Topper Time Line
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NOTE# Documents such as fliers / brochures / post cards show
topper promotion for
Christmas of Dec of 1959 and also brochures as early as June & July of 1959
show the topper.
( Need to investigate how early the Topper was actually sold.)
( And how Late Toppers were sold. )
( Should you have a Topper stamped with 1959 or 1966 let us know. )
Any adjustments needed to be made here should have documentation
for corrections posted ( Photos would be great also ). Email with any information.
| Model: A | Model: AU | Model: AH |
| ( 9 hp 1960 only ) | ( 5 hp 1960 to 1964 ) U signifies under powered. Restricted engine built to use in states with junior licensing laws. |
( 9 hp 1961 to 1965 ) H signifies high compression engine. |
Harley Topper History
Harley's first scooter was the 9 horse power Topper Model A lasted up into 1961.
Then the 5 horse power AU models built in 1960 to 1964 which were restricted
motors
built to meet the 5 horse power and below class required by some state laws
which allowed youngsters to ride on the main highways
under the Junior licensing law program which existed in several U.S. states.
Then the AH Topper built in 1961 which had a high compression engine
lasted to the end of the Topper motor scooters life span in 1965.
Harley was having trouble up to the late 50s keeping up in the race with the
lightweight
motorcycles and scooters coming to the U.S. from foreign markets.
The company tried in many ways to prove itself a top competitor in the light
weight market already
having built lightweight motorcycles starting in 1948
Harley had several successful years
in the lightweight motorcycle market up to the introduction of the Topper and
later.
In 1959 Harley went into a joint venture partnership with a company in Italy
to produce bikes under
the name Harley Aermacchi,
unlike the many Aermacchi Harley motorcycles produced the
Topper scooter has an interesting history of its manufactured orgin.
Was
it built in the U.S. or in Italy?
Research strongly suggests it was built here in the U.S.
Most people believe the topper was an import...research into the orgin of the
Topper
has been going on for quit some time to prove the scooters manufacturing orgin.
Many Harley collectors have passed up adding the Topper to there collection
thinking the bike was built overseas.
Now....think about this.....
Aermacchi made Harley's were metric.
All the Topper parts are SAE
The Topper has many parts that interchange with the late Harley
Hummer lightweights made here in the U.S.
The Topper Was here in the U.S. as early as June of 1959 performing road tests.
When did Harley invest in the Aeronautica Macchi civilian aircraft company?
(1960). 
When did the first Aermacchi Harley Sprint sell in the U.S.? (1961).
Investigations at this point keep directing to a factory in Milwaukee were the
Topper would have been built.(Will post location when research completed.)
Harley knew the fiberglass used in there early 1960s lightweights which they
were
jobbing out to another company would become a major relevant component not only
for the Topper but for other future bike projects.
So Harley in 1962 purchased 60% of the Tomahawk Boat company
to have a manufacturing
facility to produce there own fiberglass components for the Topper and other
bike parts.
The Tomahawk company was re-tooled and ready to produce fiberglass components
in 1963.
There are many anomalies yet to investigate of the orgin of the topper
and the beginning and ending of the production of the Topper scooter and so
on.
We will constantly update the site with any viable information as we go to inform
you the Topper owner and or researcher into the History of the Harley Topper.
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