"If I had to explain, you wouldn't understand." Aw yes, this statement is known all too well in the Harley-Davidson motorcycle/V-twin enthusiast world. Here at STREET CHOPPER, we have written a handful of articles about the ever-so-famous quote. Anyone who has ever gone on any sizable bike run, or browsed the apparel rack at the local H-D dealership, has seen it printed on stickers, posters, and T-shirts. Being a Harley-Davidson enthusiast and bike owner for more than a decade, I have always felt I had a pretty good grasp on the statement, but lately, I am not so sure anymore.
The V-twin industry has come full circle and then some in recent years, sparking the interest of people in all walks of life. With the success of several television shows on Discovery Channel, people are lining up at the corner bike shops, Harley-Davidson dealerships, and various other custom bike building outfits, willing to spend an abundance of money on a sport or lifestyle they truly know nothing about.
Working in the industry that I do, I have been afforded the opportunity to meet all kinds of men and women who ride motorcycles. Some live to ride on the weekends, some ride for a more enjoyable commute to work, and some scrape together every red cent they have just to keep their bike running. Nevertheless, all these people share a common love for their two-wheeled machines. With this said, the people that I have met were already into the motorcycle industry, therefore any changes in their lifestyles or personalities are not anything I would notice.
In recent months, I have witnessed the purchase of a custom V-twin motorcycle change the life of a middle-aged man like you wouldn't believe. It all began when a friend of mine moved into a quiet little neighborhood along the border of Orange and Los Angeles counties. Whenever we would meet at his house to go for a ride, or if I would stop by on the bike after work, his neighbor would hear the bike pull up, stop what he was doing, and come stand in the garage to listen to us talk shop for a bit. Every time I was there, I would hear that same thing, "I used to ride a bike," and, "I'm going to get a bike again one of these days".
Well, my friend and I grew tired of hearing his neighbor keep talking about it, so one day I showed up with a handful of information on custom bike building shops in Southern California. I had prepared website information, Softail, rigid, color schemes, prices, you name it - I threw it at him. If nothing else, we thought it might keep the guy quiet for awhile when he saw just how much work and money it would take. We couldn't have been more wrong... a monster was born.
Within about three months, he had a nice raked-out Softail special construction bike built for him. He had always said that he had no money, but he fooled us. I was shocked to see the bike that he bought, but I know very little about the real guy. We never thought he would go so crazy with the bike that he picked, we all felt that it was too much for him, but we were wrong.
Now, we are talking about a guy that wore stonewashed Levis, button-up shirts, and deck shoes on a regular basis. All of a sudden, his bike is completed and he's doing burnouts in the driveway while I'm eating dinner with my friend's family as a call-out to us to get on the bikes and go for a ride.
This guy is called a reborn biker, and he looks like a spokesman for the Harley-Davidson Leather Company. He has also gone crazy about looking younger and buying every color of Dickies, not to mention the Chuck Taylors. We're glad to see that one thing he did get was a good helmet. He's not the only guy we know that is a reborn biker; I have a few of these stories. I'm glad it is happening, it makes my job more fun and cooler than the last one I had. The best thing about the popularity of bikes is that almost everyone is interested in one way or another, even if they don't understand why. When someone asks if I can tell him or her about a bike, or if I've met a builder, or where to get a good deal on a bike, that is the easy part. It is when I have to try to tell them why I do it and how it makes me feel. The way I try to get them to understand is I tell them to do just it: borrow a bike or go rent one from your local dealer. Then I have them tell me if they get it. It is easier to explain it after that. So, if you ever find yourself in the same shoes and are asked to explain it, good luck. Call and tell me too. Ride safe.