"While it's true that I've never rode a Harley... I have pushed one once." -JKurner

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Submit your stories and report any broken links to BLACK ECHO
 

NOTE- some links below are to other sites and may take you away from American Angst.  These are identified by the [link away] icon. Please let me know of any broken links.   I am not responsible for content found on other sites or for their opinion.  If you disagree with an opinion found on another site, please take the matter up with them.  If a link is broken and the link follows through to a page no longer available, please let me know so I can trim the defunct link from my page.  Thank you.

General Stories- a group all of your stories from the road, collected here for all to enjoy.

HARLEYLIFESTYLE - Motorcycle Logistics - why worry about all the headaches and trouble of riding your Harley to big events like Sturgis or Daytona Bike Week when you can just tow it?  Why worry about towing it yourself when you can just pay someone else to tow your bike for you?  Now, you don't have to worry about riding your Harley Davidson long distances (and lowering its high resale value by putting all of those unnecessary miles on it)  ... no, now you can arrive in comfort and style and your bike will already be there waiting on you, all ready to ride around and pose on.  When you're finished showing and posing, they'll load it back up and ship it back home for you!  No fuss!  Remember; it's all about the lifestyle, it's all about presenting the all important biker image and when you're giving the lifestyle a full 110% of your personal best, you just don't have time for the little stuff like actually riding your bike to the big events you want to be seen at.  [link away]

Spend a Day with a Real Biker Auction- Yes, it is said that art imitates life but sometimes life imitates art - Or at least, life imitates my website.  Here is a link away to an interesting news story from Australia with the following description:  "I hope this email finds you and yours doing well. I thank you for all the good humor on your site. I thought you might be interested in this though you may have seen it already. I recall in one of your responses to the unwashed that if the Hells Angels ever decided to show up at your abode you would use the occasion for monetary gain. You would charge the RUBs an event fee for being allowed to party with real bikers and split the profits with the Hells Angels club. I think a motorcycle club member has been reading your wisdom and decided to capitalize on your train of thought. Here is a link to a news article on Yahoo that seems to parallel your thoughts on a smaller scale." -Sterling  What is funny is that almost 3200 people looked at this auction, and not one person bid on it.  I guess if you're going to raise money for charity, you might do something a little more worthwhile, like hold a car wash or a bake sale, rather than have three or four surly bikers show up, pick you up at your home or office and ride you around for 8 hours while telling you how great and bad they are (or used to be).  Of course, the picture on the auction didn't do much to instill confidence in this bidding either...  Here we have an auction to help a little girl with cystic fibrosis and we show some inane grinning hill scoggin giving the viewer the middle finger.  He's got a Comanchero shirt on, but he's not on a bike.  Instead, he's positioned in front of what appears to be a wood carving of an old motorcycle up on a mantle piece.  He doesn't look like a biker, he looks like a fraternity boy in college.  What?  We couldn't put in a picture of a real biker on a real bike?  No.  Apparently, all we got was the middle finger.  What a classy way to inspire deep and genuine philanthropy in the souls of other human beings.  Yes, nothing says "reach into your pocket and give me lots of money for a worthy cause" like an erect middle finger (except perhaps some harsh language and a handgun brandished at close quarters late at night in a dark alley).  It is my professional opinion that the Comanchero's need a new business manager.  I'm not volunteering, I'm just commenting based on the rather obvious flop that this auction was.  [link away]

"Will Harley Davidson Hit The Wall?" - a very well written though somewhat dated article on the storm that is brewing on Harley's horizon yet the hillbillies in Milwaukee are ordering cases of sun screen instead of umbrellas.  Their uppance will come.  [link away]

What does your motorcycle's loud pipes say about you?  -A funny video, sent in by several people.  Enjoy!  [link away]

Brand Extensions We Could Do Without - Harley Davidson comes in dead last, again, but this time it's when they try to muscle in on Betty Crocker's territory! [link away]

