What hooked you?
Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 156
Likes: 26
From: Oregon
My friends had dirt bikes when we were growing up. They moved on to on road/off roads and street bikes. I went to boot camp. I kept moving around and never had the money to have a bike and a car at the same time. Or the money to move one when I transfered.
Skip forward a decade. Now they are poor and sold their bikes. They can barely make their mortgage. I am doing better and better every year. Driving through the country in my car made me decide; I can do it now. I just did it! I just bought a 2011 Wide Glide with upgrades. My buddies wish that they joined the .mil now!
Skip forward a decade. Now they are poor and sold their bikes. They can barely make their mortgage. I am doing better and better every year. Driving through the country in my car made me decide; I can do it now. I just did it! I just bought a 2011 Wide Glide with upgrades. My buddies wish that they joined the .mil now!
Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 156
Likes: 26
From: Oregon
My friends had dirt bikes when we were growing up. I was always too poor. They moved on to on road/off roads and street bikes. I went to boot camp. I kept moving around and never had the money to have a bike and a car at the same time. Or the money to move one when I transfered.
Skip forward a decade. Now they are poor and sold their bikes. They can barely make their mortgage. I am doing better and better every year. Driving through the country in my car made me decide; I can do it now. I just did it! I just bought a 2011 Wide Glide with upgrades. My buddies wish that they joined the .mil now!
Skip forward a decade. Now they are poor and sold their bikes. They can barely make their mortgage. I am doing better and better every year. Driving through the country in my car made me decide; I can do it now. I just did it! I just bought a 2011 Wide Glide with upgrades. My buddies wish that they joined the .mil now!
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,210
Likes: 1
From: LI, NY
Can't point it to one thing.
Always liked the old movies on tv with the big old cars made in the early mid 30's as a kid. Cops tearing down the roads.
Same with the motorccycles, open cockpit biplanes and mahogany speed boats. The sound and look still have not been matched since then. Yes improved in many ways but they just give off the feel those classic designs.
My dad was a mechanic, and before the war he had a 1929 JD and a 1932 VLD. I remember growing up that whenever my dad would see an old harley he would say he wanted to get an old one like he use to have an his eyes would light up. Then he would say you can always tell the year the bike was made by looking at the serial no. Then point out the no. to me.
Then a cousin about 6 or 8 years older then me had bought two jap bikes during the mid to late 60's. Each time he bought one he had to ride over to show off his new bike to his uncle/my dad. Which resulted my cousin taking me for a spin then my dad taking me for a spin when he would try out the bikes.
As with the old boats, planes, and cars, motorcycles had a sound that was music to me.
Maybe that's why I can't stand the bingding of 2 strokes or the whine of crotch rokets.
Harleys have always looked and sounded as a motorcycle should then and now. Maybe they provide a physical connection to the past this way.
First time I road a convertible car 67 Impala, the feeling of freedom and less restricted view. Made you feel free and want to follow the hood ornament down the road. Maybe this is why convertibles were still big sellers well into the mid 60's, forty years after the first closed sedans came out in the mid 1920's.
Being on the bike just makes one feel freer and closer to the road then anything else.
Always liked the old movies on tv with the big old cars made in the early mid 30's as a kid. Cops tearing down the roads.
Same with the motorccycles, open cockpit biplanes and mahogany speed boats. The sound and look still have not been matched since then. Yes improved in many ways but they just give off the feel those classic designs.
My dad was a mechanic, and before the war he had a 1929 JD and a 1932 VLD. I remember growing up that whenever my dad would see an old harley he would say he wanted to get an old one like he use to have an his eyes would light up. Then he would say you can always tell the year the bike was made by looking at the serial no. Then point out the no. to me.
Then a cousin about 6 or 8 years older then me had bought two jap bikes during the mid to late 60's. Each time he bought one he had to ride over to show off his new bike to his uncle/my dad. Which resulted my cousin taking me for a spin then my dad taking me for a spin when he would try out the bikes.
As with the old boats, planes, and cars, motorcycles had a sound that was music to me.
Maybe that's why I can't stand the bingding of 2 strokes or the whine of crotch rokets.
Harleys have always looked and sounded as a motorcycle should then and now. Maybe they provide a physical connection to the past this way.
