Why are Harley-Davidson motorcycles called “hogs”? The nickname goes back to the early racing days of Harley-Davidson’s Wrecking Crew, when a live pig was used as a team mascot and carried on victory laps. This article explains where the name came from and how it became permanently tied to Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
For more vintage Harley-Davidson history, see the History section.
The nickname “hog” goes back to Harley-Davidson’s early racing team, the “Wrecking Crew.” In 1920, the team was racing in Marion, Indiana when team member Ray Weishaar was photographed giving the team’s pig mascot a drink before the race.
Each time a rider won, they took the pig along on a victory lap. That quickly led to the nickname “Harley Hogs,” and before long “hog” stuck as slang for Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
The pig wasn’t the only animal used as a racing mascot back then. There are plenty of photos of dogs in that role, but even better is this shot of a board track racer holding a raccoon. Just as interesting as the pig—and it probably had a decent shot at becoming Harley’s namesake. A few more victory laps with that raccoon and things might have turned out very differently.
Imagine if the raccoon had taken the pig’s place. Harley-Davidsons might be known as “coons” instead of “hogs.” You’d hear riders saying “nice coon” or “I love the sound of a coon rumbling down the road.” HogTales would be CoonTales, and who knows what they would call HOG chapters. Not to mention the raccoon-themed T-shirts Harley would have made.
The impact on the fur industry would have been significant too. Coon skin caps and tails might still be standard biker gear. Maybe black masks—think Lone Ranger—replace the do-rag for riders trying to look more like raccoons. It’s easy to picture rows of bikes lined up in Daytona covered in raccoon-themed accessories and parts.
At least one modern builder might have appreciated that outcome. In the photo below, custom motorcycle builder Indian Larry is shown holding a raccoon.
For more early Harley-Davidson racing and history, see the History section.