Ever since I was a kid I wanted a motorcycle, but, of course, my parents would not let me have one. I was maybe 10, maybe younger, maybe older. I dont remember.
Several decades later I had moved to a new town, new house. I was shopping for furniture and I saw this " House of Motorcycle" sign and walked in. I looked at the bikes and I was hooked again.

The first bike I looked at and was interested was a Honda Shadow Phantom. Then later it was a Yamaha Bolt. I decided to check on Harleys.

What happened was like the guitar scene with Will Ferrell in the movie "stranger than fiction". Except instead of that Yellow guitar it was a 48. My eyes got locked on it, had to have it.

 

i grew up om bikes and always wanted that harley sound, so after going thru a bunch of dirt bike and a few street bikes, i had to ask myself "what the heck are you doing" i was wasting money on what ever bike i could get and deciced to get a second job and save for my 1st harley and wont go back to any thing else

 

My uncle was a 1% when I was a kid. He rode a HD Electra Glide that was made by AMF in those days. I had a few bikes in my day, all metrics.

One day at work a co-worker said he had a son in law that was selling a Sportster for payoff. So I through the idea to my wife and to my astonishment she said lets go over and check it out. Love at first site.

Bought it, still have it along with a Road King.

 

Wanted to do an 8000 mile trip around the country with two friends after graduation. Knew the best bike for a long trip was a Harley. It didn't let us down. Now that thing is my baby. Probably won't get anything else besides Harley now.

 

For me it was a pure blessing or luck depending on your beliefs. Since I was little I always wanted a motorcycle. Had family that rode them all the time. But when I was 15 my brother got killed on one. So after that I always chose not to get one because of my mom. Well a couple of months ago my wife just came up to me and said I want us to get a motorcycle. I thought about it for a while and decided that I was pretty old now so if I don't do it now I probably never will. Then one day at work one of my coworkers had a Harley shirt on. I said I might be picking one of those up soon. She said oh yeah... We are selling ours. So after a couple of days of talking to the wife and checking out the bike I was sold. And I am very happy that I did it and kind of sorry for the lost time that I let go by. But in the end all is well.

 

In 1952 when I was 10 my neighbor sat me on a 1948 Harley Hummer 125 and showed how everything worked, I rode about a mile south on Hardins Run Road. There was wide entrance to Swearingen Road, I made a big U turn and got back to my neighbors house and was hooked for life. My only non Harley was 1973 MAICO.

 

It was 1967.

In 1964 when I was 15 my dad bought a 90cc scooter just for fun, so naturally I ended up riding it all the time. I/we kept upgrading, 150cc scooter, Hodaka Ace 90, Suzuki 250, Honda CL-77 305 Scrambler. I rode that sucker from Fresno to Death Valley and back!

Then my little brother wanted something, and he ended up buying a used '59 Sportster chopper from a Fresno PD officer. Apparently the department let him know they didn't like him riding it. Well, this was 1967. I went with my brother when he bought it, and he killed it about half a mile from home and we couldn't get the damn thing started. Pushed it all the way.

We eventually got it going the next day and took turns riding it. You know, I wasn't all that impressed. I mean, sure, you could feel the difference in torque compared to the 305, but...meh. Later, my riding buddy that went to Death Valley with me stopped by, and we had the Sporty running. He looked at it, put his hand behind one muffler, then the other, and said: "It's running on one cylinder".

It took about a week, but we figured out the float bowl was full of paint chips because the bozo PO painted the tank without bothering to close off the opening, and the inside of the tank was covered in dried paint flecks. Got everything cleaned out and took it out for another run, and WOW! What a difference! What's that line from that old song?: "The telephone poles looked like a picket fence!"

We went in and got dad to take a ride. Keep in mind, my dad was a very calm, logical, kind of guy, who just didn't get too excited. He came back with his hair straight back and tear streaks along his cheeks and said: "HOLY ****"!!

He went out the next week and bought a brand new '67 XLH, which I ended up riding to work and school seven days a week, rain or shine. I still remember the price: out the door, tax and license, $1,659.

Had a soft spot for Sporties ever since!

Here's my last one...a 2006 that I traded in on my current ride:

 

Raised on Dirt bikes starting with a Honda Mini Trail at age 8. Been riding woods all my life and never imagined I'd ride the street till my late 40's when my kids were raised. Wanted a Harley because it was made in The USA by Americans. And they make cool noises.

 

Mine is the usual story.
Boy likes motorcycle. Parents say can't have one here's a four wheeler. Young man buys motorcycle later anyway, fast crotch rocket. Young man gets "responsible" and sells motorcycle. Man gets married. has kids. Wife says no motorcycle.
Man gets divorced. Needs new mistress, one that is less maintenance and more fun. Rides a Harley and is hooked. Buys motorcycle. All day every day and twice on Sunday.
Never again will I be without one. Kicking myself for all those years I didn't have one, all those years I can't get back.
Let this be a cautionary tale to you younger guys.

 

End of 2011, I lived in SoCal but worked in NorCal. Monday mornings I'd catch a flight from LAX to San Jose, but then I needed a way to get from the airport to the office. And on Friday I needed a way to get back to the airport to catch a flight to LAX. So, after not owning a bike for 16 yrs, I decided I needed one again. Since it was gonna get mistreated, it had to be a bullet-proof one... the obvious choice was a Sportster.