Harley Davidson Golf Carts
William “Willie G” Davidson joined the iconic motorcycle maker in 1963, and he brought with him a lot of changes. One of these now-overlooked changes was the introduction of the golf cart division, a significant departure for the company.
The earliest Harley Davidson golf carts are perhaps the most recognizable and revered. These, of course, are the three-wheeled carts that are prized by collectors. The company later moved to a more standard four-wheeled design. Though the three-wheeled carts may be more distinctive, both models have attained near-cult status as prized editions to the collections of golf cart aficionados everywhere.
In 1969, Harley Davidson sold the devision to American Machine and Foundry Company (AMF). AMF proceeded to build carts for well over a decade with AMF Harley Davidson branding. Then, in 1982, AMF sold their cart division to Columbia Par Car. Columbia Par car would later buy Legend Electric Vehicles. Columbia Par Car had a substantial history in the golf cart industry as well, having purchased Nordskog, the firm that bought Westinghouse… which had, in turn, bought Marketeer. As you can see, the industry has undergone numerous changes over the years. In spite of this, there have been very few original ideas in terms of design and function. As they did with motorcycles, Harley Davidson made their mark on golf carts in a way that will always be remembered.
Where does this leave the vaunted Harley carts today, you might be wondering. Well, you have to look a little harder, but they’re still out there. In garages and at smaller courses, these now-prized carts still roam plenty of fairways. Gone are the days, certainly, when your local course was just as likely as not to employ a fleet of them, but as with most Harley products, there is a pretty devoted group of people making sure that these carts never disappear from the golf landscape.
If you are looking to buy one of these carts, we just published a post with tips on buying a Harley cart. There are a number of things you should be aware of, but more importantly, there are a number of things that you should be thinking about as you look for the cart that is right for you. By taking a few simple measures, you should be able to find a cart that meets your needs. Unfortunately, the real challenge is finding one of these old gems, and that is where we can help.