GR_140h_dps - Glory Road

Transcription

2009 - 2010
COLLECTOR’S EDITION
It’s all about
the ride
First to Key West, then to
Anchorage via the Top of
the World Highway
www.chesterpowersports.com
®
It’s not the Road Prince.
It’s not the Road Court Jester.
It’s the Road King.
It has a standard to set.
Get on the throne and the ride is all new,
from the forged steel in the frame
to the big 180 tire in back.
®
The King has left the garage.
ridetrue.com
*$16,999 is the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price for a 2009 Road King® motorcycle in Vivid Black. Options, such as color and wheels, are available at additional cost. Price excludes options,
dealer setup, taxes, title and licensing and is subject to change. Dealer prices may vary. We care about you. Ride safely, respectfully and within the limits of the law and your abilities. Always wear
an approved helmet, proper eyewear and protective clothing, and insist your passenger does too. Never ride while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Know your Harley® motorcycle and read
and understand your owner’s manual from cover to cover. ©2008 H-D. Harley, Harley-Davidson, Road King and the Bar and Shield logo are among the trademarks of H-D Michigan, Inc.
Pictured: Road King without a king’s ransom—it starts at $16,999.*
Chester’s Harley-Davidson ~ Mesa AZ ~ 800 831 0404
Grand Teton Harley-Davidson & Buell ~ Idaho Falls ID ~ 800 863 5297
Snake Harley-Davidson ~ Twin Falls ID ~ 888 788 9809
Welcome
Glory Road is a special edition about
the Harley lifesyle published for the
Chester family of Harley-Davidson
dealerships by K&C Mediaworks,
1837 S. Federal Highway #12,
Stuart, Florida 34994.
TELEPHONE: 866.865.2628
E-MAIL: editor@gloryroadmag.com
WEB: www.gloryroadmagazine.com
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER
Georgs Kolesnikovs
ART DIRECTOR
Chris Knowles
MANAGING EDITOR
David Henderson
SENIOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
James H. Cooper
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Blake August, Scott Himelhoch,
Peter Swanson
ASSISTANT TO THE EDITOR
Rebecca Crosgrey
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Roy Timm and Carole Bozzato Timm
PHOTO PRODUCTION
David Stewart
DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING
Karen Easton
GENERAL MANAGER
Norlene Chong
PATRON SAINT
Martin Levesque
Dreams come true
You’ve been thinking about buying a Harley-Davidson. You love the
look, you love the sound. The Harley image appeals to you, the Harley
mystique is working its magic on you.
Our editorial mission at Glory Road is to push you over the edge.
Spend a couple of hours with us and we’ll convince you to make your
dreams come true.
Read about the special lifestyle, the fun activities and the great
rides that await when you join the Harley family. It truly is a family, a
sisterhood as much as it is a brotherhood. Male or female, young or old,
blue-collar or white-collar, everyone is welcome at the Chester family
of Harley-Davidson dealerships.
Read about the freedom of the road. Join us on three glorious rides.
Use the tear-out gatefold to begin planning your own adventure. Check
out the variety of Harleys available to suit any style of street or highway
riding. Meet the men and women whose lives have been changed since
they purchased a Harley-Davidson. Listen to what they have to say.
Then we’ll introduce you to the friendly experts who staff the five
dealerships which sponsor Glory Road. The employees have only one
real job—to help you make your dreams come true.
And after you’ve joined the family and are riding your own Harley,
let us know about your first-hand experience of a lifestyle we believe
truly is glorious.
—Georgs Kolesnikovs
Editor and Publisher
editor@gloryroadmag.com
Photography: Roy Timm and Carole Bozzato Timm
© 2009 Chester Group LLC and
K&C Mediaworks. Printed in Canada.
Harley-Davidson, Harley, H-D, the
Bar & Shield logo are among the
trademarks of H-D Michigan Inc.
2009-2010 I GLORY ROAD
5
2009 - 2010
Sportster: Uninhibited motorcycling 72
VRSC: Ultimate power cruiser 74
Tri Glide: Three-wheel touring 75
CVO: The power and glory 76
Your Harley, your way 78
Accessories to create your own style.
24
BY JAMES H. COOPER
Keys to the highway 83
Stay protected—financially, mechanically
and physically.
BY SCOTT HIMELHOCH
Ultimate power trip 86
The Dynojet will maximize your ride.
8
Daytona love affair 8
When the bug bites, it’s love at first sight.
Sturgis 48
Perfect excuse to ride the finest roads in
the U.S.A.
BY E.B. CHESTER AND GEORGS KOLESNIKOVS
BY GEORGS KOLESNIKOVS
North to Alaska 24
Ride of a lifetime to the top of the world.
BY E.B. CHESTER
Across the U.S.A. 19
The Glory Road gatefold map shows you where
to ride and where to eat, sleep and drink en route
to Alaska or to Key West and Daytona.
BUYER’S GUIDE
Your style, your choice 63
There’s a distinctive Harley-Davidson for
every personality, every type of street and
road riding.
BY THE EDITORS OF Glory Road
Touring: Big bikes for a big country 64
Softail: Easy rider cool 67
Dyna: Bold and exhilarating 70
cover and contents Photography: Roy Timm and Carole Bozzato Timm
GLORIOUS RIDES
ON THE ROAD
BY JAMES H. COOPER
INSIDE YOUR RIDE
Going Big Bore 92
Power is good, more power is better.
149
Rearview mirror 130
Great moments in Harley history.
BY SCOTT HIMELHOCH
BY JAMES H. COOPER
FACES IN THE WIND
BUELL: THE MAN,
THE MACHINES
In their own words 96
A life in balance 132
Harley riders talk about the Harley lifestyle.
Erik Buell and the art of motorcycle design.
BY REBECCA CROSGREY AND BLAKE AUGUST
BY PETER SWANSON
Harley Owners Group 122
Buell 138
Spotlight on H.O.G.
Superbike, streetfighter, adventure bike.
FLASHBACK
BY PETER SWANSON
Vaughn Beals 124
RIDE SAFE
The man who saved Harley-Davidson.
Dressed to live 166
BY GEORGS KOLESNIKOVS
One rider’s brush with death.
OUR FAMILY
No longer just a store 146
The Harley heart of Greater Phoenix.
Meet the Chesters 149
Meet our people 152
Our services, events, charities
and awards 163
Where to find us:
Chester’s Harley-Davidson 158
Grand Teton Harley-Davidson & Buell 159
Eagle Rock Harley-Davidson & Buell 160
Jackson Hole Harley-Davidson 161
Snake Harley-Davidson 162
158
48
6
GLORY ROAD I 2009-2010
www.gloryroadmagazine.com
7
•••••
Glorious Ride: Daytona
Text: Georgs Kolesnikovs, Editor
Two-wheeled
love affair
Call it a passion, a lifestyle, but when the
bug bites, it’s love at first sight
D
aytona Beach is where the motorcycle bug bit E.B. Chester when he
was 12 years old and on vacation
with his family. He was standing on the
pier when a Harley-Davidson rider started
cutting doughnuts in the beach below.
“He had this thing turned to the right.
To get going fast and turn it like that
and let the back end drift off, that's hard
to do. And he was out there doing it. I
thought, Holy moly, look at that! That’s
so neat, I got to have one of those.”
Four years later, in 1958, he did have
his first Harley, but it was a junker and
wouldn’t run.
“It was a pitiful thing but I loved it. I
bought it for a paper route I had but didn’t
ride it much ’cause it never would crank. I
pushed it up and down the hill in front of
our house trying to get it to crank.”
8
A half a century later, the love affair
with Harley continues and most years
E.B. finds himself on the beach at
Daytona again, these days during Bike
Week in March.
For E.B., the thrill isn’t the destination.
It’s the 3,000 miles he must ride to get
there, thus, being able to enjoy days on
the road with friends and customers of
the Chester family of Harley-Davidson
dealerships in Arizona, Idaho and
Wyoming.
Coincidentally, in 2008, in addition to
riding from Phoenix to Daytona via Key
West, E.B., son Craig and several friends
rode to Alaska. As a result, they rode
from coast to coast, diagonally, about as
far as one can go in the continental United
States, in one three-month period, in one
segmented trip of close to 7,500 miles. >>
9
•••••
Daytona
Freedom of the road
A wanderlust that’s good for
the soul—and fun, too
T
here are six of us riding to Daytona
and we each have our own way of
explaining why we love it.
“I just like the ride,” says Bill
Torrance. “Riding clears the mind.
When there isn’t traffic to worry about,
I kind of just blank out. Mainly I think
about the bike and enjoy the sound of
the motor. When you have two bikes
running together, there’s a resonance
that I really enjoy.
Bill is City Manager of Vidalia,
Georgia, home of those incredibly sweet
onions: “I’ll go through different things
in my mind, but mainly I just try to put
work and stress away and enjoy the
ride. When I’m on the bike, I can forget
about things that are bothering me.”
Though Bill grew up in Warner
Robins, Georgia, and delivered newspapers to the Chester house five blocks
away, he never met E.B. Chester or his
sister, Julee, whom he would eventually
meet and marry.
Bill was raised in the Primitive Baptist
Church and ministers two congregations. “I do go though sermons when
I’m riding and talk to the Lord a lot.”
For Dan Godec, a long ride is all
about the “challenge of riding clear
across the country, doing so in a way
that’s pretty comfortable. It’s just
good to be with friends in a relaxed
environment.”
Dan is Chief Lending Officer for
Community Banks of Colorado, a
group of 43 banks in Colorado and
California.
“We all go pretty fast and hard in our
daily lives, so it’s nice to let our minds
just rest. I think about everything, a
little bit of work, a little bit of personal,
a little bit of what I need to do next
week—a lot of just sit back
and enjoy the scenery. Bored
is the last thing on my mind.”
When E.B. Chester owned
a regional bank with 25
branches in Colorado, Dan
was President and CEO. Like
E.B. and Bill, Dan delivered
newspapers to earn money for his first
motorcycle.
“I enjoy the quiet time. I have gotten
to the point where I enjoy the riding
more than I do the destinations.”
Jay Peterson, an attorney and developer in Vail, Colorado, has always
enjoyed the time on a motorcycle on
the open road, right back to his days as
a university student.
Jay has ridden to Daytona before,
three times in the company of his son,
Brandon. One ride he’ll long remember was when Brandon had a flat tire in
Florida and it took hours to get the tire
repaired. Jay stayed with his son while
the others went on ahead. As a result,
Jay and Brandon were forced to ride
120 miles in the dark, in a lonely stretch
of central Florida, where there were
many eyes on the sides of the road—
animals watching them pass, hopefully
not jumping into their paths.
The route this time, with the long,
two-day stretch across Texas, was not
his favorite. For Jay, western Texas
is simply “too flat, too desolate, too
boring.”
For Craig Chester, “There is something quite nice about leaving everything in normal day-to-day life in order
to ride with friends and be away from
it all for a couple of weeks. I enjoy the
solitude and having everything I have
to worry about packed on the motorcycle for days on end.”
Craig, his wife, Tracy, his brother,
Cliff, and his parents, E.B. and Kay
Chester, own the Chester family of
Harley-Davidson dealerships.
“I enjoy the outdoors, seeing all of the
country that one can see from a motorcycle, the lunches and great dinners
with friends and, of course, the afterhours activities that are so prevalent in
Daytona and at rallies such as Sturgis.”
Craig started riding as a teenager,
trail-riding and racing motocross. He
moved to Harley-Davidson about 15
years ago and has lost count of the long
rides he has taken with his father.
For E.B. Chester, “Freedom is a huge
part of long-distance riding.”
He explains: “When I leave
somewhere to ride home—say it’s 500
miles and I’m all by myself—no one
will know where I am. I’ll be out there
in the world floating around all by
myself. I won’t be tethered to anything.
That’s pretty unusual for people, that’s
a barrier that most people have a lot
of trouble breaking. They can’t escape
their support structure, no matter what
it is, if it’s a wife or a business or a home;
they just feel compelled to be connected.
“When we ride with new people, we
find they are absolutely hooked to their
support structure. Over the course of a
week or two, they will wean and get off
on their own. They won’t even call home
any more. Their wives will be calling me
to see what’s happened to them.
“But it takes awhile. It is something
that creeps up on you. Once you have
experienced it, it comes more easily.”
After the first experience with Harley
and his 1938 junker, E.B. owned several
Harleys, a Norton, an Ariel Square Four,
even a Honda. Then, with a growing
family, many business interests as well as
pursuits in flying, skiing, race cars, race
horses, hunting, fishing and golf, motorcycles receded to the background.
About 25 years ago, Harleys came
back into his life in a big way. For
several years, he rode 30,000 miles a
year with friends in business.
“It’s wanderlust, it’s the wanderer in
me wanting to know what’s around the
next corner, but mainly it’s just a lot of
fun,” E.B. says.
“You totally escape the encumbrances of modern business life, all
the pressure, all the connections, the
reality, you just escape them. You can’t
hear the cell phone, you can’t communicate with anybody ’cause there’s no
cell service where you like to ride and
everybody understands that.
“That’s what gives you this little
bit of an excuse for being irresponsible. And everybody accepts it and says,
‘Well, he is off on his motorcycle. We
haven’t heard from him for a week, but
he’ll be back, he always comes home.’
“That’s how my wife thinks about it,
he’ll come home, he always does.” >>
PHOTO: GEORGS KOLESNIKOVS
We roll across the sweeping bridges of the
Florida Keys. The heart of Daytona Bike Week is
the scene on Main Street.
At the St. John River, we wait for the ferry. In Daytona
Beach, checking out so many bars is a real chore. In
Key West, Dan Godec, left, and Bill Torrance take a
break while sightseeing.
10
11
•••••
Daytona
Perfect states of mind
Ever-changing scenery makes thousands of miles pass quickly
n a map, the route to Daytona—
3,000 miles from Arizona, close
to 4,000 miles from Idaho—doesn’t
look all that interesting. From the
saddle of a Harley, however, it becomes
an outstanding ride across one state
after another, from the wide and open
country of the west to the wild and
woolly scene in Key West. Daytona
Bike Week is the icing on the cake.
There were many options to consider but our plan was to start from
Chester’s Harley-Davidson in Mesa in
12
Greater Phoenix and head for Daytona
via Key West, the southernmost place
to party in the U.S. Some 3,500 miles
and two weeks later the ride concluded
in Savannah, Georgia.
We avoided boring Interstates
almost entirely.
We rode through southern Arizona
and New Mexico, through west and
south Texas, along the coast of the Gulf
of Mexico, into the Florida Panhandle,
through central Florida to Key West,
and on to Daytona. Following Bike
Week, we rode to Savannah and flew
home, leaving our bikes with a prearranged agent to be shipped home.
As E.B. Chester, ride organizer
extraordinaire, loves to point out, it is
all about riding, not destinations. That’s
what Sancho Panza was trying to say to
Don Quixote when he uttered the classic
line: “The road is better than the inn.”
Along the way, we stayed in comfortable hotels, favoring Hampton Inns,
and ate well on most days—too well on
some. There was also the opportunity
to consume an adult beverage or three
after riding was done.
With a few exceptions, sightseeing, as such, was not on the agenda.
We spent two nights and one full day
in Key West. In Daytona, we enjoyed
three nights and two full days. That
allowed ample time in these two special
locations to relax and take in the Key
West scene and Bike Week happenings.
The entire trip took 15 days, 11 of
which were riding days. We averaged a
tad more than 300 miles each riding day.
We rode across four “helmet
states”—Mississippi, Louisiana,
Alabama and Georgia require helmets.
The other states we rode do not, much
to the delight of some in our group.
One day after another
The Atlantic Ocean appeals to brothers-in-law Bill Torrance and E.B. Chester.
We refuel in the middle of nowhere—meaning west Texas. Jay Peterson takes in
the racing action at Daytona Speedway. In Key West, Georgs Kolesnikovs gets
set to devour lobster eggs benedict.
We thunder across the open spaces of
west Texas. During Daytona Bike Week,
there are day tours to enjoy.
O
The rhythm
of the road
O
n a 3,500-mile ride, you tend to
fall into a daily routine. Before
long, the routine becomes your daily
high. Some would say it’s like Zen.
You get up, you have a quick breakfast, and you ride. You stop to refuel.
You ride. You stop for lunch. You ride.
You stop to refuel. Before you know
it, you get to where you’re going. You
call home, shower up and head for the
bar before dinner. You swap lies, tell
tales and laugh a lot. Then you head to
bed. The next morning, and the next
morning, and the next morning after
that for two weeks the cycle starts all
over again.
Forget exercise every day, forget
church on Sundays, forget most everything. Looking after e-mail or other
matters that were important two weeks
ago, and will be again in a week, sure
don’t mean much now.
The mind wanders where it wants
as the miles blur like the asphalt under
your Harley.
It’s bliss.
>>
13
•••••
Daytona
Daytona deep freeze
Long johns in the Sunshine State
O
ver the years, we’ve been to
Daytona when the weather has
just been brutal. One time it was so
unbelievably cold—25 degrees—we
started for home and nearly didn’t
make it out of town.
It was a Sunday morning and we
pulled into a shopping center to see if
a clothing store there was open so we
could buy long underwear and extra
clothing. Of course it was closed, so
Craig and Rusty, a friend, trucked off
to see what they could find. It wasn’t
30 minutes before the police brought
them back in a cruiser, all locked up in
the back.
“You know those guys?”
“Yeah, we know those guys. Why?”
“They tried to give us some nonsense
about looking for long underwear.
It looked to us as if they were casing
stores.”
“Believe it or not, officer, searching for long underwear is exactly what
they were doing.”
Little did we know long underwear
hadn’t been needed in Florida for 50
years. They piled us all in the patrol
car and took us somewhere where we
could buy long johns. We put them on
in the change rooms and told the sales
clerk, “We don’t need a bag, we’ll wear
them home.”
—E.B. Chester
E.B. Chester and his loaded
Ultra Classic Electra Glide focus
on central Florida. No, this isn’t
one of our helmets! A flat tire is
an expletive deleted.
Daydreaming is a no-no
Focus is the secret to getting there safely
Y
14
PHOTOs: GEORGS KOLESNIKOVS
Beyond the bikes,
Daytona is all about
the beach, babes and
maybe a bit of booze:
Dan Godec, Bill Torrance
and Craig Chester stroll,
Mandy girates, Cindy
serves.
ou better focus when you’re riding
or you could get hurt.
Focus is not something that gives you
a headache, it’s the style. If you ride with
a style that has its own built-in safety
parameters, then your focus is almost
unconscious. You’re not sitting there
doing something that’s an active participation in the process. It almost becomes
passive because you do what you do the
safe way by rote. When you do something that is outside the box, it’s like,
“Whoa, I shouldn’t be doing this.”
I’m very focused on the road. I think
a lot about the road and about every
car that is around me and moving.
Every time I come to a crossroad,
I’m looking both ways to see what’s
coming even though they have a stop
sign. I don’t trust other drivers.
It’s dangerous to sightsee too much.
If you fix on sights when riding down
the road, one of them is going to bite
you someday. Of course you can ride
through scenery and you see it, you’re
conscious that it’s there. You just can’t
be myopic about it.
If you want to look at sights, you
better stop, and stop safely.
—E.B. Chester
15
•••••
Daytona
Big chill in the
Garden of Eden
In Key West, each bar has its own character—
and characters. There are cruise ships to watch,
schooners to see and conch fritters to sample.
Literally, the road ends here.
But Key West is still a hot town
Shenanigans
Is there a doctor
in the house?
There’s always action in the
bars in Key West, and on the
marina promenade, too.
T
wo veterans of the Daytona ride
via Key West did their best to lead
a first-timer astray but the cool weather
undid their efforts. Darn!
Craig Chester and Dan Godec said
they wanted to show me something out
of the ordinary—even for Key West—so
down Duval Street we traipsed to the
Bull and Whistle, an edifice with three
separate bars. The first-floor bar looked
like your typical Key West drinkery,
full of folks having a great time with a
beverage in hand. The second-floor bar
16
S
was a bit darker, a little more sinister.
Then came the steps to the rooftop
bar and the sign: Must be 18 to enter.
No cameras. Clothing optional.
We entered the aptly named Garden
of Eden to discover it’s an outdoor
rooftop bar. With the night-time temperatures hovering in the 40s, no naked
fools were to be seen parading out here.
Craig and Dan assured me it’s well
worth a visit when the weather is
warm. I can imagine it would be quite
a sight. Naked bodies aside, it’s a great
henanigans are part of every ride.
We all fool around at some point but
the master is Bob Esrey. Here’s a story
from a Daytona ride several years back:
The day’s ride ended in Perry,
Florida, and it was time to eat, drink
and be merry. The hotel manager recommended a favorite restaurant of his.
In fact, he was heading there himself
for a dinner meeting of the hospital
board of directors. He planned, over
dinner, to get acquainted with a doctor
who had applied for a staff position.
Our group was shown to a table
across the restaurant from the hospital people. Before long, a wicked smile
appears on Bob Esrey’s face.
Up he gets as if to head for the
location, high above the din of the
street, palm trees as decor, open to the
horizon for watching sunsets or looking
later at the starry sky. A DJ spins tunes
and there is a small dance floor.
During the day, there are lounge
chairs for getting that all-over tan.
Body-painting is offered day and night.
A video above the bar shows the resulting parade of painted bodies in various
states of undress. The naked guy
painted as an elephant is impressive.
—Georgs Kolesnikovs
washrooms. His path takes him past
the hospital table where, suddenly, he
crumbles to the floor, gasping for air,
flailing about like a wild man.
The people at the table are aghast,
glued to their seats. Only the candidate
jumps to Bob’s side. He tries to calm
down Bob, checks his pulse, asks all
the questions a doctor should ask in an
emergency.
Still flat on his back, Bob calms
down, looks up at the doctor, and in a
loud voice, so the entire hospital board
can hear, announces, “You’re hired.”
And the doctor was indeed hired by
the hospital.
>>
17
•••••
Daytona
Seen and be seen
Bike Week attracts half a million visitors
Just ride it!
MAP: WILLIAM TIPTON/COMPARTMAPS.COM
Southeast to Daytona
and/or north to Alaska
For more photos and reports on rides to Daytona
by the Chester family of Harley-Davidson dealerships, visit www.tinyurl.com/ride-with-us.
18
Hey, if we can do it, why not you?
Whether you start from Arizona
or Idaho, whether you head to Key
West and Daytona or north to Alaska,
there's an entirely doable ride of a
lifetime awaiting you on the great
surface roads of the U.S.A.
With this gatefold map, Glory
Road wants to send you on your
way by providing routing and vital
information about where to eat, sleep
and refresh yourself at day's end.
We invite you to contact E.B. Chester
at the Chester family of HarleyDavidson dealerships. He is always
eager to discuss Harley riding and trips
he and the gang have taken. E.B. has
an extensive database of routes, maps
and information which he is more
than happy to share with fellow Harley
enthusiasts. Give him a call at 800-8310404 or reach him online via www.
chestershd.com/contact_us.asp.
Share the experience
When you return home from this or any other ride,
tell Glory Road about your trip. E-mail a recap of your
experiences with photos to editor@gloryroadmag.com.
19
20
•••••
ACROSS THE U.S.A.
Daytona
Great eats, best drinks
Daytona
Start planning now
The best place to start planning your ride to Daytona Bike
Week is to review our Daytona ride reports and photos at
the Glory Road blog: www.gloryroad.typepad.com/weblog/
daytona/
Here are three websites to assist you in your planning:
Official Bike Week Headquarters
www.daytonachamber.com/bwhome.html
Daytona Bike Week
www.daytonabikeweek.com
Daytona Bike Week Events
www.daytonabikeweekevents.com
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Daytona
Where to sleep well
Judy’s Cook House
Globe, Arizona
www.desertusa.com/Cities/az/globe.html
Best breakfast in 3,500 miles
Hampton Inn
Anywhere
www.hamptoninn.com
Our Harleys were always welcome
City Cafe
Sterling City, Texas
www.sterlingcitytexas.com
Biggest pancakes in Texas,
that’s for sure!
Clewiston Inn
Clewiston, Florida
www.clewistoninn.com
Great wooden lodge in the heart of sugar cane country,
complete with ghosts
Chappell Hill Meat
Market & Cafe
Chappell Hill, Texas
www.chappellhilltx.com
Old-fashioned country
sausages made by Mike
Kopycinski
The Westin Key West Resort & Marina
Key West, Florida
www.tinyurl.com/westinkeywest
In the historic heart of Key West
Hilton Daytona Beach Resort
Daytona Beach, Florida
www.tinyurl.com/hiltondaytonabeach
In the heart of all the Bike Week action
The County Line
Austin, Texas
www.countyline.com/index.asp
Ribs, ribs and more ribs!
Fireweed Roadhouse
Mile 288.5 Parks Highway
Near Denali, Alaska
fireweedroadhouse.com
The best hospitality award goes to Robin
Crow’s Nest
Captain Cook Hotel
Anchorage, Alaska
www.captaincook.com/crowsnest.php
For the perfect appletini after two weeks in the saddle
Any Tim Hortons
British Columbia or the Yukon
www.timhortons.com/en/index.html
Because of its mouth-watering sausage and egg sandwiches
Any McDonalds anywhere
(at least according to E.B. Chester)
www.mcdonalds.com
Squirt
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squirt
If you can find it
Alaska
Great eats, best drinks
Ruby River
Idaho Falls, Idaho
www.rubyriver.com
A mighty fine rib eye for the eve of departure
McGuire’s Irish Pub
Pensacola, Florida
www.mcguiresirishpub.com
Excellent food, great decor, an in-house brewery
Paul Gant’s Bar-B-Que
Port St. Joe, Florida
www.tinyurl.com/paulgantsbbq
Best BBQ in the Panhandle at amazingly low prices
Captain Tony’s Saloon
www.capttonyssaloon.com
Sloppy Joe’s
www.sloppyjoes.com
Hog’s Breath Saloon
www.hogsbreath.com/key-west/
Key West, Florida
Red-Headed Slut, Papa Dobles or Hemingway Hammer, pick
your poison
Alaska
Planning your trip
The best place to start planning your ride to Alaska is to visit
Google and search for "motorcycling to Alaska." More than
seven million pages will pop up. Studying the first dozen or two
will suffice, unless you have an immense amount of time to kill.
Be sure to check out our Alaska ride reports and photos at the
Glory Road blog: http://gloryroad.typepad.com/weblog/alaska/
Here are eight sites to assist your planning and route selection:
Blue Heaven
Key West, Florida
tinyurl.com/blueheaven
Extraordinary lobster eggs Benedict dressed with a lime
hollandaise sauce
North to Alaska
northtoalaska.com/index.aspx
Froggy’s Saloon
www.froggyssaloon.com
Worst of the worst Main Street bars, i.e. really good
British Columbia
www.hellobc.com/en-CA/default.htm
Montana
visitmt.com
Alberta
www1.travelalberta.com/en-ca/
Hyde Park Steakhouse
Hilton Daytona Beach Resort
www.tinyurl.com/hydeparkdaytona
Pricey but the best steak in town
Icefields Parkway
www.icefieldsparkway.ca/
Wet Willie’s
Savannah, Georgia
www.wetwillies.com
Daiquiris made with 190-proof grain alcohol (take a cab later)
Top of the World Highway
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_of_the_World_Highway
Krystal
In the southeast
www.krystal.com
Our dubious achievement award goes to …
We did not use any books to plan our ride but here is one that
many people have found useful since 1949. It's updated annually.
Yukon Territory
www.yukoninfo.com/index.htm
Alaska
www.travelalaska.com
The Milepost
milepost.com
22
Knead Cafe
Kalispell, Montana
www.theknead.com
Fast Eddy’s Restaurant
Tok, Alaska
tinyurl.com/FastEddys
A tie for the best breakfast in 4,000 miles
Slowest service ever
Edith Cavell Dining Room
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
Jasper, Alberta
tinyurl.com/EdithCavell
The pits
Belvedere Motel Bar and Dining Room
Watson Lake, Yukon
The worst
Any Westmark Hotel in Alaska or the Yukon
High-end lodge in Jasper National Park. Price is high but accommodations are great. Good Internet, bars and restaurants. Great
secure, covered bike parking. Many other hotels located in Jasper.
Inn on the Creek
Dawson Creek, British Columbia
www.innonthecreek.bc.ca
Good. Low price point, clean. Good Internet. Restaurant next
door associated with motel is OK for breakfast. Would use again.
Bikes parked outside at room door.
Woodlands Inn
Fort Nelson, British
Columbia
www.woodlandsinn.
bc.ca
Excellent, at modest
price. New, clean.
Would definitely use
again. Good restaurant
and bar. Good Internet.
Allowed bike parking
under covered entry in
view of receptionist.
Big Horn Hotel
Watson Lake, Yukon
Territory
www.yukonweb.com/
tourism/bighorn
Not so nice but only
one of two in town.
Sort of clean and
cheap. Good Internet.
No restaurant or bar. Would reluctantly use again. Outside bike
parking, very insecure.
