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The
typical perception others have of the biker
lifestyle is that of a tall, leather jean-clad
muscular male with tattoos on both arms riding a
Harley down the highway. If his "old
lady" is with him, then she is probably
dressed the same way and looking just as tough.
Don't
let appearances fool you. These are real people
and they have the same basic needs as all of us.
They are simply living a different kind of
lifestyle--one that includes big Harley
cycles,
"hawgs," "wenches," and
regular trips to biker meets all over the country
and even the world. Sasha responded to my
query concerning how it is that men and women in
the biker culture relate to each other. She
stated it this way: "Bikers are private about
their relationships and one must be associated
with the culture to understand the beauty of love
in the wind." Although, it is true that
bikers and their "old ladies" are not as
open about their relationships, one can gain
insights into how they relate to each other when
considering the whole of their culture. The
sight of two sleeveless leather-jacketed figures
on a Harley motorcycle is not uncommon.
Their manner of dress, speech, and attitudes are
purposely designed to skirt the edges of the law
and accepted behavior. This carries over
into their primary relationships as well. Another
interesting aspect of bikers has to do with the
names they choose for themselves. Each
couple is known to other bikers by such nicknames
as BadBiker69 & HarleeQwin, HDBadass &
SmackMe, BlastMe & RubyRider, and Drifter
& Boxie.
Females
are expected to be submissive to their male
counterparts.
The more brash and "bitchy," the better.
Whether it's flashing their breasts at large
gatherings of bikers or simply hanging on to their
men while riding together, Harley women are more
than willing to behave as expected in this unique
subculture. Yet, bikers still do many of the
things that others do when it comes to mixing the
two sexes together. For example, the
Kentucky Motorcycle Association sponsors an annual
"Biker Ball Halloween Bash."
Special prizes are given to the club with the
largest representation as well as the best
decorated bike. There you have it--bikers
enjoy dancing, too.
One
biker couple describes themselves this way,
"We met in the spring of 1994, got engaged a
couple of years later at Mardi Gras in New Orleans
and we've been happily married since July of 1996.
Our honeymoon was a 3 week
camping/cross-country trip on our BMW K100LT.
Near the end of the trip, two days from home, she
wanted equal time in the saddle and purchased her
first BMW ('92 K75) and rode the rest of the way
home next to me. After 20 days and
7,000 miles of adventures, we were still happily
married and ready to take on the world!" Yet
another biker couple points out the aspect of
their love for travel, "Among our friends and
family we are known as the couple that changes
travel plans every day. We dream and fantasize
about new places to visit, places to settle down
for a while, and job opportunities that will take
us to remote and exotic places. Most of it are
dreams, but lately we have surprised ourselves by
converting some of them to reality.
Traveling is definitely in our blood."
The
two elements of travel and getting together with
other bikers is what drives this culture.
Couples relate to each other based on the accepted
behavior, attitudes, and morals of the group.
In this case, males represent being macho to the
extreme and females respect their men by
demonstrating a tough exterior, although
submissive to them at all times.
Bikers
are a breed unto themselves. Their lifestyle
is clearly defined by their clothing, the way they
relate to each other, and their love of the open
road; not to mention their motorcycles. A
biker could never relate to a woman who was not
willing to be his old lady and share the lifestyle
with him. Conversely, biker babes are drawn
to men who are deeply involved in the culture.
Still, as in all types of primary relationship
groups, there is much variation. Just as
there are those couples whose relationship is
marked by violent behavior, there are many more
who truly love and respect each other. It's
simply one more way that men and women share their
interests and lifestyles. It's how they relate
best--the joy of experiencing together "the
beauty of love in the wind."
The history of the
Harley-Davison motorcycle
began in Milwaukee in
1903. In Milwaukee, Bill Harley and Arthur Walter
Davison developed a one-cylinder motorcycle.
Around the turn of the century the gasoline engine
was developed and the one-cylinder motor was
introduced. In 1901 the Indians were the first
motorcycles and in 1903 Mitschell, Merkel and
Yale.
This motorcycle was initially built for racing and
was powered by a one-cylinder gasoline combustion
engine.
In 1903 in Milwaukee, Bill Harley and Arthur
Walter Davison developed a one-cylinder
motorcycle. It was a reliable and even a beautiful
cycle. And ... someone bought it !! In 1905 they
had made 11 motorcycles, in 1908 it were 154 and
... they had a company, in a little wooden barn,
that was build by Davison's father.
