Streetwise: Most American men want a Harley

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | Friday, April 23, 2004 | Lauren Rudd

[cyborg]

The left turning cage is every biker's worst enemy.

[ArrogantBustard]

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"We are not amused."

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[MineralMan]

You're bad!

[Tijeras_Slim]

Pip pip cherrio!

[Duke809]

Tell you the truth, I don't know either. I can answer for myself though. I've been riding mini-bikes and go-karts and junk since I was 5. My Uncle Duke was a real hot-rodder back in the late 50's and early 60's. My Uncle Ron had a 58 Chevy Impala convertible with a Connie Kit, 348 with trips, fender skirts, spolights and the like. Uncle Duke was always fooling around with it and his 56 Ford Fairlane, that he put a 312 T-Bird engine in. I was a little kid back then around 5 or 6 and was living with my grandmother while my mom was recovering from some heavy duty surgery, so Uncle Duke always made me help him.

He used to build mini-bikes and go-karts out of junk, but my grandmother would pitch a fit when I rode them, since they lived on 71st and Dicks Ave in SW Philly. I used to ride them in the Elmwood Ave park, but grandmom didn't care. My grandmother moved to Jersey in something like 64 or 65. The first thing Uncle Duke did when he got there was to buy a 62 Candy Apple Red Duo-Glide. He kept it in our garage and my mother hated that thing, but he loved it and used to take me for rides on it, I was 11 at the time and she used to stop him and make me get off. But that bike was in my garage every day for two years and I couldn't stay away from it. It could have been a Honda, Triumph, BSA or whatever and I would have felt the same way.

Ever since I saw Uncle Duke's Pan, I told myself one day I would get a Harley.

As for my Mom and bikes, she still hates them and she still tells me it's dangerous and I should sell it and I'm 50 now.

[MineralMan]

"Nice, I hope you get one some day.
"

Thanks. I had one, back in the 60's. Paid $500 for it. Rode it; sold it. I wish I had all the vehicles I owned back when I was a kid. I'd be retiring.

[cyborg]

I've seen pics and it's not nice. I like the ones who wear the helmets on TOP of their heads instead of on them *LOL*

[Bikers4Bush]

"Seems though, if you can ride competently, don't have a penchant for getting in over your head (particularly in corners) and don't ride under the influence, you'll miss most of these."

And that my friend is the long and short of it. Getting killed by an incompetent cager is not as common as everyone thinks.

I've had some close calls myself but since I wasn't boozing it and was keeping an eye on everything around me I was able to avoid them.

I'm not ashamed to say that I've taken a few motorcycle safety courses and doing so has saved my behind.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Stay safe out there.

[Bikers4Bush]

He said thumper not BUTT UGLY PORKER!!!

LOL!!!!!!

[Buell_X1-1200]

Hey, thanks. Not to mention it's a heck of a lot of fun to ride.

Black on one side, Harley orange on the other. Quite a head-turner 'round these parts.

[Tijeras_Slim]

You mean Miss Ariel Square Four? :)

[MineralMan]

"I'm not ashamed to say that I've taken a few motorcycle safety courses and doing so has saved my behind.
"

When my dad gave me my first motorcycle when I was 16, he told me two things that are the keys to riding. First, he told me about countersteering. Second, he told me to always assume that every four-wheeler was going to try to kill me.

The second piece of advice saved my life many times.

[Bikers4Bush]

Woof, can you imagine the pain and suffering the painter went through?

[IamHD]

:) He said that he justed wanted to get out of there, and quick. lol Just a young guy in his early twenties. I had a sportster and every time I backed it up, I dropped it. It was just too top-heavy for me to handle. I got a great deal from my company and traded it in for a new fatboy. Now that, I can handle, because of the center of gravity of the tank. I only weigh 110 lbs., so it's enough for me. I wouldn't be able to handle a full dressed bike, although my instructor showed us how to pick up any bike if dumped, by ourselves, including a dresser.

[Bikers4Bush]

"....assume that every four-wheeler was going to try to kill me."

Exactly, they can't kill you if you're keeping an eye on them.

[Melas]

Man, not the reliability myth again. Harley's are more reliable than a lot of metric bikes these days, due to self-adjusting valves that many metrics lack. Harley hasn't had reliability issues for 20 years now, but I see the myth still persists.

[MineralMan]

"Exactly, they can't kill you if you're keeping an eye on them."

Yup. An older biker I knew back in those days gave me another piece of advice. "Stay clear of white Cadillacs." He was right, too.

[spunkets]

"The left turning cage is every biker's worst enemy."

When ya collect on the lotto and get your Harley, always assume they will do the turn. That way you'll make it to the higher levels, where deer drop down out of the sky.

[brownsfan]

Ok, I'm 46, and have never owned, nor driven a motorcycle. Should I forget it and just buy the convertible car?