The Hill Climber

"The Hill Climber" is a remarkable public artwork by American artist Jeff Decker, proudly displayed at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This imposing 5,000-pound bronze sculpture stands 16 feet tall and is an enlarged adaptation of Decker's original piece, "By the Horns." The artwork depicts a vintage Harley rider in the throes of a hill climbing race, a sport renowned for its excitement and peril during the 1920s and 30s.

Jeff Decker, a Utah native, is celebrated for his deep passion for Harley-Davidson. He collaborated with painter David Uhl to create this masterpiece. The sculpture showcases a rider executing a dramatic skyward wheelie on a rare DAH bike—one of only six ever made. The gear drive of the sculpture is inscribed with "Willie G." honoring Willie G. Davidson, a senior executive at Harley-Davidson and the grandson of one of the company's founders.

"The Hill Climber" was generously donated to the museum by the Davidson family. Willie and Nancy Davidson were inspired to commission the piece after encountering Decker's original "By the Horns" sculpture.

You can find "The Hill Climber" on the Founders Terrace of the Harley-Davidson Museum. It stands as an arresting and dynamic tribute to the rich history and adventurous spirit of Harley-Davidson and the intrepid riders who embraced the thrill of hill climbing.