Harley-Davidson Riding in Pre-Castro Cuba

By Adam Pockross - March 25, 2016

cuba harley davidson

The Harley-Davidson motorcycle is nearly as iconic an American symbol of freedom as the Bald Eagle. So when you ride one in communist Cuba, it makes quite a statement. But with a trade embargo in place for many years, where did all those Harleys on the island come from?

According to Maria De Los Angeles, a writer for the Miami New Times, a vast number of those bikes came from Cuba’s first Harley franchise, Casa Bretos. And she should know, because Luis Bretos was her great uncle, and also a champion racer who teamed up with Harley back in the ’30s to open up the shop in Havana.

Apparently Bretos helped ignite quite the Harley riding culture in Cuba, which De Los Angeles’s father, retired architect Angel B. Lemus, became a huge part of. Lemus used to hang at Bretos with Uncle Luis, and go for group rides out to the Sierra Maestra, where Fidel Castro and his fellow rebels were busy making plans.

When Castro came to power, the Harlistas kept the Harley dream alive, albeit with limited resources. But after Castro took over the bike shop, Lemus and Bretos fell out of touch.

Lemus made his way to America, but he didn’t like the Harley culture here, since it was “too Hells Angels.” But being a rider from the Bretos days still holds sway in Miami’s Little Havana. For Lemus’ 83rd birthday, his daughter arranged for members of the Cartel Baggers to ride over to the nursing home to put a smile on the old man’s face. It was their honor.

“It’s an incredible honor. He’s a living piece of Cuban Harley-Davidson history, right here in Hialeah,” said member Pete Gonzalez.