Uniquely American…….

This is a time of international melding, a self coined term that describes the shift to technologies that reflect a product or culture that is no longer uniquely American in origin. The world stage dominates the news and, for me, it is time to come home and talk about things that are not adulterated by the international veneer that seems to coat much of our landscape. One such iconic consideration is the Harley Davidson motorcycle, as American as it gets.

There is risk in life. Smart, old folks at some point in life began trading risk for longevity, usually as a result of declining physical and, sometimes, mental capability. For me, the precise date of this recognition occurred on Friday, May 24, 2019, when I handed the keys to a beautiful Harley Davidson Street Glide to it’s new owner in the Steak & Shake parking lot in Lebanon, Missouri. It marked the end of my days of throwing around a behemoth of a motorcycle in parking lots and matching wits with our increasingly careless motoring public. It has occurred to me that I also dispensed with the single most American possession that I owned, a Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Harley Davidson’s are manufactured in America, period. They enjoy a unique sound, feel and look that is often challenged but has never been surpassed. They are built by American craftsmen and women in spotless factories in places like Milwaukee, Wi. and York, Pa. I toured the York operation and came away with a feeling of awe. There was pride evident at every station in the production process. One must remember this is a motorcycle design that has been around a long time, dated in some respects but modernized in many others. Harley has seen hard times, but under the leadership of a German born and trained CEO, Jochen Zeitz, has awakened, realizing greater margins and profitability from fewer total sales. A huge challenge is the rising age of riders and difficulty attracting a younger and more diverse genre. Their foray into the electric motorcycle business was a short one, with the Livewire project spun off into a mostly owned subsidiary. It did not take Harley long to realize the shortcomings of battery powered motorcycles, unlike the automobile industry that is losing billions chasing this under ripe, politically driven technology. The challenge that Harley faces is the ability to stay relevant without losing authenticity. That folks, is no small challenge.

One of the endearing aspects of Harley ownership is the infinite customization potential of each machine. Harleys are a canvass, and the pride stricken owner can and often does make the bike totally unique. There isn’t much you can do to a Japanese or German bike, evidenced by their thin catalogs as compared to a Harley where the catalog is, literally, two inches thick. Harley has also embraced the mantra of “United we ride and not divided we ride”, their challenge to the social polarization we are currently being swallowed by.

My closing summation here is this. Harley Davidson motorcycles are generally big, loud and meticulously built by craftsman who are now part owners of the company. They are not adulterated by foreign (major) components, built entirely in America and reek of leather, steel, oil and gas. They announce their presence with a patented sound and hormone driven panache’ that has not been emulated. When you walk that fine line between risk and the reward of the open road on two wheels, they are indeed a uniquely American way to do it. I was a part of this culture at one time, and am better for the experience. Long live Harley Davidson.

Have a great week!

SR