h-d FORWARD LIGHTING
I spent a considerable amount of time working on a forward lighting strategy with another member of the design department. The challenge was to develop a unique, modern look for Harley-Davidson, while maintaining its strong visual heritage.
The term "signature" is a reference to the heat signature of a fighter jet that is used as a point to lock onto. Ultimately, the goal of the final design was to create a unique, and easily identifiable shape that can be spotted at night and from a distance, but still be visually interesting when unlit in the parking lot.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
SIGNATURE LIGHTING
UNIQUE, SCALABLE FORWARD LIGHTING
It became helpful to set a framework for the key elements of the design as the ideas began to coalesce toward a production solution. Shown below, we worked toward a solution that broadly incorporated some key design characteristics:
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Make use of the strong, circular ring of the headlamp that has been part of H-D since the beginning
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Maintain a separation between the signature element and other lighting elements to emphasize the signature in a limited space
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Create a horizontal element that visually connects the ring to the central lighting elements
Countless sketches and iterations were explored to arrive at the final design; only a very small portion are shown here. Inspiration was drawn from automotive concepts, motorcycles, timepieces, etc. Due to the technical nature of forward lighting, and the strict DOT regulations, the work required close coordination with engineering.
A brief sampling of exploration sketches