Edgewater Hotel
Whitehorse, Yukon Territory
www.edgewaterhotelwhitehorse.com
Very nice, accommodating and clean. Good bars and restaurants.
Would definitely use again. Good Internet. Good bike parking in
fenced in parking area.
Tom Wilson Steakhouse
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
Lake Louise, Alberta
tinyurl.com/TomWilson
For the best in Alberta beef and game
Aurora Inn
Dawson City, Yukon Territory
www.aurorainn.ca
Very nice and clean. Modest price. Good restaurant. Would
definitely use again. Good Internet. Bike parking on street in
front of hotel not very secure but in small town with few risks.
Fairview Dining Room
tinyurl.com/FairviewDining
Quite possibly the most expensive meal of the entire trip
The Cellar Steak House & Wine Bar
Edgewater Hotel
Whitehorse, Yukon
tinyurl.com/TheCellar
Quite possibly our favorite restaurant of the entire trip
Braeburn Lodge
Klondike Highway Mile 55
North of Whitehorse, Yukon
www.karo-ent.com/braeburn
The best cinnamon buns in the world—baked by a Harley man!
La Table on 5th
Aurora Inn
Dawson City, Yukon
www.aurorainn.ca/restaurant.html
For food and service, it truly is the Paris of the North
Pumphouse Restaurant
Fairbanks, Alaska
www.pumphouse.com
For the best caribou of the entire trip
Alaska
Lodging we liked/disliked
Cherry Hill Motel
Polson, Montana
www.tinyurl.com/cherryhillmotel
OK. Low price point. No restaurant or bar. No Internet. Bikes
parked at cabin door. Best Western down the street may be a
consideration.
www.fairmont.com/LakeLouise
Best of the best, if price is no object. Good Internet. Great
restaurants and bars. Great secure, inside bike parking. Many
other hotels available in nearby Banff and several in Lake Louise.
Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge
Jasper, Alberta
www.fairmont.com/jasper
Westmark Inn, Tok
Tok Junction, Alaska
www.westmarkhotels.com/tok
Never again. Rude, abusive, inconsiderate. But there is not much
choice in Tok. Consider riding on to Fairbanks or Anchorage as
an alternative. It's around 600 miles total but with 20 hours of
daylight it's an option. No Internet in the rooms, surprise.
Westmark Hotel, Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska
www.westmarkhotels.com/fairbanks
The Westmark chain is consistent-consistently bad. No Internet
in the rooms, surprise again. Never will return to the Westmark.
There are many hotel choices in Fairbanks.
Captain Cook Hotel
Anchorage, Alaska
www.captaincook.com
Consistently good. Great restaurants and bars. Modest price.
Secure indoor bike parking in hotel garage. Good Internet.
Would return anytime we are in Anchorage.
23
•••••
GLORIOUS RIDE: Alaska
Text: E.B. Chester
Photography: Roy Timm, Carole Bozzato Timm
and Georgs Kolesnikovs
F
or a long time, my sons, Craig and Cliff, and
I have been long-distance Harley riders. We
have made like-minded friends with whom
we have shared many really great rides over the last
15 years. We go to Daytona and Sturgis almost every
year. We ride from Idaho, Colorado or Arizona and
enjoy the trip, even though we have seen the route
before. We have old friends along the way whom we
delight in seeing.
Most of our friends and acquaintances back home
cannot imagine what we are doing: “You are riding
a what to where?” Well, I just leave it at: “You don’t
understand.” I believe that is true, they don’t understand. If they did, they would be along for the ride.
As I often say, it’s all about the trip, not the
destination. Daytona, Key West, Sturgis. They all
certainly are interesting, but once you have been there
and done that, you probably would not return if you
North to
Alaska
had to fly commercially. But on a motorcycle, it’s the
trip you remember, it’s the ride that is the experience.
The trip up the Alcan Highway to Alaska had been
on our radar screen for some time. My aunt made the
trip in the 1950s in a car pulling a small camper-trailer
and still relates the great time she had. I had dreamt of
riding to Alaska for many years. My brother-in-law,
Robert Hobbs, while on a ride together from Phoenix
to Nashville, mentioned he wanted to ride to Alaska.
In one nanosecond, I replied, “You’re on. Next year.”
And here we are, sharing the trip with you in words
and pictures.
We had such a great time, we’re already planning
to return to Alaska in 2010.
Ride of a lifetime to the top of the world
E.B. Chester, a motorcycle rider since his teens, is
an owner of the Chester family of Harley-Davidson
dealerships in Arizona, Idaho and Wyoming.
Whether it’s Alaska or the
Yukon, pictured here near
Whitehorse, the scenery North
of 60 is simply spectacular.
24
25
•••••
Alaska
Ready to roll
from Idaho Falls
Prelude to the adventure
O
ur Alaskan adventure begins in
Idaho Falls, Idaho, on June 4,
2008.
E. B. Chester, Robert Hobbs and Bob
Esrey have ridden in from Vail, Colorado, E. B. and Bob from their homes
in Vail with Robert, who shipped his
bike to Vail from his home in Nashville.
Craig Chester has a home in Idaho Falls
where he oversees Grand Teton HarleyDavidson & Buell, a unit of the Chester
family business. Georgs Kolesnikovs has ridden in from another family
business, Chester’s Harley-Davidson
in Greater Phoenix. All five of us are
headed to Anchorage on our Harleys.
E.B., Craig and Georgs have ridden
26
in March from Phoenix to Key West,
then to Daytona Bike Week and
Savannah, Georgia. Upon their return,
E. B. rode from Phoenix to Idaho Falls
via Vail. With the three legs combined,
E. B. and Georgs have ridden as far as
one can in the continental United States
without getting his feet wet—7,000plus miles in a single, three-segment
trip. Craig, who is in the process of
adopting a child, had to miss the
Phoenix to Idaho Falls segment but has
ridden about 6,200 miles.
As usual, when looking back, it was
not, and is never, enough.
Craig and E. B. have ridden with
all the participants many times. Some
are new to each other but, with the
common bond of riding off on an
adventure, become fast friends quickly.
We are riding with Georgs, who,
besides being a good friend and great
riding companion, is publisher of a
magazine we are creating in which
this story will appear. Roy Timm, the
magazine’s photographer, and his wife
and assistant, Carole, will meet us in
Whitehorse, Yukon, and travel with us
to Anchorage for photography along
the way. Georgs is taking pictures until
Whitehorse, so we are well covered.
What is it really like?
First and foremost, the roads are not
bad at all. The Alaska Highway is
paved all the way and generally in
better condition than many of our
Lower 48 surface roads. Yes, there are
“gravel breaks” and “frost heaves”
along the way but they pose no issue to
a comfortable and safe ride. Any intermediate level rider can head north with
no worries.
We did encounter construction areas
which required us to ride on packed
gravel behind lead vehicles, but road
conditions were not nearly as bad as we
had read about or feared. Going in June
meant that the roads and service providers were absolutely empty. The hotels,
however, were full each night, as there
are relatively few hotels in the north.
Often, we would ride for an hour
or more and not encounter another
vehicle going in either direction. The
absence of traffic could, of course, be
due to some degree to the fuel price
increases immediately prior to our trip.
Gas was plentiful although a little
planning was necessary to make sure
you purchased it where you should.
Generally, you should not have to ride
with less than a half of a tank of gas.
Ninety or 91 octane is available at
most locations but not all. We experienced no problems with mixing a lower
octane fuel with the remaining half
of a tank of higher octane. No engine
pinging or anything like that. We took
on nothing but good gas.
The average price of gas was about
$6 a gallon. At the time, the U.S.
average was about $4 a gallon. Not a
big deal at 50 miles per gallon. Let’s see
. . . 1,500 miles at 50 MPG equals about
30 gallons at a premium of about $2 a
gallon. That’s $60 extra for the northcountry premium. Compared to the
overall price of the trip, this seems manageable; however, it sure is enough to
trouble RVs, when you do their math.
There were many stretches longer
than 100 miles without gas. As far as I
can remember, no stretch between gas
was longer than 150 miles. On some
stretches, if you passed up an opportunity to purchase gas, you would then
have to ride more than 200 miles to
reach the next gas provider. Too far,
so don’t pass one up. Only one location, Boundary, Alaska, on the Top Of
The World Highway between Dawson
City, Yukon, and Tok, Alaska, was not
open as advertised. Many locations
do not exactly look like gas stations,
as we know them, so anything which
looks like human habitation where gas
is expected is probably the place. We
did not encounter any 55-gallon drums
with siphon hoses as I have found in
Mexico, but it came close at a couple of
locations.
Overnight accommodations vary
but are plentiful and, with some exceptions, are OK for what and where they
are. For our crowd, it certainly beat
sleeping on the ground.
>>
The Top of the World
Highway does get dusty
but any intermediate or
better rider can head north
without worries. The views
are worth it.
27
•••••
Alaska
First taste of
mountain weather
Forgotten boots outside
the Silver Dollar Bar in
Leadore, Idaho.
Day 1: Idaho Falls, Idaho,
to Polson, Montana
O
ne of the happiest moments of the
trip: after a year’s planning and
repacking the bike at least 15 times, we
finally get on the road. We’re off!
We leave Grand Teton HarleyDavidson & Buell in Idaho Falls, heading
north to Montana under a cloudy sky.
We have about 25 miles of Interstate to
cover. Before we leave the Interstate, it
has rained on us. The weather continues
overcast throughout the morning and
gets colder as our altitude increases.
By lunch, we are wet and cold in the
small town of Leadore, Idaho. Two
gas providers and one cafe. We choose
the cafe first to warm up and get food.
Breakfast isn’t bad in the Silver Dollar
Restaurant and Bar and we do warm
up at the cast-iron stove. This is where
we are introduced to a new soft drink,
Squirt, which we ask for throughout the
rest of the trip with mixed results.
Here we also have our introduction
to what turns out being really great
pieces of equipment. Several of us had
purchased electric underclothes to wear
in case of serious cold. This morning
seems to qualify nicely. I put on pants,
shirt and gloves. These clothes (powered
by plugging them into the bike), together
with a full-face helmet, create a warm
environment that’s hard to beat. Heck,
it’s the single best thing associated with
bike riding I have encountered in a long
time!
We pass on gas in Leadore and press
on to Salmon, Idaho. Arriving at Salmon,
the group, at least the ones with the
We encounter wet snow and fog on the Lost Trail
Pass, above, between Idaho and Montana. Earlier,
we relish the sound of our Harleys on the open
road in the northern Idaho.
electric clothing, agreed to adopt what
we call Rule 21. Rule 21 states that
whatever the weather or forecast put
on the electric clothes. The rule proves
accurate almost every day for the first
week or so.
If Harley-Davidson, which sells the
electric clothing, could demonstrate its
heated line of clothing to every rider
in real world conditions, it could not
possibly keep up with demand. This is
being said by a minimal-clothing rider
who almost never wears leathers or a
helmet. I’m sold. Rule 21 rules.
While getting gas in Salmon, we
Route: North on I-15 to Idaho 33, then
west; north on Idaho 28 to US 93 North at
Salmon, Idaho; US 93 goes all the way to
Polson
Stats: 377 miles, 8.5 hours
Lesson of the day: Electric clothing
28
inquire about the road north. We are
told the road would probably be good
but there may be freezing rain or snow
on the mountain pass at the IdahoMontana border. If there was ever a
day for ice on the pass, this is it. Thirtythree degrees and light rain at 3,000
feet—and the pass is at 7,000 feet.
Well, the ice is there. The road is
clear and only wet, as it holds enough
heat to resist the ice. The bikes are
another matter altogether. There’s so
much snow on the bikes that the windshields ice over. When you try to look
over the windshields, your helmet face
shield ices over. Luckily, it doesn’t last
too long. Probably 15 minutes and
then we are moving down to a lower
elevation. Pretty miserable riding conditions, but those with heated clothes
are really warm.
Passing through Missoula, some
stomachs in the group growl as we
pass a Cracker Barrel. We stop shortly
thereafter, before proceeding to Polson,
where we have reservations at the
Cherry Hill Motel, overlooking Flathead Lake. The “motel” turns out to
be a group of private small cabins of
1940s vintage. Really not too bad for
what they were. You do have to decide
what you will do before you enter the
bathroom because once inside turning
around is out of the question. But the
shower is warm and the room heat
works. Actually, the cabins win the trip
award for the location that allowed
our Harleys to be parked closest to our
room doors: about six inches (or less, if
you liked).
We inquire of the motel owner about
eating possibilities and are told of a
pizza parlor and a hamburger joint
nearby. What about a restaurant about
a mile north of town? We’re told, “We
never eat out of town, so we don’t
know, but if you decide to eat there,
please let us know how it was.” As far
as we can tell, Raleigh’s Bar & Grill
is the best, and only, real restaurant
within a short ride. Overall, it is pretty
good.
>>
29
•••••
Picture-perfect Lake
Louise, above, is the
beauty queen of the
Canadian Rockies, but
it’s drizzling as we park
in front of Chateau
Lake Louise, right.
Royal treatment
at Lake Louise
The Fairmont Chateau at Lake
Louise is, of course, quite a treat. We
are welcomed at the curb, given a preferred parking place indoors, right off
the main lobby, and treated like royalty.
Over our two-day stay we come to
realize that the hotel staff refer to us
with some reverence as “the Harley
guys.” Great stay, great food and a bill
approximately 15 times the nightly tab
in Polson at the Cherry Hill Motel.
Editor’s note: None of us realized—
and, more importantly, no police
noticed—that Craig rode the entire
first day in Canada without a helmet,
wearing only a Playboy knit cap. We
did notice that despite the rain E.B.
rode in his favorite brown leather
jacket and blue jeans without rain gear.
Says he: “If you ride at least 60 miles
an hour, you don’t get wet.”
©iStockphoto.com/Jacques Stieman
Alaska
T
he day dawns warmer and drier
than we have been experiencing.
It is 39 degrees and not raining at the
moment. Believe me, 39 degrees is a heat
wave compared to the 31 to 35 degrees
we have been having. But, once again,
Rule 21 is in effect, and in our electric
clothes we are toasty. Craig and Georgs,
who are not wired for heat, have learned
by now to dress for each day’s start with
everything they are carrying.
We are riding the famed Icefields
Parkway from Lake Louise to Jasper.
The good news is the scenery is said
to be spectacular. The bad news is we
Into the land of ice
Day 4: Lake Louise to Jasper, Alberta
Day 2: Polson, Montana, to
W
e are riding though northern
Montana and southern British
Columbia for most of the morning.
Cold, wet and, in the clouds, not
extremely scenic.
We come to the U.S.-Canada border
and begin to clear through. Everything
goes smoothly until Georgs gets to the
immigration officer. Georgs is a Canadian citizen and happens to be riding
a rental bike. Now, there seems to be a
rash of Canadians coming into the U.S.,
renting cars and taking them back to
Canada duty-free. I am not sure how
these individuals avoid grand theft auto,
but be that as it may, Georgs is highly
Route: North on US 93 which becomes
BC 93 at the Canadian border and then
runs through Kootenay National Park
to end at Trans-Canada Highway 1
immediately east of Lake Louise.
Priceless: Bob Esrey recalling radio
jingles of the 1950s. His rendition of
the famous Ajax jingle—“Floats the
dirt right down the drain … bum, bum,
bum”—was impeccable.
30
suspect, especially since he lives in
Toronto, more than 2,000 miles away
and is traveling to Alaska from Arizona.
At first, Canada Customs says
Georgs must pay a whack of duties or
abandon his Classic at the border.
Luckily, we are able to talk our way
out of the situation. It helps that Craig
and E. B. are Harley dealers and the
bike Georgs is riding belongs to one of
their dealerships. I promise the officer
to make sure Georgs does not keep my
bike or shortchange both me and the
Canadian government in the process.
With a warning that another border
crossing location may not be so lenient,
we are off.
We get to Radium Hot Springs
and turn northeast though Kootenay
National Park to Lake Louise. This
turns out to be a great motorcycle ride
and the weather improves accordingly.
We lose the rain and ride in fairly great,
although chilly, conditions on great
roads through the mountains. Local
rainstorms dog us for several hours but
we are able to miss all of them.
Sleepover
Day 3: Rest day in
W
e had planned to ride into Banff
on our day off but it is raining
with the possibility of snow. We pass
on Banff as everyone has been there
before. Three of us—Bob, Craig and
E. B.—were there on bikes following
Sturgis one year.
Chateau Lake Louise was just the
place to kick back for a day and cap
our stay with an excellent meal in the
four-star dining room overlooking
Lake Louise and the Victoria Glacier.
Highlight: The view out the window
can’t see it. We ride in a light intermittent drizzle which, when we go up on
the passes along the way, turns to ice.
But no accumulation and on we go. I
know, you don’t want to hear about
our electric clothes again but it’s true:
They make the ride possible.
We are heading to the Jasper Park
Lodge in Jasper. Our ride today is really
not bad, even considering the weather.
The road is great.
We ride along the spine of the North
American continent as the Parkway
parallels the Great Divide. Melt waters
from here flow into the Pacific, Atlantic
Bob Esrey takes in
Athabaska Falls,
south of Jasper,
Alberta. Despite the
fog and drizzle, top,
the ride along the
Icefields Parkway is
exhilarating.
and Arctic Oceans. Along our route
are more than 200 glaciers. Midway to
Jasper, we pass the Columbia Icefield,
one of the largest accumulations of
snow and ice south of the Arctic Circle.
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge is
good, although a little heavy on tour
buses. Some of us stay in the main
building, others stay in out-buildings.
The rooms are good. The bellman has
a ramp he has constructed to drive
bikes up on the sidewalk in front of the
lodge, where he says he parks his bike.
Great accommodation.
We find a bar downstairs. A dinner
reservation has been made upstairs
at the Moose’s Tooth, or something
like that, but we notice the restaurant is heavily used, while the one
beside the bar downstairs is virtually
empty. We inquire if we can dine there,
in the Edith Cavell Dining Room. A
big mistake. Not only did we pay the
mortgage payment for the lodge that
month, the meal takes forever. After
about three hours, we inquire if there
is a reason for the slow service. We are
told that most of their patrons like to
“linger ” and “savor the experience.”
We inform our server that we are not
into lingering and savoring, but we do
like to be fed. Things go more quickly
after that. The food is great but the
slow service, “Wow!”
On our trips, we elect a banker and
fund a “kitty” which pays all restaurant and bar bills. After the dinner at
the Jasper Park Lodge, it takes the kitty
several days to breathe again, but with
regular infusions it does recover. As we
rode farther north, the number of kitty
calls stayed the same but the size of the
bills certainly came down.
>>
Route: A few miles on Trans-Canada
Highway 1 and then Alberta 93 north to
Jasper.
Downer of the day: “Lingering” and
“savoring” the restaurant “experience”
31
•••••
Alaska
Wildlife keeps coming...
and coming
Day 5: Jasper, Alberta, to Dawson Creek,
British Columbia
When traveling in
Alaska or the Yukon,
you can count on
moose for a photo
op just about every
day. E.B. Chester,
right, does his best
to warm up during a
cold morning.
W
e strike out for Dawson Creek,
British Columbia, the beginning
of the Alaska or Alcan Highway, where
we’ll find Milepost 0. The ride is good.
We take a more rural road through
scenic backcountry. A great ride and
the weather is OK—not good, but OK.
I had advertised the rural road
would cross a vast agricultural area;
however, the ride is through dense
forests along the Continental Divide,
with mountains in the background.
Since we cannot see the scenery,
we have to be content with the wildlife. The first of which is Mother Grizz
and her two cubs. She is along the side
Route: East from Jasper on TransCanada Highway 16 (Yellowhead
Highway) to the intersection of Alberta
Highway 40 North at Hinton where
a sign proclaims, “Scenic Route to
Alaska.” Highway 40 goes through
Grand Cache to Grand Prairie, Alberta,
where we take Highway 43 West, which
turns into Highway 2 at the British
Columbia border, to Dawson Creek.
Joy of the day: No traffic
32
of the road and, surprise, none of us
wants to stop to take a picture. She is
big, and I mean big. An RV stops next
to the bear, and a gentleman jumps out
to take a picture. I don’t know how
fast such a bear can cover a couple of
hundred feet, but if I were the RVer I
would not want to find out.
Next come the sheep, actually, Stone
Sheep. A herd, gang or gaggle, whatever sheep are, all over the road.
And now comes the moose. He, or
she, is grazing in an idyllic little pond
beside the road eating whatever moose
eat from under the water. Not very
concerned with us or other vehicles.
And along comes the woodland
caribou and the deer—whitetail deer,
to my surprise. The deer stand by the
road and wait for the lead Harley to
pass, then dart across the road in front
of the next bike. Seems like a game, but
we are too smart for them. By screaming epithets and sliding all over the
road, we don’t hit a single one.
One thing I have not mentioned
is speed. We generally ride the speed
limit plus five to 10 miles per hour.
That means we ride between 60 and
70 miles per hour in rural settings. No
issue with traffic or passing. The entire
trip has been one in which we own the
road. We go as fast as we like and never
struggle behind lines of traffic.
A point of interest: In Canada, motorcycles are expected, if not required, to
go to the head of the line at construction
sites where traffic is stopped by a flag
person. We also witness this practice in
Alaska. It’s a great feature the Lower 48
should adopt.
Coming into Dawson Creek, we find
the Inn on the Creek on our right. We
quickly realize we are not only coming
into town, we are also going out of
town. It’s that small.
The Inn on the Creek—with Dawson
Creek being nothing but a creek bed at
this time of year—has the most interesting furnishings we have seen to date.
E.B.’s room has a bed and bedroom
suite that is literally huge. Much larger
than a king and with massive woodwork. The bed blocks the entrance to
the bath but, hey, what do we expect?
Craig’s room has a full office set up
in the corner. Bob’s room has a full
kitchen with dining room table. Obviously, all purchased at some sort of a
liquidation sale.
We seek out the local pub, where
we all make friends with Tabitha the
server. Georgs just has to ask Tabitha,
“Do you have Squirt?” Tabitha
informs Georgs she does not and, for
that matter, she is not even married.
Even after we explain Squirt is actually
a drink, I don’t think she buys it. But
the wings and drinks are good. We ask
Tabitha where to go for dinner and get
a couple of recommendations, the best
of which seems to be Tony Roma’s in
a nearby hotel. We go there. It is good
enough for Dawson Creek.
Mile 0 of the Alaska Highway in
Dawson Creek, British Columbia.
From the left, Robert Hobbs, E.B.
Chester, Bob Esrey, and Craig
Chester. Georgs Kolesnikovs is
behind the camera.
Gravel—the pothole
fix of the North
Day 6: Dawson Creek to Fort Nelson,
British Columbia
W
e have our first experience on
the Alcan or Alaska Highway.
We had been expecting an unpaved
monster with wild animals all over the
place waiting to scavenge on bikers
who had met their fate at a huge gravel
bump of some sort. The road is really
just a normal rural highway from
Dawson Creek to Fort Nelson. The
highlight of the day is the local fertilizer company, manufacturer of “Moo
Poo,” a local favorite. Good day, tolerable weather and good road. Nothing
out of the ordinary.
We have our first experience with
“gravel breaks.” For some reason,
when a pothole develops in the north
country, rather than patch it with
asphalt, they scrape the entire road
surface away for a small distance and
resurface the road with compacted
gravel. If a massive truck is coming the
other way, you may get some gravel
thrown at you, but I didn’t have a
single piece of gravel hit my bike on the
entire trip. Riding across a gravel break
presents absolutely no problems. You
just keep going and ride across it. The
surface is incredibly solid and smooth.
Arriving at Fort Nelson, we locate
the Woodlands Inn. No woods
remotely close to the Inn, but what’s in
a name? This far north we are expecting, as the name might imply, a frontier-type hotel. Nothing could be
further from the truth. The hotel is a
new, three-story facility with first-class
accommodations. Its restaurant, called
One and featuring a contemporary
New York décor, serves great food. A
complete shock. Now, Fort Nelson has
only a few buildings, so we wonder just
what prompted someone to construct
the hotel. Turns out it is owned by the
owner of the local lumber yard. I guess
he just needed to display his wares,
or had a serious surplus of unused
inventory.
So far, we have had wireless Internet
service everywhere except in Polson,
back in Montana. With the exception of
Bob’s phone, which is on Sprint service,
our AT&T cell phones do not work in
Canada. I checked with AT&T before I
left and was assured mine would work.
Not true. No surprise there.
>>
Route: North on Highway 97 to Fort St.
John, across the mighty Peace River and
on to Fort Nelson
Stats: 287 miles from Mile 0, 5.5 hours
Odd sight: A BMW rider wearing
Harley-Davidson rain gear
33
•••••
Alaska
Chillin’ out in
sunny Whitehorse
Day 8: Watson Lake to Whitehorse,
Yukon Territory
A river runs along
Highway 97 in the
Northern Rockies
in British Columbia.
Inset, a snapshot at
Sign Post Forest is
the only reason to
stop in Watson Lake.
Colorful the only polite
word for Watson Lake
s we head to Watson Lake, we
experience a more remote country.
We stop for breakfast at a log cabin gas
station/restaurant that sells only sweet
rolls, sausage rolls and coffee. The sign
over the door says, “Go on upstairs
and take any unlocked room. $75.
CU in AM.” The restroom is an old
freezer truck body that has the freezer
door intact with the large lever on
the outside, push knob on the inside.
Makes you feel like you might not see
the outside world again.
Route: North and west on Highway 97,
aka the Alaska Highway
North of 60: We cross the parallel
where the North truly begins
34
We ride for an hour or more and
don’t see another vehicle. Gas is plentiful at Toad River, Muncho Lake, Liard
River and Coal River. The road is good
with some gravel breaks to which we
no longer pay much attention. Good
riding and almost good weather.
Warmer, with just a little rain today.
Interestingly, since leaving Jasper, we
have seen only two other motorcycles
traveling north, one headed to Anchorage, the other to Yellowknife.
Arriving in Watson Lake, we realize
this may be the low point of accommodations on the trip. We stay at the
Big Horn Hotel. At this point, when no
recent hotel name has been accurate,
we are not surprised there are no big
horns around. A long, clapboard box
e push on, across the Cassiar
Mountains and the Continental Divide, still following the Alcan
Highway. Our destination is Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon Territory, and a major city by local standards. Personally, I measure how major
a city is by the presence of McDonald’s, which Whitehorse has. I eat three
meals there during our two-day stay.
The Edgewater Inn in downtown
Whitehorse is very good. Nice rooms,
good bar and great restaurant. We park
our bikes in an enclosed lot just outside
the hall our rooms are on. The rooms
are really good. The wireless Internet
works. In all, a nice facility. I have
stayed in others and this is probably
the best in Whitehorse, certainly the
best I’ve stayed in.
The first night we have reservations
in the steak house downstairs. During
the meal, and after some libation, we
sing to wish a couple happy anniversary, sing Happy Birthday to another
guest, and then Bob sings Goodnight,
Irene to our waitress, Irene, whom he
took to. All in all, we have a great time.
The next night when we return, surprise, the table reserved for us is in the
bar area, away from the normal folk.
Guess we made quite an impression.
Route: West on the Alcan Highway
Day 9: Day off in
Whitehorse
Highlight: Sunshine
D
Day 7: Fort Nelson, British Columbia,
to Watson Lake, Yukon Territory
A
W
of a building with no particular distinction. It’s OK, not good, but it does have
wireless Internet, and it works. The
desk clerk actually sleeps, as in lives, on
a cot behind the counter.
We eat next door at the Belvedere
Motor Hotel, the other local accommodation choice. Bad, I mean, really
bad. The bar is the only food source in
the town. Indians are going from table
to table threatening the tourists. I am
not kidding. One comes to our table,
drunk as a coot, and asks something
we never completely understood. On
top of that, service is appallingly slow.
It is 600 miles from Fort Nelson
to Whitehorse and I would consider
riding the entire distance before staying
in Watson Lake again. It’s a pretty bad
place to stop … but 600 miles is too far,
so I’d probably overnight there again.
It’s the law: Motorcycles go the
front of the line in construction
zones in the Yukon.
uring a lay day in Whitehorse, we
visit the local Harley dealer and
are surprised to be told they’re too busy
to look after a 10-minute repair on one
of our bikes. It is just a spring on a seat
backrest. We fix it with duct tape.
In the welcome sunshine, we walk
all over town. Robert and I take a
tour on the S.S. Klondike, an old-time
riverboat beached in the town park.
We all ride to a Yukon River overlook,
where Roy Timm, the photographer
traveling with us, shoots a large
number of pictures. Great weather,
good pictures.
There is hope the warm, sunny
weather will continue the next day
when we leave the Alaska Highway
and head farther on the Klondike
Highway to the much-anticipated Top
of the World Highway.
