We All Need More Motorcycle In Our LIves

Saturday morning I got Lucy, my 2006 Suzuki Boulevard S83, back from the shop. It had been way too long. I’d tried working on her myself for too long before throwing in the towel and taking her to the pros. Electrical issues are damned tricky, I’m telling ya. As one of my club brothers once said when I asked him if he knew motorcycle electrical systems: “I know they got one lever. Lever alone!” (RIP Trippple Nippple, you’re GBNF). Total down time: three months. I was having withdrawals.

The rest of Saturday was taken up with attending a wedding and reception. I worked Sunday, and got sprinkled on on the way home, but no biggie. Monday was the magic day. Instead of heading toward home after work, I went the opposite direction. Because you know: motorcycle. I rode a couple of highways and several streets I’d never been on before, through a couple of towns I’d never been in (Union City and College Park, GA if you’re curious) before the road led me into southwest Atlanta and more new-to-me streets. A random turn wound up putting me directly onto I 75. I was pretty hungry by this time anyway, so I decided to head homeward.

I decided on a Waffle House near home for supper. I grew up on Waffle House, and in my opinion, it’s almost the perfect restaurant. Good ol’ greasy spoon food for any meal of the day, and everything available 24/7. The only imperfection is the serious lack of Tex Mex on the menu, but I digress.

Another cool thing about most Waffle Houses is the atmosphere. The grill is right behind the counter, and if it’s slow, you can end up being dragged into conversation with the waitresses and cooks. Almost like at a bar, only without the booze. Well, this was well past normal meal time on a weekday evening, so I was the only customer at first. There were a couple of (I’m assuming) off duty employees hanging out in a booth, plus two waitresses and a cook. I’m sitting there, happily eating my patty melt and hash browns (scattered, smothered, and covered), and the juke box is blaring away. It’s kinda loud due to the relative emptiness of the place, but not obnoxious. The waitress is doing her side work right in front of where I’m sitting at the counter, smiling as she and the other waitress sing along with one R&B song after another. I didn’t recognize any of the songs or artists, but they were obviously having a ball. She told me I had to pay for the food, but the show was free. We laughed and a few minutes later, the recent cover of “Tennessee Whiskey” came on the juke box, and I joined in the singing.

I hadn’t noticed, but a couple of older ladies had come in at some point during the song and were sitting in a booth at the end of the place. Next thing I know, one is at the door while her friend calls out to her: “It’s nearly over, come back”. I guessed she meant the song, both because it was fading out, and because the lady who was headed for the door started yelling about not sitting there with it so loud she gets a headache, and that’s why she stopped coming to this place, and, and, and, more sour, bitter things I couldn't keep up with.

Now, to be clear, I’ve been married to two migraine sufferers (I’m probably not the cause of the migraines), so I understand that can be an issue, but this wasn’t that. She was just an angry lady who wanted a reason to be angry. I finished, paid, and walked outside, where my waitress and one of the off duty employees were smoking cigarettes. I walked up, shaking my head, saying “Ain’t it a shame that some people don’t seem to be capable of saying something simple like: excuse me, but the juke box is a little loud – would you mind turning it down?”

Personally, I’d just had a pretty enjoyable and fun hour or so after work, simply by riding down some roads I’d never seen. I’ll be honest – I’m not typically the world’s most positive person. In fact, I’m quite often fairly negative, but there are two things I can say about myself. One, I never try to spread my misery to others when I’m in a low place. Two, I can almost always find a way to have some fun. Assuming I’m not waiting a month and a half for the shop mechanic to chase down my electrical gremlin…

Anyway, I’ve found that motorcycle people generally are able to find a way to make the best of bad situations. I’ve been at bike rallies where we had a blast camping in sub freezing temperatures, and at others camped in triple digits. Yet, here was this lady, who essentially walked into a spontaneous party on a random Monday evening and got pissed off about it. She obviously needs more motorcycling in her life, huh?

Don't we all?

Maybe I should start carrying a spare helmet with me. If I run into her again, I can offer her a ride and teach her how lighten up.

Rollin' With The Changes

So…..

