Why a Harley-Davidson?

Why a Harley? That question is asked of me several times a year. Without ever having actually thought it through I usually answer "I just really like the Harley's." Now I've thought about it and I have an answer.




Most of the folks that ask me that, don't ride, and maybe I just don't fit their perception of a Harley rider. In reality, and according to research by H-D, I am the average Harley rider. Maybe that's why a friend of mine refers to our Electra Glide as a Geezer Glide.


From the time I was a small boy I admired the motorcycle. The motorcycle was like my bicycle and that made me a kindred spirit with the motorcyclist. In my mind the motorcycle rider was tough, fearless and brave: three things I was not. The dual chrome pipes announced his arrival as well as his departure. The time in between with the machine leaning on it's kickstand was comparable to a James Dean swagger. The wind blown leather tassels and sunlight glinting on chrome seemed to create some unearthly dance. It was almost in motion without ever moving.



As I got older I began to realize that there were different brands of bikes and in general a given brand drew a particular crowd. My image of a biker seemed to correspond to the Harley-Davidson models. These bikes seemed more substantial with their sturdy lines framed in steel. Not something just for the local jaunt but something to point to the sunrise, something for the long haul. The rumble of the exhaust seemed like it belonged, like it was intended as part of the experience and not just an end result. All of this went well with the jeans, leather jackets, boots and attractive girls that always seemed to be in attendance. In my young mind this was the ultimate in cool.


I owned several metric motorcycles as I grew older but something just wasn't quite right. There seemed to be something elusive, something just out of my mental focus and I couldn't bring it to any amount of clarity. Fast-Forward....I stopped by the local Harley shop, with my wife, on a quiet Sunday afternoon just to have a look around. There was something vaguely familiar here. Milton showed us around and answered all of our questions. A week later we had a Harley-Davidson Sportster in the garage. One year after that we traded for an Electra Glide with that same too-cool lean.



There is something about the Harley that says heritage. What is heritage? A quick Google search delivers the following: practices that are handed down from the past by tradition; "a heritage of freedom". That search result speaks volumes on it's own. The heritage is there in the form of a machine that is recognizable by many and that has, for the most part, remained unchanged. The machine causes some to briefly relive glimpses from years past and to yearn for undiscovered roads beyond tomorrow.





I have the bike, the chrome does shine, but tassels aren't quite my style. The jacket, the jeans and the boots are second nature when I ride. The attractive girl rides with me quite regularly thank you.

Why do I ride a Harley-Davidson?

Because I am lucky enough to be living my dream.