This Harley-Davidson Engine Was Made Specifically For Lawn Mowers

There are few bigger names in the world of motorcycles than Harley-Davidson. The brand has been churning out two-wheeled classics left and right for over a century, cultivating a fanbase like no other. Along the way, Harley-Davidson has seen some incredibly important moments in its company history arise, in addition to plenty that have fallen by the wayside. Seeing as it's rarely talked about in the modern era, it's no stretch to say that one of these overlooked points on the Harley timeline is the brand's brief foray into lawn mower technology.

Yes, as it was making its name as one of the United States' foremost motorcycle manufacturers, Harley-Davidson took a detour into landscaping territory. Way back in 1929, the company began providing single cylinder side-valve engines for the Worthington Mower Company's Overgreen lawn mowers. These massive mowers were used commercially to cut large swaths of grass like golf courses. Harley's engines powered them throughout the Great Depression, though the motorcycle giant didn't stick with lawn mowers for the long haul. Thus, it was never destined to sit alongside the best and worst major lawn mower brands.

It has been nearly 100 years since Harley-Davidson's Worthington collaboration came and went, yet some folks are still keen on trying to power their mowers with the bike favorite's technology.

With modern perceptions of Harley-Davidson as strictly a motorcycle brand, the idea of it contributing to the Worthington Mower Company's Overgreen lawn mowers sounds absurd. After all, throughout its century-long history, it has only branched out to create non-motorcycle products a few times. For instance, it created the LR-64 drone rocket engine for the U.S. military, and took a dip in the marine technology pool with its purchase of the Tomahawk Boating Company in 1961. Still, this hasn't prevented some folks from trying to bring its modern tech to back to the realm of landscaping. You can take a look at one of the motorcycles this engine powered below, though of course, these days there aren't many surviving pictures of these classic mowers. 

Harley-Davidson Museum

Over on YouTube, Specialised Motorcycle Transport showcased what a modern lawn mower could look like with a Harley engine inside. It looks like a conventional riding mower with some unique aesthetic touches, but sounds just like motorcycle and is designed to get the speed of one too. This contraption was constructed for racing purposes rather than lawn maintenance. MrOildale on YouTube featured a similar piece on their channel. This orange riding mower — dubbed the "mower cycle" — came equipped with a 1,500cc Harley engine, certainly making it better suited for the racetrack than for cutting grass. It more than likely can't outrun the fastest Harley-Davidson motorcycles ever built, but it'll leave most average riding mowers out there in the dust.

Odds are Harley-Davidson's efforts in terms of lawn mowing are long over, but so long as mechanics can make its engines compatible with the latest riding mowers, chances are its legacy in the space will endure well into the future.