>>
Update: Distance traveled stands at
2,131 miles since Idaho Falls, 3,431 since
Mesa, and 6,091 miles from Key West
35
•••••
Alaska
Under the
Midnight Sun
Everyone on the ride to Alaska agrees that the Top of the World Highway
was the most memorable portion of the trip, but opinions vary on the
many highlights and few low points:
“The highlight was that 7,000-foot pass into Montana when there was
ice on our windshields and snow on our faces. We didn’t get any higher
than that, except in the bars.”
—E.B. Chester
“That day out of Jasper when we saw grizzlies, moose, bighorn sheep, a
black bear—that was absolutely incredible. Best of all was the moose in
the pond beside the road. That was a classic.”
—Bob Esrey
“The highlight is riding anywhere with this group of people and, right
now, [sitting in the bar atop the Captain Cook Hotel in Anchorage]
this appletini I’m drinking.”
—Craig Chester
“The low point for me was the 60 miles of gravel (following the Top of
the World Highway) that turned into 100 miles of gravel.”
—Robert Hobbs
“The Westmark chain gets the lowest marks of the trip, but, without
a doubt, the lowest point for me happened out in the driveway of the
Captain Cook Hotel when we stopped, and that was the end. It was such
a great trip I was ready to turn around and ride to Maine.”
—E.B. Chester
>>
Photo taken at 2 a.m. illustrates the almost endless
days of mid-summer in the North. Photographers
Roy Timm and Carole Bozzato Timm took the
dramatic shot from Midnight Dome Road 2,911 feet
above Dawson City, Yukon, looking west across the
Yukon River toward Alaska.
36
37
•••••
Alaska
Dancing with the stars at
Diamond Tooth Gerties
Near Whitehorse, the
storied Yukon River
winds its way north.
Day 10: Whitehorse to
Dawson City, Yukon Territory
W
hoa, Friday the 13th? Thankfully,
nothing bad happens. A great
riding day. Warm, dry and great scenery.
A few gravel breaks, nothing serious.
Lots of bridges with metal grate roadways. The bikes wiggle a bit, but if you
just give the bike its head, it will generally go straight and make the crossing.
One of the best days of riding yet.
About 50 miles along the way, we
come to the Braeburn Lodge, which
advertises itself as the home of the
world’s greatest sticky buns. We stop
and go inside. There we meet Steve, a
typical Harley guy who is also the proprietor of the Lodge. Steve is also the
cinnamon bun baker. The buns are
huge. About 12 inches in diameter and
two inches thick. Delicious.
The sad part of the stop is seeing the
tear running down Steve’s face as we
saddle up and ride off into the sunset.
(Well … in this neck of the woods,
sunset may be a stretch until two in the
morning, but at least we rode off down
the road.) One could see that Steve
would have liked nothing better than
to get on one of three Harleys he owns
and ride off with us.
Riding into Dawson, we parallel a
medium-size creek for about 10 miles.
The creek had been completely dug
up in the far distant past and nothing
remains of the surrounding countryside but large piles of gravel. The work
of dredges looking for the gold. At one
location, the tops of the gravel piles
have been leveled to make a runway and
airport. Not a bad-looking facility. I flew
Route: North on the Klondike Highway
(Highway 2) after turning off the
Alaska Highway soon after departing
Whitehorse
Bonus: Simply great riding
38
into Dawson about 25 years ago
and the airport they had then
Bob Esrey is
roped into trying
was nothing as good as this.
the can-can.
In Dawson, we arrive at the
Aurora Inn. Now, this is one
clean hotel in a dusty hamlet where
the streets are dirt. (I was trying to
(It’s retribution time as a few days back
think of what is smaller than a village.
Bob tried to con us into buying him
Hamlet will have to do as there’s not
drinks by claiming it was his birthmuch here.) Upon entering, we are
day.) Sure enough, one of the performasked to take off our boots in the
ers chooses Bob to go up and dance.
lobby. Another guest, a nice lady who
Bob goes up. While they are waiting for
insists her shoes are spotless, asks
the dancing to begin, Bob chats with
why. The manager informs her that
his partner and tells her, as if something
in bad weather, the dirt outside gets
is going on, that obviously they must
very sticky and is tracked in all over
know the “whole story.” The enterthe floor. The lady responds, “Yes,
tainer says she heard it was his birthbut if you haven’t noticed, it’s not bad
day and that’s why she thought he was
weather or wet at all outside.” She
selected. Bob says, yes, it is his birthtakes off her shoes and enters. The
day (which it is not) and that he and his
hotel is owned by a German who, as
brother Jack (Nicholson) always go on
Germans are prone to do, keeps the
a Harley ride to celebrate his birthday.
place spotless. A good hotel. ProbaHe says to her, “So, how did you find
bly the best in town. Certainly better
out Jack is in town?” The poor enterthan one I stayed in years ago where
tainer could hardly dance but ol’ Bob
one could see the ground through the
did just fine. Incidentally, Bob is truly
holes in the floor! Wireless Internet and the spitting image of Jack Nicholson.
all the trimmings. Even barefooted, it’s
Just goes to show, a good offense …
very comfortable.
As we ride farther north, the nights
The hotel has a restaurant that goes
get shorter. Tonight there is no night.
by the fancy name La Table on 5th.
It’s broad daylight all night long.
Really great dinner with really great
At 2 a.m. I have to go out and run
servers. Two of the best-looking girls
four drunken local youths off the bikes.
I have seen in Canada. Unfortunately,
They are harmless enough. One just
my son Craig, who is young enough
wanted to sit on a Harley. They leave
to know about such things, says not to
easily enough when I show up.
get too excited, they like each other, a
Editor’s note: Dawson may be small
lot. Not obvious to me, but what do I
but it was one of most interesting stops
know.
on our trek. It was at the heart of the
After dinner we go to Diamond
Klondike Gold Rush, and a walk down
Tooth Gerties, a local gambling hall
any street is a walk back into time. In
and drinking establishment that has
1904, Dawson was the fourth largest
a floorshow. Without telling anyone,
producer of gold in the world. Today,
Georgs has arranged with the manager
its 1,300 residents thrive on tourism.
to have Bob selected as one of the audi- Although known as Dawson City, it’s
ence participants in the can-can show.
technically a town.
>>
Steve Watson, who owns three
Harleys, runs Braeburn Lodge on
the Klondike Highway—home of very
large, very good sticky buns.
Robert Hobbs like to
see clearly. Above,
we stroll the wooden
sidewalks in Dawson
City, once heart of the
Klondike Gold Rush.
Fireweed lines
the roads
everywhere.
39
•••••
Alaska
the prospectors could not spell Ptarmigan, so they named it Chicken. Chicken
has gas and food. We eat lunch.
The unmistakable impression one
gets riding from Canada into the U.S.
is how horrible the road becomes. The
Canadian side has been a well-maintained gravel road. In the U.S., it turns
into a two-rut woods road filled with
potholes. At one location, there are
probably 30 people doing “mitigation”
where an accident has happened. It
seems not to have occurred to anyone
that if this number of people had been
working on the road, no accident
might have happened in the first place.
Only in America.
The road is horrible all the way from
the U.S. border to Chicken, where it
joins the Taylor Highway to Tok. The
Much of the Top of the
World Highway in the Yukon
Territory is a gravel road
that requires attention but
otherwise is a blast.
dirt road is barely a lane and a half
wide. If one were in an automobile,
it would be almost impossible to stay
enough to the right to avoid an out-ofcontrol truck charging the other way.
With a bike, there is obviously more
opportunity to stay on the right and
leave room for the trucks. We met only
one such truck and it was a good thing
we were staying out of the way. He
was traveling far too fast for the road
and could not possibly have stopped or
turned to avoid on-coming traffic.
The section of the road from the
U.S. border to Chicken and the Taylor
Highway is the one place I would not
like to ride in the rain. It is a clay base
that looks like it would be quite slippery when wet. My recommendation
would be if it is raining, stay in Tok or
Dawson City, depending on which way
you are traveling, until the rain quits.
The Taylor Highway from Chicken
to the Alcan Highway east of Tok Junction is, once again, a good paved road
with gravel breaks. When we reach the
Alcan Highway, the road to Fairbanks
is very good.
We arrive at the Westmark Hotel in
Tok, a property belonging to Holland
American Line. It’s a complete disaster.
The rooms were OK, but management
is a joke. Basically, they do not cater to
guests who do not ride their buses, a
fact they overlooked mentioning when
they took our reservation. Because we
are not part of a Holland America tour,
we end up taking our meals at Fast
Eddie’s, a nearby restaurant with good
food and true service.
>>
A memorable day of riding: Yes, the name of the Alaskan outpost is Chicken; rest
stop in tiny Boundary, Alaska; dusty welcome to Alaska; ferry ride across the
Yukon River outside of Dawson City; border crossing at Poker Creek, Alaska.
At last—we’re on
top of the world!
Day 11: Dawson City, Yukon, to
Tok Junction, Alaska
T
his is the ride we have been looking
forward to, the Top Of The World
Highway between Dawson City and
the U.S. border, and then the Taylor
Highway down to Tok Junction,
Alaska.
The day begins with a ferry across
the Yukon River at Dawson. Uneventful, and, as in construction zones in the
Yukon, bikes go first on the ferry. Nice
to be appreciated.
40
The 68 miles to the border is supposed to be paved, and it once was. But
no more. It’s basically gravel, but well
maintained and packed. No problem
to ride at all, although it is dusty. The
ride is on top of the Continental Divide
at about 4,000 to 5,000 feet. Spectacular views in all directions.
At the border, U.S. Customs clears
us back into the U.S. with uncommon
dispatch. Several questions and we are
through. Apparently, they have not yet
gotten the word about the trafficking
in rental bikes as Georgs and his rental
bike are not an issue, as they were on
Day 2 when we entered Canada.
Immediately on the Alaska side of
the border is Boundary, where gas is
reported to be available. Well, it isn’t.
It’s Sunday and although the proprietor lives on site, he isn’t open. So, on
to Chicken. Chicken is named that
because back in the Gold Rush days,
Route: Highway 2, the Top of the World
Highway, to the U.S. border; Highway 5,
the Taylor Highway, south to rejoin the
Alaska Highway just east of Tok.
Sour ending to a sweet day:
Westmark Hotel
41
•••••
Alaska
Westmark
needs a
makeover
We head to Fairbanks and the
northernmost point of our journey,
only 125 miles south of the Arctic
Circle. After 1,422 miles, the Alaska
Highway ends in Delta Junction,
Alaska, right.
Day 12: Tok to
Fairbanks, Alaska
O
n a warm, clear day, we enjoy a great ride
to Fairbanks and, ugh, another Westmark
Hotel. Surprise, this time we check in without
difficulty. We ask the young lady checking us in
if we can park our Harleys under the overhang
in front of the hotel. She says that will be OK,
no problem.
We notice nothing is open in the hotel. Not
the restaurant, bar or gift shop. We are told
everything opens at five o’clock. Strange, but
around five, it all becomes clear. A tour bus
arrives and everything opens immediately.
We decide to go out for dinner. While the
hotel has three vans sitting outside and, at their
own admission, the drivers are standing by, they
cannot take us to dinner. The explanation: “We
are not allowed by ‘Corporate’ to take guests
to eat elsewhere.” And while we are discussing
the transportation, another young lady tells
us to move our bikes. She indicates that we
were never given permission to park there as
it is reserved for tour buses. That was the last
straw! In the first place, a hotel employee did
give us permission. In the second, we are tired of
Westmark employees being rude.
We obtain a cab and go to the Pumphouse
Restaurant, a delightful restaurant on the
river. Worth another visit. Frankly, I would
have walked anywhere to avoid eating at the
Westmark.
On a more positive note: In Fairbanks, we’re
the farthest north our travels will take us.
We’re only 125 miles from the Arctic Circle,
closer to Russia than to Idaho or Arizona. On
the way here, we passed through North Pole,
Alaska, tacky is it was, and disturbed a lady
moose feeding by the side of the highway. >>
Route: Northwest on Highway 2, the Alaska
Highway, until it ends at Delta Junction, then
Highway 2 to Fairbanks
Highlight: Nicest weather since Utah
42
43
•••••
Alaska
Somewhere in those clouds, left, towers
Mount McKinley aka Denali. Robin
Dunnigan at Fireweed Roadhouse,
below, exemplifies Alaskan hospitality.
All good things
must come to an end
The day after the riding stops
W
Emotions mixed
on our final day
Day 13: Fairbanks to Anchorage, Alaska
E
arly in the morning, we are all
surprised by a phone call from
the front desk of the Westmark Hotel.
We are rudely informed that we have
parked our bikes in a “loading zone”
and that the offending bikes have to be
moved within 30 minutes or the hotel
will have them moved. The young man
is abrupt, rude and demanding.
By this time, we have had it with
Westmark. We politely note that we did
have permission to park our Harleys
in front of the hotel. Nevertheless, we
get dressed, move our bikes, check
out—anything to get away as quickly
as possible. To crown our experience,
a Holland America employee uses foul
language as we prepare to depart.
Westmark and Holland America,
never again. They should be ashamed
of the way they treat paying guests.
We are off for Anchorage on the
Parks Highway, Alaska Highway
3, and the end of our bike ride. The
highway runs through the heart of
Denali country with, on clear days,
Route: South on the Parks Highway,
Highway 3, past Denali, then picking up
Highway 1 for the run into Anchorage
Happiness is: Safe arrival at our
destination
44
spectacular views of Denali. The day
dawns with drizzle, but not enough to
dampen our spirits.
As we ride south, we look for a
breakfast spot. Eventually, we stop at
Fireweed Roadhouse. Although there
are several cars out front, the door is
locked. As we suit up to continue, a
pleasant lady comes out and says the
place is closed but, if we would like, she
will fix breakfast for us. In a flash, we
accept. It was a really great breakfast
in a great, clean facility. Now, here is
someone who understands hospitality,
totally unlike the Westmark chain,
which seems to believe that if they
could just get rid of pesky customers
their life would be ideal.
Unfortunately, low clouds obscure
Mount McKinley, or Denali, whichever you prefer. We stop at a viewing
platform and take pictures anyway.
There we are smiling—with a solid
white backdrop of fog.
Arriving in Anchorage, we go to the
Captain Cook Hotel, check in without
delay and strike out to find the bar. The
Crow’s Nest, on the 20th floor, offers
a great view of the city and surrounding mountain ranges, but bring shoes,
not sandals, as they are not allowed in
this upscale bar. One of our group is
warned that such is the case and then
allowed, as a special consideration,
to have drinks wearing the dreaded
sandals. Now, that is the way an establishment should deal with the matter:
Tell you of the issue and not make a big
deal about it, until the second offense.
Our sandal wearer attempted to return
after dinner and was politely told,
while he had been warned and allowed
to stay on his earlier visit, this time he
was out of there. Off he went, returning the next time wearing boots. All
handled appropriately.
I have been staying at the Captain
Cook for 25 years or more. A great
hotel with lots of character and good
service. I found it a little strange that
T-shirts and jeans were OK in the
Crow’s Nest, but sandals, even expensive European ones worn with dress
socks, are taboo. Must be some sort
of profiling issue relating to a guest’s
ability to pay up.
In the evening, we had a great dinner
at the Glacier BrewHouse down the
street from the hotel. We had a reservation for five and arrived with seven.
After a minor amount of confusion, the
restaurant manager handled the situation smartly and kindly, and we had a
happy meal. An excellent restaurant I
would recommend.
The arrival in Anchorage is tinged
with sadness as our adventure has
ended: two weeks on the road with a
bunch of great guys on a bunch of great
motorcycles . . . safe and sound after
3,261 miles from Idaho Falls, 4,561
miles from Mesa, and a grand total of
7,221 miles from Key West.
e head for the airport to meet
the wives, who flew in for a
cruise back to the Lower 48. They
arrive on time and we repack right
there on the tarmac, putting our bike
clothes on the plane and getting the
cruise clothes ready to go. We rent a
van to get around and then take off
to the bike shipper to have the bikes
sent home.
We utilized a shipper right in the
middle of town which specializes
in transporting bikes to and from
Anchorage. They are first class. They
crate the bikes in Harley’s original cardboard-and-pallet shipping
containers and really do it up right.
They are riders and seem to know
bikes well. The shipping, one way, is
quoted at $1,500 to $2,000, depending
on the location in the Lower 48. The
shipper was Classic Motion, which can
be reached at 1-907-272-6863. They
are a husband and wife team and do
good work. They will even clean, to
whatever degree desired, dirty bikes
at the end of a trip. One of our dealerships, Chester’s Harley-Davidson in
Mesa, Arizona, has a favorable history
of shipping to and from Classic Motion
in Anchorage. They also ship classic
cars, thus, the name.
In the evening, we have a farewell
dinner with everyone present, wives
included. The last supper, I suppose,
at the Crow’s Nest Restaurant, on the
20th floor of the Captain Cook overlooking the city. A really superb dinner
for 11. Everyone is leaving the next
day. E.B., Robert, Bob and wives will
board a cruise to Vancouver. Craig is
flying home on the plane that brought
the wives. Georgs is going boating in
Seward before flying home.
All of us are unanimous in a final
word of advice: If you’ve been thinking
about riding to Alaska, or if our tale
has whetted your appetite, go!
We’re definitely going back—in
2010.
>>
Alaska has its own character,
and sense of humor, as witnessed
by Wal-Mike’s in Trapper Creek.
Outhouses exist, but mainly for
tourists to snap.
45
•••••
Alaska
Be prepared
Top 10 tips for your ride to Alaska
E.B.’s daily route cards
keep us headed in the
same direction.
#3 Look after your ride
Take a relatively new, well maintained bike, preferably a Harley,
which your local dealer has serviced prior to your trip. Be sure to
tell the dealer where you are going and request that he give the
bike a thorough going over. Tires should be new, or essentially
new, as should brake pads. Even if the tires or brakes have
significant wear left, change them. It’s like insurance. Change the
oil and forget it for the one-way trip of 3,000 to 4,000 miles. You
can change it again when you get back.
If you are riding to Alaska and back, there are Harley-Davidson
dealers in Fairbanks and Anchorage who will change your oil at
about the half-way point. If you do this, I would have the tires
and brakes checked also.
We saw more “expedition” bikes of other makes than we did
Harleys but none of the riders had as big a smile on their faces as
we did. Our bikes performed fabulously with no issues and we
were comfortable.
everything we carried. Next time, it will be two-thirds or less, as it was not much
fun lugging all that stuff in and out of a hotel room every day.
#6 No weapons
Don’t take pistols or bear pepper spray. Canadian officials will take these away
from you at the border. Besides, I can’t think of anything more absurd than
spraying a grizzly with anything from a distance of six to eight feet, about the
range of pepper spray. Even shooting one with a pistol will probably just make
it mad and result in the bear having a nice meal. Their mouths open the size of
a galvanized wash tub and they can run 35 miles per hour, covering six feet in
three nanoseconds. Best advice is not to get near them at all. Moose are also
cantankerous. They can face you down on a trail and charge you. Again, keep
your distance.
#8 Proof of insurance
Study appropriate maps ahead of time. Because preparation is
about as much fun as riding, this should not be too hard. I only
did it about 10,000 times over the course of a year, each time
visualizing riding along in sunshine with a bear or moose beside
the road. The bears and moose turned out to be about as scarce
as the sunshine. The routes are simple and straight-forward.
Nothing to navigate.
The photo shows a sample of the daily mileage and route
cards I made for monitoring our progress as we rode. I printed
the information on 3-by-5 index cards and had them laminated
so that the liquid sunshine would not leave me in the middle
of nowhere, guessing what the water-faded card used to say.
These worked great and were a hit of the trip. I had a set of cards
printed and laminated for each rider and found a clip that mounts
on the handlebar into which the cards will fit. Everyone knew
where we were at all times and how far to go to the next bar. The
cards eliminated all “Daddy, are we there yet?” questions.
Although we did not experience a need for it, we were told that we should carry
a proof of insurance card with our bike’s specific VIN number on such card. Our
insurance agent knew of the requirement and readily supplied the desired card.
No one asked for it but probably better to have in case of an unexpected interface
with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
There seem to be two schools of thought about reservations.
If you are camping, go without reservations. Plenty of camping
places everywhere, with and without bears, your choice. If you
are staying in motels, by all means, make reservations. Hotels and
motels are limited along the Alcan Highway and can fill up quickly.
The towns are generally on about 300-mile centers and represent
a day’s travel for motorcycles and automobiles alike. This means
everyone gets to the same places at the same time of day.
We made our reservations in September of the year before our
June trip. We called back on several occasions during the year’s
lead time and reconfirmed. Our plan worked without a hitch. See
the accompanying list of the lodgings we utilized and our opinion
of the various establishments. No recommendations, just our
opinions. All of the motels and hotels we stayed in were full the
nights we were there.
46
#9 Passports
You are “required” to have a passport although we encountered bikers traveling
without them. The individuals without passports said they were hassled but
allowed to pass at the U.S. and Canadian borders. Probably better to have one,
if possible. [Editor’s note: A passport will be
required to make a land or sea entry into the
Refueling stops can
U.S. as of June 2009.]
be scarce, so fill up
whenever you can.
#4 Spares and tools
#10 Telephones
We purchased and took with us a
satellite telephone for emergencies in the
backcountry. We never used it, but if we had
a need, such as an accident, it would have
been a lifesaver, perhaps literally. There
are emergency numbers for almost every
highway we rode which can be retrieved via
the Internet.
There is little cell phone coverage up
there. Until you get into Alaska, and even
where there was service in Canada, our AT&T
cell phones did not operate on Bell Canada’s
service. This was in spite of our checking
with AT&T prior to our departure and their
assurance that, at least my phone, was
authorized for such interchange and would
work just fine. Not so.
One final thought: If you want the ride of
your life, go!
We took a small selection of spares and tools. We had a really
cheap screw jack to lift one end of a bike, spare tubes and tiny
air compressor cylinders to inflate a tire. We also had a selection
of tools which would change either tire. The Harley tool kit that
comes standard with a bike will accomplish this. Our spares were
limited to tubes, sparkplugs, kickstand springs, fuses and taillight
bulbs. We did not carry any headlight bulbs as we were riding
either Ultra Classics, Classics or Road Glides, which have either
three headlights or headlights with a plastic cover. In neither case
were we likely to be without at least a single headlight. Besides, it
was daylight all night long.
#5 Less is better
Take fewer—not more—clothes than you think you might need.
We actually rode all the way in a single pair of jeans and only used
several shirts. No need to take an excessive amount of luggage
and load the bike down. We found that the tour pack, saddlebags
and a sac bag sitting on the rear seat were more than ample for
Even Harley
riders can
love heated
riding gear.
All of Canada requires helmets at all times, Alaska does not. British Columbia and
#1 Know where you are going
#2 To reserve or not to reserve
Lessons we learned
#7 Lids and beam echo
Alberta allow the possession and use of radar detectors, the Yukon does not. It
says in the literature that radar detectors will be confiscated if you have one in
your possession in the Yukon.
A broken spotlight —
the only casualty in our
19,000 accumulated
miles.
Final
thoughts
A
ny intermediate-level rider who is
mentally prepared to put up with 10
percent difficulties and 90 percent great
riding can make this trip easily. We had
riders from age 37 to 66 with us. All did
extremely well. There is no technical riding
involved, just great, deserted roads.
June seems to be an excellent choice of
timing. The July-August crowds have not
yet arrived and the State Bird of Alaska (the
mosquito) is not yet swarming to excess. The
roads are not deserted but you have a definite
feeling of being remote from the madding
crowds. The June weather can be cool, but it
is spring and the days (3 a.m. until 2 a.m. the
next morning) can be in the 60s to 70s. The
lows were around 40 most nights.
The gravel on the roads is a small issue
but, truly, it’s not as bad as riding on a
short gravel driveway down in the States.
It’s good packed gravel and just part of the
experience. One tends to take it in stride.
The weather is not always great but
light rain showers and fog are not too bad.
Factually, about 75 percent of our trip was
in delightful conditions. Heated clothing
and full-face helmets make weather a nonevent. In June, sunny days are the norm
in the Yukon and Alaska. We did not
encounter really bad weather, except on
mountain passes.
I am one who did not, prior to this trip,
even like the thought of riding in the rain,
especially cold rain. With this experience, I
won’t have the distaste for rain and/or cold I
once had. As we discovered, heated clothes
are a life-changing event for a Harley rider. G
47
Sturgis
Perfect excuse to ride
the finest roads
in the U.S.A.
Riders wind their way through
northern Arizona to start a
trip to Sturgis ‘08, while E.B.
Chester, at right, heads home
to Idaho after Sturgis ‘07.
Photography: Roy Timm and
Carole Bozzato Timm
when you’re destination-driven, it’s
the end of the ride you remember, it’s what you
talk to friends about, bring back photos from.
When you ride to ride, it’s all about the open
road, the route followed and curves taken,
sights seen and eateries visited. It’s the transition through space and time that dominates
the moment—and the memories.
Zone in on the ride and zero out everything
else. The ride to Sturgis is like that.
Whether you start out from Arizona or
Idaho, the roads you ride to Sturgis are exceptional—provided you stay off mind- and bumnumbing Interstates.
If you’re a friend or customer of the Chester
family of Harley-Davidson dealerships, you’re
fortunate that the head of the family over the
past 25 years has explored every road worth
riding in the western states. In his research, E.B.
Chester has checked out some roads with Google
Earth, others he’s flown over in his private plane,
and most he’s ridden on a Harley.
When we say here’s a road worth riding, you
can bet on it.
48
>>
49
STURGIS
The striking Grand Tetons of Wyoming are one
of the many highlights of the roundabout route
to Sturgis that we recommend.
Great Circle Route
i’ve ridden to sturgis on these roads
more than 10 times, yet each ride is different and
special, depending on the weather and the friends
with whom I ride.
You can start the circle route to Sturgis in Arizona
or Idaho and ride in either direction. If you ride
the entire loop, you’ll cover more than 3,500 miles.
That’s about 12 days of riding, plus whatever time
you spend in Sturgis.
Another option is to ride from Arizona to Idaho
via Sturgis, or vice versa, and ship your bike home
from one of our dealerships.
50
I generally start from Phoenix, so my narrative
starts there. (If you’re starting from Idaho, follow
the narrative in the reverse order.)
Our favorite route winds north through Arizona
and Utah, through Colorado and Wyoming, into
South Dakota and Sturgis. Then it heads west through
Wyoming into Montana and back to Wyoming and
Idaho. We generally end up in Idaho Falls and fly
home from there, leaving our bikes at Grand Teton
Harley-Davidson & Buell to be shipped home. That
trip covers about 2,500 miles. In 2008, six of us rode
back to Phoenix, totaling about 3,500 miles.
MAP: WILLIAM TIPTON
How to ride to Sturgis and see most of the West. By E.B. Chester
It is all about the riding, not necessarily the
destinations. Our group stays in nice hotels along
the way but sightseeing is not on the agenda except
for several special locations. Once there, we base
ourselves in Rapid City, South Dakota, not far
from Sturgis and the Black Hills, for four nights
and three full days, allowing ample time to enjoy
both locales.
It works out to an average of slightly under 300
miles of riding each riding day. We do not ride in any
state that requires a helmet.
Here’s how a typical Sturgis ride unfolds:
51
STURGIS
Rest stops in
Monument Valley
on the Utah/
Arizona border
always seem to be
leisurely, because
the scenery is so
unique.
52
& Di Luca’s, a great local Italian restaurant.
The second day it’s north out of Sedona, through
memorable Oak Creek Canyon to Flagstaff. We
breakfast in Flagstaff at the Cracker Barrel and then
ride north through Monument Valley and a lot of
deserted desert to Moab, Utah, a great town for
dropouts on the Colorado River. This is some of the
greatest scenery and best open roads in the world.
In Moab, the Gonzo Inn is the place to stay (we can
park our bikes outside our rooms), with eats at the
Slick Rock Cafe.
On the third day, we backtrack slightly to La Salle
junction and then go east into Colorado past the
Bedrock Store (which is a must-see) to the south end
of the Gateway Canyon road. It’s a great motorcycle
road, virtually all to ourselves, with long sweeping
curves and spectacular scenery.
After about 75 miles, a development looms up
suddenly and remarkably in the middle of nowhere.
The owner of the Discovery Channel on Cable
TV has constructed a hotel, restaurant and, most
amazingly, a world-class automobile museum in
Gateway, Colorado.
After touring the museum and having lunch, we
carry on to Grand Junction, Colorado, and join
Interstate 70 for a ride through Glenwood Canyon,
the last leg of the original Interstate system completed
in the 1960s. It’s a scenic wonder through which
flows the Colorado River. The canyon leads us on
to the Vail valley. All in all, a really great day. GLORY ROAD I 2009-2010
The fourth day is going to be our single longdistance dash—a stretch of more than 400 miles
from Vail to Rapid City, South Dakota. While it
seems a long day, it is really a great ride and the
distance is not so burdensome.
From Vail it’s north over Gore Pass and on into
Walden, Colorado, and then to Laramie, Wyoming.
After Laramie, we head north to Bosler Junction and
one of the world’s great motorcycle roads, which
takes us to Wheatland for lunch. Long swooping
curves and not another vehicle in sight. A great ride.
