When people hear the name 'Hog' they tend to think of large nondescript motorcycles; however, this nickname was originally given to Harley Davidson bikes. This started in 1969 when the company was bought out by AMF (American Machine and Foundry). In order to try and make more of a profit, they worked to streamline the manufacturing process, but in doing so, they cut back on their workforce. These cuts would eventually lead to a labor strike within the company, and the overall quality of the bikes dropped down to such that they began to be inferior to that of the Japanese motorcycles that were in production at that time.
When the quality of Harley's went into decline, a lot of unsatisfied customers began seeking other, higher quality brands. Motorcycling until this time had been seen as somewhat of a gentleman's leisure activity. However, this began to change as motorcycles changed. Unfortunately, instead of keeping up with the change, Harley Davidson was forced to try to keep itself from having to file for bankruptcy. It was around this time that bikers started to give a series of nicknames to Harley's that were intended to display how bad the quality had become.
These names ranged from things like Hardly Ableson to Hardly Driveable and Hogly Ferguson. Of these choice nicknames, the one that stuck with the bicycle the most was Hogly, which was later shortened to Hog. Even so, those who remained loyal to the Harley Davidson name continued to ride and enjoy their motorcycles, and they showed their brand loyalty through merchandise and motorcycle patches. Despite the love some had for Harley Davidsons, during the 60s and 70s, many of the rougher biker clubs started to get a lot of attention. This combined with the Hog name worked to form the stereotype of motorcycle riders that lingers to this day.
