I had my M1 license. I had cash burning a hole in my pocket. I had a helmet and a leather jacket. I was just missing one thing: a motorcycle.
When I started looking for bikes I was really into the aesthetics - the looks. I wanted a sleek retro machine with a low profile silhouette. That's just an artsy fartsy way of saying I wanted a cafe racer.
They looked fit for the gridlock LA traffic. They looked sexy, and most women thought so too. They looked like they'd match my distressed skinny jeans and bubble shield (hipster scum).
My homeboy was getting his bike around this time too and he went with the Sportster because it had the lowest seat heat. He's about 5'8" so he decided to go with the inseam clearance of the SuperLow.
I'd been looking at Harley Davidson too. For the Sportster as well, but I was always a fan of the Nightster and the Iron. So ultimately, I whittled it down to HD and Triumph for my future bike.
When I told my buddy how I was looking at Triumph, he said, "hah! Dude, your back is gonna ache."
From that point, I did the exact opposite of listening to his advice and started checking out Moto Guzzis. Every hipster in LA had a Triumph. I needed a semi-nerdier version with a Guzzi.
But in the end, it was a girl that changed my mind. She road a Sportster and told practically the same thing that my friend did.
"Your back is gonna hurt on the long rides."
Except this time, I listened.
I don't know if it was the second opinion or me thinking my buddy's a complete idiot (& not trusting his advice) or feminine wiles, but from that point, I only looked for Harleys.
Now I know what your thinking, "Why Harley?".
Well, just give me a minute. Let me list a few things like...
The Yamaha Bolt has a bigger engine. The Indian Scout packs 100hp out the box. Yes, Harleys are heavy. Yes, Harleys are slow. Yes, Harley handle like shit on hot summer asphalt. But the Harley Sportster has one thing those two don't - the looks. You can't argue with the aesthetics of their machines. They're classic American motorcycle design. And yeah, they do shake the shit outta you, but that 'charm' wins you over quick. In the end, it's a balance of practical use and styling. If I'm not on the track, why do I need a sports bike? If I'm not cafe hopping, why do I need a cafe racer? But if I'm traveling long distance (and wanna do it in style), I need a Harley. And that's where I want my bike to perform. On the long haul.
Which bring me to my next point...
When you're doing a road trip on a motorcycle, you want to be able to pack tents & stakes, sleeping bags & bed mats, socks & chonies. On a motorcycle, space is sparse. You have about half the bike's surface occupied by the rider (or riders) and a quarter taken up by scorching metal, so the ability to lash your hipster ass REI gear to the sissy bar and your Mexican blanket to the handlebars is a premium feature. With most bikes, that's not a possibility. You don't spot too many sports bikes strapped down with a week's worth of camping gear. You don't typically run into a cafe racer at gas stations that don't take card. You don't find too many naked bikes on the backroads and lost highways.
And yes, there are brands besides Harley that make great touring bikes.
But none of those bikes have the...
The American motorcycle is developmentally challenged. Indian and Victory started pushing the motor functionality forward, but the American aesthetic will always be planted in what Harley-Davidson, and it's riders, do to their bikes. The Bobber. The Chopper. The Club Style. Harley's had a heavy hand in influencing all of those designs and will continue to shape American motorcycle styling, but that's where the arrested development begins. These things still use pushrods! They just started using monoshocks! Who the fuck needs traction control, right? (rolls eyes)
But Harley engines are the definition of proprietary (shit, all engines have a proprietary feel, but this one appeals to me the most). They feel different from their competitors. Probably because they're the Neanderthals of engines, but there's nothing else like them. They chug, cough, rumble, grunt, gurgle (bad times), and howl (good times). They rattle, radiate, shake...and there's nothing else like it.
Yeah, they're American alright, and that's what leads me to...
I'm not going to politicize this point, but the fact is, I believe we need more manufacturing/blue collar jobs in this country. That's just evident by the ghostly, hollow, abandoned factories in my city. It's reinforced by the tent cities in Skid Row. It's apparent in the inner city and the rural areas. If I were to politicize this, I'd say that poverty affects both Republicans and Democrats, both red & blue, city dwellers & country folk. All that to say, that I also chose Harley for the fact that they still make something in America. I know they manufacture overseas and they just laid off a large portion of their employees, but I wear Wolverine boots & Brookings socks, a majority of my wardrobe is made in America, I want the motorcycle I ride to be made by blue-collar Americans. It's not about Socialism. It's not about Fascism. It's about providing jobs for working-class Americans, and that's worth supporting.
Sorry to get all preachy, but in the end, it's all about the...
As soon as you see the word "Freedom", I know what you're thinking - typical Harley rider. But that feeling also comes on a Honda or a Triumph, on an Indian or a KTM, on a Royal Enfield or a Beemer. Of course, they're different brands and different ride qualities, but they all imbue a sense of independence, and that's what a motorcycle does, makes you feel like you can leave it all behind. Like you can escape. On a bike, you don't worry about making your mortgage payments or that one co-worker that you hate. You don't fret about that looming deadline or your favorite team's losing record. When you're on a motorcycle, you focus on one thing, the ride. It's meditative. It's liberating. It's freedom.
At the end of my search, I found a used Harley and drove down to the local dealership. It was a 2015 Iron 883 with a set of chrome Vance & Hines Short Shots and an EFI tuner. Aside from that, she was stock.
The seller walked out to the bike, fired up the engine, gave the throttle a pull, and asked, "what do you think?".
I said, "I think I'm gonna buy her."
And just like that, I had a Harley. But most importantly, I had a Motorcycle.
This is why I chose Harley, but that don't mean you have to as well. If you chose another bike, share your experiences in the comments. If you ride a Harley, share your experiences in the comments. And if you're looking for a bike, don't worry about the brand, just get the fuckin' motorcycle!