There’s a deserted road from Wheatland north to
Lusk, Wyoming. The last leg winds through the
Black Hills to Rapid City, not far from Sturgis.
Rapid City base for Sturgis
Our base in Rapid City is the Ramkota Hotel,
which has a good restaurant and bar. The Chesters
are a known fixture at the Ramkota; we’ve stayed
there for the rally for many years. The Ramkota is
centrally located between the Sturgis activity, 30
miles to the west, the Rapid City activity and the
Black Hills, 10 miles to the south. It’s a really great
location—if you can score a reservation.
The three-day stay gives one a great opportunity to
sample the rally. Ride into Sturgis, park and wander
around with the other 500,000 people visiting this
normally sleepy town of 10,000. It is bedlam. This
is where many vendor displays, bars and other rally
activities are located. Outside Sturgis are the Buffalo
Chip Campground and the Full Throttle Saloon,
two of the most storied establishments associated
with the event. The Rapid City Harley-Davidson dealer is another
popular venue for vendors and activity. It’s a must
visit on the Interstate between Rapid City and
Sturgis. Please note that the Interstate is a challenge
in its own right, due to the density of motorcycles. It
goes along with the old song, “Drunks to the left of
you, drunks to the right.” It needs to be approached
with caution but is manageable. It seems to get even
worse at night.
While at Sturgis, we set out on one of the
world’s truly great day rides, a structured ride
through the Black Hills beginning in Rapid City,
through Keystone, the town which grew up during
construction of Mount Rushmore, and into the scenic
area of the Black Hills ending at Mount Rushmore.
It’s a really great tour shared with motorcycles going
almost continually in all directions. Wild buffalo are
often on the road and other wildlife sightings (other
than of humanoids in full bloom) are frequent. The Harley-Davidson Motor Company sets up at
From the Badlands to Devils
Tower, there are awesome day
rides to be had during Sturgis.
Shown here is Spearfish
Canyon near Deadwood.
PHOTO: georgs kolesnikovs
Departure the first day is from Chester’s HarleyDavidson in Mesa, Arizona, at 8 a.m. (Everyone
should show up with a full tank of gas.) Phoenix
is bypassed on State Route 101. Then it’s north on
Interstate 17 to the Cave Creek exit and west to
Wickenburg for breakfast and gas. Through Prescott
and Jerome to Sedona. The roads are really great
motorcycle routes, such as Cleopatra Hill into Jerome.
The first night is spent at Sedona Reãl Inn & Suites;
there’s a good bar next door. Dinner is usually at Dahl
53
STURGIS
Mount Rushmore watches over
Ed Leclere, E.B. Chester and
Georgs Kolesnikovs as they
wait for stragglers on a day
ride on amazing Iron Mountain
Road during Sturgis.
Buffalo trumps HarleyDavidson every time.
Here, bikers backpedal
in Custer State Park
near Sturgis.
the Rapid City Convention Center in the middle
of town and is worth a visit.
[Editor’s note: If you’re starting your ride to
Sturgis from Idaho, then what follows outlines
a pleasant way to get there over three days. Of
course, you can ride to Sturgis in one long day,
if you want to.]
Scenic route between Sturgis and Idaho
After Sturgis, on the eighth day, we set off west out
of Rapid City. Our road goes through Deadwood,
home of the saloon where Wild Bill Hickok was
killed while holding the infamous ‘Dead Man’s
Hand’ (two aces and two eights). Then it’s north
through Spearfish Canyon to Devil’s Tower,
a volcanic cone rising out of the plains and a
popular destination for the Sturgis crowd.
After a stop at Devils Tower, the day ends in
Buffalo, Wyoming, and the Occidental Hotel, a
historic local hotel owned by a delightful lady. It’s
a favorite of the Hells Angels, who on occasion
have camped out in the hotel’s library. It has a
really great bar and the food is great.
The ninth day is a real treat. It starts with a
crossing of the Big Horn Mountains and a ride
through Ten Sleep Canyon. Past that our route
takes us along the Wind River Mountains. All in
all, an incredible ride. The day ends in Montana at
Red Lodge and the Rock Creek Resort. Red Lodge
is a picturesque western town deserving of a late
afternoon visit before dinner. An old log home at
the resort has a great bar and great food. The Rock Creek Resort (owned by a great
friend) is at the base of Beartooth Pass. Day 10
takes us over Beartooth—one of the West’s great
passes—and down to Cooke City for lunch; then
it’s back into Wyoming and on to Yellowstone
54
Park. We have been over Beartooth Pass in August
in the middle of a snowstorm.
Depending on how the group feels, the choice
is to visit Yellowstone Lodge and Old Faithful or
to ride immediately on to Jackson for a visit to the
town square and the Million Dollar Bar, the local
Harley parking location of choice. Either way, the
night is spent at The Wort Hotel in downtown
Jackson. It’s a historic hotel with a world-class
bar, the Silver Dollar Bar. Dinner is often at the
Gun Barrel Restaurant, a local favorite.
It’s only a short ride to Idaho Falls, Idaho, so
on the 11th day we hang around Jackson for the
morning and leave around lunch. The Wort is across
the street from a Chester family Harley-Davidson
dealership, Jackson Hole Harley-Davidson.
When we arrive in Idaho Falls at another
Chester family dealership, Grand Teton HarleyDavidson & Buell, we check in at Fairfield Suites,
down the street from the dealership, and have
dinner in the Ruby River Steakhouse, next to the
hotel. The bikes may be left for shipping at the
dealership with transportation provided to the
airport, which offers good connections through
Salt Lake City to just about anywhere.
For those not wanting to stop, riding back
to Phoenix is certainly an option, probably as
a three-day ride: 255 miles from Idaho Falls to
Heber City, Utah, 371 miles to Page, Arizona, and
293 miles to Mesa. It can be done in two days but
they are long and hard days.
If you have the time, riding the entire distance
is less expensive than flying and shipping a bike.
E.B. Chester, a Harley enthusiast all his life, is an
owner of the Chester family of Harley-Davidson
dealerships in Arizona, Idaho and Wyoming. >>
55
STURGIS
The ride through Ten Sleep Canyon
in the Big Horn Mountains of
Wyoming is locked forever in the
Editor’s memory bank.
Is it Zen?
Or simply the freedom of the open road?
By Georgs Kolesnikovs
when you fly across the land on a harley,
you are so connected to the road and the environment
that even when the mind wanders, you’re always alert,
always looking ahead, always looking behind.
Maybe that’s why it’s so easy—and so addictive—
to zero in on the ride and zero out everything else.
Your magic carpet is the blur of the asphalt below
the bike. The sound of the V-Twin is a captivating
concert. The wind in your face is the tonic that keeps
you awake and alive, wanting one more mile after
another, one day following another on the open
road.
When you ride to ride, it is the ride that dominates
the moment—and the memories:
56
How the switchbacks come one after another,
relentlessly up and down Cleopatra Hill leading
into Jerome, Arizona. How the highway sweeps and
curves for miles upon miles without another vehicle
in sight near Bosler Junction, Wyoming. How great
it is to ride the Iron Mountain Road out of Sturgis
early in the morning, before the other 499,999 rally
attendees are out and about.
How riding US-93 in Montana seems like a
reunion with an old friend whom you last saw in
Nevada, sweeping across the contours of the land
into Idaho. How hot and dry and perfect it was
on AZ-89A, crossing the desert between Marble
Canyon and Kanab, Utah.
How phenomenal Monument Valley looks, how
awesome are roads that arc through red canyons.
The fresh smell of verdant fields, the ribbon of
honeysuckle along the side of the highway, the
intoxicating fragrance of sage after a downpour—
these are among the memories that linger.
Then there’s a chuckle when it’s obvious the guy on
the foreign motorcycle doesn’t know the difference
between a friendly wave and the Harley salute.
Riding solo provides the high that only independence and self-sufficiency can foster. Riding in a
group leads to the good times and fun that come
only with camaraderie.
You notice the smallest things: How, after a rain
shower, the riders ahead kick up spray from the
wet pavement making it look like they are riding
along on little white clouds. How, when you’ve
ridden with someone for many miles, all it takes
is the slightest nod of the head to say, “Go on, you
ride ahead.”
You notice the tug inside near the end of the day:
You want to keep riding, yet you want to kick back
with like-minded souls, hoist a brew, enjoy a meal
and sleep well, so you can do it all over again the
next day.
>>
Georgs Kolesnikovs, Editor of Glory Road, has
been a motorcycle rider since his university days.
57
STURGIS
Main Street
Evening comes to the
unconventional convention that
attracts 500,000 riders, most of
them Harley enthusiasts. >>
58
59
STURGIS
Where we eat and drink
When riding from Arizona:
Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano
Sedona, Arizona
www.dahlanddiluca.com
We can’t ride to Sturgis without eating
here
Slick Rock Cafe
Moab, Utah
www.slickrockcafe.com
Good eats, good service
The Bedrock Store has been a rest stop in
southwestern Colorado since 1876.
When riding from Idaho:
If you plan to go
A good place to start planning your ride
to Sturgis is to peruse the ride reports and
photos at the Glory Road blog:
www.tinyurl.com/gloryroadsturgis07
www.tinyurl.com/gloryroadsturgis08
You can also contact E.B. Chester at
Chester's Harley-Davidson. He is always
eager to discuss Harley riding and trips
taken by him and the gang. E.B. has quite a
database of routes, maps and information
which he is more than happy to share with
fellow Harley enthusiasts. Give him a call
at 800-831-0404 and contact him online at
www.chestershd.com/contact_us.asp
Here are additional sites to assist your
planning:
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com
Sturgis.com
www.sturgis.com
When you return home, tell Glory Road
about your trip. E-mail a report and photos
to editor@gloryroadmag.com
Class of Sturgis ‘07 in the Ramkota Hotel
bar: From left, seated, Larry Pisacka, E.B.
Chester, Jay Peterson, Craig Chester, Dan
Godec; standing, Ed Leclere, Greg Warrington,
Brandon Peterson, Georgs Kolesnikovs.
Silver Dollar Bar & Grill
Wort Hotel
Jackson, Wyoming
www.worthotel.com/silverdollar_home.
html
Good drinks, good service
Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse
Jackson, Wyoming
www.cowboysteakhouse.net
The bar at street level ain’t bad either
The Virginian Restaurant
The Historic Occidental Hotel
Buffalo, Wyoming
www.tinyurl.com/occidentalvirginian
One of the finest restaurants in the West
The Pollard dining room
Red Lodge, Montana
www.thepollard.net/dining.html
The menu is in plain English
In Sturgis:
Full Throttle Saloon
Sturgis, South Dakota
www.fullthrottlesaloon.com
The world’s largest biker bar
Where we sleep
When riding from Arizona:
Sedona Reãl Inn & Suites
Sedona, Arizona
www.sedonareal.com
A hotel that has never let us down
Comfort Inn
Blanding, Utah
www.tinyurl.com/comfortinnblanding
Parking lot is paved, rooms are clean
The Gonzo Inn
Moab, Utah
www.gonzoinn.com
A comfortable overnight stop
When riding from Idaho:
The Wort Hotel
Jackson, Wyoming
www.worthotel.com
Historic, hospitable, pricey
Wyoming Inn of Jackson Hole
Jackson, Wyoming
www.wyoming-inn.com
A nice alternative to the Wort
The Historic Occidental Hotel
Buffalo, Wyoming
www.occidentalwyoming.com
A must-stay when riding through
Wyoming
The Pollard
Red Lodge, Montana
www.thepollard.net
Buffalo Bill and Calamity Jane slept here
Rock Creek Resort
Red Lodge, Montana
www.rockcreekresort.com
On the spectacular Beartooth Highway
Our home away from home during Sturgis:
Best Western Ramkota Rapid City Hotel
Rapid City, South Dakota
www.rapidcity.ramkota.com
Book well in advance, way well in advance G
Class of Sturgis ‘08 at
Beartooth Pass: From left,
Lon Carruth, Ray Valle, E.B.
Chester, Ed Leclere, Matt
Lenox, Flip LeResche.
60
Photography: Roy Timm, Carole Bozzato Timm, Georgs Kolesnikovs and anon
The roadside sign in
Wyoming says it all.
AN EXCLUSIVE COLLECTION…
Visit a CVO expert at your local Harley-Davidson® dealership.
Chester’s Harley-Davidson ~ Mesa AZ ~ 800 831 0404 • Grand Teton Harley-Davidson & Buell ~ Idaho Falls ID ~ 800 863 5297 • Snake Harley-Davidson ~ Twin Falls ID ~ 888 788 9809 • www.chesterpowersports.com
Damon Nichols, Service Advisor at Grand Teton Harley-Davidson & Buell,
test-rides an XL 1200N Nightster.
BUYER’S
GUIDE
Your style, your choice
There’s a distinctive Harley-Davidson for every
personality, every type of street and road riding
By the Editors of Glory Road
T
he Harley-Davidson motorcycles offered by the Chester family
of dealerships are as different as the people who buy them.
Where do you live? How do you ride? Where do you want to
ride? Is it out on the open highway with your destination over the
horizon? Do you like to tour two-up?
You can enjoy the freedom that those in cars will never know—
Softail . . . . . . . . Page 67
the cool stillness of early morning air, the scent of honeysuckle at
Dyna . . . . . . . . . Page 70
night, an unobstructed view of mountains for 360 degrees, a redtailed hawk hovering overhead.
Maybe you rode when you were younger and you want to get
back to it, recapture that thrill you felt the first time you soloed on
a bike. Once the sound of that big twin got in your head, there was
no getting it out. Perhaps belonging to the worldwide brotherhood
of Harley-Davidson riders appeals to you? After all, people on
Harleys still salute each other.
For many riders, their bike is a rolling statement of their personal
style. Are you a knee-dragging canyon scratcher? Do you rip from
stoplight to stoplight? Perhaps you’re looking for an economical
®
592651
VSA Partners
and fun way to get around. There’s a certain satisfaction in being
THE 2009 HARLEY- DAVIDSON CUSTOM VEHICLE OPERATIONS™ COLLECTION:
THE WORLD ’S FINEST FACTORY CUSTOMS.
Touring . . . . . . . Page 64
Sportster . . . . . . Page 72
VRSC . . . . . . . . . Page 74
Tri Glide . . . . . . . Page 75
CVO . . . . . . . . . . Page 76
Your Harley,
your way . . . . . . . Page 78
Getting started . . Page 83
Performance! . . . . Page 86
the only guy who arrives at work with a grin on his face.
There are as many reasons why people ride motorcycles as
there are people, but there’s one thing they have in common: their
individuality, the compulsion not to be part of the herd.
Which Harley is the right bike for you? With five basic motorcycle
families and lots of model variations within each family, you can
bet the Motor Company has you covered. The perfect machine is
there for you. Maybe you already know what it is. If you don’t, this
Visit a Chester dealership to get
your copy of the most current
Harley-Davidson catalog. Online,
start your research at
www.chesterpowersports.com.
buyer’s guide will help you narrow your choices before you see the
experts at the Chester dealerships in Arizona, Idaho and Wyoming.
Don’t be surprised if you find more than one perfect bike.
See all four limited-production motorcycles at www.harley-davidson.com/cvo.
63
BUYER’S GUIDE Touring
Touring
ROAD KING COMMON FEATURES: Black powder-coated engine with chrome covers • Brembo triple-disc brake system • Large
Hiawatha headlight and chrome nacelle • Auxiliary passing lights • Detachable windshield • Large tank-mounted speedometer • Optional ABS • Optional chrome aluminum profile laced wheels
Road King
Big bikes for
a big country
hard-shell saddlebags. When it’s time to eat up the road, there’s
that big 96-inch engine, air-adjustable suspension, a removable
windshield, a six-gallon fuel tank and standard cruise control.
Everything you need to tour in comfort and style.
ROAD KING CLASSIC HIGHLIGHTS:
•Rubber-mounted 1584-cc Twin Cam 96 engine with ESPFI
•Dunlop D407 multi-tread 180/65-16 rear tire (wide white stripe)
•Dunlop D407 130/80-16 front tire (wide white stripe)
•Chrome laced steel wheels
•Leather-wrapped, hard saddlebags
•Tooled leather seat trim with chrome accents
•Chrome tank and fender emblems
•Slash-cut mufflers
•Electronic cruise control
There are seven members in the Harley-Davidson Touring
family—two Road Kings, three Electra Glides, a Street
Glide and a Road Glide.
Low, wide and hefty, they’re affectionately known
as “baggers” because they come with saddlebags as
standard equipment. Millions of miles driven and years
of feedback from long-distance riders have ensured they
provide the comfort needed for the long haul. They’re the
bikes you usually see out on the highway—alone or in
groups, two-up and solo.
It’s the ride you want when your plans feature a
300-plus-mile day and an evening socializing with your
friends. Sit back, relax and let the miles roll by.
“Harley owners in our part of the world like to do
as much riding as possible,” says Cliff Chester, one of
the owners of the Chester family of Harley-Davidson
dealerships in Arizona, Idaho and Wyoming. “The
convenience of having adequate storage compartments
is a big plus. Then there is the stability of the motorcycle
and the ability to travel two-up.”
Here are features that make them the world’s best
FLHR Road King
The Road King combines all the comfort and long-distance
capabilities of a big Harley-Davidson touring bike with enduring big-twin styling. Out in front there are clear-lens auxiliary
passing lights and a chrome headlamp. Other styling touches
include chrome engine covers, a deep-skirted FL front fender
and white-stripe tires. For roadwork the King has colormatched, locking hard-shell saddlebags, a six-speed Cruise
Drive transmission, air-adjustable suspension and a big comfortable seat. The windscreen lets you rack up the miles or you
can easily detach it for riding in town or when you feel like
having the wind in your face.
It’s good to be the king.
Electra Glide Classic
Electra Glide Standard
ROAD KING HIGHLIGHTS:
•28-spoke cast aluminum wheels: 17-inch front/16-inch rear
•Dunlop D407 Multi-Tread 180/65-16 rear tire (white stripe)
•Dunlop D407 130/80-17 front tire (white stripe)
•Two-piece touring seat
•Weather-resistant and lockable GTX hard saddlebags
FLHT Electra Glide Standard
touring bikes:
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Don’t let the word “standard” fool you—the Electra Glide
Standard comes with all the touring features you need to hit the
open road. Out front, there’s a Glide fairing and windshield,
with instrumentation. The comfort-stitched saddle and airadjustable suspension let you roll up the miles, auxiliary lights
add illumination for night riding, and locking hard saddlebags
mean you can securely carry what you need.
Road King Classic
FLHRC Road King Classic
Do you like your touring bike with a little nostalgia and a lot of
style? The Road King Classic is reminiscent of the Electra Glides
of the past. The Classic features laced wheels, whitewall tires,
auxiliary passing lights and tooled leather on the seat and on the
PHOTOS: HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY
•High-performance Brembo brakes with available, factoryinstalled anti-lock braking system (ABS). They’ve got all the
stopping power you can use, whether you’re descending a
mountain grade or haulin’ it down in traffic.
•Large fuel tanks: Six gallons of fuel combined with the
standard six-speed Cruise Drive transmission translate into
road-eating range on the highway.
•Electronic Throttle Control: Yes, fly-by-wire, just like an F-16.
Or make that ride-by-wire. Combined with electronic fuel
injection, it means precise fuel metering and instantaneous
throttle response in virtually any riding condition. It also
means no mechanical cables to wear out or adjust, a cleaner
look, and incredibly accurate cruise control.
•Adjustable Fairing-Mounted Wind Deflectors: These
come standard on the Ultra Classic Electra Glide model.
They improve ride comfort by allowing the rider to direct
oncoming wind flow. They’re also available for the Electra
Glide Standard, Street Glide and Electra Glide Classic
models.
•Isolated Drive System: Located in the bike’s rear sprocket,
and sometimes referred to as a cush drive, it improves ride
quality and reduces noise and vibration for the rider when
accelerating, shifting and cruising.
•Six-Speed Cruise Drive Transmission: Just what you need for
quick acceleration and effortless cruising on the highway.
Drop it in sixth gear and enjoy the rumble.
ELECTRA GLIDE STANDARD HIGHLIGHTS:
•Silver powder-coated engine with polished covers
•Brembo triple-disc brake system
•Dunlop D407 multi-tread 180/65-16 rear tire
•Dunlop D407 130/80-17 front tire
•Fairing-mounted speedometer and tachometer
FLHTC Electra Glide Classic
When you and your wife toured last year, you met other couples
doing the same thing—kindred spirits who share the same love
of freedom and adventure. This year you’re all meeting at that
bed and breakfast in Boulder and then you’ll tour Rocky Mountain National Park as a group.
It’s the kind of story you hear from couples who ride the
Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Classic. It’s the ideal two-up
touring bike.
In addition to standard touring features such as air-adjustable suspension, color-matched saddlebags and a fork-mounted
fairing, the Electra Glide Classic includes a passenger backrest
pad for long-distance comfort and the added luggage capacity
of the color-matched King Tour-Pak. There’s also more saddlebag and fender trim to please the eye and a 40-watt Advanced
Audio System by Harmon/Kardon to please the ear.
ELECTRA GLIDE CLASSIC HIGHLIGHTS:
•Black powder-coated engine with chrome covers
•Brembo triple-disc brake system
•Tour-Pak rack
•Dunlop D407 multi-tread 180/65-16 rear tire (white stripe)
•Full instrumentation
•Adjustable King Tour-Pak with passenger backrest
FLHTCU Ultra Classic Electra Glide
When it comes to a fully equipped, turnkey two-up touring
bike, there’s only one: the top-of-the-line Harley-Davidson
Ultra Classic Electra Glide. Its air-adjustable suspension, big
touring seat and backrest let you and your companion ride all
day in comfort and style.
A fully instrumented, fork-mounted fairing and vented,
frame-mounted lowers, with storage compartment, form a
ELECTRA GLIDE COMMON FEATURES: 28-spoke cast aluminum wheels: 17-inch front/16-inch rear • Bat-wing, fork-mounted fairing • One-piece, two-up Electra Glide comfort-stitch touring saddle • Clear-lens reflector-optics auxiliary lamps • Locking GTX saddlebags
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BUYER’S GUIDE Touring
Ultra Classic Electra Glide
BUYER’S GUIDE softail
SOFTAIL
LED lighting. The Street Glide looks good on the highway and
in town. For the road, it’s got all the features that make it a great
touring bike, like redesigned frame and swingarm, air adjustable
shocks, deeply dished seat, fork-mounted fairing and big twincam 96 engine with the six-speed Cruise Drive transmission.
Easy rider cool
FLHX STREET GLIDE HIGHLIGHTS:
•Black Slotted Disc Cast Aluminum wheels
•Dunlop D407 Multi-Tread 180/65-16 rear tire
•Batwing fork-mounted fairing
•Fairing-mounted rear view mirrors
•Custom bucket seat with perforated insert
ULTRA CLASSIC ELECTRA GLIDE HIGHLIGHTS:
•Brembo triple-disc brake system with ABS
•Tour-Pak rack
•Dunlop D407 multi-tread 180/65-16 rear tire (white stripe)
•80-watt Advanced Audio System by Harman Kardon
•CB radio and intercom system
•Adjustable King Tour-Pak with passenger backrest
•Custom-fit soft luggage liners
•Tour-Pak mounted tail/stop light
•Vented lower fairing with integrated storage compartments
•Adjustable fairing wind deflectors
•Mid-frame air deflectors
•Cruise control
Street Glide
FLHX Street Glide
In the Street Glide, Harley-Davidson combined the classic features of the dresser with modern custom styling cues, like a cutdown, smoked windshield, low-profile rear suspension, lowhung license plate mount, hidden plate illuminator and Tri-line
rear tire putting down power. High bars and a kickedout front end complete the picture of an easy rider.
“If you look at what the World War II veterans did,
they really started the biker culture when they came
back from the war,” observes E.B. Chester, a principal
of the Chester family of Harley-Davidson dealerships
Road Glide
and a life-long rider. “The Softail line has carried on that
culture.”
The Softail combines that timeless low-rider style
HERITAGE SOFTAIL CLASSIC HIGHLIGHTS:
•Rigid-mount, 1584-cc Twin Cam 96B balanced engine
•Fuel tank graphics and glass-filled 3-D tank badge
•Retro speedometer face
•Chrome nacelle style
•Retro “Cat Eye” fuel tank console
•Half-moon rider footboards and oval brake pad
•Chrome staggered Shorty Dual exhaust
•150-mm (16-inch rear)/MT90 16-inch front tire
•Five-gallon Fat Bob tank
•Detachable king-size Lexan windshield
•Leather saddlebags with quick-detach buckles
•Optional chrome aluminum profile laced wheels with wide whitewall tires
with modern suspension and handling and plenty of
custom features. At the very core of the Softail is its
engine, a 96-inch Twin-Cam engine with the power,
Fat Boy
sound and feel nobody else can match. And the great
part is there’s a Softail model for every kind of rider.
The custom enthusiast will like the Rocker, Fat Boy and
Night Train models. Those who want something that
says classic Harley can look at the Softail Deluxe, Softail
Custom and Softail Springer models. If you like to mix
some open road in with your riding, there’s the Heritage
FLTR Road Glide
Softail Classic.
One of the nicest touring models, the Harley-Davidson Road
Glide is the bike you want when your plans call for breakfast
in Steamboat Springs and dinner at the lodge at Yellowstone.
The distinctive, aerodynamic frame-mounted “shark-nosed”
fairing, with its twin-headlights, provides outstanding protection from wind and weather. Slashing graphics, back-slash
muffler tips, black nine-spoke cast-aluminum wheels and a
sharp-looking black-and-chrome engine, underscore the Road
Glide’s stylish good looks.
The Road Glide is a favorite of Craig Chester, one of the
owners of the Chester family of H-D dealerships, “due to
the stability, comfort, and the customizing ability to create a
smooth looking motorcycle with great lines.”
FLTR ROAD GLIDE HIGHLIGHTS:
•28-spoke cast aluminum wheels, 17-inch front/16-inch rear
•Dunlop D407 Multi-Tread 180/65-16 rear tire
•Frame-mounted, aerodynamic fairing
•Dual clear-lens, reflector-optics headlights
•One-piece, two-up Road Glide Classic seat
•GTX hard saddlebags with chrome latches
•Electronic cruise control
STREET AND ROAD GUIDE COMMON FEATURES: Rubber mounted 1584-cc Twin Cam 96 engine with ESPFI • Black powder-coated
engine with chrome covers • Brembo triple-disc brake system • Six-gallon fuel tank • Electronic Throttle Control • 40-watt CD/AM/
FM/WB/MP3 Advanced Audio System by Harman/Kardon • GTX hard saddlebags with latches
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in the saddle—more in the machine than on it, a wide
For something more radical, the Cross Bones is the
Softail with attitude. For more performance, the CVO
version of the Softail Springer is your choice.
FLSTF Fat Boy
Heritage Softail Classic
pocket of calm, whether you’re in cool mountain air or the hot
desert winds. The fuel-injected, 96-cubic-inch twin-cam engine
and six-speed Cruise Drive transmission have what it takes to
deal with anything from the Badlands to the Rockies.
There’s nothing else like the classic hardtail. You sit low
leather saddlebags. Out on the highway, the FL front suspension makes for a smooth ride; the full windshield parts the
wind. Large studded saddlebags hold all your road gear and
a sculpted, tooled saddle with backrest lets you and your passenger relax and enjoy the scenery.
FLSTC Heritage Softail Classic
Want a bike that will go the distance in style, and at a moment’s
notice? The Heritage Softail Classic does it all, whether you’re
cruising around town or cruising down the highway. Done
in the classic dresser style, it includes custom touches like
chrome passing lamps, chrome laced wheels and studded
If your tastes run toward the classic stripped-down, no-nonsense custom look, you’ll like the Fat Boy. No other bike has
the same look or feel: Big 140-mm front and 200-mm rear
tire on 17-inch bullet-hole disc aluminum wheels. Additional
custom features include, laced leather and bullet stud trim on
the two-up seat and tank strap, a bright chrome fork nacelle
and a chrome over/under exhaust.
FAT BOY HIGHLIGHTS:
•Rigid-mount, 1584-cc Twin Cam 96B balanced engine
•Chrome over-under Shotgun exhaust
•Chrome horseshoe oil tank
•200 mm-17 rear/140 mm-17 front tire
•Silver Bullet Hole disc cast aluminum 17-inch wheels
•Two-tone seat with bullet laced valence
•1.25-inch custom internally wired handlebar with Bare Knuckle
risers
•Custom graphics package on fenders and fuel tank
•Five-gallon traditional Fat Bob fuel tank with laced triple bullet strap
•Large chrome headlight
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BUYER’S GUIDE softail
Softail Deluxe
FLSTN Softail Deluxe
Retro styling never looked more righteous than it does on the
Softail Deluxe. Classic touches include a full-skirted rear fender
with tombstone taillight, wide whitewall tires on chrome laced
steel wheels and full-length footboards. For cruising comfort,
there’s a pullback handlebar and a low seat height. For power,
there’s a chrome and black fuel-injected 96-inch Twin Cam
engine and six-speed Cruise Drive transmission.
