my dad owned half a dealership in 1947 operating out of a service station, quite common then. oddly my mom was the rider of the family, dad never rode. my daughters die laughing when their grandma talks about riding me around on the back. it was a "Topper" but still a Harley. I worked for the dealership all thru college in the 70's so Harleys have always been part of my life. 2001 RK now.

 

Growing up in Chicago I lived near the Dan Ryan Woods. Every year they had the Toys-For-Tots ride. TONS of bikers would ride in from all over (in the cold and snow) to bring toys in. We would go hang out on 87th and Western and just watch all the bikes roll by. I just thought it was the coolest thing.

 

Came home from Nam,nasty divorce..

 

Like many people...my passion for motorcycles and Harleys started with my father....and since then I'm on a HD.

Not a single year without it...and I'm very proud of it!

 

Several hooks on that line for me.
Mid 60's riding my minibikes, just like the Omaha Chapter of the Angels, kicked back and cool.
Big jolt in 69 wanting to be Dennis Hoper in Easy Rider.
First bike, age 15, in 71.
First Harley ride on an old suicide clutch chopper around 73.
It all added up to a life time of wanting a Harley.

 

Fever ... wow .... I think I caught it on my first chapter group ride ... just bought my scooter this last December (pretty jazzed-up then!) ... In January went on a ride with 34 other bikes ... it was heaven. Since then haven't been able to get off the bike ... we ride every chance we get ...

I got the BUG!

 

1973 I was on my brand new Yammie RD350. I was passed by two big ole bagger 74s. I will never forget the look and sound of those big ole V-twins. My little 350 was stretched tighter than a rubber band. When they passed me it sounded like they were just strokin along. I will never forget it. I caught up with them at a red light. One of the riders made a comment to me. He said "Nice bike man." My reply - "Thanks, but it ain't a Harley. It took many years for me to get one. But, I will now never be without one.

 

Best I can remember, ever since I was first able to realize what a motorcycle was. When I was a kid, Harley's alway caught my eye (or ear). It's only been in the last 5-6 years that I have been lucky enough to own a couple. Growing up, my parents always said no to motorcycle's. When I got married, the wife wasn't too fond of the idea but I managed to talk her into it. She either got tired of me asking or she's comming around to the idea. She finally told me when I build her a house, I get a Harley. Needless to say we started on the house within a year of her saying that and then a few months later I bought my first HD.

 

Grandad had a 1954 Chief, same as my birth year. I never saw him ride it and he kept it in the barn. I would go sit on it and make vroom vroom noises every chance I had. On my 10th BD he said it was mine but I could not have it until I turned 16. Never did get it though, my youngest uncle, 4 years ahead of me, got his hands on it and wrecked it.

Got a Kawi 750 2 stroke when I got my first job, that bike nearly killed me, more than once, thankfully someone saved my life when they stole it. Later got myself a Yamaha SR500 and rode that for a while.

Got my HD last year when I saw it scattered in various old cardboard boxes in a neighbor's garage. Convinced him to sell it to me and spent every spare moment of the next month putting it together, like a mechanical jigsaw puzzle, but without the picture on the box and some pieces missing. I knew squat about HD's or wrenching but this forum helped a lot.

In season, I ride it everyday, rain or shine.

 

I always liked motorcycles but never had much of an opinion in any particular direction. Always had four wheelers and trucks. Back around `98 I was working for a guy that rode a Harley. We had to fly out to LA to do a job for about two weeks. He took us to all the local dealers and I ended up with some T-shirts. When I saw a black Bad Boy at Bartel's, I knew it would have to be a Harley. Eight years later I bought my Street Bob.