The Harley Davidson "sex sells" commercial- yes, it's true.  Buy a Harley Davidson and you'll get lucky.  If you don't buy a Harley then you could die a virgin.  [link away]

Born to be Mild? - Airbags and heated seats on motorcycles?  Yes.  A great article written by Jonathan Welsh for the Sun Sentinel Com.  [link away]

Harley Medical Group-  BGoodwin sent me an email which said "Hey Christopher. I came across this when I typed in the keywords "Harley" and "small penis" out of sheer boredom. Take it and run with it, please."  Your wish is my command.  This is just too funny!  Now all we have to do is find a place that actually allows them to chrome their testicles  ...  [link away]

"Taking America for a Ride: the Politics of Motorcycle Tariffs" - This is a very well written paper on politics and economics and although it  is somewhat dated, it gives us a view back into the early 1980's when Harley Davidson made an economic decision that hurt not only the American economy but also the average US citizen (especially those who rode motorcycles).  I've talked about this bit of history many times and now it is available to you as a very well written piece.  [link away]

The Trademark Registrability of the Harley-Davidson Roar: A Multimedia Analysis - Here is an excellent article written on the prospect of Harley Davidson trying to copyright the sound of their engines, like you would really want to copyright the sound of a flatulent moose ... [link away]

Murphy's Email- I recently had the immense pleasure of talking, via email, with one of our soldiers.  Yes he rides a Harley and yes, he gets it.  I think that Mr. Murphy here is probably one of the few on a Harley today who actually does understand the situation. 

What's Up Wit That? - a funny look at the California Harley subculture.  You will need high speed Cable or DSL for this link to work, it's a nearly half hour Google video.  Thanks to everyone who submitted it.  [link away]

Russ Jack's views- RJ rides in to share his views and his experience with the flock.

The BMW R-1150 RT-P Police bike- here's a humorous ad from Down Under submitted by Neil.  The truth is in the advertising!

Jay's Experience- Jay was kind enough to share two stories of his personal experiences with members of Willie G.'s flock.  Read and enjoy!

Harley Match- Hillbillies meeting hillbillies on the Internet!  Yes, it's real.  Yes, it's scary.  It's a dating service by and for people who own Harleys or live the lifestyle.  Proving once again that certain people in the world must own a Harley in order to get a piece of ass.   [link away]

The Good Samaritan- Don Oller tells us of his humorous dealings with the unwashed.

Matt's Experience-  Matt shares his thoughts and memories on owning Harleys throughout his youth.  A very good read.

An Ex-Harley owner speaks his thoughts- Another submission from someone who has been there and back.

Bill Hickey's Thoughts on Motorcycles- This was submitted to me and I thought it was good enough to include here.  Enjoy.

Two Encounters with Morons- Rocklandeagles tells us about his encounters with the lowest common denominators in society.

The Road to Redemption- Uncle Ernie tells us of his time among the flock and of his rude awakening.

Why a Harley cannot be considered an "investment."  -BlackZZR explains the math behind the myth. 

Moron Encounter- Red Gixxer tells us of his encounter with the all too familiar Harley owner.

The Harley Davidson "Confederate Edition"- While it's very un-politically correct today, one brave soul breaks the code of silence regarding this model to bring you the truth behind the "Redneck Express".

Notes from the Graybar Motel- Mike Haney explains why you shouldn't drink and ride, with his usual comic approach to spreading common sense.

Ken Haylock's Review of the Harley Softail Deuce-  Ken sent me an email that was short and to the point, basically it said "I hear you're collecting these..." meaning real stories from real people.  Ken doesn't let us down.  Reading his review, you must realize that Ken is from the other side of the pond.  No problem with that.  We send them Harleys, they send us Triumphs.   At least what they send us actually works.  Harley is at best a load of old wank.

Fred Rau's Excellent Article on the New Counterculture- John Hoffert shared this with me and I think it should be required reading.  Fred Rau is a no-nonsense kind of biker who tells it like it is.