SOFTAIL DELUXE HIGHLIGHTS:
•Rigid-mount 1584-cc Twin Cam 96B balanced engine
•Chrome over-under Shotgun exhaust
•Narrow profile seat with low 24.5-inch seat height
•MU85B-16 rear/MT90-16 front wide whitewall tires
•Two-piece, two-up seat with detachable passenger pillion
•Five-gallon Fat Bob tank
•Distinctive headlight nacelle
•Integrated luggage rack
•Tombstone taillight
SOFTAIL CROSS BONES HIGHLIGHTS:
•Black powder-coated engine with polished covers and pushrods and untreated fins
•Gloss Black round air cleaner cover, painted Springer front end with chrome springs, mini ape-hanger handlebar, cat-eye tank console with new speedometer face, oil tank and
rear fender supports
•Willie G.-signed horseshoe oil tank skull graphic
•Straight shot exhaust with chrome slash-cut mufflers
•Adjustable sprung solo seat with leather lacing
•26.6-inch seat height
•Chopped front fender with pinstriping
•Bobtail rear fender with pinstriping
•Distinctive five-gallon fuel tank with hand-laced leather tank
panel and pinstriping
•200-mm rear tire
Stand out from the crowd. The Rocker C model adds an even
higher level of finish to the Rocker. The headlamp, triple clamps,
handlebar riser, fork lower tank console and speedometer are
done in brilliant chrome. The swingarm and finned aluminum
oil tank are color-matched and the sheet-metal features a swirling pinstripe flame from fender to fender. There’s also a clever
seat design, which conceals a passenger pillion and struts under
the solo seat cushion.
ROCKER C HIGHLIGHTS:
•Chrome Shorty Dual mufflers
•240 mm (18-inch) rear/90 mm (19-inch) front tire
•Polished cast aluminum tapered five-spoke 19-inch front/18
•inch rear wheels
•Stretched fuel tank with recessed cloisonné medallion
•Trick two-in-one seat with concealed passenger pillion
•Independent V-Bar handlebar on five-inch curved risers
•Console-mounted style speedometer
•Deluxe pinstripe flames standard
Softail Cross Bones
FXCW Softail Rocker
The Rocker FXCW combines the custom chopper look with
factory quality and reliability. It features a massive rear tire,
a rear fender mounted directly to the swing arm, low saddle,
stretched-out deuce tank and V-Bar handlebar on five-inch
curved risers. The kicked-out fork has 36.5 degrees of rake,
giving the Rocker the longest wheelbase of any Harley-Davidson
motorcycle. The level of detailing will turn heads, from the silver
powder-coated engine with metallic powder-coat covers to the
horseshoe oil tank and color-matched frame.
The dark FLSTSB Softail Cross Bones cuts the profile of an
authentic custom bobber—a stripped-down and chopped
custom with raw finishes. Cross Bones leads with the Gloss
Black Springer front end and follows with other post-war
styling cues, including a Gloss Black round air cleaner cover,
sprung solo seat, half-moon rider footboards and chopped
front fender. The Gloss Black oil tank features a new Willie
68
Night Train
FLSTSB Softail Cross Bones
A customer learns his
options at Eagle Rock
Harley-Davidson & Buell.
FXCWC Softail Rocker C
Softail Rocker
SOFTAIL ROCKER HIGHLIGHTS:
•Silver powder-coated engine with Satin Stainless Steel powdercoat covers
•Chrome Shorty Dual exhaust
•Finned cast-aluminum, horseshoe oil tank
•240 mm-18 rear/90 mm-19 front tire
•Satin Stainless Metallic powdercoat cast aluminum tapered fivespoke 19-inch front/18-inch rear wheels
•Solo saddle
•V-Bar handlebar on five-inch curved risers
•Satin Stainless Metallic powder-coat fork lowers, oil tank, headlamp bucket, swingarm and other components
forward foot controls, combine with the badlands seat to put
the rider down low in the bike. Out front, a raked-out FX fork
with a narrow 21-inch laced front wheel complements the giant
200-mm rear tire, mounted on a slotted, cast disc wheel.
G.-autographed skull graphic. The bright chrome straight shot
exhaust with chrome slash-cut mufflers contrasts with the dark
frame and powertrain.
FXSTB Night Train
No other bike captures the minimalist custom look like the
Harley-Davidson Night Train. The engine, air cleaner, gearbox,
oil tank, rear fender supports and fuel tank console all feature a
no-nonsense, black wrinkle finish. Flat, aggressive drag bars and
NIGHT TRAIN HIGHLIGHTS:
•Black powder-coated engine with wrinkle-black and texture
black covers
•Black oil tank, drive belt sprocket, tank console, air cleaner, oil
tank and rear fender supports, cast aluminum rear wheel
•200-mm-17 rear/MH90-21 front tire
•Low-profile front fender
•Chrome Staggered Shorty Dual exhaust
•Bobtail rear fender
•Low-slung Badlander style seat
•Drag-style handlebar on six-inch risers
•Five-gallon Fat Bob fuel tank
Softail Custom
FXSTC Softail Custom
The Softail Custom features classic ape-hanger, kicked-out, long
chopper styling. Custom touches include a chrome, staggered
shorty dual exhaust system, 200-mm rear tire, Bobtail fender
and Fat Bob fuel tank, with custom-sewn leather strap. For
the highway there’s all the power of the black powder-coated
96-inch engine with chrome covers and six-speed Cruise Drive
transmission. For your passenger, there’s a chrome button,
tufted two-up seat with chrome backrest.
SOFTAIL CUSTOM FEATURES:
•Profile ape-hanger handlebar with custom risers
•200 mm-17 rear/MH90-21 front tire
•Polished, slotted disc forged aluminum 17-inch rear wheel
•Chrome profile laced aluminum 21-inch front wheel
•Button tufted two-up seat with chrome backrest
•Five-gallon Fat Bob tank with custom-sewn, leather strap
•Optional chrome profile laced aluminum rear wheel
FEATURES OF ALL SOFTAILS: Six-speed Cruise Drive transmission • Optional Smart Security System
69
BUYER’S GUIDE DYNA
DYNA
Bold and
exhilarating
The Dyna reaches back to the first factory customs
developed by the Motor Company. No bike is truer to the
look, the sound, the feel, the soul of a Harley-Davidson,
than the Dyna series.
Make it into the machine you want. It’s a touring bike
for the long haul. The smooth-running, rubber-isolated
Twin-Cam engine has the power to go two-up and the
tire on cast 16-inch slotted aluminum wheels, twin-beam headlights, black drag-style handlebar on black risers, polished aluminum triple clamps, classic Fat Bob fuel tank and a bobtail
rear fender. In between, a black and chrome Twin-Cam engine
and six-speed Cruise Drive transmission give it the grunt. The
Fat Bob definitely walks the walk.
FEATURES OF ALL DYNA MODELS: Six-speed Cruise Drive transmission • Silver-faced speedometer with range countdown
• Optional Smart Security System
Dyna Super Glide
DYNA FAT BOB HIGHLIGHTS:
•Vibration-isolated Twin Cam 96 engine
•Black powder-coated engine with polished rocker boxes
•High Performance “Full Metal Jacket” chrome-covered shock absorbers
•Chrome Tommy Gun exhaust with Staggered Dual mufflers
•180 mm-16 rear/130 mm-16 front tires
•Cast aluminum slotted disc 16-inch front/rear wheels
•5.1-gallon Fat Bob fuel tank
•Dual headlamps
•Forward or mid-foot controls
FXD Dyna Super Glide
It’s your basic Dyna. The Super Glide is the most affordable
big twin and a great platform for whatever you have planned.
A rubber-mounted Twin-Cam engine and six-speed Cruise
Drive transmission are at the heart of the matter. Dressing it up
are distinctive 10-spoke aluminum wheels, staggered Shorty
Dual exhaust, Fat Bob tank, mid-mounted foot controls and
a solo seat. Throw on a set of bags and a windshield and hit
the road. Or accessorize it to suit your taste. The Dyna Super
Glide is pure Harley-Davidson.
standard six-speed Cruise Drive transmission has the legs.
Responsive FX front suspension and proven twin-shock
rear suspension give you a ride like the big touring models.
“The Dyna is really a comfortable bike,” notes E.B.
Chester, a principal of the Chester family of Harley
dealerships. “You sit on it, your feet hit the ground. The
geometry of the front end is like a touring bike. It’s just a
good all-around bike.”
With such a great foundation, it’s easy to make the
toward a custom bike? What better place to start than the
classic Fat Bob fuel tank and chrome console. Or perhaps
your tastes run more toward a lean, fast stripped-down
road burner. Dynas are known for their performance and
handling. But regardless of how you ride, the Dyna series
Dyna Street Bob
Dyna Super Glide
Custom
FXDB Dyna Street Bob
FXDF Dyna Fat Bob
Urban cool meets the open road. The Dyna Fat Bob is a study
in power—a road-eating 130-mm front tire and 180-mm rear
70
Just like the original “Bobbers,” the Dyna Street Bob has the
same mean, stripped-down, minimal look—ape-hanger bars,
laced wheels and a solo saddle, all wrapped around a 96-cubicinch engine and six-speed Cruise Drive transmission done in
black powder-coat with polished covers.
STREET BOB HIGHLIGHTS:
•Black and silver powder-coated engine with non-highlighted
cylinder fins
•Gloss Black steel laced wheels: 19-inch front/17-inch rear
•25.6-inch high solo seat
•Chopped rear fender
•Straight-cut chrome staggered Shorty Dual exhaust
•160-mm (17-inch) rear/100-mm (19-inch) front tires
•Mini ape-hanger-style handlebar
•29-degree fork angle
Dyna Fat Bob
DYNA SUPER GLIDE CUSTOM HIGHLIGHTS:
•Silver powder-coated engine with chrome treatment
•Two-up ribbed seat
•Mini pullback handlebar
•Console-mounted speedometer
•Silver-faced speedometer with range countdown
•Low profile front fender
•160-mm (17-inch) rear/100-mm (19-inch) front tires
•Chrome laced steel wheels 19-inch front/17-inch rear
•Wrap-around rear fender
•Mid-mount foot controls
•Optional chrome aluminum profile laced wheels
Dyna Low Rider
DYNA SUPER GLIDE HIGHLIGHTS:
•Silver powder-coated engine and polished rocker boxes
•Fuel tank graphics
•Silver 10-spoke cast aluminum wheels
•Low-rise handlebar
•Handlebar-mounted speedometer
•Solo seat
Dyna into the bike you want. Does your taste run more
has you covered.
rise handlebar and a chrome tank console with leather strap.
The go comes from the big 96-inch Twin-Cam engine and sixspeed Cruise Drive transmission. The mini pullback handlebar over the console give the front end a clean look. The Dyna
Super Glide Custom will stand out on any street.
FXDC Dyna Super Glide Custom
Like your Super Glide with a little more show? The Dyna Super
Glide Custom adds classic laced wheels, a two-up seat, low-
FXDL Dyna Low Rider
Low is cool, and the Dyna Low Rider, with its 25.8-inch seat
height, is one of the lowest bikes in the Harley-Davidson lineup.
In addition, it uses lower rear shocks, mid-mount foot controls
and low-rise handlebar. For added comfort on the road, there’s
a raked-out front fork and even highway pegs. Fly low!
DYNA LOW RIDER HIGHLIGHTS:
•Fuel tank graphics
•Black 10-spoke cast aluminum wheels 19-inch front/17-inch rear
•Wraparound rear fender
•4.8-gallon Fat Bob fuel tank with new decals
•Low-rise handlebar on pull-back risers
•Lowered rear suspension
•Two-up Dyna Classic seat
FEATURES OF DYNA SUPER GLIDE: Low-profile front fender • Chrome staggered Shorty Dual exhaust • 160 mm-17 rear/100 mm-19
front tires • Wraparound rear fender • 29-degree fork angle • Mid-mount foot controls
71
BUYER’S GUIDE SPORTSTER
SPORTSTER
Features of all Sportsters: Low-profile front fender • Optional Smart Security System
Nightster
883C Sportster Custom
Uninhibited
essence of
motorcycling
The low versions of the 883 and 1200 Sportsters feature an
ergonomic package that gives smaller riders the control they
need—lowered suspension, mid-mount controls and a lowered
seat that’s only 25.3 inches high on the XL 883 Low model and
26.3 inches off the deck on the XL 1200 Low.
The Harley-Davidson Sportster is for the rider who knows
that a straight line may be the fastest route between two
points but it’s not the most fun. It’s a sport bike with the
look, sound and the feel only a Harley-Davidson has.
There’s a group of people that you can’t qualify by their
demographics that ride a Sportster, says E.B. Chester, one
of the owners of the Chester family of Harley dealerships.
“They like them because they’re lighter weight and a little
sportier bike.”
Adds Craig Chester: “The Sportster, historically, is the
entry-level Harley-Davidson. There is no question that
a new or smaller-stature rider can introduce his/her
riding career on a Sportster and progress through other
models. But recent variations of the Sportster, such as the
Nightster, have become some of the coolest platforms for
customized ‘old-school’ motorcycles.”
The Sportster has history, too. It’s the bike that
dominated the half-mile tracks at Springfield, Du Quoin
and San Jose. The rolling thunder of a V-twin echoing on
XL 883L Sportster Low and 1200L Sportster Low
XL 1200N Nightster
XL 1200C and 883C Sportster Custom
Stripped down and black as a shadow, the 1200 Nightster
is straight from the era of hot rod bikes, something you can
picture Lee Marvin or Steve McQueen riding. A sharp-edged
street fighter with no frills: slash-cut staggered mufflers, solo
seat and a lowered suspension. The no-nonsense black-finished
wheel rims, hubs, fork and handlebar, don’t distract from the
essential power of its 1200-cc Evolution engine.
Like your Sportster with some flash? The 883 Sportster Custom
and its big brother, the 1200 Sportster Custom, have what
you’re looking for. Up front there’s a 21-inch laced chrome
wheel and a lighter-weight 16-inch cast aluminum rear wheel
(slotted on XL 1200C), chrome headlight, polished handlebar
on pullback riser and a staggered Shorty Dual exhaust. Go fast
and look good doing it.
1200N Nightster highlights:
•Rubber-mounted XL Evolution 1200-cc engine
•Medium Gray powder-coated engine with polished covers
•Black laced steel wheels, 19-inch front/16-inch rear
•Sportster Classic solo seat
•Chrome slash-cut staggered Shorty Dual exhaust
•Lowest-profile rear shocks and front fork
•Classic 3.3-gallon fuel tank
•Side-mount license plate holder
•Combination rear brake/tail/turn lights
1200L Sportster 1200 Low highlights:
•Black 13-spoke cast aluminum wheels, 19-inch front/16-inch rear
•One-piece, two-up Sportster Classic seat
•Low-profile rear shocks and front fork
•4.5-gallon fuel tank
883L Sportster 883 Low highlights:
•Rubber-mounted XL 883-cc Evolution engine
•Silver powder-coated engine with polished treatment
•Silver 13-spoke cast aluminum wheels, 19-inch front/16-inch rear
•Reduced-reach solo seat
•Lowest-profile rear shocks and front fork
•Classic 3.3-gallon fuel tank
1200C Sportster Custom features:
•A lighter chrome slotted disc aluminum 16-inch rear wheel
•Chrome bullet headlight
•Polished fuel tank console
•Forward foot controls
the high banking at Daytona was its signature. It’s the
bike that’s carried the Harley-Davidson racing torch for
1200C Sportster Custom
more than 50 years.
XR1200
The Sportster doesn’t need to explain itself. Either
you get it or you don’t. The bonus is it’s among the most
Legendary XR750 spawns XR1200 Sportster
A customer has his
uestions answered at
q
Chester’s Harley-Davidson.
72
affordable of Harley-Davidsons.
The newest Sportster is inspired by the legendary XR750, the
most successful American dirt-track racing motorcycle of all
time. It earned the Number One plate in an unprecedented
26 AMA flat-track seasons. Introduction of the XR1200 to
the U.S. market demonstrates the Motor Company’s intent
to attract new, performance-oriented customers with an allAmerican sportbike.
883C Sportster Custom highlights:
•Silver powder-coated engine and with polished rocker boxes
•Lighter Silver solid disc cast aluminum 16-inch rear wheel
•Chrome low-rise handlebar on pullback riser
•Chrome laced steel 21-inch front wheel
•Recalibrated suspension
•Forward foot controls
XR1200 HIGHLIGHTS:
•Isolation-mounted high torque 1202-cc Evolution V-Twin engine
finished in silver powdercoat
•Downdraft Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) and
electronically controlled active intake system
•Upswept, high-volume 2-1-2 straight shot exhaust system
finished in satin chrome
•Wide, black handlebars for dirt-track looks and superb control
•Semi-rearset footrests for excellent cornering clearance
•Unique, lightweight cast wheels with a flat-track inspired threespoke design, finished in black
73
BUYER’S GUIDE VRSC
VRSC
VRSCDX Night Rod Special
V-Rod Muscle
The Night Rod Special is the closest thing to the all-conquering
Harley-Davidson Destroyer drag bike you can legally ride on the
street. Its drag bars, forward controls, low-down, high-backed
saddle are all meant to hold you against monstrous acceleration.
Ultimate
power cruiser
Night Rod Special
Maybe you were at Daytona or Sturgis or Pomona or
any of a dozen quarter-mile tracks around the country
when you first heard it. Nothing else sounds like a HarleyDavidson VRSC when the revs begin to build. It’s like
what people say about the sound of earthquakes and
tornadoes. Words can’t describe it: “You just had to be
there.”
For sure, nothing else looks like a VRSC, with its low
seat, its kicked-out fork, wide rear tire and drag-bike
styling, a more aggressive riding position for, well …
more aggressive riding.
You can bet nothing else runs like the VRSC. Its
1250-cubic-centimeter, liquid-cooled Revolution V-Twin
generates between 121 and 125 horsepower (depending
on the model), puts down a tire-smoking 84 foot-pounds
of torque and pulls like a locomotive.
“The V-Rod appeals to the younger professional, the
younger rider whose focus is on performance,” says Cliff
V-Rod Muscle highlights:
•122 hp at 8250 rpm/85 foot-pounds torque at 7000 rpm
•Pewter powder-coated powertrain with polished covers
•Satin Chrome dual side exhaust with turnout mufflers
•Five-spoke cast aluminum 19-inch front wheel
•Five-spoke cast aluminum 18-inch rear wheel
•43-mm inverted fork
•Stylized rear shocks with black springs
•Front fender with black-out section
•Smooth rear fender
•Side-mount license plate
•Black frame
•Teardrop reflector-optic headlight
Tri Glide
Three-wheel
touring
V-Rod
dealerships. But, he notes, Harley-Davidson has a full
line of accessories for this line of bikes and riders don’t
hesitate to take them touring.
Here’s the rest of the high-performance hardware:
Harley-Davidson brings original-equipment design, quality
four valves per cylinder, dual overhead camshafts,
and service to the three-wheel motorcycle market with the
electronic sequential port fuel injection (ESPFI), five-
introduction of the Tri Glide Ultra Classic motorcycle.
speed transmission, hydro-formed steel perimeter frame,
engineering at its finest.
VRSCF V-Rod Muscle
With sculpted bodywork stretched taut over a powerful new
physique, the V-Rod Muscle arrived on the power cruiser scene
with a broad-shouldered presence. Gaping air scoops, sweeping side-pipe exhaust and a huge rear tire spinning under a
clean, clipped fender speak to a contemporary, urban sense of
style and performance.
Features of all VRSC models: Assist/slipper Clutch with
reduced lever effort • Brembo triple-disc brakes • 240-mm wide
rear tire • Optional ABS • Optional Smart Security System
74
other road inputs during turning.
A new rear axle assembly was designed for the Tri Glide that
uses an aluminum center section with steel axle tubes. The Tri
Glide retains the high-strength and low-maintenance advantages of belt final drive, and the smooth operation of a rubber-cushioned, compensated rear drive. The rear suspension
features dual air-adjustable rear shock absorbers.
The Tri Glide is powered by a Twin Cam 103 V-Twin engine
with electronic sequential port fuel injection (ESPFI), rated at 101
foot-pounds of torque. It retains the six-speed Cruise Drive transmission used on the Touring motorcycles, but adds an optional
electric reverse integrated with the rear differential assembly that
is engaged with a handlebar-mounted reverse module.
The Tri Glide offers the classic styling and popular
VRSCAW V-Rod
touring features of the Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic
The V-Rod, the original power cruiser, combines the kicked-out
riding position of forward controls, pullback welded handlebar
and a low solo saddle. Out front there’s a brushed aluminum
profile laced front wheel and in back a fat 240-mm rear tire
and die-cast aluminum rear wheel. In between is the groundpounding power of a sturdy Revolution engine played through
chrome slash-cut dual exhaust pipes
V-Rod highlights:
•121 hp at 8000 rpm/84 foot-pounds torque at 7000 rpm
•Two-tone silver and pewter powder-coated cylinders with
chrome covers
•Brushed aluminum profile laced 19-inch front wheel
•Machined slotted disc cast aluminum 18-inch rear wheel
•Chrome slash-cut Dual exhaust pipes
•Black hand controls
•Teardrop reflector-optic headlight
•Five-gallon fuel tank
Electra Glide in a three-wheel vehicle sold and serviced by
the network of Harley-Davidson dealers and covered by a
two-year Harley-Davidson limited warranty.
and optional ABS. It’s Harley-Davidson performance
Night Rod Special highlights:
•Liquid-cooled, 1250-cc Revolution V-Twin engine
•125 hp at 8,250 rpm/85 foot-pounds torque at 7,000 rpm
•Black powder-coated engine with highlighted fins and black
covers
•Brushed straight-shot Dual exhaust with black end caps and
covers
•Blacked-out mirrors, rear shocks and controls
•Black steel frame
•Drag-style handlebar
•Round reflector-optic headlight
•Black machined slotted disc cast aluminum 18-inch rear/19-inch
front wheels with orange pin striping
•Contrasting racing stripe paint scheme
•25.2-inch seat height
BUYER’S GUIDE TRI GLIDE
Chester, one of the owners of the Chester family of Harley
slipper clutch, triple-disc brakes, with Brembo calipers
The fork legs, straight-shot dual mufflers and components are
in deep black because nobody on the track is impressed by
chrome. But you can bet they’ll be impressed by the black strip
the 240-mm rear tire puts down when you uncork the Night
Rod Special’s 125-horsepower Revolution engine.
TRI GLIDE ULTRA CLASSIC HIGHLIGHTS:
•Three-wheel specific frame
•Rubber-mounted Twin Cam 103 engine with ESPFI
•Six-speed Cruise Drive transmission
•Brembo dual-disc front brake system
•Hayes dual-disc rear brake system with integrated park brake
FLHTCUTG Tri Glide Ultra Classic
Harley-Davidson launched a “wheels-up” strategy in the development of the Tri Glide, creating a frame and associated chassis
that is engineered specifically to handle the loads generated by
the steering forces and weight of a three-wheel vehicle.
Changes to the front-end geometry enhance steering control
by reducing steering effort up to 25 percent. The fork has been
lengthened by 1.775 inches compared to the regular Touring
models, and rake is increased from 29.25 degrees to 32 degrees.
A steering damper controls wobble and minimizes bumps and
75
BUYER’S GUIDE CVO
The power and
the glory
The Harleys that emerge from Custom Vehicle Operations
are the pinnacle of bike customization at Harley-Davidson.
They are exclusive — only a limited number are produced
every year. They sport bigger engines, making them
among the most powerful motorcycles out there.
“CVOs are a distinct family of Harleys. While based on
individual models, they have different engines, different
paint, different accessories,” says Cliff Chester, a principal
in the Chester family of Harley-Davidson dealerships.
“About all they share is the frame and sheet metal, both of
which have a different finish than the standard models.”
What makes CVOs even more special is that different—
and only a few—models are chosen for CVO treatment each
year. For example, the four spotlighted below are 2009s.
Here’s to power and glory!
FLHTCUSE4 CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide
CVO Softail Springer
FXSTSSE3 CVO Softail Springer
FXDFSE CVO Dyna Fat Bob
CVO Road Glide
The CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide melds custom paint, a
potent power train and a well-chosen array of top line HarleyDavidson Genuine Motor Accessories to the redesigned HarleyDavidson Touring chassis. The result is perhaps the most
exciting touring motorcycle ever to roll over the horizon.
The skeletal structure of the CVO Ultra is all new, from
the front wheel to the wide rear tire. It has a modular frame
CVO FEATURES: Electronic sequential port fuel injection (ESPFI) • Six-speed Cruise Drive transmission • Indoor storage cover with
embroidered CVO logo
76
FLTRSE3 CVO Road Glide
CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide
CVO DYNA FAT BOB HIGHLIGHTS:
•Rubber-mounted, air-cooled Screamin’ Eagle Twin Cam 110
engine with granite and chrome finish
•Powder-coat and chrome cast Fang wheels with bolt-in inserts
•Leather seat with Alcantara accents
•Two paint options with quartz graphics: Sunrise Yellow Pearl
with Platinum Quartz; Black Diamond with Fire Quartz
•One paint option with the first-ever CVO combination of denim
and gloss: Denim Granite with Electric Blue Fade
CVO Dyna Fat Bob
CVO ULTRA CLASSIC ELECTRA GLIDE HIGHLIGHTS:
•Rubber-mounted, air-cooled, Screamin’ Eagle Twin Cam 110
•Deluxe Ultra King Tour-Pak with Air Wing luggage rack,
increased load capacity, new inserts, map pocket, plush liners,
LED interior light and color-matched wraparound lights
•Choice of paint: Ruby Red and Typhoon Maroon with Forgetone graphics; Autumn Haze and High Octane Orange with
Forge-tone graphics; Stardust Silver and Twilight Blue with
Forge-tone graphics
•Unique Harley-Davidson CVO gold key with box
A sleek, lean muscle machine, the Custom Vehicle Operations
(CVO) Road Glide is a bagger loaded with style and attitude.
From its lowered front fender and skirted saddlebags to its vivid
paint and massive power train, the CVO Road Glide is ready to
romp down the highway or raise a ruckus on the boulevard.
The CVO Road Glide is a limited-production motorcycle
created by the Harley-Davidson Custom Vehicle Operations
group and based on the redesigned Harley-Davidson FLTR
Road Glide. Only 3,000 of these CVO Road Glides will be
produced by a team of top technicians in a special assembly
area at the Harley-Davidson facility in York, Pennsylvania.
We want one!
in a special assembly area at the Harley-Davidson Kansas City
facility.
Displaying pro-street presence, the Custom Vehicle Operations
(CVO) Fat Bob rolls with a high-performance rumble and the
flash of custom chrome. From its beefy front tire to its twisted
Tommy Gun exhaust to the arrogant flip of its Bobtail rear
fender, the CVO Fat Bob will stake its claim to a wide stretch
of asphalt.
Below the distinctive Fat Bob fuel tank that gives the model
its name rests the largest engine produced by Harley-Davidson,
the Screamin’ Eagle Twin Cam 110. Available only on CVO
models, the electronic sequential port fuel injection (ESPFI)
Twin Cam 110 produces 114 foot-pounds of torque at 3500
revolutions per minute and features a heavy-duty, self-adjusting
clutch with hydraulic actuation and the six-speed Cruise Drive
transmission. The Heavy Breather intake with exposed highflow conical filter features a special chrome end cap, a 110 SE
emblem and a sculpted trim ring.
The CVO Fat Bob-exclusive Tommy Gun 2-1-2 exhaust
snakes around the engine before exiting through chrome bluntcut mufflers. The header pipes, which are exposed through
the exhaust shield slots, are finished with a black coating. The
power train is finished in CVO-exclusive granite powder coat
with chrome covers, and features new a “110 Cubic Inch”
badge on the chrome billet derby cover.
The CVO Fat Bob is a limited-production motorcycle created
by the Harley-Davidson CVO group, based on the HarleyDavidson Dyna Fat Bob. A limited number of the CVO Fat Bob
model will be produced by a team of highly skilled technicians
It could have been a ’57 Chevy or early GTO, but it was a
Harley springer hardtail. The moment you saw it you said,
“Someday I’m gonna have one.”
If you were one of those dreamers, Harley offers up the CVO
Softail Springer. There’s the classic kicked-out springer front
end, Softail rear suspension, a fat rear tire, mag wheels, plenty of
chrome and a special metal-grind paint finish. All that plus the
ground-pounding power of a 110-cubic-inch CVO engine.