The small company extended quickly and another
member of the Davison family, William, joined
them. In no time they hired about 20 employees in
an especially build stone-factory.
In 1909 Bill Harley made a project of the first
1000 CC V-Twin. It produced a modest seven
horsepower. The 45-degree V-twin would become one
of the more recognizable images of the
Harley-Davison motorcycle. This V-Twin stayed
with HD for a long, long time. Maybe it's hard to
believe, but Harley-Davison didn't invent the
V-twin !! When Bill Harley developed one, he just
followed the tendency of the time.
1910 brought the legendary "Bar and
Shield" logo that was placed on their
motorcycle. This would become the defining symbol
of Harley-Davison to this day. Numerous first
place winnings in races, endurance contests and
hill climbs give Harley-Davison more recognition.
The "F-head" engine is introduced in
1911. It will be the power workhorse until 1929,
when the "Flathead" engine is
introduced.
The year 1912 saw further growth of the
Harley-Davison Company. Construction began on a
new 6-story factory. Harley-Davison also became
an exporter this year and their first overseas
sale was made in Japan. In the states there were
now over 200 dealerships.
1914 saw the addition on the sidecar to the
Harley-Davison. The Company also formally put
their hand in the ring of motorcycle racing this
year and would soon dominate the sport and become
known as the "Wrecking Crew".
1915 saw the emergence of the three-speed
sliding-gear transmission. In 1917, one-third of
all Harley-Davisons were sent overseas to the
U.S. Military to fulfill their patriotic call and
to aid in the war effort. The following year,
roughly half of the motorcycles produced were sold
to the U.S. military. In the end, about 20,000
motorcycles were used in the war, most of them
Harley-Davisons. By this time Harley-Davison was
the biggest motorcycle factory in the world with
nearly 2,000 dealerships worldwide.
In 1918 Harley-Davison was the biggest
motorcycle factory in the world. They even
survived the depression. The V-twin was Harley's
specialty, so the company tried to defeat its only
remaining rival ... Indian. But these days were the toughest, because the
motorcycles got out of date and the prices of
automobiles decreased (the T-Ford was born).
Therefore, Harley Davison tried other technical
enterprises, like manufacturing parts, side cars
and even airplane motor-engines, but they also
improved their own products.
The 1920's saw some changes to the
appearance of the motorcycle, which are more
recognizable today. One such change was the
identifiable teardrop shape gas tank. In 1926,
single-cylinder engines were once again available,
having been discontinued in 1918. In 1928, the
first twin-cam engine and front wheel brakes were
available on the Harley-Davison. With this
modification, the motorcycle could reach speeds in
excess of 85 mph.
The 1930's and subsequent years saw more record
breaking and award winning Harley-Davison's. In
1932, the three-wheel Servi-Car was introduced and
would become a familiar commercial and police
vehicle. Along with appearance changes such as the
"eagle" design, which was painted on all
Harley-Davison gas tanks, changes were also made
to the engine.
These days the biggest Harley ever appeared , the
1340 CC. This motorcycle became Harley Davison's
trademark. 1936 also became a milestone. That year
the Knucklehead was launched and this motorcycle
also became the victory over the Indian. And when
in 1947 the Panhead was driven out of the factory,
Harley Davison was THE American Motorcycle.
In the 1940's, the Harley-Davison once again
answered the patriotic call and sent its
motorcycles overseas to aid in the war effort. In
1941, civilian production on the motorcycle was
mostly suspended as the company turned out
motorcycles for the war. Because of their
commitment and excellence, Harley-Davison
received the Army-Navy "E" award; this
wouldn't be the last time. In November of 1945,
civilian production once again started. In 1947,
Harley-Davison purchased the old A.O. Smith
Propeller Plant and used it as a machine shop. The
parts made here were shipped back to the old
factory on Juneau Avenue for final assembly. In
1949, hydraulic front brakes were introduced on
the Hydra-Glide models.
In the fifty's Harley survived another
bad period. The British owned 40 % of the
motorcycle market with their Triumph ! In 1957
fortunately the Sportster was born, the fastest
Harley ever. A great success !! Just like the
English motorcycle industry, Harley stuck to its technique,
style and character. That's why this motorcycle
was so popular for many, many years.
In opposite to the English manufacturers, Harley
Davison survived this decision. Due to the
enormous attack from the Japanese from the Far
East, the English disappeared without a trace and
the American were almost dead. Even the Shovelhead
couldn't save its ass.
