Harley and the Davidsons based on nine reviews. Larry Lawrence of the motorcycling news magazine "CycleNews" gave the series a mixed to negative review, stating that it was "by most accounts a highly entertaining watch", but was critical of the highly dramatized portrayal of the company and its founders, particularly the Harley/Indian rivalry which culminated in an unresolved cliffhanger with the infringement case in the second episode, and the events of the third episode, where Harley unveiled their new motorcycle in a (fictional) outlaw race. The show received positive reception from Harley-Davidson themselves. Bill Davidson, great-grandson of the original founders, and Bill Jackson, head
Harley-Davidson Shovelhead engine from the enclosed chain, along with a 5-speed transmission and rubber motor mounts to help reduce vibration. In 1981, Harley Davidson purchased AMF's share of the company back, adding a new oil pump, improved valve guides, and lowering the compression to help the engines run on the lower quality gasoline in the United States. The engine was produced until 1984, where the Evolution engine, which had aluminum heads and barrels, began to take over on most models. The engine could still be found in certain models such as the FLH in 1985, but was shortly replaced by the succeeding Evolution