CVO SOFTAIL SPRINGER HIGHLIGHTS:
•Air-cooled, Screamin’ Eagle Twin Cam • 110 counterbalanced
•Three new exclusive color combinations with metal grind fire
graphics: Black Diamond with Emerald Ice Flames; Candy Cobalt
with Blue Steel Flames; Sunrise Yellow Pearl with Volcanic Fury
Flames
•Color-matched headlight bucket with custom matched graphics,
powder-coated frame, rigid fork and upper triple clamp, frame
inserts, seat post and muffler support bracket
G
Photography by Roy Timm and Carole Bozzato Timm
CVO
CVO ROAD GLIDE HIGHLIGHTS:
•Rubber-mounted, air-cooled Screamin’ Eagle Twin Cam 110
•A choice of paint and graphics schemes: Electric Orange and
Vivid Black with Ghost Feather graphics; Yellow Pearl and
Charcoal Slate with Ghost Feather graphics; Stardust Silver and
Titanium Dust with Ghost Feather graphics
•2-1-2 exhaust header pipe design
•Frame-mounted aerodynamic fairing with cockpit-style
wraparound instrument cluster
for enhanced maneuverability, a new 180-mm rear tire with
a higher weight rating, a new 2-into-1-into-2 exhaust system
and other next-generation enhancements. The CVO Ultra is
powered by the CVO-exclusive granite coated Screamin’ Eagle
Twin Cam 110-cid (1800-cc) engine, the largest displacement
production engine offered by Harley-Davidson, producing 113
foot-pounds of torque at 3,750 revolutions per minute, as well
as the smooth-shifting six-speed Cruise Drive transmission.
As discerning and well-traveled motorcyclists, CVO Ultra
riders appreciate extra amenities, such as a Tour-Pak mounting
rack with increased carrying capacity, mid-frame air deflectors,
and lighting and electrical updates that include shorter antennas.
These features complement the commanding Ultra design,
along with mechanical features like electronic sequential port
fuel injection (ESPFI), a six-gallon fuel tank, Brembo brakes
and an anti-lock braking system (ABS).
Harley talk at Snake
Harley-Davidson
77
BUYER’S GUIDE ACCESSORIES
Accessories give
H-D owners —
legendary for their
individualism — the
freedom to create
their own style
By JAMES H. COOPER
Senior Contributing Editor
I
t comes as no surprise that a Harley
rider should want to personalize his or
her bike. By nature, bikers are individualists and their bikes reflect that individuality. Just look at the bikes wherever riders
gather and, like fingerprints, no two will
be alike. Nothing else makes so powerful
a statement about who you are.
There’s no end to the Motor Company’s accessories for dressing up your Harley.
If you’ve been riding for any length of
time, you’ve probably already put a few
accessories on your Harley and are thinking about adding more. If you’re getting
a new bike, chances are you’ll personalize it to some degree.
“Everybody wants to make a statement. Nobody wants their bike to look
like the other guy’s,” says George Catena,
Chrome Consultant at Chester’s HarleyDavidson in Mesa, Arizona, one of the
Chester family of dealerships in Arizona,
Idaho and Wyoming.
Where do you begin? The best place is
the free Harley-Davidson parts and accessories catalog available at any Chester
dealership. Don’t be surprised if you feel
like the proverbial kid in the candy store.
The catalog is more than 800 pages long,
so you’ll be reading it for a while.
The first part of the catalog divides the
Motor Company’s seemingly endless list
of accessories into three basic categories:
Fit, Function and Style. If there’s a specific
look you want to achieve, there’s also a
section that divides accessories by bike
styles: Touring, Cruising and Custom,
with an explanation of each. You can
narrow the choices even more by looking
up your model. It’s still a lot to look at.
In the Internet age, the Motor Company
has developed a site that makes the selection process easy. Go to www.harleydavidson.com/gma/gma_main.jsp and
start in the Inspiration Gallery, with its
examples of customized and accessorized
bikes. Then move on to the Customizer
section, where you can see what major
accessories will look like when they are
added to each Harley-Davidson model.
It’s entertaining—but be warned, you can
easily end up spending a couple of hours
Your
harley,
your
way
This Dyna has been transformed with
accessories like the custom paint
job, the bullet headlamp and the
Screamin’ Eagle exhaust.
78
playing with the many options.
When you finally decide what you
want, it’s time to create a parts list with
prices. After that, simply show up at the
parts department at one of the Chester
family of Harley-Davidson dealerships
with your order.
As always in life, cost is a factor. Few of
us can afford everything we desire for our
bike. On top of that, there are the installation costs. Are you going to do it yourself? An owner with average mechanical
skills can easily install most accessories.
However, with the more complicated
items, such as those involving electrical or suspension work, you want to be
safe. If it’s beyond your capabilities, or if
you don’t have the tools or the time, you
must factor in the cost of somebody else
doing the work. One advantage of having
everything installed at the same time is
you get the bike you want right away, not
weeks or months later, as parts trickle in
and you find the time to do the work.
If you’re new to riding and really don’t
know what you want or need, it’s best
to seek out advice. Friends who ride are
usually generous with their opinions,
but their experience might be limited to
one type of riding. A good way to get all
your questions answered in one place is
to talk to somebody who specializes in
accessorizing bikes, such as the parts and
accessories managers at the Chester H-D
dealerships.
These managers spend a lot of time
poring over accessory catalogs, surfing
on-line sites and listening to customers.
They know what accessories are available for your bike. They also know how
much something costs, including installation, which accessories are the most
popular and what problems can potentially crop up.
If you’re buying a new bike, the parts
and accessories department is definitely
one of the stops you’ll make on your
way along the dealership customer path,
together with finance, motor clothes and
service. Few purchasers walk out emptyhanded.
“The majority of people get something,” says Catena.
George Catena, the Chrome Consultant at
Chester’s in Mesa, Arizona, can find the right
look for any rider.
Jimmy Vaughn, the parts and accessories manager at Snake Harley-Davidson in Twin Falls, Idaho, estimates the
average new bike customer spends about
$1,000 to $1,200 on accessories. Roy
Richards at Grand Teton Harley-Davidson & Buell in Idaho Falls feels $2,800
is closer to the average at his dealership.
In Mesa, E.B. Chester, an owner of the
Chester dealerships, says store customers store spend on average about $3,000
on their bike over the first year.
“How much a customer spends when
buying a bike has a lot to do with their
budget,” says Catena. “For example,
$1,000 worth of accessories will only
add about $18 to a buyer’s monthly
payment.”
When parts are installed at the time the
bike is bought, they’re covered under the
new-bike warranty.
Some purchasers have to wait; it’s
easier for them to come up with the lump
sum later or to buy accessories over time.
But now and then there are buyers who
go whole hog (if you’ll excuse the pun)
and load up their bikes right away.
“I had a guy recently who wanted to
outdo his buddy’s bike, so he’s after every
piece of chrome I can put on the bike,”
Catena recalls. “I met him the day before
(the purchase) and we went through the
parts and accessories book together.”
Vaughn, up in Twin Falls, occasionally
sees the hard-core customizer. “We will get
folks who will have us strip the bike right
to the chassis and start there and spend as
much as $10,000 or $12,000,” he says.
“But it doesn’t happen very often.”
The average customer wants “a sound
and performance upgrade,” says Richards at the Grand Teton H-D dealership
in Idaho Falls. “Stage I performance kits,
exhaust and air cleaner—that’s the biggie.
Probably 80 percent of the bikes go out of
here with that. Different seats, passenger
uprights, followed by chrome parts, are
the next most popular items.”
One Size Doesn’t Fit All
Few things in the world are so much an
extension of your body, reflexes and mind
as a motorcycle. Like a cybernetic suit or
a good horse, your bike should respond
to your thoughts with minimal physical
intervention. You should always feel confident and in control.
If it’s a new bike, or if you’re new to
79
riding, it’s important the bike fits properly. The first accessories that a good parts
and accessories specialist will discuss are
those that adjust the riding position.
Riders with a short inseam must be
able to sit comfortably on their bike with
both feet firmly on the ground. They must
also reach and operate all the controls
comfortably. For them, the Motor
Company makes lowering kits, low-cut
narrow saddles, mid-mount foot controls
and handlebars with more pull back—all
available at the Chester family of HarleyDavidson dealerships.
If the rider is long-legged, there are
accessories to match, such as a Tallboy
seat, extended foot controls and higher
bars. “We want to make sure there’s
plenty of room for that guy to get aboard
and be comfortable,” says Vaughn.
Even touring models must be fitted to
the rider. “They all come with windshields,
but every person who sits on a bike sits on
it a lot different than the next person,”
Custom beauties
come easy to
Chester exec
T
he next time you’re at the Mesa
dealership in the Chester family of
Harley-Davidson centers take a moment to
really examine the bikes on display. Most
appear stock, which in itself represents a
tremendous variety of styles and colors.
But they’re all pretty much the way they
came from the Motor Company.
Somewhere, however, usually on a
display stand, you’ll see a custom bike or
two for sale. It might have a striking paint
job in a vivid color or chrome trim that
catches your eye. You move in closer to
study the details — chromed fork lowers;
a particular theme, such as flames or skulls
or the H-D logo, for the engine pieces,
mirrors, levers, shifters and grips. There
will be practical accessories too — more
lights, a different seat, saddlebags, maybe
a backrest for a passenger.
As you stand there, something clicks
and you say to yourself, “You know, that’s
exactly how I’d customize my bike.”
80
Lon Carruth, left, COO for the Chester dealerships, admits basic
black is his favorite color for the bikes he personally customizes.
Chances are you’re looking at one of
Lon’s Bikes.
Most of us know and admire the work of
the famous customizers, like Jesse James
or the Teutuls. It would be great to own
one of their creations, maybe even have
them build a bike to our specifications.
Better still if we could have their job,
devoting one’s waking hours to the design
and building of bikes that are the envy of
all. Or if not a job, at least a hobby.
Lon Carruth lives that dream.
When it comes to accessorizing or
customizing a bike —paint, chrome,
engines — Carruth can pretty much do
anything he wants. Yet chances are you
haven’t heard of him and you won’t find
his signature on the gas tank of one of his
bikes. That’s because his main job is Chief
Operating Officer of the Chester family of
H-D dealerships. Building customs is his
hobby — with the full backing of the Mesa
dealership.
It began a few years ago when Carruth
customized his own Road King. He quickly
realized other people want to customize
their bikes too. So he chose a few new bikes
at the dealership and accessorized them.
“I found people were willing to pay
a little more for a customized unit,” he
says. “So I had the latitude to spend a
little more money on that bike, knowing
the motorcycle would sell with those
accessories.”
Once the fit is taken care of, the parts and
accessories specialist will find out more
about the owner. “I ask them what kind
of riding they’re going to be doing,” says
Catena. “Touring, bar cruising? Do they
want to go fast? Some guys are happy
with the stock setup performance-wise.
If they’re a seasoned Harley rider, I ask
them if there are accessories they’re thinking about. Is there a way you want this
bike to look? I start there.”
If they plan on touring, they’re most
likely buying a bagger, such as a Glide,
Road King or Heritage Softail. A two-up
rider might want to add a backrest for
the passenger. Highway pegs are always
welcome. If they are purchasing any of
the other Harley-Davidson models, such
Carruth aims for a package that not only
interests customers but stays in a price
range they can afford. To maintain the
bikes’ exclusive appeal, he has done only
seven customs in about two years.
“I don’t hurry it,” he says. “I never
He prefers a pulsing system: the brake
lights flash three times, then as the brakes
are applied further they go solid.
The rest of the changes are esthetic. On
a touring bike, Carruth will put on what
he feels is an adequate amount of chrome,
and you say, well, gee whiz, that many
people can’t be wrong. There must be
something that they like or is certainly eyeappealing, so I might incorporate it into
one of my bikes,” he says.
Much of it is getting into the customer’s
have more than two on the floor at a
time because I want to make sure that
the appeal continues for the potential
customer.”
Carruth does mostly touring bikes,
the Glides and Road Kings. The themes
change from bike to bike, but he tries to
incorporate the same basic features. For
instance, if it’s a touring bike and doesn’t
come with bags, he will add them. Other
must-haves include creature comforts like
a windshield and, in the case of a Road
King, a removable touring pack that can
serve as a backrest for the passenger.
Maybe he will change out the seat and
install highway pegs, radio, extra gauges
and cruise control.
He also likes what he calls a “sound
package,” a set of aftermarket slip-on
mufflers to get that mellow exhaust
sound he is looking for.
Carruth typically lowers a custom bike.
“Sitting closer to the ground gives the
rider a sense of security,” he explains. “I
know from personal experience, getting
it through curves, or if you’re on twisty,
windy roads, or lots of switchbacks — the
kind of riding we do out here in the West
— it’s very helpful to have the center of
gravity lower.”
Safety equipment is a priority. “A
motorcycle, despite what folks may
think about its size, is still a speck on the
highway. I like to have all of the lights on
the motorcycle lit up as much as possible,”
Carruth says. So he will put halogen lights
on the front and ensure all the lights on
the back are lit up.
including a chrome front end, engine
cover, levers, floorboards, luggage rack,
maybe a sprocket cover or swing arm.
Depending on the look he wants, he may
change out the wheels for laced ones or
perhaps a designer set available through
the accessories department.
“I’m always looking for accessories that
I think will be attractive and make the bike
appealing to the guy or gal who comes in
and wants something that looks a little
different,” he says.
Carruth feels the bike’s eye appeal is
crucial. “Basically, a customer can go into
any dealership in the country and see a
stock motorcycle right off the truck,” he
says. “It’s what you do to the bike that
makes it stick. The thing I always like to
hear first from a customer is, ‘Wow!’ That’s
a good response.”
Sometimes he will order a custom paint
job, but black remains his favorite color. “I
think black and chrome just scream HarleyDavidson,” he says. “They have a quiet
elegance that enables you to do things
that I don’t believe you can do with some
colors. Black with chrome gives you a lot
of opportunity to come up with contrast.”
He feels this is important from an
esthetic point of view. Nonetheless, the
metallic red bike he did with chrome trim
is a real head-turner.
How does Carruth come up with the
inspiration for his bikes? Part of it comes
from riders themselves. “As you ride
around the countryside and see things that
people are putting on their motorcycles, if
you see it enough times, something clicks
head and figuring out what they want in
practical and esthetic terms, then putting
it on the bike so they don’t have to. “All
they have to do from the time they leave
the store is ride,” Carruth says proudly.
Apparently he is good at figuring out
what customers like. As a general rule, his
custom bikes sell quickly. There were two
instances when one of his bikes went on
the sales floor in the morning and sold
that afternoon. Another one went on the
floor on a Friday and was sold on Monday.
His next project is a Road King Standard.
He likes the Standard because it is a
basic model with a lot of potential for
accessorizing.
“On that particular unit, I’m going to
do a skull theme. And where [in the past]
I have been so involved in doing chrome
accessorization, on this one I’m going to
do black.”
Harley-Davidson, he says, is coming
out with a lot of black accessories, such as
fork covers, engine guards, headlight trim,
air cleaner covers, handlebars and levers.
When this slick black custom model is seen
sitting next to a group of all chrome bikes,
he feels it will stand out. It’s part of that
contrast esthetic Carruth believes is so
important.
So if you’re in the Mesa dealership, take
a moment to check out one of Lon’s bikes.
You’ll know it when you see it. It’s the one
that inspires you to add those accessories
you’ve been thinking about. You might
even just decide to buy that very bike and
hit the road. – James H. Cooper
The Right Tool for the Job
The
dream
job
says Vaughn. “We’ll make sure the windshield fits. We’ll make sure they can see the
mirrors around their shoulders, and we
make extensions there if we need to.”
81
There are other accessories a buyer
might not consider that would be
to his or her benefit to install—for
example, safety features. Catena
always tries to convince customers to go with a brake light kit,
maybe upgrade the horn or add a
light kit.
Of course, louder pipes are
popular. “Riders want to be heard
and they want to be seen,” he says.
Then there’s security. A Lo-Jack
kit can help protect the rider’s
investment from thieves.
Get More for Your Money
Catena points out an experienced parts
person or chrome consultant can save
the customer on labor costs by showing
how to bundle several accessories into
the same installation.
“If they’re thinking of lowering the
front end, I tell them if they’re already
thinking about adding a chrome front
end, now’s the time to do it. It’s the same
exact labor for the lowering kit as it is
for the front end,” he says. “Or if they’re
changing the bars, they might want to
do something with the controls at the
same time.”
A good example of what he is talking
about occurs a little while later when a
customer comes in looking for a seat with
a backrest and some bags. Catena and the
customer leaf through the accessories and
parts catalog together and pick out a seat
and some bags. But they’re more than the
customer’s budget allows.
Catena suggests an alternative. The
Rally Runner seat complements the
skinny style of the customer’s bike and
it has the backrest he wants. By adding
a luggage rack to the back of the seat,
he will get some carrying capacity.
82
Guardian angel bells on a bike owned
by Jim Wilson, Service Manager at
Grand Teton Harley-Davidson & Buell.
“It’s great that HarleyDavidson has taken
the time to develop
the nostalgic look for
bikes that have all the
new technology.”
The customer agrees, Catena talks to
the service department about installation, and 10 minutes after the customer
walked in Catena hands him an itemized
list of parts and labor.
Dress it up!
Now that you’ve taken care of all the
functional accessories, what about the
fun stuff? Chrome, paint, wheels—all
the details that give the bike a distinctive look.
It’s back to your specific model in the
parts and accessories catalog. “HarleyDavidson makes a lot of styling accessories and they make them so the owners can
install them themselves,” Vaughn says. “It
KEYS
TO THE
HIGHWAY
The Chester
dealership family
helps customers
stay protected—
financially,
mechanically and
physically
By SCOTT HIMELHOCH
Contributing Editor
I
t started the first time you heard the
distinct exhaust note of a HarleyDavidson motorcycle. You’ve thought
about it countless hours, dreamt about
it in your sleep, sometimes while awake.
You’ve gone as far as selecting the perfect
motorcycle with the expert guidance of a
sales representative at one of the Chester
family Harley-Davidson dealerships in
Arizona, Idaho and Wyoming.
What’s next? How do you grab the
dream by the handlebar and make it
reality? Fortunately, your Chester family
Chris Farney, the Business Manager
at Chester’s in Mesa, outlines
some of the great Harley-Davidson
options for a customer.
Protecting Your Investment
gives the owner a sense of being able
to create his own style.”
Catena can’t say enough about
Harley-Davidson’s wide variety of
styles in accessories. “What Harley
was nice enough to do was make
themes,” he says. “So if somebody
is really into the skulls or flames,
we can do a whole bike with that
theme. If they have flames on their
grips, there’s enough options to
put on a primary cover and air
cleaner cover with flames on it.
They can change out the foot pegs
and brake and shifter pegs, so they
all match.”
Vaughn says every once in a
while someone comes in who really
likes the nostalgia look—the big
whitewalls and the older style of
lights and accessories. “It’s great
that Harley-Davidson has taken
the time to develop the nostalgic
look for bikes that have all the new
technology,” he says.
Harley-Davidson makes an impressive list of styling accessories, but you
may be looking for a particular piece it
doesn’t carry. Catena always starts with
the catalog, but if the item is one Harley-Davidson doesn’t make, he’ll steer
the customer to other quality accessory
suppliers, such as Drag Specialties, Performance Machine or Kuryakyn.
Then there’s custom paint. If you’re
that deep into customizing, you probably have a good idea of what you want to
do and who you want doing it. But, here
again, any one of the Chester dealerships
can help. They usually know reputable
customizers and paint shops.
“We occasionally get customers who
want to do their own one-off thing and
we’ll direct them to capable artists who
can create what they have in mind,” says
Vaughn. “I have three or four painters in this area that I have no problem
recommending.”
So go ahead and personalize your bike,
whether it’s just a few pieces or a complete
customization. In a world where people
go out and buy iconic products like cars
and clothes in the hope of acquiring distinction, Harley-Davidson riders remain
individualists whose personal styles shine
through in their bikes. G
as a Dyna, V-Rod or Sportster, they
might not realize how much bags,
highway pegs and a windshield add
to long-range comfort.
“One of the best things Harley
has ever done is produce the
docking approach to windshields,”
says E.B. Chester in Mesa. “It gives
the owner the capacity to have
several bikes in one.”
BUYER’S GUIDE GETTING STARTED
Sales Manager Dave Fisher explains
features of the CVO Road Glide to a
customer at Snake H-D.
H-D dealership will help you navigate the
road, avoid potholes and set a course for
lifelong motorcycling enjoyment.
Becoming a member of the Harley clan
involves more than simply purchasing a
motorcycle. The Chester dealerships are
dedicated to helping their customers stay
protected — financially, mechanically and
physically.
“Financing a motorcycle is different
than financing a car,” says Chris Farney,
Business Manager at Chester’s HarleyDavidson in Mesa, Arizona. “Most of
our customers add chrome or engine
upgrades before they leave the dealership.
By including this in the financing, the
modifications are covered under the
factory warranty.”
Applying for financing is as simple as
completing a two-page credit application at one of the Chester H-D dealerships. Approval typically occurs within
30 minutes or less. In addition to chrome
and engine upgrades, customers can
finance safety apparel, motor clothes,
extended service plans, prepaid maintenance and accessories.
“Your approval is based on your credit
score and disposable income,” says
Farney. “So don’t let your credit be pulled
repeatedly prior to your purchase. Some
lenders will send your application to multiple companies. This can result in a threepoint decrease in your score each time a
company pulls your credit. That’s why we
never send your application to more than
one lender without your approval.”
Farney also offers guidance on selecting the best insurance coverage. “We
recommend coverage that makes sure
genuine Harley-Davidson replacement
parts and accessories are guaranteed.
Many plans allow the insurers to use
whatever parts they want. Also, make
sure your soft goods are covered and that
there is a rental benefit. You don’t want
to have a problem halfway to Sturgis and
not have a bike to ride.”
GAP, ESP and LoJack
For complete motorcycle protection,
Farney suggests a Harley-Davidson GAP
83
BUYER’S GUIDE GETTING STARTED
and ESP give the customer protection on
all fronts. GAP (guaranteed asset protection) pays the difference between fairmarket value of your motorcycle and the
outstanding balance with your lender in
the event of a complete loss due to accident or theft. ESP (extended service plan)
gives you additional coverage that your
factory warranty may not offer.
“An example of additional coverage
is Wheel and Tire replacement should
your bike become disabled due to a flat
tire or bent rim from any sort of road
hazard you may encounter,” he says.
“There’s 24-hour roadside assistance,
as well as rental vehicle, lodging and
meal reimbursement, if the customer
happens to have a breakdown while they
are traveling.”
Farney really recommends the GAP
plan. For example, suppose you leave
a local biker hangout and discover
your beloved four-month-old Harley is
missing. With only a few payments made,
the loan balance on your chromed masterpiece is $20,000. Your insurance coverage most likely reimburses you for the
NADA used market value of $17,000.
This leaves you with a shortfall of
$3,000 that you still owe to the financing
company. The GAP plan pays the $3,000
difference to your lender. In addition, the
GAP plan may pay up to $1,000 of your
insurance deductible and offer a $1000
credit towards the purchase of a new
Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Of course, most of us would rather
see our motorcycle returned than get an
insurance check. Money just can’t replace
a one-of-a-kind paint job. However,
with more than 55,000 motorcycles
stolen each year in the United States and
Canada, that takes more than wishful
thinking. So a little prevention may be
needed to avoid a lot of pain. LoJack is
a motorcycle-specific vehicle recovery
system which works directly with local
and state law enforcement.
The system is installed in an undisclosed location on the motorcycle and
is always in signal-receive mode. If your
motorcycle is stolen, the police ping the
LoJack device, activating the tracking
mechanism. The police then pick up the
signal and locate your motorcycle.
For those interested in a higher level
84
of protection, LoJack offers an optional
early warning system, which uses a
motion sensor and unique key fob, to
notify you of a potential theft.
“When the motion sensor detects
movement it checks to make sure the
key fob is nearby,” says George Catena,
Chrome Consultant with Chester’s Harley-Davidson in Mesa. “If it can’t detect
“Most of our customers
add chrome or engine
upgrades before they
leave the dealership.
By including this in
the financing, the
modifications are
covered under the
factory warranty.”
the key fob, an alert is sent to the owner
by e-mail or text message.”
Some insurers may offer a discount if
your motorcycle has LoJack installed. The
installation takes about two hours and can
be financed with your Harley purchase.
Prepaid maintenance
Proper maintenance and care of a motorcycle should be a top priority for all
owners. Besides added peace of mind,
scheduled maintenance performed by
an authorized Harley-Davidson dealer
will maximize your bike’s performance
and longevity.
H-D dealerships make it easy and
affordable by offering a Prepaid Maintenance Option. The plan allows a customer
to purchase their first five regularly scheduled maintenance services (usually after
1,000, 5,000, 10,000, 15,000 and 20,000
miles) at 10% less than standard rates.
“By purchasing your maintenance at
today’s rates, you don’t have to worry
about future price increases. You’re
protected,” says Jim Wilson, Director
of Service for both Grand Teton HarleyDavidson & Buell of Idaho Falls, Idaho,
and Eagle Rock Harley-Davidson &
Buell of Pocatello, Idaho. “Plus, there is
an additional 10% taken off of today’s
standard service rates when you purchase
the prepaid maintenance option.”
Prepaid maintenance can be rolled
into the financing of a Harley- Davidson motorcycle and is transferable should
you sell your motorcycle. As an added
benefit, if you are away from your local
Chester’s H-D dealership when a scheduled maintenance is required, you will be
reimbursed for the standard cost included
in the Prepaid Maintenance Plan. Pricing
for prepaid maintenance varies by Harley
model.
buy the Extended Service Plan at the same
time as a new motorcycle purchase.
“If you decide to add the Extended
Service Plan later, there is typically a
$150 surcharge after 90 days or 2,000
miles,” says Wardle. “When the factory
warranty expires, it’s too late. You’re no
longer eligible to purchase the Extended
Service Plan. That’s why I suggest people
include it in their financing.”
The plan is flexible and lets riders
choose the length of the extended coverage. Whether you want just an extra
year of coverage or five years, the plan
can be tailored to your needs.
Rider training
Extended Service Plan
Today’s quality-built Harley-Davidson
motorcycle is the result of advanced engineering and manufacturing. Although
mechanical failures are rare, they do
occur. There is always a possibility that
you could experience a breakdown or
need a major repair. The H-D Extended
Service Plan provides additional coverage during your factory warranty and
extends specific coverages beginning the
day the factory warranty expires.
The core of the extended service plan
is the mechanical coverage, which allows
for worry-free riding. The plan covers
more than 1,100 parts, all of which are
replaced with genuine Harley-Davidson
parts by an expert at your Chester Harley
dealership. No need to worry about the
increasing costs of parts or labor either.
Extended Service Plan participants pay
only a $50 deductible per visit for covered
repairs. There is even an option to include
wheel and tire coverage.
“The Extended Service Plan includes
an expense reimbursement package in
case of a covered breakdown. This coverage starts the day of purchase,” says
Mandy Jo Wardle, Finance and Insurance
Manager at Snake Harley-Davidson in
Twin Falls, Idaho. “Towing is reimbursed
up to $200. There’s $75 a day for motorcycle rental, and travel reimbursement
up to $450 in case a breakdown occurs
in the middle of a trip.”
When purchasing a new motorcycle, the
Extended Service Plan can be added any
time before the factory warranty expires
although, as Wardle points out, it’s best to
Newcomers to the sport of motorcycling
are sometimes intimidated by the thought
of their first ride. Although there is no
magic tonic to transform you into a more
proficient rider, Harley-Davidson offers
rider training at all skill levels. Whether
you’re a new rider who has never been in
the saddle or you have 20,000 miles behind
you, the Rider’s Edge courses will help you
achieve your motorcycling goals.
The Rider’s Edge New Rider Course
is designed for novices. It follows the
proven Motorcycle Safety Foundation
curriculum but adds extra time in the
classroom and on the practice range.
“The more practice the better when
learning a new skill,” notes Mark Weiss,
Rider’s Edge Program Manager for Chester’s Harley-Davidson, who has been
involved in motorcycle training for 26
years.
The New Rider Course typically has
eight to 12 students per class and 24
hours of classroom instruction and range
practice. “We give the students the information they need to develop safe riding
habits,” Weiss says. “We spend time in
the classroom talking about riding. We
know what it is they need to know.”
Unlike other courses, which use a
variety of motorcycle makes within the
same class, Harley-Davidson went with
the Buell Blast, a 500-cubic-centimetre
motorcycle with an adjustable seat to
accommodate riders of various builds,
as the standard vehicle for its course.
“Because we only use the Buell Blast,
everyone is on a level playing field,” says
Weiss. “The motorcycle you practice on
is the same as the motorcycle you test
on. You don’t have to worry about
failing your test because of differences
in handling.”
Rider’s Edge also offers a one-day
Skilled Rider Course in which students
use their own bikes. “This course is for
someone who rides with confidence,” says
Weiss. “They typically aren’t the rider
who avoids freeways or restrict when they
ride by time of day or weather.”
Rider’s Edge instructors are required
to attend 70 hours of Motorcycle Safety
Foundation curriculum training. Harley-Davidson provides an additional 30
hours of instructor training focused on
student learning styles. “The most important thing about the Rider’s Edge course
is that the student leaves with a good attitude about safety and is committed to
riding safely and smartly,” says Weiss.
