I was talking with my friend Dave over MSN this morning about his Harley Davidson Motorbike. He’s nuts on the things, he puts on all the leather and dark glasses and all the other biker stuff and just gets into it.
I asked why he liked the things so much, he said didn’t know whether it was seeing photo’s of the old ‘Knucklehead’ as he called it or sitting on his dad’s ‘Shovelhead’ that first got him attracted to them but as far back as he could remember, he’d had a loving interest in what he described as ‘these beautiful machines’.
The looks. The smell. The noise. Take two of these away and he reckoned he’d be able to tell you if it was a Harley Davidson. The iconic look, the unique oily-leather smell and that unforgettable noise. Beautiful.
My response being, to each to their own!
For the past 15 years, he’d only ever owned Harley motorbikes. He’d had a brief encounter with an old Kawasaki a few years back, but apparently you don’t talk about that (according to him). His first Harley was a 1985 Harley Davidson XL Ironhead. He’d bought it second (or possibly third, fourth or fifth) hand.
Its leather was torn and scuffed. The headlight was missing, a mirror was smashed and the exhaust had practically rusted away.
But it was his. He had his own Harley Davidson and no one could take that away from him. Well, except those guys who managed to hot wire it whilst he was on holiday.
He never got it back, but got a tidy sum from the insurance company, which went towards his next Harley – a 1996 Evolution.
Funny reading someone talk with such passion for a big old lump of metal - He’d had this Harley for just less than 10 years and still wishes he had it. To see him rap on about ‘The 45 degree V-twin air cooled engine’ which he said felt like Michael Parks in “Then Came Bronson” with his first Harley.
It felt…amazing. It was stunning, absolutely stunning. Unfortunately, times were hard and he needed some cash so his beloved Evo had to go. It was a sad day.
He went on to say how three months later he’d gained a significant promotion at work and decided to treat himself. Have a guess what to…got it in one. A brand new 2004 VRSCA V-Rod Harley. His words.
Not second hand. Not tried and tested and taken back, but 100% brand new, off the production line.
He still drives it today. Although he say he misses his Evolution, but he’s never going to have it back. It’s in the past and it was a good time in his riding life. Now he’s got a VRSCA and couldn’t be happier with it.
Saying that, he said he'd just seen some photo’s of a 2009 touring model – new frame, 17 inch wheels and a six gallon tank! I think he’d better start saving now as Harley Davidson Insurance can cost a bomb! Especially if you don't lock it down tight with a good bike chain using a floor anchor with it
I don’t know if I’d ever get into bikes again, the last one I had was a Yamaha DT 125 R trial bike, which to bike enthusiasts like Dave aren’t even bikes! I used to fall off of the thing with regularity, so I think I'll stick to four wheels
