®. The eagle’s tail feathers extend down below the shield, fanning out and graphically matching the numerals 115. Hovering above the eagle is the iconic “Since 1903.” The eagle’s coloring is a lustrous silver, and the Bar & Shield® is in traditional Harley® orange and black. Depending on the item, a blue line frames the logo in differing designs.

With the 115th Anniversary’s arrival just around the corner, items from Harley’s® official 115th Anniversary Collection of Limited Edition clothing and accessories are starting to show up in dealerships across the nation. In one form or another, the official 115th year logo adorns each of the limited edition items, for both men and women. The trouble is, they won’t be around long. The production runs are limited and when they are gone, they are gone! If you are a collector, now is the time to act.

Here is a brief summary of what will certainly become the favorites for many enthusiasts. I’ve also provided a link to WisconsinHarley.com for that particular item. However, there are too many items to link to in this BLOG. So, to start with, the following link takes you to the 115^th Anniversary Collection in its entirety. You’ll find that men’s and women’s items are mixed together. See everything here!

Let’s get specific with the main entries, the men's and women's leather jacket. The men’s classic 115th Limited Edition Leather Jacket is found here. This is the holy-grail, the one "must have" of everything. It’s road ready, made of mid-weight buffalo leather with a polyester mesh lining along with a distinguishing 115th Anniversary jacquard tape. It has 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material piping, but most importantly it has embossed and embroidered 115^th graphics on the left chest. It is a one-of-a-kind, of course. A full size 115^th logo is on the backside. No expense is spared with two front vertical vents and two back exit vents.

The ladies counterpart is also a Limited Edition Leather Jacket.  Also made with mid-weight buffalo leather, it has the same amenities as the men’s, but with added stretch panels for improved fit and comfort. There is also contrast stitching on the sleeves, a wind flap, and a collar holder loop. A 115^th metal badge adorns the right front waist. A large 115^th logo is on the back. This jacket is so different, you’ll never find one to compete with it unless you wait for another five years, and even then, this one will still be a one-of-a-kind.

Next up are the men’s and women’s 115^th Limited Edition Vests. For the men, the 115th logo is on the left breast, and the full size logo is on the back. It zips and has exterior and interior zippered pockets. The 115^th graphics are embossed on the backside. The women’s vest follows the general design of the jacket, but also has buckle waist tabs and two back hip release zippers for adjustability for a perfect fit.

The men’s 115th Long Sleeve Dress Shirt is something to behold. It’s made of 100% Ripstop Cotton with a light enzyme wash. It has a button front, button cuffs, and a classy snap-down collar. The 115th logo is on the left breast, and the backside has Harley-Davidson® embroidered in block print with “115 years” embroidery. While there is no shirt counterpart for the ladies, there is an out-of-this-world hoodie. Made with a cotton/poly blend, the graphics are special, with an embroidered artistic H-D® logo on the left breast sitting above embroidered “115 years.” Harley-Davidson® is embroidered down the right sleeve in a one-of-a-kind cursive font. Blue trim-lines adorn the front. A full size rendering of the 115^th logo is on the backside with a silhouette Bar & Shield®. The same Harley-Davidson® script appears on the hood – stylistic touches that are completely different. Both of these items have complete size runs too, so everybody gets to play.

To complete any outfit, we need to have a belt and buckle. The men’s 115th belt is made of distressed cowhide.The buckle has the Harley-Davidson® "115 years" logo, and is detachable so it can move to your favorite strap.

If it’s time to relax, it’s time for the 115th polo shirt for men. It’s short-sleeved, and is made with 100% cotton that has a Coldblack® technological enhancement. It keeps you cooler on hot days because it’s treated to reflect more sunlight than conventional cotton. The 115^th logo appears on the left breast in the form of a woven patch, and is also embroidered on the backside yoke. All the enhancements are there, too, from contrasting stitching, a button placket, and a rib-knit collar and rib-knit sleeve trim.

For the ladies' shirt, I’ve singled out a shockingly beautiful blue plaid shirt to show you. Regular sizes, plus and petite sizes are available, so everyone gets to play. It’s 100% cotton for total comfort, with a snap front buttons and a button down collar. It has two breast pockets with the 115^th logo on the left breast. The backside features a full sized 115^th logo graphic with a silhouette Bar & Shield®. What’s truly beautiful about this shirt are the contrasting rib-knit black side-panels. Talk about out-of-the-box styling, this shirt has that, for sure.

There it is! The jacket, the vest, the shirts, a hoodie, and a belt buckle. This is just a sample. Take the time to enjoy all of the 115th items.

In closing, there is a lot more items than discussed above. You will also find 115^th mesh riding jackets, shirts, vests, caps, hats, helmets, t-shirt, dress shirts, sweatshirts, shirt and cap sets, wallets, belts, and earrings and necklaces for the ladies. Depending on the item, you will find all your favorite Harley® features, including 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material piping, 115th Anniversary custom hardware, patches, interior lining tape, amazing embroidered graphics, shirts made with 100% cotton and cotton/synthetic blends, shirts with snap collars, contrasting stitching, and t-shirts with rib-knit necklines with in-your-face printed graphics commemorating the anniversary. So no one is left out, size runs for women include X-Small to 2X-Large, including tall sizes and plus sizes through 3W; men’s sizes run to 5X-Large on many items, and also include Large-Tall through 3X-Large Tall on selected items.

POST SCRIPT: Harley-Davidson® has announced the official date for the big 115th as Labor Day, 2018. If you’re an enthusiast, you’ll want start collecting early. You won’t see this kind of collection for another five years. Once they are gone, they are gone forever.