The Highest Mileage Harley-Davidson In The World

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

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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

Harley-Davidson

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 to Mike Lowe Reports

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

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.

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.

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.

Zien to Rumble On

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

Other Harley-Davidson Riders That Reached One Million Miles

Wikimedia Commons

Dave Zien remains the only person in the world to accumulate over one million miles on a single motorcycle. That said, as remarkable as his story is, he is not the only Harley-Davidson rider to have ridden more than a million miles in a lifetime — with documentation to back it up. According to the Iron Butt Association, which tracks records for some of the most dedicated long-distance riders in the world, a handful of other riders have reached this milestone across multiple machines.

Lifetime Achievement Award (Documented 1,000,000 Miles On One Motorcycle)

Zien at his Millionth-Mile Celebration

Zien Is Still Riding Today

One thing about Harley-Davidson riders is that they tend to be deeply passionate about their time in the saddle. In Zien’s case, he travels almost exclusively by motorcycle. At 74 years old, riding down the highway on his trike with the wind in his face and the natural world all around him is part of what makes riding an almost spiritual experience. According to Zien, he views cars as cages that separate us from the environment. Rather than the creature comforts and high-tech features found in most modern vehicles, he very much prefers feeling the vibrations from passing semi-trucks and his beard in the wind. With over 2.5 million miles under his belt, he has traveled to nearly every corner of the US more than once.

Zien Lost His Left Leg In A Nearly-Fatal Accident

Like millions of riders, safety is always a top priority — and that usually means staying actively aware of the vehicles around you. Known as defensive riding, it is a discipline every motorcyclist is reminded of, given that the likelihood of being involved in a serious accident is significantly higher for riders than for drivers of cars, trucks, or SUVs. Even decades of experience offer no guarantee against bad luck.

In Dave’s case, he nearly lost his life while traveling through Florida. When an SUV driver lost control of their vehicle, the driver directly in front of Zien swerved without braking, causing a collision that sent him 342 feet down the road and cost him his left leg from the mid-thigh. After six major surgeries and a prosthetic leg, Zien returned to the road with a renewed and brighter outlook on life.

Zien at his Millionth-Mile Celebration

The 1991 Sport Glide Lives On As The Low Rider ST

A sport-touring motorcycle such as the 1991 Harley-Davidson Sport Glide reaching over one million miles is a testament to the machine’s longevity and capacity for covering great distances over an extended period. Although Harley-Davidson once revived the Sport Glide name as a low-profile cruiser, the closest living relative in the current lineup is the Low Rider ST. A hybrid of sorts, this high-performance cruiser combines the power, speed, and nimble character of the popular Low Rider S with the long-haul comfort of the Road Glide, courtesy of its fixed fairing, enhanced rear suspension, and detachable saddlebags. Could a Low Rider ST be the next single motorcycle to follow in Dave Zien’s Sport Glide and collect over one million miles? It is certainly possible.

Sources: Harley-Davidson, FunTransport, BikerNet, the Iron Butt Association, Wisconsin History, Rumble On, Mike Lowe Reports, Bikez, and the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.