The Latest Harley Davidson Giveaway Contest- You could win the chance to buy a brand new Harley Davidson!  You read right, you're competing for the chance to buy, now if you think that's ignorant, read on!  It gets better (or worse, depending on your IQ level...)

Hainey Tells It Like It Frigging Is...  Just some common sense rules for the road, as well as for life, from someone who's been there and done that.   Good stuff worth reading!

The New 2003 Harley Davidson Model- You won't find this model at your local dealership.

Harley Riders Get Opportunity To Sleep With The Dead-   Just one more way to milk the scoggins of every red cent they have to their name.

Hollywood Actor's career soars with the help of Harley Davidson- Just when you thought that washed up actors couldn't reach new heights...

Firebolt Review- Jim Beyer tells it like it is.  A very well written and entertaining review of what may be Buell's most promising American sportbike yet.

Harley being sued- twice- for failure of their products- There is currently a pair of lawsuits being brought against the Motor Company for the way that their products fail to live up to the standards set by the rest of the technologically advanced world marketplace.  Harley is currently in a class action lawsuit brought forth by concerns for the longevity of their engines, and for tank slappers which happen when you try to ride a Harley fast (high speed wobble).  Interesting.

Awakening-  Ron Brigman follows the White Rabbit and learns that he is chasing the Dragon instead.  This is the story of his journey, of his taking the first critical steps out of the comfortable existence inside the pasture, and of realizing that he is a wolf who belongs out in the jungle instead of in the pasture with the other sheep.  One of the better emails I've received with regards to this site.

Harley sells lifestyles- A news article that explains a lot of the mindset about HD, without meaning to.

Harley shifts gears in effort to sustain success- another news article and a rather interesting one about what HD is doing to cope with the future.   After all, they're major source of income, the baby boomer generation, is starting to get a little old in the tooth.

Harley Davidson is heading for a bumpy road in the future- An article from Fortune magazine identifies that Harley's market is getting older, and that the road ahead may not be so bright for a company that has painted itself into one particular corner of the market.  VERY good reading!

Harley Davidson motorcycle breaks in two on road trip- I am *not* making this up!  You have got to read this news article!  The picture is priceless!

Motorcycle Culture--High and Low: Of Harleys, Playboy, and Blue Movies- By Owl Eyes [link away]

Harley-Davidson's Announced Restructuring of Racing Effort Raises Questions [link away]

Harley Riders' Cultural Appropriation- Fashion is a disease, performance is the cure. [link away]

Buell Blast owner goes through hell- This poor rider!  Read about how Harley Davidson tried to strong arm this person into silence over obvious defects in the design and production quality of the brand new bike, all to protect their name and keep other unsuspecting riders from avoiding their defective products. [link away]

Returning Cyclist Crashes Harley in 10 Seconds- It's all about the image.  Common sense not included.

Famous Last Words On Wearing A Helmet- Why wearing a helmet is a good idea-  Some famous last words, and how to eat them.

The Russian Palzy Sportbike- What a monster!  A full scratch-build featuring a tele-lever front suspension and the V8 engine from a truck!  If the Russians are fixing to start designing amateur sportbikes, Harley is going to have to do a lot of catching up! 

Rallywhore- Sturgis shouldn't be canceled, it should be taken out back and shot.  Read one man's opinion of the facade that Sturgis has become and why the rally should be put out of its misery.

A Review of the new Buell Firebolt- It isn't pretty, well, the bike is, somewhat, but the review isn't.  It lists, among other things that one of the reasons for the failure of Buell is their reliance on the tired old Sportster motor.  What have I been saying all along?  Using a Sportster motor in a Buell is about as smart as making NASCAR switch from gas motors to propane motors.

Fisher Price recalls Harley Davidson Power Wheels(tm) Toys- art imitates life in the quality control department.

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