1969, Time for a merger with the American
Machine and Foundry Company (AMF).
However, the quality decreased enormously and the
Super Glide and the SLCR Café racer of 1970 got a
bad name. But Harley Davison bought itself out
and survived and with launching the new
Evolution-motor in 1984, the company managed to
create a modern motorcycle, which was still a
Harley Davison.
The beginning of the 1970's saw a revolution of
the Harley-Davison. In 1971, the cruiser was
born. This machine united a sporty front end with
the frame and power train of the FL series. 1973
saw the move of assembly operations to a new
400,000 square foot plant in York, Pennsylvania.
The year 1975 was the first of four consecutive
years that the Harley-Davison won the AMA Grand
National Championships in dirt track racing. In
1977, the FXS Low Rider and the FLHS Electra Glide
Sport were introduced to the public. The FXS
featured a special lower seat position (hence the
distinguishing term Low Rider...). The FLHS was a
low cost base line FLH Electra Glide with
modifications intended to make the model sportier.
The beginning of the 1980's saw another change in
the partnership of the engine and transmission. In
1980, the FLT model was born with a 5-speed
transmission hard bolted to the engine. Also this
year, the drive train was replaced with a Kevlar
belt. In 1981 senior members of Harley-Davison
bought back Harley-Davison Motor Company from AMF.
In 1982 Harley-Davison enacted the Materials as
Needed (MAN) application in their production. This
would cut production costs and improve the quality
of the parts. In 1983 the group H.O.G was founded
and became the largest factory-sponsored
motorcycle club in the world. By the year 2000,
the club had over 500,000 members. In 1984 the
1340 cc V-twin engine was introduced, seven years
in the making. Also this year, the Softtail model
became available. The Softtail was most primarily
distinguishable by hidden rear shock absorbers.
In 1987 Harley-Davison began its "Buy Back
Program" which offered full trade in value
within two years on certain models. Also at this
time, the Harley-Davison Company obtained a place
on the New York Stock Exchange for those
interested in taking a financial stake in the
company. In 1988 Harley-Davison celebrated their
85th Anniversary in Milwaukee, an event that
brought forth 60,000 aficionados of the
Harley-Davison. At the end of this revolutionary
decade for Harley-Davison, the FXSTS Springer Softtail
model was introduced into the lineup. The FXSTS
Springer Softtail was a modern day recreation of
the 1940's Harley-Davison. It had the classic
biker look with the 1340 cc engine symbolizing the
new era of Harley-Davison.
In the early 1990's the Fat Boy design was
introduced and quickly caught on. The name Fatboy
was derived by combining the names of the two
atomic bombs "Fat man" and "Little
Boy" which were dropped on Nagasaki and
Hiroshima. It was destined from the start to
become a Collector's item among biking enthusiasts
and definitely achieved that status throughout its
existence. Also in 1990, Construction on a 31
million dollar state of the art paint facility
began in York, Pennsylvania. It was finished the
following year.
In 1991, The Dyna line of Harley-Davison's was
introduced with the FXDB Dyna Glide Sturgis. 1994
saw the jump of Harley-Davison into the Super bike
racing with the VR1000. The VR1000 featured a dual
overhead cam and a liquid cooled engine and showed
that Harley-Davison was not fully averse to
manufacturing a race inspired sport bike.
In 1996 a state of the art Parts and Accessories
distribution plant was opened in Franklin,
Wisconsin. The following year a new Product
Development Center opened in Milwaukee. Also in
1997, a 330,000 square foot plant in Kansas City
made its first Sportster. In 1998, assembly
operations were taking place in another part of
the world, Brazil. In the year 2001 Fuel injection
was available on the Softtail models.
These days, in America, Harley Davison owns 62 %
of the market of motorcycles with 850 CC or more
!!
Harleys are, just like porches, fun stuff for
people with money and appearance. So,
"rich" customers rule the market. It
could have been tempting for Harley Davison to
participate in this commercial hype, but when the
hype is over, they know the company will still be
there and will still sell motorcycles ... because
of the loyal followers.
For these people, despite of age and appearance, a
Harley is the one and only. It is an obviously
arrogant, massive and cool cycle, without doing
its best for it. However, Harleys aren't the
fastest and manageable cycles, riding a Harley is incomparable
with riding any other bike ...
In the mean time, the die hards have to share this
experience with the yuppies !!!
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