“Bar and Shield.” Perhaps “H-D” or a shortened “Harley.” These are the names you often hear when referring to the immortally popular Milwaukee motorcycle manufacturer, Harley-Davidson. However, the motorcycle brand goes by another name: the “MoCo.” And no, it doesn’t refer to “Motorcycle Company.”

Harley-Davidson’s ‘MoCo’ moniker goes back to the first days of the brand

Harley-Davidson opened its doors in Milwaukee, Wisconsin back in 1903. However, the brand wasn’t incorporated until four years later in 1907. William Davidson, Walter Davidson, Arthur Davidson, and William Harley founded the Harley-Davidson Motor Company to sell small engines and motorcycles. Therein lies the origins of the shortened “MoCo” name.

People began to refer to the brand as “The Motor Company,” or “MoCo” for short. The name stuck, but it wasn’t popular enough to displace consumers referring to the brand by the last names of the company’s founders. 

Despite being outnumbered by Davidsons in the early days of the marque, William Harley’s surname took the front spot in the brand. The three Davidsons and solitary Harley reportedly agreed to put the Harley name first as a result of William Harley’s original idea for a motorcycle. 

Humorously, “moco” refers to mucus in Spain. It’s not unlike the Chevrolet Nova and its association with a refusal to drive in Spanish-speaking countries. The word “Nova” can sound like “No va” in Spanish. Tragically, the two words together translate to “no go.” Not exactly the name you want tethered to your car. In any case, abbreviating the Motor Company is sure to raise eyebrows and elicit snickers in some circles.

If not for language barrier reasons, you might get odd reactions from Harley riders and fans alike. Today, few fans or owners refer to the brand as “The Motor Company.” After all, most people simply refer to the brand as Harley-Davidson or “H-D.” However, the shorthand refers to the company’s history of producing motors in the early 1900s.