Originally Posted by Gazzalodi

Here's how it's changed for me. When I was young in the late 60's, around 7 maybe 8 I remember there was a bike rally in Joplin Mo. We lived in NE Oklahoma and my mother made us stay indoors because bikers were "all devil worshippers who snatched kids off the streets to use as human sacrifices".

A couple of years later in the early 70's my older sister started dating these guys with Harley's. I thought they were the coolest guys on the planet. She married one, then divorced him a few years later, but I still think he's one of the coolest guys on the planet to this day.

When I was a few years older I joined the Air Force, as soon as I could afford it I bought a Harley, a sportster, but when I came home I knew I wasn't one of the cool biker guys because they all had these big twins and were in their late 20s.

A few years later I got my first big twin, but still I wasn't a biker yet because all the cool biker guys were in their 30's and were building or customizing their bikes.

A few years later (with a whole lot of help because I suck a engines, electrical and well just about the whole thing) I put together my first basket case bike. But I still wasn't a biker, because all the cool biker guys were in their 40's and riding their bikes up to Sturgis every year.

A few years later I finally have a big twin reliable enough that I can ride it to Sturgis with my sister and her new cool biker husband. But I'm still not a biker because the cool biker guys are in their 50's and have Road Kings.

Originally Posted by Geoff

Biggest difference...bikers of the 70s believe they had a better era.

Originally Posted by schumacher

in my opinion, the 80's bikers were the ones who ruled. ya can keep yer stinkin 70's, 90's, and 00's

Originally Posted by tiretronix

How do you know what the 70's were like if you weren't there riding ? It seems to me that most think their decade is the best. I'm just lucky enough to have been there during all of them and enjoyed every minute of it. Oh, 60's and 70's ruled !

Originally Posted by TwiZted Biker

Won't say it was better but it was different in the fact if you rode you where an outsider to the accepted norm , you stood away from the rest of the herd . This group drew the restless souls and the round pegs of society that couldn't or wouldn't be pounded into the square hole you stood out and on your own , your word & rep was who you where and there where no questions about it , things where real & direct unlike today's multiple faces people try to wear . The lifestyle was ours in a very unique way unlike today , that's what most older guys lament not so much that it was better just wasn't sooo many shades of gray and people acting out fantasies . Today having a bike particularly a harley is as common as a cold everybody and their grandmother has one and is play acting something .

Honestly what I see on the streets today just comfirms what I always thought back in 70's and 80's Joe normal envied and secretly wanted to be us , too bad they killed it by over doing it and making it so common . Something to chew on .