September Member of the Month Is a Beloved Member of the ‘HD Forums’ Family
The latest HD Forums Member of the Month may no longer be actively riding, but he’s still an important part of the community.
For the most part, HD Forums members are those that actively ride and participate in riding events. But a few have been forced to retire from action, though that obviously doesn’t diminish their passion for motorcycles. That includes September 2021 Member of the Month hvacgaspiping, or Bruce Payton as he’s known in real life, but Payton remains a member of the HD Forums family because he simply loves the camaraderie present in the online community.
Payton is the father of three sons, all of whom share his sense of humor and love of practical jokes, which left him shrink-wrapped from neck to toe while on vacation one summer. Thankfully, after an hour and a half, his wife found him and freed him from his kids’ shenanigans. The elder Payton would up having the last laugh, however, when he loaded his son’s car’s HVAC vents with baby powder shortly thereafter.
These days, Payton likes to spend his time flying model airplanes, shooting, tinkering around with just about anything mechanical, and even driving a school bus. Over the last several decades, he also enjoyed riding motorcycles and owned a total of four of them over that time frame. His favorite was a 1961 Harley-Davidson FLH Duo-Glide S64 EJ Cole Collection, but one day, he came to a crossroads.
Back in 2015, Payton came to the realization that he wasn’t getting any younger, and that others driving automobiles weren’t getting any more attentive behind the wheel. He was no longer willing to take the risk of riding to enjoy his hobby, so he effectively retired. But Payton remains a regular in the forums, where he’s essentially become a key member of the online family.
Another thing that keeps Payton coming back is the wealth of information present on the site, whether it be in a thread where someone is asking for help, or in a technical “How To” piece. The concept of riders helping other riders, well, that’s just one appealing thing about the forums, and it’s one that Payton enjoys being part of. And truthfully, the site is also lucky to have him around.
Photos: Bruce Payton
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