The Highest Mileage Harley-Davidson In The World

By Alina Moore & Anthony Capobianco

A million miles. On one motorcycle. It sounds like the kind of number you’d see on a bumper sticker rather than an odometer — yet that is exactly what Dave Zien and his 1991 Harley-Davidson Sport Glide achieved together. Few stories in motorcycling history capture the marque’s legendary durability quite like this one, and fewer still say as much about the human being in the saddle. Harley-Davidson has spent more than 120 years building machines that riders refuse to give up, but Zien took that devotion to a level no one else has matched — racking up a million miles on a single bike through decades of open-road dedication, meticulous wrenching, and sheer force of will.

The Owner Accumulated Over One Million Miles On A 1991 Sport Glide

The person in question is Dave Zien, who made history in 2009 when his 1991 Sport Glide completed its 18-year journey by finally turning its one-millionth mile. Prior to reaching that milestone, Zien had been a passionate rider for many years. In addition to serving as vice president of the Wisconsin Better Bikers Association, he was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1988, where he actively championed the rights of motorcycle riders. By 1993, Zien began serving as a senator for the 23rd district of Chippewa Falls and eventually earned the title of president pro tempore in 2005 before leaving office in 2006.

Zien grew up on a farm in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where he first learned to ride horses. Admitting that the animals weren’t quite fast or powerful enough for his liking, he turned to motorcycles. He started on a 49cc Montgomery Ward Moped, progressed to an 80cc Yamaha, and then a 250cc Yamaha. By the time he had finished serving in the Marine Corps in Vietnam, Zien had upgraded to a Honda that he used to travel across the country.

It was during those early miles on the road that he began waving at the big Harley-Davidson choppers he passed — only to be met with silence. Zien burned that memory into his mind, because by the time he became a dedicated Harley-Davidson rider himself, there was never a moment when he didn’t wave at everybody. While serving in Vietnam with L Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, he kept his rifle — nicknamed “Betty Sue” — close at all times for his very survival. He still remembers its serial number: 549909. In that same spirit, when he purchased his 1991 Harley-Davidson Sport Glide, he gave it the name “Suzanna ala Sha-Luck a Lay Ya,” carrying on the tradition of holding dear the things that matter most.

Zien Achieved One Million Miles Thanks To Lots Of Maintenance

Every motorcycle requires regular maintenance to keep it running smoothly and properly. That means oil changes, full services, tire checks, electrical inspections, engine inspections, and plenty of other demanding tasks. In the case of Zien’s 1991 Sport Glide, the wear and tear far exceeded that of any average motorcycle. The bike still has its original fenders, fuel tank, oil tank, triple tree, handlebars, primary, and transmission case. The main shaft is also original, though all the gears have since been replaced. It had no kill switch — something many newer riders would find baffling today.

Can you imagine a million miles on one machine? When they [Harley-Davidson] gave me that 2009 Road Glide at the museum in Milwaukee, I started to cry. I had to turn away… and I felt like turning them down.

Though the bike had a kick pedal, Zien would bring it to life by inserting a Phillips screwdriver into a hole drilled into its starter. It also had no kickstand — instead, Zien would lean the bike against curbs, trees, and other objects sturdy enough to hold it upright. There was no neutral gear, no oil warning lights, and the tachometer didn’t work. The bike had no horn, either. The odometer functioned, but the speedometer needle was broken, so Zien had to estimate his speed by feel.

A million miles. On one motorcycle. It sounds like the kind of number you’d see on a bumper sticker rather than an odometer — yet that is exactly what Dave Zien and his 1991 Harley-Davidson Sport Glide achieved together. Few stories in motorcycling history capture the marque’s legendary durability quite like this one, and fewer still say as much about the human being in the saddle. Harley-Davidson has spent more than 120 years building machines that riders refuse to give up, but Zien took that devotion to a level no one else has matched — racking up a million miles on a single bike through decades of open-road dedication, meticulous wrenching, and sheer force of will.

The Owner Accumulated Over One Million Miles On A 1991 Sport Glide

Courtesy of topspeed.com

The person in question is Dave Zien, who made history in 2009 when his 1991 Sport Glide completed its 18-year journey by finally turning its one-millionth mile. Prior to reaching that milestone, Zien had been a passionate rider for many years. In addition to serving as vice president of the Wisconsin Better Bikers Association, he was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1988, where he actively championed the rights of motorcycle riders. By 1993, Zien began serving as a senator for the 23rd district of Chippewa Falls and eventually earned the title of president pro tempore in 2005 before leaving office in 2006.