Many states waive some or all testing
requirements for motorcycle licensing
if the applicant has successfully completed a Rider’s Edge New Rider Course.
Arizona, Idaho and Wyoming waive the
written and rider skills tests.
Love to ride
The Harley-Davidson family grows more
diverse each day. Some riders prefer an
early-morning outing through the back
roads; others take pride in attending rally
after rally and commemorate their adventures with patches on a leather vest. Many
make a ritual of meeting up at the local
bike night. However, all members of the
Harley-Davidson family have one thing in
common: a love for the unique experience
of riding a Harley and the open road.
Whatever your vision of the Harley
lifestyle, the team at the Chester family
of Harley-Davidson dealerships understands what it takes to fulfill your motorcycling dreams. Protecting your investment financially and mechanically and
through improved riding skills are the
keys to lifelong riding enjoyment.
Kick stands up and keep the rubber
side down. G
Smooth
roads
ahead
When we power
your business insurance
CONTACT
Jim Webster, Account Executive
at 865.691.3714 for more information
rley Dealership Ad.indd 2
85
8/28/08 8:22:29 A
BUYER’S GUIDE PERFORMANCE!
ULTIMATE POWER TRIP
It’s been a long day. You roll the bike out of your garage,
after taking apart the carburetor, rejetting it, then getting it
back together. Now, with everything ready and a fresh set
of plugs in the heads, it’s time to see if all that work actually
helped. Choke it, bring one of the cylinders up on its compression stroke and jump on the kick starter.
It fires after a few furious kicks, so at least you haven’t
messed up the carburetor idle circuit or the ignition timing.
When the beast is warm enough, you stomp it into gear
and head out for the empty two-lane. Before you rejetted,
there had been a nasty off-idle stumble when the throttle was
cracked open and the clutch was engaged. You know why.
It was the result of a leaner mixture after you installed those
low back pressure pipes and the free-breathing air cleaner.
It’s gone now, an encouraging sign.
On a deserted stretch of road, you roll the throttle threequarters open. The carb is on the main jet now, and the
bike’s acceleration feels stronger than before. You’re too
busy to fiddle with a stopwatch. The only gauge of performance is your familiarity with the bike. It’s what they mean
by seat-of-the-pants tuning.
Things feel good, so now it’s time for a WOT (wide open
The Dynojet will maximize your torque, drivability,
gas mileage—and bragging rights
Chopper monitors the
performance of a customer’s bike
on the dynamometer at Eagle
Rock Harley-Davidson & Buell.
throttle) run. You roll the throttle to its stop and soon you’re
past 100 miles an hour. You’re eating up highway pretty fast;
hopefully, there are no deer out, or a farm tractor crossing
the road. With any luck, you’ll get about a minute at WOT,
which is what’s needed for a plug check.
After a mile or two you kill the engine, chop the throttle,
and silently coast in neutral to the side of the road. Out come
the spark plug wrench and gloves from the back pocket.
Maneuvering around dangerously warm cylinders, you
unhook the spark plug wire and unscrew the plug. It’s as hot
as a charcoal briquette. Holding it in your gloved fingers, you
examine the electrode insulator, analyzing its color. The porcelain around the electrode looks too dark. Yeah, you overcompensated on the jetting and now the main jet is too rich.
The good news is the engine won’t overheat and seize
from running too lean. But it’s not kicking out the power it
should.
The plug is too hot to hold any longer. You set it on the
ground. When it’s cool, you’ll put it back in the engine and
head back to the garage for another carburetor teardown
and rejetting. Maybe you’ll get to it next weekend—if it
doesn’t rain.
By JAMES H. COOPER
F
86
or bikers of a certain age, that was
the story of your life when it came
to high-performance tuning in the days
before EFI (electronic fuel injection) and
chassis dynamometers.
Today, at one of the Chester family of
Harley-Davidson dealerships, the bike
goes to the dyno technician, who rolls
it into the dyno shed, plugs in connectors and fires it up for a few runs, all the
while tapping at the computer. A couple
of hours later you get back a perfectly
tuned engine.
It’s almost a miracle, and what goes on
in that shed is fascinating.
“It’s a Dynojet 250, with an eddy
current brake and dual O2 sensors,” says
Dan Klann, describing the motorcycle
test dynamometer at Chester’s HarleyDavidson in Mesa, Arizona.
Chester’s H-D in Mesa, Snake H-D in
Twin Falls, Idaho, and Eagle Rock H-D
in Pocatello, Idaho, are certified Dynojet/
Power Commander Tuning Centers.
Klann is Shop Foreman in Mesa and is
certified as a dyno technician there. He
also works with the dealership’s race
A printout from the Dynojet dynamometer
shows the difference in torque before and
after tuning. Fuel-injected Harleys come
dialed in from the factory, but when you
throw on a set of pipes or make other mods,
it’s time for a retune.
bikes and pilots their Destroyer drag bike
in the All Harley Drag Racing Association (AHDRA) series.
The dynamometer sits inside the dyno
cell, which is a room about 10 feet square,
with perforated metal walls and ceiling
to absorb the sound. Inside the cell are
hoses to expel exhaust gases. A rolling
dyno drum, about a foot wide, sticks
out of a low platform on the floor. The
motorcycle’s rear tire rests on the drum,
while the front tire is secured by a builtin stand. The engine spins the tire, and
the tire spins the drum.
Not to be overlooked is the big fan
in the room. "Cooling fans are very
important, because we have to maintain temperature," says Chopper, Service
Manager at the Eagle Rock dealership.
"We monitor the actual engine temperature because your air-fuel ratio varies
with temperature. If the engine temperature rises above a certain point, we actually shut the bike down and let it cool
back down. Then we'll go back in and
pick up where we left off."
A dynamometer is also called a brake
because the drum is “braked” to provide
resistance to the engine. (It’s the B in
BHP, or brake horsepower.) The engine’s
torque output is calculated by that resistance. The Dynojet 250 works on electromagnetic resistance; there’s no mechanical brake, like the old dynos had, to wear
out. The electrical signal produced is fed
into a computer, which interprets it as
torque and then calculates horsepower.
The Dynojet’s capabilities, however,
go beyond measuring simple horsepower
and torque. The computer can control
the resistance to match any speed and
load the bike would encounter on the
road, allowing the technician to diagnose a problem without having to take
87
Three or four hours on a Dynojet with an experienced tuner yields an
engine with strong torque output throughout the RPM band.
Shop Foreman Dan Klann, who
races a Screamin’ Eagle Destroyer
on weekends, is certified to run the
dyno at Chester’s.
88
the bike out of the shop.
“We can load that dyno up, which will
simulate what’s happening on the street,”
says Klann. “So a customer comes in and
says, ‘Well, I’m going this fast and at this
RPM. This is what’s happening.’ Rather
than taking it out on the street and duplicating it, we can duplicate it in the dyno
cell.”
A dyno tech starts by calibrating the
bike and setting up a baseline. The computer that controls the Dynojet also reads
data from the engine’s ECM (electronic
control module), which is programmed
to monitor revolutions per minute, ignition timing and fuel injection rates. The
ECM, effectively the engine’s brain, also
monitors airflow in and out of the engine,
and oxygen sensors indicate how lean or
rich the engine is running.
“We can look right into the ECM and
see what exactly is going on,” says Klann.
If there is a problem, the data will usually
pinpoint it, whether its electronic or fuelrelated.
“There’s really so much we can address
on these bikes,” adds Chopper. “Spark
timing and [ignition] advance, cranking
fuel [ratio] from starting to warm-up—
everything on them.”
More importantly, the Dynojet lets a
Chester technician reprogram each bike’s
ECM for optimum performance. This is
critical when a bike has been modified for
more power output. For example, if you
change the mufflers, reprogramming the
ECM is usually not necessary. However,
if you add a high-flow intake, then you
should reprogram.
“If you have done any significant performance work on the bike, say increased
the displacement or compression, then
it is absolutely essential that the bike be
reprogrammed in order to run properly,”
says Kane Seiller, Dyno Technician at the
Snake H-D dealership.
“If somebody has modified the engine,
we will recommend the installation of an
EFI Race Tuner program,” says Chopper.
“We actually go in and install a base [airfuel ratio] map.”
Colleague Ryan Zimmerman, Dyno
Technician at Eagle Rock H-D, will
“start at the top end and work his way
back down. He gets a nice flat line on it
by basically changing the values,” says
Chopper. “He can address it for any RPM
to any manifold pressure. You either just
raise or lower the value and adjust it to
where, when you do a fourth-gear rollon, you have a nice flat line right about
13-to-1”
In essence, they program a two-stage
fuel injection map into the bike’s ECM,
he says. When the bike is running at 80 to
100 percent throttle, they lower the airfuel ratio to 13-to-1 so that the fuel injection system pumps more fuel for added
engine cooling as well as performance.
But when the bike is out on the interstate, running at 3,000 revolutions per
minute, or cruising around town, and is
operating at lower throttle positions, they
change the air-fuel ratio to an optimum
14.7-to-1, so that it delivers stock-like
fuel economy.
If it’s a carbureted bike, the dyno tech
can do the same thing by monitoring
the air-fuel ratio with the dyno’s oxygen
sensor.
“The only difference is instead of
tuning it with a keyboard, we actually
have to tear the carburetor apart,” says
Chopper. “Generally, what we install is a
Screamin’ Eagle Dynojet kit and we can
adjust the [main jet] needle and change
the jets”
Whether it’s a rejetting or an ECM
reflash, the final step is to use the dyno
to verify the results and fine-tune the
system. “You have the dyno to see what
the engine’s doing, as far as what is being
commanded and what the bike is putting
out,” Klann says. >>
89
90
The
SOUND
AND
THE
FURY
A drag-racing
bike is almost as
much fun as an
F-18 — and a lot
more affordable
I
t’s a grueling game, just as hard on the
mind as it is on the body.
But for those on the staff at Chester’s
Harley-Davidson in Mesa, Arizona, who
play the drag racing game, they wouldn’t
give it up for anything.
“We’ve been at it for about three years
now,” says Dan Klann, whose Butthead
Racing team can be seen at drag strips
around the West competing in the All
Harley Drag Racing Association (AHDRA).
Klann runs one of the Chester’s Race
Team VRXSE Destroyers. In 2007, he also
ran a Super Gas bike and a Sportster in the
Screamin’ Eagle Performance class. Fellow
team member Terry (“Vicious”) Vaughan
runs a Destroyer in the series and until this
year also raced a V-Rod.
Like most racers, Klann and Vaughan
worked their way up through the ranks.
Klann began in 1995 with an 883 Sportster,
racing in the NMRA (National Motorcycle
Racing Association), gaining experience as
he went along before joining Chester’s as
Shop Foreman.
In 2006 he won the Super Gas class
at Sturgis on the Destroyer and was
runner-up in the Screamin’ Eagle class on
Smoke billows as Terry Vaughan
revs up his V-Rod with the front
wheel braked in a “burnout” to
warm up the rear slick.
his Sportster. He also made it to the semifinals in the Destroyer class. In the West
Coast division of the AHDRA, he finished
seventh in 2006 in the Super Gas class.
Vaughan’s experience is similar. He
started in 2000 at local races and NMRA
events. He was one of the first racers to
campaign with the V-Rod when it was
introduced in 2002.
Klann’s team, Butthead Racing, is a
typical crew. Officially it consists of four to
six people, including Klann. However, he is
quick to point out that underpinning their
team spirit is the goodwill of the entire
dealership and all their colleagues.
The weapon of choice
The VRXSE Screamin’ Eagle Destroyer
drag bike, weighing in at no less than 730
pounds for bike and rider and putting
out 160 rear wheel horsepower, sits near
the apex of quick-accelerating vehicles.
It completes a quarter mile at a tick over
nine seconds. Only rocket sleds, catapultlaunched fighter jets and dragster
brethren (cars and bikes) accelerate faster.
The engine at the heart of the beast
starts life as an off-the-shelf, 60-degree
V-Twin Revolution unit: liquid-cooled,
DOHC, eight valves. A 75-mm stroker
crank and 105-mm high-compression
pistons (Would you believe 14.5:1) bump
the displacement up to 1,300 cubic
centimeters. High-flow heads house
the larger-than-stock 42-mm intake and
34.5-mm exhaust valves, actuated by
high-lift cams. The rest of the intake tract
consists of 58-mm throttle bodies topped
off with velocity stacks.
Why so big? Because at 8,000
revolutions per minute, fuel and air don’t
spend much time in the engine. Most of
it is converted into the 97 foot pounds of
torque applied to the slick’s contact patch.
The rest is converted to heat and a wall of
sound. Standing at the track during a run,
you feel the bike as much as hear it.
The only instrumentation is the red shift
light on the handlebar. With five gearshifts
in less than 10 seconds, you don’t have
time to look at a tachometer! Nor do you
have time to operate a shift lever with your
foot. Instead you punch a button on the
PHOTO: BUTTHEADRACING.COM
“We can do a before-and-after to actually measure your upgrade,” Chopper
points out.
Klann emphasizes this fine-tuning is
a process, however, not an automatic
program. During the run, the dyno tech
loads the bike at different throttle positions and revolutions per minute. For
example, he could start with 100 percent
throttle and 15 percent load, then switch
to 80 percent throttle at the same or
varying loads. Then it may be 50 percent
load and 40 percent throttle, or various
load settings. While this is going on, the
dyno tech fine-tunes the program in the
ECM to ensure the engine is burning at
an optimum air-fuel ratio (13-to-1).
The results of this process are well
worth the effort. Three or four hours
on a Dynojet with an experienced tuner
yields an engine with strong torque
output throughout the RPM band, especially in the 2,000 and 3,000 RPM range
where Harley engines operate most of
the time.
“The primary advantages are good
fuel economy and drivability,” says
Seiller. “Peak numbers are great, but
how many people actually ride their
bike at 6000 RPM? We try and concentrate more on where the bike is actually
driven. Twenty-five hundred to 3,500
RPM is where a bike spends 95 percent
of its life.”
In the case of a modified bike, the
power characteristics will be determined largely by the choice of high-performance components and how they
interact. No amount of tuning can compensate for mismatched components.
But even a stock engine will benefit
from dyno tuning, leading to optimum
torque, enhanced drivability, maximum
fuel economy and minimal pollution.
The Dynojet also provides a nice printout showing horsepower and torque
curves for your bike’s engine—and the
right to make inarguable statements
about your bike’s performance: “Yep, it
dynoed at 98 horsepower.”
“The nice thing about the dyno,” says
Chopper, “is that it gives you a true measurement. There’s no BS involved. What
you see is what you get.”
Best of all, you never have to hold
another hot spark plug!
G
handlebar to make a shift. Your feet simply
stay put on the billet foot pegs attached to
the wheelie bar.
“The transmission is stock,” notes
Klann, “which says a lot about its
robustness.” The clutch, used only during
the initial launch, is a multi-stage lockup
unit. “A big part of the game is the clutch.”
Like its engine, the Destroyer’s chassis
starts out as a stock V-Rod. However,
the Motor Company adds a beefy CVO
aluminum swing arm to accommodate the
fat Dunlop racing slick. Extending behind
the slick for nearly the same length as the
bike itself is the wheelie bar—there to keep
the front end down when the slick hooks
up. The shortened front fork and threespoke wheel look delicate, even spindly,
compared to the rear tire and low stocky
frame. But the springs, dampers and brakes
are up to the task of steering and stopping
the bike from 140-plus miles per hour.
The Destroyer is almost as much fun as
an F-18 and, with a price tag of just over
$31,000, a lot more affordable.
What’s it like?
A race between two bikes begins with a
“burnout.” Sitting about 50 feet back from
the start line, each contestant locks his
bike’s front brake, runs the engine up to
about 4,000 revolutions per minute and
engages the clutch. Smoke billows from
the now spinning rear tire as it comes up to
racing temperature. That’s crucial, because
hot rubber ensures maximum grip.
Both riders then “stage,” rolling forward
to the start line. When everything is ready,
they rev their engines to their optimum
RPM range, while the “tree”—a series of
lights—counts down through yellow to
green. The bikes explode off the line.
The launch is everything. Anticipate
the green light too soon and you will “red
light” and disqualify. Hesitate too long and
your competitor can get the jump on you.
After that it’s simply a matter of trying
to aim a land missile straight down
the track while the spinning rear slick
tries to steer the bike every which way
but straight. A fraction more than nine
seconds later, it’s all over. You’ve won and
move up to the next round against an
even tougher competitor—or you’ve lost
and you pack it up until next time.
Either way there’s nothing else like it—
you’ll be back …
To follow watch the Butthead Racing
team, go online to www.Chestershd.com
or the All Harley Drag Racing Association
site at www. ahdra.com. If you make it to
the track, say hello to Dan and Terry. – James H. Cooper
91
Inside your ride
Going
Big
Bore
E
ither you’re the kind of rider who
is happy with his engine the way it
is or you’re the kind who wants more
power.
If you’re the first guy, then there’s
certainly good reason to keep your engine
stock. For starters, most riders think the
Harley motor has ample power and
torque and, as engines go, it’s certainly a
proven product. The men who designed
it considered rugged simplicity a virtue,
and the passage of time has only served
to underscore the rightness of their
thinking.
Add the efficiency and durability that
modern metals and computer-controlled
machining bring to a Harley engine and
you have, arguably, the perfect motorcycle engine.
By JAMES H. COOPER
92
Go whole hog: The 110 Stage I big
displacement kit has everything you
need to push your 96-cubic inch motor to
the max (shown here with accessory air
cleaner and slip-on mufflers).
Power is good, more
power is better—to
know it’s on tap,
or to beat the other
guy, or to easily
haul touring gear
and a passenger
In a stock Harley V-Twin, you’re
getting the best of everything—power,
durability, a distinctive look and a unique
sound—often copied but never equaled.
Why mess with success?
Well, maybe because you’re the other
guy, the guy who wants more power.
There are many reasons you might
want to modify your engine for more
power. Maybe you’re the kind of guy
who likes putting his own stamp on the
mechanical side of things. There are few
experiences as rewarding as the sense of
accomplishment you get from building
your own engine. There’s also the satisfaction of having all that extra power
on tap. Or knowing you can beat the
other guy. There are also some practical
reasons to want more power: You ride
two-up, or you tour in the mountains or
pull a trailer.
Where do you start in your quest for
power? One place is with your favorite
dealer and ours. The Chester family of
Harley-Davidson dealerships has everything you need to increase your motor’s
performance in the way of parts and,
more importantly, in needed expertise.
But regardless of who’s doing the work,
the first step is to decide what level of performance you want, then pick the parts
you need to get there and do the build.
Parts are not just parts!
Want to save yourself a lot of headaches
right from the start? Open the HarleyDavidson accessories and parts catalog
(available at all Chester dealerships) to
the section that says Screamin’ Eagle and
read. What you get is a short course in
Harley performance tuning—a straightforward explanation of the different
levels of performance you can get from
a H-D engine and what parts you need
to achieve each level.
Screamin’ Eagle even goes the extra step
of laying out everything you need in comprehensive kits: No hunting for pistons
in one place and then having to look for
an air cleaner or a compatible set of bigvalve heads somewhere else. No unanswered questions like: Should I use forged
or cast pistons? Or how much should I
bump the compression ratio? Just take
your pick from the available kits.
Be sure to note items marked with
crossed flags. They are not street legal.
There’s something for every HarleyDavidson model and engine in production. The Motor Company has done the
homework for you, so it knows what
parts work best and what you need, and,
if the installation is done at a Chester
dealership, it comes with the HarleyDavidson warranty. Life should be so
simple!
Which to pick? It depends on a couple
of things. How much power do you
want? Sure, all you can get, but how
committed are you to the build process
and how much do you want to spend?
The old adage is still true: “Speed costs
money. How fast do you want to go?”
To help you decide, the factory kits are
offered in progressively more powerful
performance stages that involve progressively higher levels of modification
to your engine. Here’s the list:
result is a surprising amount of bang for
your buck. Even if you plan to go on to
more performance mods later, it’s still
where you need to start. And it’s simple:
The Screamin’ Eagle Stage I Air Cleaner
kit includes a reusable, free-breathing
replacement element for your stock air
cleaner and all the necessary hardware.
Move up to even more performance
with the trick-looking Screamin’ Eagle
Heavy Breather Performance Air Cleaner
and Intake Tube. This kit includes a big,
reusable open-mesh air cleaner and a
high quality, polished chrome-plated, diecast aluminum intake tube. It’s something
you’ll be proud to put on your engine,
not some flimsy piece of tubing welded
to a base plate.
To fully realize all the benefits of free
breathing, add a set of great sounding,
low back-pressure Screamin’ Eagle Street
Performance slip-on mufflers. They come
• Stage I: Air Cleaner and Street Performance Mufflers combination.
• Stage I: Big Bore Cylinder kit.
• Stage II: Big Bore and Cam kit.
• Stage I: Big Displacement kit
(basically everything from the first
three kits rolled into one package only
with maximum displacement).
Breathe deep
The least expensive performance modification you can do to your engine (and
the least involving) is the Screamin’ Eagle
Stage I: Air Cleaner and Street Performance Mufflers kit. This increases the
engine’s volumetric efficiency. Or as hot
rodders say, its ability to breathe. The
93
Inside your ride
The Street Legal Stage II Big Bore kit for
the Twin Cam 88 motor will bump it out
to 95 cubic inches and even includes a
set of hot cams.
if you’re interested in bigger
numbers, then it’s time to go
big bore.
Twin Cam 96
Powertrain
in an impressive variety of styles to suit
just about anybody’s taste. There are even
models with built-in catalysts if that’s
what you need. Sure, you could go out
on your own and buy somebody else’s low
restriction intake and low back-pressure
exhaust, but Harley engineers have dynotested and tuned these pieces so they actually do increase power and torque.
In case you haven’t heard, intake and
exhaust tuning is still as much a black
art as it is science, so don’t be surprised
if your off-brand exhaust actually lowers
your engine’s power and compromises its
drivability. Happens all the time.
When you go the free-breathing route,
there’s one additional step you have to
take. The motor’s electronic fuel injection
(EFI) system needs to be reprogrammed
to take advantage of all that heavy
breathing. That’s where a Chester dealership can really help. Their mechanics are
guys who build race bikes. Their Dynojet
dynamometer is a major advantage when
it comes to testing and retuning your
94
engine to get every last bit of power. All
without compromising its drivability.
So what do you end up with after
you’ve made the Stage I air cleaner and
muffler mods? How much bragging
rights does it get you?
According to Dan Klann, who does
the dyno work at Chester’s HarleyDavidson, the Arizona dealership in the
Chester dealership family and also runs
a bike in the All Harley Drag Racing
Association (AHDRA), you’ll get about
a 5 percent increase in horsepower and
torque. For a 96-cubic-inch engine, that’s
about 4 horsepower and 4 foot pounds
of torque across the motor’s entire RPM
range. Some of the older designs benefit
even more, seeing as much as a 15 percent
increase at certain RPM ranges, according to the Motor Company. The resulting increase in acceleration is something
you’ll notice no matter what gear you’re
in or what speed you’re doing.
Not bad, considering how little time
and money you’ve invested. However,
Bigger is badder
In case you haven’t heard the old
sayings, here they are: “There’s
no substitute for cubic inches” and
“there’s no replacement for displacement.” They’re basically true. There are
a few other avenues to increased power,
such as turbocharging, nitrous oxide or
higher RPM, but they’re more expensive, more complicated and, in the case
of higher RPM, not very practical for a
big twin.
Moreover, they don’t use genuine
Screamin’ Eagle parts. So we’re limiting
this discussion to increased displacement
as the route to go. You’ll like the results
better, anyway. A displacement increase
gives you instant acceleration. There’s no
turbo lag, no running out of nitrous and
no tap-dancing on the shifter every time
you want to pass.
The first step in the displacement game
is the Stage I: Big Bore kit. The Chester
dealerships sell complete factory kits for
all Harley-Davidson engines currently in
production except the already poweredup V-Rod. Practically everything you need
is included: an air cleaner kit, big bore cylinders and a set of state-of-the-art pistons
with rings, wrist pins and circlips.
There’s a Screamin’ Eagle Big Bore
Stage I kit for the 96-cubic-inch motor
that takes it to 103 cubic inches and a kit
for the 88-cubic-inch motor that increases
its displacement to 95 cubic inches. The
Sportster kit brings the 883-cc motor to
1200 cc. It even includes a set of 1200-cc
heads. These big bore kits will give your
bike about a 10 percent boost in horsepower and torque, just what you need for
pulling a trailer up a grade or passing a
car in the slow lane.
If you want more power and torque
for the 96-cubic-inch and 88-cubicinch engines, then it’s time to go to the
Screamin’ Eagle Street Legal Big Bore
Stage II kit. Stage II includes all the parts
from Stage I Heavy Breathing and Big
Bore kits, including cylinders and pistons,
and it replaces the stock camshafts with
a more radical set. The idea is that since
you’ve got a whole bunch more displacement now, why not add a cam grind that
takes advantage of the greater volume
of air and exhaust gases being pumped
through the engine.
The Stage II kit will get you as much as
an 18-percent increase in usable horsepower and torque over stock, with the
same levels of reliability and durability.
You might be tempted to go to an
aftermarket cam. There are a number of
good cam grinders out there selling their
wares, but how good are they? Will that
cam work with your particular intake or
exhaust system? Remember, we’re back
into the dark world of intake and exhaust
tuning, where things can go horribly
wrong and you can spend a lot of time
and money straightening them out. On
the other hand, the factory performance
cam grind has been thoroughly tested to
ensure it works with the big bore kit.
“There are more cams than you can
shake a stick at out there,” says Klann,
“but the trick is knowing what works
with what combination and still meets
EPA standards.”
Another way to go is the Bigger Bore
kit for the Twin Cam 88 and 96 motors.
It has everything from the Heavy Breathing, Big Bore and Hot Cam kits, but substitutes maximum displacement pistons
and cylinders and adds a new crankshaft,
rods and heads. Even CVO mufflers are
included in the 49-state kits.
This kit will raise the Twin Cam 96
engine’s displacement to 110 cubic inches
(just like the factory 110 motor) and the
88 motor goes to 103 cubic inches. With
the 96-cubic-inch motor, the horsepower
goes from 68 to 80, and torque increases
from 84 foot pounds to around 95 foot
pounds. A healthy jump, you’ll definitely
notice.
Time to dig in
Now that you’ve picked the stage you
want and ordered the parts, who’s going
to do the work? If you’re just installing
the Stage I intake and exhaust system,
chances are you can do it yourself some
afternoon over a couple of brews.
However, if you’re going big bore, you’ll
need to be a skilled and experienced
engine builder, with access to special
tools and jigs. In that case, there are few
things as satisfying as building your own
engine. But if you don’t have the requisite
mental and physical tools, let an expert
build it for you.
People connected to the Chester family
of dealerships have been building and
racing Harleys for years. Racing demands
that they be on top of their mechanical game and that’s something you can
benefit from. Here’s an example of what
we mean. The cylinder bore holes, where
the cylinders fit into the crankcase, need
to be precisely bored to the diameter of
the Big Bore kit’s oversized cylindersstraight, true, within tolerance and perfectly aligned with the crankshaft throws.
Otherwise, the cylinder base gaskets will
leak and the rods, crank, pistons and cylinders will wear out prematurely.
To do this right, you need a shop with
the right machine tools and experience.
There are many things you’ll also need to
know how to do. Will you have to shim
the valve gear? Does the bottom end
need a rebuild? What about reprogramming fuel injection? Having an experienced shop build your motor will cost
you a little more but the results are usually
guaranteed. And if you buy the parts and
have the Chester dealership do the work
at the time you purchase your bike, it’s all
covered under warranty for two years.
Also, the turnaround time at a Chester
dealership is probably shorter than the
time it will take you to farm out parts to
different machine shops and then do the
assembly work in your garage (or living
room). The upside is you’ll have more
time for riding.
Regardless of how you go about it,
adding performance to your engine will
give you tremendous satisfaction every
time you twist the throttle. You never
hear anyone complaining about having
too much power. G
“There are
more cams
than you can
shake a stick
at out there,
but the trick
is knowing
what works
with what
combination
and still
meets EPA
standards.”
95
Bill Davis
2006 FLHRS/I Road King Custom
Bill Davis, 60, a teacher, union leader and poet in
Pocatello, Idaho, goes by the nickname Uglicoyote.
Why do you ride?
My job sometimes can be stressful but the stress just
falls away when I’m on the road. I love to ride and
experience the feel, smells and sounds of the road.
Riding is Zen—you live in the moment.
What got you started?
When I was 16 years old, a fellow let me ride his
brother’s bike, a ’62 BSA Lightning, and I was
hooked. I ran that bike up to 105 the first time I
rode it and I have been a rider ever since.
Why do you prefer Harley?
Harley-Davidson—an American motorcycle made
by unionized American workers at plants in the
U.S.A. Comfortable, reliable, dependable.
