[TheForge] OT-Harleys

[Ries Niemi]

I like motorcycles- Really. And I think Harleys are cool. I would 
probably have one- in fact, many years ago I wanted one, and I made a 
deal with my wife that I could get one for my 40th birthday. 
Unfortunately, 40 has come and gone, and I still have so many other 
vices which cost money that I havent been able to bring myself to start 
a new one.
But unless you have been up here, I dont think you can understand the 
magnitude of the Harley phenom in the northwest.
We have a run here in September- the Oyster Run. Last year 40,000 bikes 
came, half of which went by my front door. And about 39,000 of em were 
big and fat and brand new, with matching leathers, helmets, and 
saddlebags, and if they were lucky, trophy wives. Now these guys arent 
yuppies- the average age of a harley buyer is almost 50, so they arent 
young, and they dont live in the city- in Seattle they drive hybrid 
cars, not bikes. But it sure seems like you gotta be some kind of 
professional to afford a brand new Harley, and thats not even counting 
all those Buells- ever seen about a hundred of those things lined up? 
Lots of new Triumphs, and Ducati's, and even MotoGuzzis and a bunch of 
BMW's as well. Almost no choppers, and the few you see look ordered, 
not homemade.

I lived for 10 years in LA, and the reason I live in the country now is 
so I can indulge my own desires to drive fast and make lots of noise. 
So, as I said before, I am spoiled. Most winter days, I can drive the 
20 miles up to Bellingham and only have to pass a couple of 
eco-concious subaru wagons. But when the sun is out, the harleys flock. 
Yesterday I passed, literally, about 1000 bikes in 15 miles. I live 
near a little village of 100 people, with two taverns, and there were 
about a hundred bikes in front of each bar.

It does seem like there is a certain type of guy on a harley, who sits 
and putts along at ten to fifteen miles below the speed limit, and he 
will slow down even more in the twisties, which of course is where I 
want to put the hammer down. These guys act as if no one should ever 
pass them, and they drive accordingly.
I drive very politely as far as motorcycles go- partly out of growing 
up in a time when bikers were big drunk and drugged out dudes who 
wouldnt hesitate to beat you up if you offended them, but mostly just 
because I understand the basic vulnerability you have on a bike to 
idiots in cars, and I dont want to add to that.
But I am also a firm believer in "lead, follow, or get out of the way". 
When somebody comes roaring up behind me, in a porsche or on a bike, I 
dont have any ego issues about pulling over and letting em pass.

ries