Zien Became Passionate About Motorcycles After Serving In Vietnam

Courtesy of motorweb.ws

Zien grew up on a farm in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where he first learned to ride horses. Admitting that the animals weren’t quite fast or powerful enough for his liking, he turned to motorcycles. He started on a 49cc Montgomery Ward Moped, progressed to an 80cc Yamaha, and then a 250cc Yamaha. By the time he had finished serving in the Marine Corps in Vietnam, Zien had upgraded to a Honda that he used to travel across the country.

It was during those early miles on the road that he began waving at the big Harley-Davidson choppers he passed — only to be met with silence. Zien burned that memory into his mind, because by the time he became a dedicated Harley-Davidson rider himself, there was never a moment when he didn’t wave at everybody. While serving in Vietnam with L Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, he kept his rifle — nicknamed “Betty Sue” — close at all times for his very survival. He still remembers its serial number: 549909. In that same spirit, when he purchased his 1991 Harley-Davidson Sport Glide, he gave it the name “Suzanna ala Sha-Luck a Lay Ya,” carrying on the tradition of holding dear the things that matter most.

“I had a horse, and it couldn’t go fast enough. So, I got on a motorcycle.”

Every motorcycle requires regular maintenance to keep it running smoothly and properly. That means oil changes, full services, tire checks, electrical inspections, engine inspections, and plenty of other demanding tasks. In the case of Zien’s 1991 Sport Glide, the wear and tear far exceeded that of any average motorcycle. The bike still has its original fenders, fuel tank, oil tank, triple tree, handlebars, primary, and transmission case. The main shaft is also original, though all the gears have since been replaced. It had no kill switch — something many newer riders would find baffling today.

Though the bike had a kick pedal, Zien would bring it to life by inserting a Phillips screwdriver into a hole drilled into its starter. It also had no kickstand — instead, Zien would lean the bike against curbs, trees, and other objects sturdy enough to hold it upright. There was no neutral gear, no oil warning lights, and the tachometer didn’t work. The bike had no horn, either. The odometer functioned, but the speedometer needle was broken, so Zien had to estimate his speed by feel.

Steve Phillips (Harley-Davidson VP) at Dave Zien’s Millionth-Mile Celebration

The Sport Glide had also gone through 105 rear tires, 65 front tires, 17 stators, 9 seats, and 13 pairs of engineer boots. For those freezing winter morning rides, Zien used a roach clip jumper cable system to coax the bike awake in low temperatures. The motorcycle was fitted with a 6-gallon fuel cell with John Deere petcocks to extend its tank-to-tank range. As a measure of its endurance, Zien logged at least 31,000 miles in 31 days.

The Sport Glide had also gone through 105 rear tires, 65 front tires, 17 stators, 9 seats, and 13 pairs of engineer boots. For those freezing winter morning rides, Zien used a roach clip jumper cable system to coax the bike awake in low temperatures. The motorcycle was fitted with a 6-gallon fuel cell with John Deere petcocks to extend its tank-to-tank range. As a measure of its endurance, Zien logged at least 31,000 miles in 31 days.

In the final stretch leading to one million miles, the bike’s transmission needed an overhaul just three days before its last run to Florida. Due to significant pressure buildup, the primary also had to be drilled and vented a week before the record-setting finish in order to improve airflow. Beyond that, the ’91 Sport Glide’s engine was rebuilt ten times in total, including a remanufactured motor installed at Bobby’s Territorial Harley-Davidson in Yuma, Arizona.

Pix 3

Courtesy of motorcycledaily.com

We are officially going to retire this motorcycle to the Sturgis Hall of Fame Museum where David is a member, and the curator will be there to accept the keys if there is one! And rumor has it that we will be presenting David with a 2009 Road Glide Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

After Zien achieved his millionth mile, the bike was retired to one of the most respected motorcycle museums in the world, the Sturgis Hall of Fame, where it will forever be admired by fans and enthusiasts from around the globe. When he was initially racking up the miles, Zien had heard that Harley-Davidson would award any rider who documented over 750,000 miles on a Harley with a free motorcycle. According to Zien, however, that promotion was never honored. It wasn’t until Harley-Davidson recognized his mission to reach one million miles that the company chose to reward him with a new 2009 Road Glide.

1991 Harley-Davidson Sport Glide Specs