The Harleys of 2009


Well, we knew it was coming. The metrics (Honda and Yamaha) got traded in this spring for Harley Davidsons. We acquired two softtails, a Heritage and a Deluxe. This has opened up a completely different world to us which has been our obsession for most of this summer, 2009.

The new power and range and comfort of the bigger bikes has made riding a real pleasure. Addeed to that has been the sudden acceptance into new circles of big bikers. Those secret hand waves along the highway pay off. Yes, there is definitely a different respect for those who seriously ride. The Harley mystique is alive and well. Women, too, are getting into the culture big time. It has been entertaining for me, if not irreverent, to watch how people posture and walk around looking at each others bikes and making all the appropriate comments and grunts. A kind of aloofness seems to be prerequisite to "getting to know you." Dogs come to mind.. :)

The wearing of leather also changes the role one plays in society. Leather has its own associations with toughness and endurance. Fact is it is your only protection against the environment of the rider, substituting for the hard shell of automobiles. So it is a necessity but as mentioned comes with a whole lot of social baggage. The styles with zippers and snaps and covered with badges and patches can present quite an intimidating image. How surprising to find that many of these scary tough characters who might cause you to role up you windows in traffic turn out to be incredibly polite and considerate persons.

So we get the new bikes and range far and wide and meet new people who invite you to go further and meet more people and pretty soon your whole circle seems to be bikers and your old friends are looking at you with a sort of, "What happened?" look and they are definitely not going to to there with you. It has been interesting to sit down with people who would never have given you the time of day and find them open to you. The motorcycle, like a puppy. opens new doors and seems to invite contact between like minded people.


Like minded? That's pretty broad. There are vast subcultures within the subculture. From solo and family riders to social groups. From a ride around the hills to big charity rides and rallies, finding our place has not been easy. Adhering to certain values of safety and health and seeking others who share the same concerns is a prime directive. We found a local Honey Farms mega gas station and Dunky Ds that provides some outdoor tables and every evening we descend upon the place with a cluster of other bikers. Sometimes we take off from there on small excursions but most often we sit around talking and waiting to see who else will show up. Because of the size and location of the complex, a steady stream of travelers come off the highway and often join in the conversation with their own stories of high adventure. Have met some great folks.

I love riding. I have put on almost 7000 miles since I got the Harley in early May. It's now early September. What I had thought would be an economical way to get around with triple the gas mileage of my van turned out to get ridden three times as much. You do the math.

I am at a place, now, where I want to define my own role in all of this and determine just how I want to integrate the bike into my creative life. A great deal of time has been spent on this new diversion and not much else has been accomplished. It's time to evaluate this new obsession. Get back to my arts. I have already found the I can just barely squeeze my openback-banjo case into the stock saddlebags that came with the Heritage Softail. Like a cork into a bottle. Twice now I have packed it off to a jam or gig. At present I am trying to organize some sort of art pack for the bike so I can use the bike as a low profile way to get out and do plein aire drawing and painting.

Fall is upon us. Western Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire have some of the best riding available anywhere. Our favorite excursion is to go from hilltown to hilltown, stopping in at the little country stores or pubs that serve each community.

Happy riding