From its early beginnings a century ago, Harley-Davidson has always been more than motorcycles.
It's been about the American dream.
Owning a Harley is not just about owning a piece of equipment. It is about assuming a way of life, indulging in the freedom of the open road, experiencing the independence and camaraderie of fellow riders.
Today's Harley owners share the legacy of the cowboys of our American West. They have in common the independent spirit, cooperative attitude and cowboy-hero mentality made popular in the movies, novels and radio programs from the middle of the last century.
In our collective consciousness we have replaced Western cowboys with these mavericks on modern steeds. Note the choice of transportation: Horses of frontier days have been replaced with powerful machines of gleaming chrome, leather and steel that are, nonetheless, mounted like horses.
Both groups wear the same basic types of clothing - denim and leather - sturdy for riding in all kinds of weather. Even some of the trappings of Harley riders are the same as those of the frontier cowboys: saddlebags, leather fringes and chaps. Fringes flying in the wind are reminiscent of the flying manes and tails of the cowboys' horses as they worked the open plains or headed into town.
At times, both cowboys and Harley riders travel or gather in groups. The most enthusiastic of these modern cowboys have annual gatherings, much like the frontier cowboys who gathered for their cattle drives and roundups. Like believers at a tent revival, their passion for their bikes is contagious.
The frontier spirit of cooperation is evident in the varied charitable efforts that modern riders undertake. It reminds us of the cooperative efforts required for the cattle drives and roundups that cowboys participated in on a regular basis.
Owners of Harley-Davidson motorcycles possess something that grants them admission to a club. Many in the general population seek that identity by buying clothing with the Harley logo. Even though they may not own the motorcycle that provides admission to that group, they buy into the mystique that surrounds it.
They are buying an ideal and an identity, not unlike the children of former generations who donned cowboy hats and boots to save the world from bad guys.
It is the legacy of our frontier past that many are not willing to give up just because there are fewer cowboys on the open plains.
It is a legacy being celebrated this past weekend (28 August - 01 September) as our modern cowboys and cowgirls thundered into Milwaukee to celebrate a storied 100 years.
Ride on!
Kathleen M. Klein is a Milwaukee area writer.
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