Grew up around bikes, my dad was a Triumph guy with a soft spot for Sportsters, I had minibikes and motocross bikes as a kid then bought an 76 Sportster with a weld on hard tail at my first duty station. Looking back it was a POS, but it my POS and I loved it. Sold it when it PCS'd and went the a few bikes. Got out of bikes for 4-5 years then the wife wanted to ride so I got back into bikes when she bought herself a sportbike. I bought a sportbike to ride with her and in 08 I wanted another Harley so I bought a Dyna and then an 04 Sportster 2 years ago just because I wanted one.

 

In 1974, 15 years old, I tried riding my friend's Honda 160 with a straight frame,couldn't touch both feet to the ground so I dropped it. Fast forward about 24 years, I was looking at my upcoming 40th birthday and decided I needed a present, so I got my permit and bought a 1982 Honda 450CME (my youngest daughter went with me to get my license, and even told me, "Dad, make sure you follow instructions..."). Eventually sold the Honda to my son-in-law, and went through a few bikes finding one that was "me", including Vulcans, V-Stars, and a Maxim. Fast forward to February 2014 when The Motor Company started announcing the 2014 XL 1200T Superlow. One test ride later, and I was a Harley owner and HOG member. I've put over 1,000 miles on in the last 6 weeks, and the best weather of summer is coming up. Hmmm, I have a daughter and 6 grandkids to visit in Oklahoma, that would be a nice ride from Minnesota...

 

Pretty typical for a 11 year old to lust for a motorcycle, but urges for a 1982 YZ 80 Yamaha bordered on unhealthy. Parents shut the idea down. I literally picked up trash at Westurban little league for two summers making $2.75/hr until I had enough dough to get a motorcycle. Rode through my teen years. Took a 15 year hiatus from riding until I walked out of the mall with my wife and saw this bike....(at the time I had no idea what the hell this thing was, but I knew it was some sort of a Harley------turns out it was a black Nightster with a tank lift and tricked out bars and pipes, etc..).
I went bananas and started looking for bikes. Then I saw the 48. Now I obsess about motorcycles and have meaning to my life.

 

When I was a kid (1970s) Harleys were a cool bike to own but I never thought Iwould own a bike muchless a Harley.
It wasn't until the 80s when everyone else I knew started buying these used and God awful ugly metrics but not me, I wanted to buy American.

This was about the time when Harley was bought back from AMF.. they were looking for new customers and offering an "entry level" 883 Sportster for 3995.00
So I bought one, a 1986 colbot blue deluxe, it had a two up seat with laced wheels and a sticker price of 4200.00

When I rode that thing across the parking lot I was hooked.

 

Very cool story.

 

I remember those, I remember sitting in the barracks at Castle AFB really wishing I could afford one. It was about a year later when I bought my 76.

 

My Old Man.

He lived and breathed Harley Davidson. My dad was a trail blazer, Vietnam Veteran, and a biker. As a kid and young adult I believed he was the apitomy of what a man was, and I wanted to be like him. As soon as I got out of the Army and graduated from college I bought me a Harley Davidson.

 

as a kid in the 70's my dad had cool cars, but my uncles both had choppers. my dad was the white sheep of the family while my uncles had tattoos of topless hula girls, born to lose snakes ect...my uncles always had bbq's in the summer with the bikes lined up in front of the house & they always had hot drunk girlfriends that were nice to me lol...I had no choice. when I reached my 21st birthday in the mid eighties I was on my own, had moved out, and started working at nightclubs, along with my day job. a lot of the bouncers at the time were bikers. finally I went to a dealer with one of my bouncer friends, bought an 883 in black,& my bouncer friend drove it home and I learned how to get out of first gear in the high school parking lot without dropping it, the rest is history. the one clear as day situation I remember was getting on the highway for the first time on a sunday morning from the school parking lot, I thought I was flying at like 85mph, I looked at the speedo and it said 35-40mph lol woo hoo! the other important lesson I learned quick was to ride at my own speed, don't try to keep up with the maniacs I was riding with. I almost ended up on the divider of the highway a few times when entering winding curved roads. before I knew it i'd be right on top of a curb, luckily I was smart enough to let go of the throttle and slow down before I crashed without panicking. they didn't really have schools like they do now, so you learned how to ride on your own basically. 6 big bikes later i'm still holding on to my road king, but just bought a sporty 48 that I love!

 

It would be not entirely wrong to say my mom pushed my to buy a motorcycle.

My dad was a cop in Germany and rode a motorcycle, my mom rode one, my sister had one and when I was about to make my license in Germany, my parents paid for the motorcycle license while I had to pay for the car license. That doesnīt sound much but a license in Germany did cost around 2500$ at that time. Guess its meanwhile even more expensive.

So when I came to California last year and told my mom about all the beautiful roads and landscapes, she insisted that I will buy a motorcycle as it would have been her dream which she canīt live anymore.

So I was thinking and couldnīt find anything more suitable to explore the beauty of this country as on the back of a Harley. Thats why I bought a Sportster and donīt regret it.

Thanks
Alex

 

I loved bikes all my life from when i was small. I use to visit my cousins in the 70-80's canada and they gave me rides on their honda trail i think it was called. Got hooked but mom could't afford one. When she remarried my step dad had a moped that he let me use and did i. At 16 i bought my first trail bike a Benneli something. That lasted 2 days as it fell over and snaped the carb manifold. When i got out of collage was saving to get a Honda Rebel 250. Had all the money saved up than was offered a chance to go teach skiing in colorado. no bike. fastforward 5 yrs later a friend was selling her Yami Virago 1100 that was all tricked out. Great first bike and rode the **** out of it until an unfortunate accident in 2000.
I vowed never to ride again but 10 yrs later a buddy asked if i wanted to go for a ride said sure. showed up he threw me the keys to his sporty and said lets go. Hooked on HD's ever since. Bought Elly 3 yrs ago with 5500 miles on her and have never stopped riding since. Not sure if i'll ever go to the dyna's or soft tails since my bike is perfect and matchs how i like to ride. the larger bikes are only 200ish lbs heavier but are like trying to stop a frieght train. Only time will tell i guess.
starting a project bike next year so i can have a chopper looking forward to it.