Harley Davidson has announced four new models ( https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/about-us/more-roads.html#intcmp_HP-BB-MoreRoads ) coming up in the next couple of years. These models are a radical change from the expected from the Motor Company, and social media is all ablaze with hate from the Harley Faithful.

Which is ironic for a few reasons. For one thing, aside from the electric bike, these aren’t exactly new concept motorcycles. Even for H-D, if we’re being honest. Despite what their website says, the Pan America isn’t their first adventure tourer. Have they already forgotten a little branch of their company called Buell that they shut down just a few years ago? There was this Buell model called the Ulysses. Pretty capable adventure tourer, from articles I read back when it was a current bike. And that Streetfighter model? A streetfighter is essentially just a naked sportbike. Um… wouldn’t that be, I don’t know, EVERY other Buell model? The Custom looks to be basically a factory street tracker. Honestly, my biggest issue with the new models is the names. Streetfighters were originally custom bikes, not something you bought as is, and I actually kind of cringe at the term “factory custom”. It’s like “postal service” or “military intelligence” or “jumbo shrimp”.  But apparently the motorcycle industry at large has appropriated the words chopper and bobber for bikes rolling off the assembly line, so I guess streetfighter and custom are just marketing-speak now.

The biggest departure (again, aside from the electric model), is that these three models will apparently be each offered in four different engine sizes. 500, 975, and 1250cc are specifically mentioned on the site. A 250 is mentioned in reference to Asian markets, but I’m wondering if the fourth displacement for the American and European market won’t more likely be a 750, like the Street. Personally, I think this is something they should’ve done many years ago. If they’d introduced a 500cc Sportster back in the 80s, with its easier use for novice riders and inevitably lower price point, how many new riders might they have attracted, and possibly kept as those riders traded up as experience and disposable incomes increased?

Harley folks seem (to me, anyway) too hung up on “tradition” and classic looks. Don’t get me wrong – I have a solid appreciation for the aesthetics of the past. I just happen to like modern reliability and ease of use, too. It seems like every time H-D makes a technological step forward (which is only about 1/5 as often as other motorcycle companies to begin with), there’s an uproar of protest. “Sellout!” Well, “selling out”... isn’t that what a business exists to do? Sell their product? The sad fact is that Harley’s sales have been in decline. Today’s motorcycle buyer just isn’t buying the classic look, heavy cruiser. And for those that are, Harley now has competition in a segment of the market they’ve dominated for decades. With first Victory, and now Indian syphoning off a big chunk of their customers, Harley has to adapt, or face going under. So, they’re adjusting to the new reality of the motorcycle market. It’s a smart move, and really, judging from the reactions I’ve read, a brave one. It seems like every time they take that step forward on the technological timeline, Harley is also accused of wimping out. It seems every change H-D makes comes with a flood of negativity from the very people who insist that buying anything else is just plain un-American. The fairly recent release of the partially watercooled motors was the source of jokes. Same with the V Rod. I remember when I was first setting foot into the biker world in the early 90s, the hard core bikers were still making fun of Evo riders (the Evolution motor was introduced in 1984). Of course, I’m sure Panhead guys made fun of the Shovelhead (1966). I’ve heard that when Harley put rear suspension on its bikes, there were people upset about that. Electric starter? Sacrilege. I’m sure there were some who hated the idea of overhead valves when the Knucklehead motor came out. If some people had their way, we’d all still be riding kick start only bikes with rigid frames, magnetos instead of batteries, hand shift/foot clutch, and questionable drum brakes.

It’s laughingly ironic that these seeming technophobes want to hate on new technology, profess how much better the old ways in the old days were, yet, they’re doing so on the freakin’ internet, using a smartphone that puts more computing power in their pocket than NASA used for the moon launch. Like the old song says “Things that make you go Hmmm…”

Anyway, while I do like the looks of most Harleys, it’s no secret I’m not a huge fan of the brand. Plus, they’ve now done away with pretty much the only two lines I’d have been interested in if I were to go H-D again: the FXR and the Dyna. However, they’ve impressed me with this bold new move, and since they’re an iconic piece of Americana, I’d hate to see them go out. I wish them all the best with their new product lines. And who knows? Maybe one day you’ll see me on a Harley Streetfighter. Maybe.