By the early 1980s, the Hamsters had grown to 40 or 50 members. Their growth was cut off in the early '80s, however. Mostly because AMF did the same thing for Harley-Davidson that the new cast did for SNL: made it suck until the middle of the decade. H-D's popularity sunk into the toilet and the ripple effect hit the custom bike industry in the same flush. In '81, Barry closed BC Choppers and moved back to his home town, San Diego. He stayed a Hamster, but the group's membership dwindled to half its strength. Donnie Smith told us, "Things slowed down then. It was a lot like now as far as the industry went but our main people stuck around. There just weren't a lot of enthusiasts doing custom bikes at that time so things went dormant for a little while. We did a few get togethers but I don't think there was a major event. Everybody was just trying to survive. We weren't that big a group, so losing half our people brought us down to 20 people. Now, though, if we lost half we'd still have 150. I'd made some of the shirts but got out of it because I started bringing more and more home each year. That's when Arlin Fatland got into the shirts." "Denver Arlin" Fatland was one of the first to join the Hamsters back in '79. He was (and is) very active in the group, making sure beer and snacks were on hand whenever the group got together. He's even been credited with keeping the group alive in some of its darkest hours.
The biker drought went away in the 1990's, though. Following Harley's release from AMF, the company reinvented itself and turned itself around. Custom bike interest started the long upswing that lasted into the early part of the current decade and Hamster membership was once again on the grow.
Only a few short years later the Hamsters had grown large enough that the founding members didn't know everyone in the group, so it was time for a house cleaning. "We wanted and still want guys who are really into it, who will be there for the long haul. Hamsters are expected to participate in at least one event a year, ride to Sturgis, and pay their yearly dues. Barry elaborated on the regs for Hamsters proper: "The first rule is, there are no rules." He joked, "Well, there's a $100 fine for anyone blocking the door if a fight breaks out in a bar.
Each year they hold a gala banquet at the Spearfish Holiday Inn, including the silent auction benefiting children's hospitals we've all come to know. For years the Hamsters had looked for a cause they could get behind and Bob Illingworth gave them that cause: the Children's Care Hospital and School. It's an organization that believes all children deserve to reach their fullest potential. They offer a broad continuum of health care and educational services for children from birth to age 21. From mild learning, physical, or behavioral challenges to intense medical rehabilitation, Children's Care Hospital and School offer a lot to kids who truly need them. The Hamsters got involved with them over a decade ago. People donate all kinds of big prizes to the auction, ranging from Snap-On toolboxes to full-on finished custom motorcycles. "You stand there with your heart in your hand and it's a wonderful thing," Donnie told us. "Things like that put us on the map and got us more organized. A lot of the locals say thank you and it makes you feel pretty good. We're happy to do it."
Not too bad of a saga for a bunch of jokesters who were just looking for a good time 30 years ago.