I know Harleys are motorbikes. Indeed, they are God's gift to some bikers. But the real answer lies in the company strategy that has seen the business grow from three bikes in the first year (1903) to the 300,000 to be manufactured this year and a turnover of more than $5.5bn per annum.

You see, a Harley isn't just a bike; it's a way of life, a global family, it's a whole culture, it is the archetypal brand.

What other bike manufacturer could charge upwards of £20,000 for a top-of-the-range piece of chrome and leather? Then make you happily fork out hundreds of pounds for a set of quite ordinary leathers emblazoned with the legendary H-D bar and shield logo? Spend several thousand pounds more on some extra shiny bits and bobs for your new vehicle. And then subtly persuade you to spread the gospel according to Harley-Davidson?

View the website where the opportunity to buy a Harley dealership is billed as "one of the most unique business opportunities in the world". Ignore the grammatical fact that something is either unique or not, and then read that Harley-Davidson is not just a name, it's a culture, "a lifestyle celebrated the world over".

Then ask yourself this question: does your company have the same opportunity to stand out from the competition, charge more than a small premium for your product and pay less for your marketing, instead using your customers to do all the hard work for you? Is your product more than a name, your service celebrated globally?

The answer is probably not. So why the difference? What has the all-American success story got that you don't?

Harley-Davidson was born in 1903 when three Davidson brothers and Bill Harley combined their love of bikes with their entrepreneurial ambitions – in a shed.

Since then H-D has grown spectacularly, year on year; this weekend, the company celebrates its 105th anniversary with a series of events, culminating in 105 enormous rides to the home of the Harley, Milwaukee, where Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band headline the party.

I can't think of any other global brands that can compare. If you look at Business Week's 100 Top Brands, you will find Harley-Davidson above Gucci, Porsche, Rolex, Nintendo and Lexus, but below Google, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Disney, Apple, McDonalds and Nike. These are all brands that inspire loyalty amongtheir international, cash-happy customer base. But I just wonder, however, how many of these brands are such an important part of their customers' lives that they would willingly inflict pain upon themselves to have the logo branded on various body parts. Yes, Harley bikers – and pillions – are proud to have tattoos depicting the bar and shield.

Google might be the number one global brand, but you won't see that logo sported upon a shoulder, nor would you see a Big Mac perched provocatively above the sheuch of a hairy arse.

So what is a brand? A brand isn't just a logo with a trademark beside it. The theoretical definition is given in Wikipedia as "a collection of images and ideas representing an economic producer".

But in reality the definition is much less tangible, more fuzzy and softer around the edges; it's about how it makes someone feel when they buy or use your product or service. A brand is a living, growing corporate identity that extends from the logo right down to how the telephone is answered or how your employees interact with your customers and every single activity in between.

It's about developing a set of values that represent your business and the way that you do your business, and consistently delivering service around that brand value.

Brands exist in the minds of customers and prospective customers. They are the few key thoughts that people have about products, services and organisations. It's how they encourage other people to become customers by sharing their experiences.

I could tell you that a strong brand facilitates cross-selling and market entry, that it aids communication with the City and encourages client loyalty. I could try to convince you that a strong brand will ensure customers are more forgiving, more likely to promote your brand to others, and are more likely to consider buying new products and services from your business.

Internally, strong brands can build staff loyalty, influence behaviours and attitudes, and improve both motivation and productivity.

Or I could simply suggest you throw your leg over a piece of legendary American machinery, ride with the H-D family, get a tattoo and live the legend – then you might, just might, get it.