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Hog heaven, page 2
by christine sowinski
The feeling of freedom all Harley riders experience is a bond that holds the diverse group together. Today’s Harley customers come from all walks of life, each with their own idea of what makes for great riding. They encompass a variety of professions and are from different cities and states, from small towns to large metropolitan cities.
“The typical Harley customer has transformed throughout the years. Today there is no typical [customer],” says Lunde.
“Harley-Davidson customers are lawyers, doctors, car salesmen, welders [and] waitresses, from all income brackets, walks of life and status. But I think one thing connects them all––the feeling.”
That feeling binds together Harley riders with their shared spirit of adventure, taste for sensory overload and desire to cruise through the next bend in the road. Terry Doughty, owner of an Appleton Harley-Davidson dealership agrees.
“We are all individuals with a passion for motorcycles––Harley-Davidson motorcycles,” he says. His passion for motorcycles began in 1970 at age 17 when he purchased his first bike. He took a part-time job at a dealership four years later, and by 1980 he was a partial owner of the dealership. In 1998, he assumed sole ownership.
Doughty says he is fortunate to be able to make a living out of his passion for motorcycles. He is an example of how Harley-Davidson employees not only sell the products, but are also enthusiasts like the customers they serve.
Riders can look to any Wisconsin Harley dealership to find unique parts and accessories to customize their bikes. The Sauk Prairie dealership is a good place to start. It is the largest, with more than 72,000 square feet to service, detail, store and sell Harley products.
Dealerships, however, are more than brick-and-mortar showrooms for motorcycles––they also serve as gathering places where riders and enthusiasts establish critical connections that bind the Harley-Davidson family together. Bob Herman, owner of the Fond du Lac dealership, makes a point to greet customers like family as they walk through the front door.
Herman’s dealership also holds special social events for its riders. Ladies Night, for example, showcased services meant to draw female clientele together—fashion shows, manicures and shopping.
Larger national events also draw riders together to share in the camaraderie their Harleys create. Sturgis, South Dakota’s annual five-day motorcycle rally is arguably the king of these events. The annual rally, which will celebrate its 66th anniversary in August 2006, drew over 525,000 motorcycling enthusiasts in 2005. It has included scheduled rides and musical performances by big-name artists like Tim McGraw and Toby Keith.
Riders also gather every year in Washington, D.C., to honor the country’s veterans at the Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom.
Herman’s Ladies Night and Sturgis’ annual rally are not events that date back to Harley-Davidson’s early days as a motor on a bicycle in a tiny Wisconsin shed. But, while the modern events and facilities of today’s dealerships and factories have evolved to accommodate today’s riders, Harley’s history remains a source of pride for Harley employees and riders.
In 1903, William S. Harley and brothers Walter and Arthur Davidson turned a revolutionary idea into a successful company. Despite its meager beginnings in a small wooden shed, Harley-Davidson grew steadily during its first two decades. The company was strong enough by the 1930s to persevere during the Great Depression, and even supplied 100,000 motorcycles for the WWII effort. It survived product quality issues and increased foreign competition during the middle of the century.
Today, Harley-Davidson is more than a brand. Harley has created a lifestyle centered on the experience of riding a motorcycle. More than 1 million people from all corners of the globe convened in Milwaukee in 2003 to celebrate that lifestyle during Harley-Davidson’s centennial anniversary.
With 100 years of history and loyalty behind it Harley-Davidson is a company that will continue to inspire new riders well into the future.
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| open road: Hundreds of motorcycles line the streets as Harley enthusiasts celebrate a. photo: Wis. Department of Tourism |
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interactive map: Wisconsin Harley-Davidson dealerships find contact information and links to dealerships around the state. |
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curb magazine 2005: balance for wisconsin's young professionals
