Ray Watkins and Ben Torres entered motorcycles fitted with side-cars, these were called Flexicar's, with a hinged chassis that allowed the wheel to bank on corners with the motorcycle.  In the third annual Bakersfield California Road Race, Frank Lightner took first, nearly an hour over the next competitor.  An annual event on the endurance run circuit was the 225 mile 
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania road race.  Factory teams were represented by Indian, Merkel, Pope, and Thor.  There were eight HD riders, none with factory support.  It's a tribute to them that they finished one, two, three, with all the others placing behind them.

The F.A.M. sponsored a desert road race through the southwest in the fall of 1913.  The course was laid out over some of the worst roads in the U.S.  The route was 445 miles from San Diego, CA., to Phoenix, AZ.  In addition to the bad roads, riders had to contend with hunger, thirst, heat and the ever present threat of breakdowns.  There were also roving bands of Apache Indians and Mexican bandits that still raided isolated ranches in the area to contend with.  The press at the time made much of the contest.  Most of the major motorcycle companies were there, with factory support.  There were two HD entrants, again both private, Arthur Holmes and Frank Meock.

In this contest, Indian was first, with the two HD riders coming in last. Almost all of the bikes finished. Even today's modern motorcycles would have a hard time finishing this race.  With the HD machines being single geared, it's again amazing that they finished at all.  Holmes later bitterly complained about the company's lack of support, saying Walter Davidson was, 
"too tight fisted even to offer to pay for fuel, oil and tires." 

It's hard today to understand the founders reluctance to officially sponsor HD motorcycles that would advertise the brand to thousands of potential buyers of the product.  An example of their attitude was an ad in the September 1913 issue of "Pacific Motorcyclist."  It reads, in part, "don't blame us when HD wins a race meet, because we do not believe in racing.  We do not employ any racing men.  We build no special racing machines, but the results speak for themselves."

This attitude would change soon but for the time being this ad antagonized many HD racers who felt they were risking life, limbs, and money for a company that refused to officially recognize them, but recognized the fact that their bikes were winning races.  The founders were busy with other projects more near and dear to their hearts.  HD led a successful fight in 
the halls of Washington for approval of side-cars for rural mail carriers. The Department of the Interior also purchased HD's to patrol Yellowstone National Park.  These two events were more to the liking of the company at that time.

Even while the founders were drumming up business in other areas besides racing, some franchised HD dealers began to offer financial and material support out of their own pocket to riders who helped to glorify the marquee.

There was an event some months before the September 1913 ad that showed that the company was thinking long term and possibly about competition.  In late spring 1913, William (Bill) Ottaway was hired as assistant engineer in William Harley's department.  Ottaway was responsible for the development of 
the famous "White Thors" in 1909.  The machines had made a name for themselves in early motor drome racing and horsetracks.  One of Ottaway's assistants was Albert Crocker, who would later be a famous motorcycle builder himself with the "Crocker" motorcycle company just prior to WWII.

There was also another plant expansion, under Willam Davidson, with an eye on an anticipated 30% production increase.  Sales were increasing, resulting from Arthur Davidson's tireless efforts to expand dealerships even in previous Indian motorcycle strongholds.

A step starter was introduced in 1915, replacing the bicycle pedal gear.  You could now start the bike without having to place it on it's rear stand.

In the fall of 1913, HD management decided that production was to the point where they could enter the export market.  Indian was already firmly entrenched in Europe along with lesser numbers of Excelsiors, Hendersons and Popes.  HD's first effort was in London, England.  In April 1914, the first shipment of HDs were received in England.  Sales were good, both with solo and side-car riders.  About 350 machines were sold up until the outbreak of W.W.I.

Bill Ottaway was working hard to improve the efficiency of the HD motor.  He modified the porting of the exhaust and intake manifolds, altered combustion chamber contours, improved valve action.  All this produced a considerable increase in power and lessened the vibration characteristics of the engine.

Ottaway also designed a special racing model for limited production.  It was called the 11-K.  Ottaway subjected it to rigorous testing on out of the way horse tracks to keep it from public view.  The first prototype experienced a high speed wobble above 80 mph.  He suggested a new fork be developed for the bike.  The company said no, the racers should incorporate HD's traditional features.  Ottaway had to be content with modifications to the existing fork and, at that, only partially solving the problem.

There is a great photo of William A. Davidson, and William S. Harley, at the July 14th, 1914 Dodge City, Kansas, 300 mile race.  They looked dejected, probably because HD's leader in the race, Walter Cunningham, broke a chain and fouled a plug, spoiling HD's only hope for a win that day.  The other HDs  at least finished and the first public appearance of HD machines official racing trim made for a very special day for the public in the stands.

Source for this Material: Milwaukee Marble, Sucher, 1981 Haynes Publishing. Also, Harley Davidson's Official 90 Year History, Wright, 1993, Motorbooks.