Harley Dedicates New Softail Motorcycle Plant

Dedicating a facility just its Softail models allows Harley-Davidson to better meet growing demand for its motorcycles.

Harley-Davidson Motor Company has added an additional factory at its York, Pennsylvania campus. The new plant is tasked to build only the six Softail models, Harley's most popular series. Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell attended and spoke at the April 1 dedication ceremony.

Construction of the 350,000-square-foot facility started in November 2001. The line can assemble a motorcycle in about an hour and 45 minutes. About 700 of the almost 3300 Harley employees at the York facilities have moved to the Softail plant, although no new jobs per se were created by the new factory.

Not so long ago, all of Harley's motorcycles were built on a single line at the York plant, using engines built in the Wawatosa, Wisconsin plant near M

Harley-Davidson's most popular motorcycles how have their own assembly line.