DPD 1936

Dallas Police Department with their new 1936 Texas Centennial HD motorcycles. The lodge is still there at Harwood and Young streets.

January 2012 Asylum Mobilitarium

January 2012 Asylum Mobilitarium

There is an excellent history of the Dallas Harley-Davidson in Allen dealership on their new and improved website. Take a look and read about how it all started.

A few years ago, while a Dallas Police motorcycle officer, I wrote an article in the Dallas Police Shield magazine, which I still have a monthly column, on how the motorcycle section started with the DPD. Detroit P.D. was first with H-D’s in 1907, but Dallas was close behind.

First let me say that the DPD rode Harley-Davidsons from 1909 to around 1978. I remember them as a young officer in 1977. Then because of the questionable nature of 1970’s era AMF Harley’s and admittedly helped by the “Chip’s” TV show, Dallas, as well as most departments west of the Mississippi, went to Kawasaki’s in the 1970’s. They were fast, and well cheap, just right for a big city police department!

In 1935 the DPD bought a few Indian three-wheelers, but it’s been either H-D or Kawasaki all these years. Since 2005, DPD has gone back to Electra-Glide’s and are about to complete the 45 or so motor fleet again with all Harley-Davidson’s.

I research DPD history for The Shield as well as H-D history for this site sometimes using the Dallas Morning News Historic Archives from 1881 to the present day. It’s a great tool that can sometimes solve mysteries.

Shrouded in the mists of time is what came before Conley’s H-D? The historic archives give this answer in many issues of the paper over the years that are accessed simply by punching in dates.

Harley-Davidson was mentioned as early as 1903-05 where Harley’s were entered in the Fair Park motorcycle races along with Indian, Excelsior-Henderson and other makes. I have found an example of at least one death of a rider during these races in the area where the old Starplex once was.  

In 1909, Dallas Police Commissioner Seay delayed the purchase of the departments first two H-D’s because “one or two” dealers, were exploring the option of “giving” the bikes to the department for the advertising advantages. On May 15, 1909 the DMN wrote that two H-D’s had been “purchased” and that several officers were learning to ride.

One must remember that early on, marketing director Arthur Davidson sometimes would contact bicycle shops, sporting goods stores, and almost any business that wanted to get in on the “motorcycle craze,” and offer them the opportunity to sell one or two Harley’s. Some want ads of the time stated “Wanted motorcycle and typewriter mechanic.” These were not dealerships as we think of them today but they did sell Harley-Davidson’s. Some of these did become exclusive H-D’s dealers later.

Examples of small time operations are obvious in the advertising sections of the paper. Around 1915 at 233 Elm there was Chas. Ott Bicycle and Gun which advertised a Christmas special of Thor and Reading Standard motorcycles.  Also there was a guy, J.W Ruff, who in the teens billed himself “The Motorcycle Man” and sold used motorcycles including Harley’s at 396 Commerce St. as well as his residence on Holmes St. in South Dallas.

There was an official H-D dealer conference in Dallas at the Southland Hotel on 9-11-1917 with L.R.Smith, H.Johnson, and J.H. McBodge representing “Dallas” dealers. In 1919 another two day conference was held with representatives from the company in attendance again at the Southland.

In ads of the time I see that a Harley-Davidson Sales Company occupied 203 S.Pearl in 1917. This would be around Jackson and Pearl. In researching DPD history I found that the City bought five new H-D police motorcycles on January 18, 1936 for $2275.00 from this dealer. On May 24, 1936 12 new H-D’s were purchased for the low bid of $6761.00. These were the silver Texas 1936 Centennial bikes used for the month long event at Fair Park. I’ve obtained print ads from Harley- Davidson with Dallas officers on their new “Centennial bikes” racking up in front of the Hall of State at Fair Park in 1936.

There was a “Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Supply Company” at 2932 Commerce St. on 9-23-1939. The store experienced a burglary the night before where 2 bikes, goggles, tools and other supplies were stolen. This possibly was an aftermarket motorcycle shop that specialized in Harley –Davidson repairs.

There is an ad in the DMN in 1949 that the Harley-Davidson Sales Company was now at 2815 Commerce Street. On March 29, 1955 the DPD bought 22 solo and 15 Servi-Cars from this location for $36584.00. $11200.00 was allowed in trade-ins of old DPD bikes apparently!

The last ad I have found for Harley-Davidson Sales Company was in 1949. I believe that this is what eventually became Conley’s H-D. At some point Conley’s moved to 2834 Main Street. I remember talking with old DPD jockeys who remembered going to Conley’s and hanging out “over the chain” watching the mechanics and waiting for their City bike to be serviced.  Interestingly, an Indian dealership was across the street where the head shop type place is now. The last ad I found for Conley’s on Main St. was in 1969 when a ’68 Sprint was offered for $625.00.

I’m a Dallas boy and remember the Conley’s AMF dealership at Forest Ln. and Plano Rd. with the big #1 on the sign on Plano Rd. This moved to “The old Shiloh” dealership that I went to in 1995 to order my first H-D.  Big Greg, Little Greg, and Doug Locke owned the dealership at that point.  Around 2000 the Allen dealership was built by these owners, and later the Shiloh location begat the current Garland dealership.  

There is a lot of motorcycle and Harley history in Dallas, you just have to dig a little!

Later "Hell's Angel's" B-17

This time it's 1944, the Hell's Angel's" is now nose art. Capt. Monahan's crew, some didn't come back. There was a 1 in 6 chance if you were a crewman in the 8th AAF, that you would not make it back. Again this is the 303rd Bomb Group based at Molesworth England.
Some of the 303rd made it back to the staes, and some were most likely on bikes at the infamous Hollister rally in 1947 that started the "Bad Boy" biker image.
Some say this is where the "Hell's Angel's" M/C got their name, others the 1920's film, well maybe it's both.

"Hell's Angel's"

About 1942, the first B-17,at Molesworth England to have "Hell's Angel's" painted on the ship. It was near the waist gunners window, not the nose. Later the AAF banned painting anything on the fuseladge since squadron letters were authorized to be placed there for aircraft ID.
The 303rd Bomb Group of the 8th AAF decided to call themselves "Hell's Angel's" much to the dismay of this crew. However this aircraft had nose art depicting the "Hell's Angel"s" logo but without the flying "Whatzit?" shown here.
The bomber survived the war only to be scrapped in October 1945.

Steve McQueen

One of my heroes. This scene from the movie "Le Mans," shows him wearing the famous "Monaco" watch, then a new product from Heuer, now Tag Heuer. The company came out with a "Le Mans' version for McQueen's (would have been) 75th birthday in 2006.