First time I road a convertible car 67 Impala, the feeling of freedom and less restricted view. Made you feel free and want to follow the hood ornament down the road. Maybe this is why convertibles were still big sellers well into the mid 60's, forty years after the first closed sedans came out in the mid 1920's.
Being on the bike just makes one feel freer and closer to the road then anything else.
Road Captain
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 539
Likes: 7
From: Indiana
My absent Father blew into town periodically to visit me. One day when I was 5 or 6 he came on his police motor, some sort of HD with a big sprung saddle and a tank shift. My sister sat behind him on the seat and I sat in front on the tank. Around the block we went. I knew that day that I would own one of these one day. I've had a love affair with scooters ever since.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,555
Likes: 119
From: Brockport, NY
Always rode mini bikes and dirt bikes during my younger days, but never thought I'd ride Harleys.
Until after the bitter divorce with my ex-wife (She always wanted to ride on Harleys when/while we were married), I started a brand new Life which was to ride Harleys in order to **** her off even more, LOL.
Gave my son ride several times...He's 13 these days and says that he wants to ride with me when he turns 18 according to my rules that he's got to excel in school and join Military. Pursuing my dream these days is to ride with my son Cross Country all over the good ol' U.S.A.
My 11 y.o. daughter hates Harleys, but loves to ride my Corvette. She says...Hey Dad, When I turn 18...I want a 6 speed Vette and you can ride with me Cross Country too, LOL.
My kids are so precious as I absolutely can't wait to share our good times together.
Thorey
Until after the bitter divorce with my ex-wife (She always wanted to ride on Harleys when/while we were married), I started a brand new Life which was to ride Harleys in order to **** her off even more, LOL.
Gave my son ride several times...He's 13 these days and says that he wants to ride with me when he turns 18 according to my rules that he's got to excel in school and join Military. Pursuing my dream these days is to ride with my son Cross Country all over the good ol' U.S.A.
My 11 y.o. daughter hates Harleys, but loves to ride my Corvette. She says...Hey Dad, When I turn 18...I want a 6 speed Vette and you can ride with me Cross Country too, LOL.
My kids are so precious as I absolutely can't wait to share our good times together.
Thorey
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 222
Likes: 0
From: Pettytown, Tx US of A
Greetings,
Being the youngest of three and also 12 years younger than my brother and sister, I was considered a "pest".....
Cousin and older brother were good friends and one day the cousin came over on his brand new Honda 50 Cub.
They were into something and didn't want me hanging around so cousin showed me how to start, ride and shift the Cub and sent me away!
Burned a whole tank of gas and never looked back!
The rest is "His Story" and here I am today with my 95th motorcycle which is also my 5th Harley.
Ahh....good times!!!
Being the youngest of three and also 12 years younger than my brother and sister, I was considered a "pest".....
Cousin and older brother were good friends and one day the cousin came over on his brand new Honda 50 Cub.
They were into something and didn't want me hanging around so cousin showed me how to start, ride and shift the Cub and sent me away!
Burned a whole tank of gas and never looked back!
The rest is "His Story" and here I am today with my 95th motorcycle which is also my 5th Harley.
Ahh....good times!!!
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,012
Likes: 298
From: Central Fl
I was 7 yrs old standing next to SR 3 in northern Indiana when 25 or so bikes went past. The whole bunch was moving fast and having a good time. I lived on a farm and had never seen or heard of what had just passed me by. Next time my dad was around I asked him what those things were. His one word answer was ''motorsikles''. I said I'm gonna get me one of those. His next words were '''hell boy, those things will kill ya. Five yrs later I bought one. Been riding ever since.
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 227
Likes: 1
My uncle always had a chopper in the 70's. Even the barber I went to as a kid had choppers, there was always one sitting outside the barber shop. He had bike trophies and pictures all over the walls. When I was 8 I finally got a 50cc yamaha trail bike, I thought I was Evel knievel. It was one bike after another from there on out. My first Harley was a 74 sporty, which I still have.
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Can't think of any single specific time or occurance.
I just know that as long as I can remember, every time I'd see a Harley on the road, or on TV or in a movie, I loved it & wanted one of my own.
I just know that as long as I can remember, every time I'd see a Harley on the road, or on TV or in a movie, I loved it & wanted one of my own.