What’s not to like?
Customer since 2006 of Eagle Rock
Harley-Davidson & Buell
For biker poetry by Uglicoyote, visit
songsopenroad.blogspot.com.
Text: Rebecca Crosgrey and Blake August
96
Faces in the Wind
97
Faces
in the Wind
Dennis Bowman
2008 105th Anniversary Ultra Classic Electra Glide
Dennis Bowman says he wants to ride every road in
Idaho at least twice. In other words, he loves to ride.
Denny, 55, lives in Pocatello and oversees stack tests for
emissions at a fertilizer company.
Do you ride much?
The odometer sits at 12,500 miles, which I have
ridden in only six months.
What got you started? I started riding back in 1968, around 40 years ago. A
friend of mine had one so I wanted one. After a year,
I started racing motocross and cross-country. I went
through a lot of bikes, around 10, as I remember. My
first Harley, three years later, was an XLCH Sportster
that was chopped. I went through several other Harleys
until I upgraded to a Softail Custom in 2007 and the
105th anniversary Ultra Classic in 2008.
Why Harley?
I prefer Harleys because of the style and
distinctive rumble.
Customer since 2007 of Eagle Rock
Tina M. Heintz
2005 XL 1200C Sportster Custom
Six years ago, when Tina Heintz was 24 and lived in
Chicago, it was tough to find a Rider’s Edge Course
in the dead of winter. So she and her boyfriend (now
husband) taught themselves how to ride on the small
narrow “roads” of the storage facility where they kept
their bikes. Now an Arizonian, “T” is a tour and event
manager for an outdoor adventure provider.
98
orange paint job, all the chrome, to the guardian angel
bell attached tightly to protect my ride. Ever since I was
little, I always said, “Someday I will have a Harley.”
Why Chester’s?
Everyone on staff is very kind and willing to help, but not
pushy. Clean store, great service, excellent location.
Why do you ride?
What’s the attraction?
I ride to clear my head and let all the worries go away,
for the fun of it and to see cool places. Plus, the looks a
woman on a nice bike gets . . . heck, ya!
My 1200 Custom Sporty is all me! From the custom
Customer since 2004 of Chester’s Harley-Davidson
99
Lyle Waggoner
Rodderick Whitehead
2005 FLHTCU Ultra Classic Electra Glide
2002 FLHR Road King
2007 FLHX Street Glide
If you’re old enough to remember The Carol Burnett
Show, you’ll remember the name Lyle Waggoner. He was
an announcer and performer on the show from 1967 to
1974. You may also recall that he was the first centerfold in
Playgirl magazine. Now 73, Lyle keeps the Road King at a
home in Westlake Village, California, and the Ultra Classic
at the house in Jackson, where the photo was taken.
Rodderick Whitehead, 36, Sales
Manager at a Phoenix furniture store,
has been riding Harleys for 13 years.
The number may explain the bad news:
He wrecked the Street Glide several
months ago. The good news is “Big
Rod” has healed and is shopping for a
new Harley.
Why Harley-Davidson?
Why do you prefer Harley-Davidson?
With my wife, I checked out Honda and BMW as well as
Harley. Sharon said she liked the Harley best. When I asked
why, she said she liked the sound.
It’s a better motorcycle, it has style.
Customer since 2007 of Chester’s
Harley-Davidson
What kind of riding do you enjoy?
PHOTO: COURTESY OF laura moore
Near our home in California, there are wonderful
canyons with twisty and hilly roads, but we mainly
ride two-up in Wyoming now, lots of day rides
and a few longer ones. A great ride is through
Yellowstone to Mesa Falls for lunch, returning to
Jackson through Moose, about 200 miles in all.
Bill Torrance
2007 FLHTC Electra Glide Classic
Customer since 2005 of Grand Teton
Bill Torrance, 57, is City Manager of Vidalia,
Georgia, the home of sweet Vidalia onions. He’s been riding since he was
12, starting with an Allstate scooter, then moving on to a Yamaha and
Kawasaki and other bikes until he graduated to a Honda 1100 Shadow
four years ago. Then, his brother-in-law, E.B. Chester, lent him a Harley
for a ride across Death Valley to Las Vegas and the rest is history.
Why did you switch to Harley-Davidson?
Harley is the pinnacle. The performance, sound and mystique make me feel
great when I’m riding.
What do you like about riding?
I ride for excitement and solitude. I enjoy back roads and sights along
the way, but mainly I just enjoy the handling and feel of a really
great bike. It’s a wonderful release from the pressures of work.
100
101
Kristy Woodhall
2003 FLHRC Road King Classic
“I love the way Harleys look, the
way they sound … the way mine
fits me. It’s so comfortable.”
Kristy Woodhall has been hooked
on motorcycles since she was
11 years old, some four decades
back. Her husband, TJ Woodhall,
is GM at Snake Harley-Davidson
in Twin Falls, Idaho.
How did you get started?
I have been riding since I was
about 11 years old and growing
up in Orange County, California.
Started out riding dirt bikes. I
was one who enjoyed what the
guys did, not girl stuff, so I hung
out watching them work on cars
and bikes. When I was about
15, I would take off on a friend’s
motorcycle and ride around town.
I was not licensed at the time
but I’m not one to follow rules. I
would grab my girlfriend and off
we would go. The looks we got!
Back then, it was rare to see one
on a bike, let alone two.
Why Harley?
I love everything about them.
The way they look, the way they
sound … or should I say the way
you can make them sound. I
love the way mine fits me. It’s so
comfortable.
Why do you ride?
When I have had a bad day, I
can jump on my bike and within
minutes the stress just disappears.
Taking a trip on a bike is so much
different than in a car. Feeling the
wind and sun makes me feel good.
In the mountains, taking the
curves makes a ride so enjoyable,
exciting, and sometimes
challenging.
Customer since 1998 of Snake
Harley-Davidson
102
103
Faces
in the Wind
Helen Misner
2002 FXSTSI Softail
Springer
After 26 years as a passenger behind her husband,
Helen Misner, 47, a real
estate agent in Chubbuck,
Idaho, has been riding her
own Harley for two years.
Why Harley?
My husband got me
hooked soon after we
were married 28 years ago
and I have been in love
ever since. I like the looks,
feel and sound of the
Harley. Now that I have
really been riding, on my
own bike, “Wow!” is all I
can say.
Why Eagle Rock?
They’re just so helpful,
in every way. After I put
a down payment on a
bike for my husband as
a Christmas present, the
staff at Eagle Rock helped
keep it secret. Although
he stopped by several
times to look for a new
bike, they found ways to
divert his attention until
Christmas.
Any recent trips?
My husband and I
just came back from
vacation, riding through
Yellowstone, over
Beartooth Pass, through
Glacier National Forest,
down Highway 12 and
Lolo Pass to Lewiston.
Then through Hells
Canyon to MacKay and
Highway 55 to Boise,
ending with back roads
to home. It took us six or
seven days to cover about
1,600 miles.
Customer since 2002
of Eagle Rock HarleyDavidson & Buell
104
Mayben Cole Johnson, MD
1979 FXDL Dyna Low Rider
1997 FLSTC Heritage Softail
2006 FLHTCUSE Screamin’ Eagle Ultra Classic
Electra Glide
2009 FLHTCUSE Screamin’ Eagle Ultra Classic
Electra Glide on order
Cole Johnson delivers about 100 babies each year in Twin
Falls, Idaho. The 53-year-old physician says he rides to
maintain his sanity and to feed his insanity. Medicine
is a second career for “Doc,” who ran a specialized
firefighting crew called the Hotshots during 20 years with
the U.S. Forest Service.
What attracted you to motorcycles?
The thought of the unfettered vagabond in Then Came
Bronson on television and, no doubt, the movie Easy Rider.
I bought my first Harley-Davidson, a 1976 Sportster, at the
age of 22 and have ridden Harleys ever since.
Harleys have a heart. They are more a part of you
than a piece of machinery. They maintain the feel of a
motorcycle with some comfort versus a two-wheeled
vehicle with a car engine, i.e. Honda.
Anything else?
As an aside, I built a new home two years ago and the
recreation room is themed Harley-Davidson, with the
bar and shield inlaid in the hardwood floors and the tile
in the shower. I have a Harley-Davidson pool table, card
table, jukebox, and a quilt made by my mother. I also
have a six-foot-tall, custom-made, stained-glass Harley
logo mounted in the vaulted entry way to my home.
Customer since 2003 of Snake Harley-Davidson
105
Jay and Brandon Peterson
Robert Hobbs
Father: 2007 FLHX Street Glide and 2008 Buell
Ulysses XB12XT
Son: 2008 Buell Ulysses XB12XT
2005 FLHTCU Ultra Classic
Electra Glide
1998 FXDWG Dyna Wide
Glide
When the photo was taken in historic Keystone near
Sturgis in 2007, father and son both rode black Street
Glides. When spring came to the Vail Valley, where they
live, talk turned to new motorcycles. They decided to
keep one Harley and buy two Ulysses touring Buells. Jay
is an attorney and developer. Brandon works in property
management. They ride together whenever they can,
including heading to Sturgis or Daytona.
When he was younger,
Roberts Hobbs of Nashville
made a promise to himself
that by the time he turned
50 he would learn to play a
guitar and ride a motorcycle.
Now 63 and chief financial
officer of a national hotel
reservations service and representation company, he succeeded on both counts, with
a room full of guitars and
two Harleys in the garage.
Any long rides in the planning stages?
For a change of pace from Sturgis and Daytona, E.B.
Chester has invited us to ride to Laconia Motorcycle
Week in New Hampshire in June. That will be some ride,
through the Ozarks, into Nashville for the Grand Ole
Opry. After Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the
Blue Ride Parkway and Gettysburg National Military
Park, we’ll ride north through New York and Vermont to
Laconia, some 3,300 miles in all.
What made you buy the Buells?
We love our Harleys and have ridden them for many
years, but it was time to try something new—but within
the extended American V-Twin family. We’ve had a ball
with the Buells!
Customers of Grand Teton Harley-Davidson & Buell and
Chester’s Harley-Davidson
Why so late in life?
My motorcycling started
in my mind when I was a
teenager. I took my mother
to the Harley dealership
in Nashville, tried to talk
her into letting me buy a
motorcycle. She wouldn’t
let me, said they were too
dangerous.
Why Harley?
Harley-Davidson started
in 1903, they have been
building motorcycles for
105 years, they are still in
business and, until recently,
they were making more
money than ever. The point
is they have perfected the
product. They are great
bikes, with a great image,
with great accessories and
excellent resale value.
Any memorable rides?
The ride to Alaska (described
in this edition of Glory
Road) was fantastic, really
fantastic. I ride for the peace
and the quiet, the scenery
and to be with other bikers. I
couldn’t have asked for more
on the trip to Alaska.
Customer since 2005 of
Grand Teton HarleyDavidson & Buell
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107
Shirly Barron
2006 FLSTN Softail Deluxe/Champion trike conversion
Shirly Barron, who still lives on the farm near Castleford, Idaho,
which she farmed with her late husband for many years, says her
desire to get into motorcycling has been building a long time.
She’s 77 years old.
Why did you chose Harley-Davidson?
The look and the sound, and I liked what I have read about
H-D. I cannot say enough about Mike McClure at Snake HarleyDavidson, who sold me the bike and helped me with it. He spent
the winter of 2006-07 teaching me how to ride.
What’s with LORELI on the license plate?
My bike is called Lorelei because she sings so sweetly. She’s got
those pipes.
Why do you ride?
It’s fun, I really enjoy it. I like the people involved in the Magic
Valley H.O.G. chapter. They are the nicest bunch of people you
could ever find anywhere.
Customer since 2006 of Snake
Harley-Davidson
Bret West
Bret West, 47, otherwise known as
Bam, is a plumber who lives in Apache
Junction, Arizona. His words speak for
themselves:
My Harley, my house, my wife, the dog…
I have my priorities in order. The ol’ lady,
she understands, she’s great, a biker chick
from days ago. My bike, I call her The
Bitch. She’s my true love. I worked hard,
and waited many years to buy my bike…
Could never afford it, but I came to a
point in my life and decided no matter
what the cost, I’m buying myself a Harley.
There is no other bike on the road that
compares with a Harley. The style, the
sound, the ride, there’s nothing greater
than when I’m riding my Harley. It’s an
investment in sanity for me. When I ride
The Bitch, all my troubles seem to go
away, my mind clears of all the day-to-day
crap that clutters and builds up creating
tension and stress.
Why the name The Bitch?
It was a bitch to raise the money, it’s a
bitch to make the payments, but now it
runs like a bitch.
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109
Faces
Greg Neumann
2007 FLHR Road King
An estimator for a fence company, Greg Neumann, 55, of
Chandler, Arizona, has been nuts about bikes since he saw
the film The Wild One when he was seven years old: I could
not get the movie out of my head. I started building models
and drawing pictures of motorcycles. My parents told me to
get those thoughts out of my head, that only hoodlums ride
motorcycles and wear leather. That just made my passion to
ride even greater. I have become the guy my
parents warned me about—and I like it.
in the Wind
What’s the appeal 48 years later?
I ride because it feels right. I ride because I
work hard all week and deserve to feel free
as often as I can. I am Harley and
Harley is me.
Harley-Davidson
Jason Rivera
2007 FLHR Road King
Jason Rivera, an administrative assistant in Pocatello,
Idaho, has been riding for almost half of his 37 years.
Why Eagle Rock?
I’m always telling my non-Harley buddies they need to
110
trade up, because they will be treated as family members
by the Eagle Rock staff instead of just customers.
Why do you ride?
The freedom of the road. There’s nothing like it in the
world.
Customer since 2007 of Eagle Rock Harley-Davidson
& Buell
111
Faces
in the Wind
Nelson Reininger
“It was my midlife
crisis. Fortunately, it
was a motorcycle and
not another woman.”
2006 FLHTCUSE Screamin’ Eagle Ultra Classic Electra Guide
2003 FLSTC Anniversary Heritage Softail Classic
His friends call him Hazey, his CUSE is painted Autumn Haze,
the license plate reads HAZEY, but Nelson Reininger assures
GLORY ROAD none of this has anything to do with Purple
Haze. The 55-year-old Tempe, Arizona, resident has worked in
consumer lending, collections and risk management for 35 years.
What brought you to Harley-Davidson?
It was my midlife crisis. Fortunately, it was a motorcycle and not
another woman. My dream machine was the silver and black
Anniversary Heritage Classic. I shopped around but no one
would sell for MSRP. I took a rider training class before my purchase (best decision I ever made!) and then found out Chester’s
would provide me with H-D merchandise credits equal to the
cost of the training. They have me as a customer for life!
How did you end up with two Harleys?
My neighbor purchased a Road King and then upgraded to
an Ultra Glide. Not to be shown up, I saw the segment in my
parts manual for H-D’s CVO program and thought with a 110
motor, the wife and I will be able to haul all our ‘stuff,’ even her
makeup. It took a while to get out of the dog house after she
saw the “what the hell did you need this one for” FLHTCUSE in
the garage.
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113
Faces
in the Wind
Jo Donovan
Dan Godec
2008 FLSTN Softail Deluxe
2001 FXDWG Dyna Wide Glide
2005 FLHTC Electra Glide Classic
Controller of a sheet-metal fabrication company that she owns
with her husband in Phoenix, Jo Donovan, 48, has been riding
solo only a few months. She’s known as Harley Chick among
her family and friends. For the 27 years she rode behind her
husband as a passenger, her kids called her the Cling-On.
Dan Godec, 51, Chief Lending
Officer for a group of 43 banks in
Colorado and California, bought his
first bike out of a mail-order catalog
with earnings from a newspaper
route when he was only 10.
How’s life as Harley Chick?
Chester’s is our home away from home, and we like it that
way. We basically live at the dealership. If they’d just
set us up a cot in the lunch room! Honestly,
we are at the dealership a minimum of
three times a week. I consider the staff
some of my closest friends. They are
always welcoming with a “hi” or a
hug. The knowledge they share with
us is immeasurable. Any question
or comment I have is always met
with open concern and an answer
is always available. We recommend
Chester’s to all our friends, riders
and non-riders alike.
How often have you ridden to
Sturgis?
Probably 10 times, The Black
Hills are gorgeous. Even better is
Monument Valley, which I’ve ridden
20 times. It’s absolutely gorgeous
every time.
What about Daytona?
Seven or eight trips to Daytona. I
can’t help but walk down Main Street
with a smile on my face. It’s worldclass people watching, and great bike
watching as well. When it’s snowing
back home in the Vail Valley, it’s good
to be down in the sunshine.
PHOTOGRAPHED AT USERY
MOUNTAIN REGIONAL PARK
Bob Esrey
2005 FLHTCU 100th Anniversary Ultra Classic Electra Glide
2007 FLHTCUSE Screamin’ Eagle Ultra Classic Electra Glide
After many years in commercial real estate, Bob Esrey, 70, who describes
himself as semi-retired, divides his time between homes in Kansas City,
Missouri, Vail, Colorado, and Indian Wells, California. He keeps one
Harley in Missouri and the other out west.
Why the anniversary model?
In 2003, my wife and I were making plans to celebrate our 41st wedding
anniversary. Unbeknownst to me, Sue traded in a three- or four-yearold Road King that I had decked out on an Anniversary Ultra Classic
for me. My first clue came when I opened a box she presented to me and
saw a picture of the bike and all the manuals. Across the picture, she had
written, Happy Anniversary, Bob!
Even as a kid, I figured Harley was the only real motorcycle. Owning
seven or eight Harleys over the last 10 to 15 years has only enhanced that
belief, especially in light of the rise to excellence in design and reliability.
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115
Faces
in the Wind
Terrell Fletcher
Terrell Fletcher, 59, is a professional landscape
architect retired from the U.S. Forest Service. His
H.O.G. friends in Twin Falls, Idaho, call him Fletch.
Why Snake H-D?
I can’t imagine a better group of folks to do business
with. It’s perfectly natural to stop by and joke, tease
and carry on because we’re friends.
Why do you prefer Harley?
I like riding an American legend. I like the sound and
feel of a Harley. In spite of our winter weather, I manage
to ride at least some in all 12 months of the year.
Why do you ride?
There’s a greater camaraderie with
Harley owners than any others.
I’m very happy with the H.O.G.
chapter. I’ve been a member
of Snake H-D’s Magic Valley
H.O.G. Chapter since 2001, an
officer continuously since 2002
and am now completing my
second year as Director of the
Chapter.
Snake Harley-Davidson
Sue Beverly
Sue Beverly, EZ Sue to her friends, is a production coordinator in Phoenix. She’s 49 and rides almost every day.
What’s the attraction?
My Harley is a part of my daily life. I love riding. Maybe
it’s the roar of the engine. Maybe it’s the feeling of being
in control. Maybe it’s the grandma next to me giving
the thumbs up. Me and my bike, what more do I need?
Besides, chicks on bikes get lots of attention.
116
You don’t just buy a Harley; you become part of a very
large family. It’s about the relationships you build with
others who are as passionate about riding as you are.
Harley-Davidson encourages it, the dealerships support it
and the H.O.G. members live it. Where else can you buy
a motorcycle and gain a family?
Harley-Davidson is an American tradition, the heart and
soul of motorcycling.
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Faces
Ed Leclere
in the Wind
One of the partners in Arizona Bike Week, Ed
Leclere, 50, is a Harley man through and through.
His wife Brenda often rides with him, with teenage
son Jeffrey not far behind on a Buell. He owns a
design and construction company that is involved in
the expansion at Chester’s Harley-Davidson.
There is something nostalgic about riding a Harley.
They have been around all my life. They are
American as American can be. The feel of them as
you ride, the camaraderie of the other riders, the
looks you get from people passing you with their
thumbs up. And we can’t forget that sound.
Why do you ride?
I ride for the relaxation, the great outdoors and
the other riders, no matter what they ride. It is
great to just meet another rider and the next thing
you know you’re on a ride with them as if you’ve
known them all your life. My wife loves to get on
the back and just ride with me forever. We also have
a teenage son who rides a Buell and he rides with us
as a family—which is great!
Antoine Whitfield
Bob and Lynn Bull
His: 2006 FLHX Street Glide
Hers: 2007 FLSTN Softail Deluxe
Residents of Idaho Falls, Idaho, Bob, 62, is operations
manager for a company that decontaminates and removes
radioactive nuclear equipment, and Lynn, 50, has been a
buyer for a farm and ranch store for 10 years.
What’s the appeal, Bob?
My wife and I have met so many people because riding
a Harley opens the door for communicating with others.
We now have so many friends that it’s hard to decide
who to ride with on a given weekend or holiday. When
we go on vacation, we don’t have to decide what we are
118
Antoine Whitfield, 49, of Arvada,
Colorado, is a training instructor
contracted to the Department of Energy.
Whit’s first bike, some 30 years ago,
was a 1968 Triumph Bonneville that he
seriously customized.
going to do, just where we are going to do it. I’m getting
close to retirement and I feel these new bikes will take us
further and longer into retirement.
I believe that it is the ultimate American
riding machine. When I returned to
riding—because I have many friends
and family who ride—it was the only
choice for me.
Why do you prefer Harley-Davidson, Lynn?
People say they don’t know how someone my size can
handle a big bike. I tell them it’s easy and just feels right. I
had a Low Rider, but when I saw the Softail Deluxe at the
shop I knew that was the bike for me. I drove by the shop
one day and it was no longer there. I thought someone had
bought my bike. It was my husband, who gave it to me for
Christmas. Since then, I have put over 8,000 miles on it.
Why do you ride?
Strictly for the pleasure that motorcycle
riding provides. When I’m on a relaxing
cruise, all seems right with the world.
Customers since 2002 of Grand Teton Harley-Davidson
& Buell
PHOTO: SHANNON WHITFIELD
119
Faces
Stan Turkovich
1999 FLHR Road King
Stan Turkovich, who goes by the nickname Turk,
is a 70-year-old retired tool and die machinist who
lives in Twin Falls, Idaho.
in the Wind
Have you been riding long?
Fifty plus years.
What got you started?
It’s in my blood. I have worn out a couple of
Harleys over the years.
If I have to tell you, you won’t understand.
Why do you ride?
I can lose myself entirely in the riding. The
freedom, the smell of everything around you. It’s a
different way to travel.
Customer since 2006 of Snake Harley-Davidson
Travis Metcalfe
Do you know anyone who rides as many
miles as Travis Metcalfe? Last summer the
police detective put on a total of 16,000
miles in two months on his 2008 Electra
Glide Ultra. With friends, he rode from
Phoenix to Anchorage, then headed to
Sturgis, where he met up with his wife,
Debbie. She rides a 2005 Screamin’ Eagle
Ultra Classic Electra Glide and is Office
Manager at Chester’s Harley-Davidson.
Together they rode to North Dakota,
Minnesota, Ontario, Quebec, Michigan
and stopped in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
for Harley’s 105th birthday party before
returning home.
What’s with all the miles?
I just like to ride a lot. I like to see different
places and not ride the same road twice. I
keep my original 2003 H.O.G. map and
highlight the roads I ride. That’s how I
keep track of the roads I haven’t ridden
yet. Altogether I’ve have ridden in three
countries, seven provinces or territories and
35 states.
How far have you ridden since 2003?
About 150,000 miles. My original Ultra
Classic has 116,000 miles on it.
Harley-Davidson
120
G
121
H.O.G. in
the spotlight
Harley Owners Group, or H.O.G., was established a quarter-century
ago in response to a growing desire by Harley riders to hang out
and share their pride and passion for the Harley way of life.
Today, more than a million members around the globe make
H.O.G. the largest factory-sponsored motorcycle organization in
the world. There are nearly 1,000 members in the four chapters
sponsored by the Chester family of Harley-Davidson dealerships in
Arizona, Idaho and Wyoming.
Magic Valley Chapter
East Valley Chapter
Portneuf Valley Chapter
Sponsor:
Sponsor:
Sponsor:
Eagle Rock Harley-Davidson & Buell
Meeting place:
Meet at Snake Harley-Davidson and ride
to dinner in the summer. Winters are at a
designated gathering place.
Meeting place:
Meeting place:
Eagle Rock Harley-Davidson & Buell Shop
Meeting time:
Second Saturday of the month
Meeting time:
Third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m.
How to make contact:
Tel: Chester’s H-D 480-894-0404
E-mail: webmaster@evhog.com
Meeting time:
6:30 p.m., the third Thursday of
each month
Tel: Snake H-D 208-734-8400
E-mail: hog@cabsystems.com
Terry Fletcher, a recent Chapter Director of the Magic Valley Chapter H.O.G.,
recalls how he and fellow director Terry Greene were brainstorming on how to
spice up everyday Chapter life and came up with the idea of a mascot.
“He and I think alike—on the edge—so we reasoned that if the chapter is
sponsored by Snake H-D the ideal mascot would be a snake. Well, maybe not
a snake—more a hog with really short legs! It’s name was a natural, given our
dealership family name.
“Each month we hold a 50-50 draw to see who gets to take Chester everywhere and document his education and cultural upbringing.
“Chester has been to symphony concerts, bike rallies, suicide prevention
training, the Mustang Ranch, Sturgis, Thanksgiving gatherings, and nearly all
Chapter events and H.O.G. functions. He has kissed strange (but nice) girls and
snuggled up with small kids and dogs.
“Our Ladies of Harley group, not to be outdone, came up with Poly-Esther
to keep Chester company. They were entangled at our original Three-Legged
H.O.G. event in 2007 in Challis, Idaho.
“The crazy just keeps flowing!”
122
Sponsor:
Grand Teton Harley-Davidson & Buell
Chapter director:
Terry Fletcher
Number of members:
186
Meeting place:
Meeting places vary, currently Stockman’s
Restaurant
Number of members:
50 core members, swelling to 175 by late
summer each year.
Website:
www.evhog.com
Meeting time:
First Wednesday of each month 7 p.m.
First formed:
Magic Valley Chapter was originally
chartered in 1999 and has been in
continuous operation since.
The East Valley H.O.G. Chapter of
Mesa, Arizona, gets together once a
month for its general meetings. Friday
evenings and Sunday mornings are set
aside for riding.
“We ride every week and do a Lost
Dutchman ride each year for charity,”
says Ed Leclere, the Chapter Director.
“East Valley H.O.G. raises thousands
of dollars for several different charities in the east Valley such as the Child
Crisis Center, Seeing Eye Dog Foundation and more.”
Website:
www.magicvalleyhog.com
The skinny on the mascot
Chapter director:
Ed Leclere
Grand Teton Chapter
According to Chapter Director Terry
Fletcher, “MV H.O.G. tries to keep
a balance between charity work and
living up to the H.O.G. mantra: ‘Ride
and have fun.’ That said, we annually participate in a local event known
as 60 Hours To Fight Hunger, which
feeds countless underprivileged families at Thanksgiving. We usually come
up with over 400 pounds of turkey to
donate to the cause.”
Another event—a bike ride with
game stops—raised cash for six Quick
Response Units in their rural area.
In addition to MV’s monthly social/
meeting dinner ride, they have an organized ride on the first Saturday and
third Sunday of every month from May
through October. They have traveled
probably every asphalt ribbon within
500 miles of home and often explore
neighboring states. Each season there
are two to three overnight rides.
Tel: Grand Teton H-D 208-523-1464
E-mail: matt@tetonharley.com
Chapter director:
John Katri
Number of members:
200-220
First formed:
2001
When you’re this close to the
mountains, a short riding season is
something you must take in stride.
Even snowstorms in the middle of June
don’t stop the Grand Teton H.O.G.
chapter from its dinner rides, monthly
meetings, Saturday rides and a few
overnight rides.
With only three months of summer
riding, and the recent reorganization
of their chapter, the members still find
time to help charitable groups.
“We go to Sam’s Club and pick
the names of 10 children from their
Christmas tree,” Chapter Director
John Katri says. “The names include a
list of items of what the children want
and also what they need. Last year we
were able to buy everything on the lists
for the 10.”
The Grand Teton H.O.G. chapter
also joins with its sister chapters sponsored by Chester dealerships in the area
for the Three-Legged H.O.G. Chapter
Challenge. The chapter that tallies the
most member-miles in attendance wins
the opportunity to launch the planning for next year’s event. To make it
more fun, the formula to determine the
member-miles changes yearly with the
addition of a secret factor (e.g. divide
by the number of whitewalls in a chapter’s attendance).
Tel: Chapter Director 208-851-2886
E-mail: rockram57@aol.com
Chapter director:
Rocky Ramos
Number of members:
105 active
First formed:
2003
Website:
www.portneufvalleyhog.com
The Portneuf Valley H.O.G. schedules rides for almost every summer
weekend, highlighted by the Who Let
The H.O.G.s Out Summer Picnic and, in
recent years, a float in the Thanksgiving
Light Parade. There are winter dinners
once a month to keep everyone active
during the dark months.
The Mountain Man Ride and the
POW/MIA Rodeo Fun Run are two
major events, but former Chapter
Director Gary Oneida says, “Our Fall
Color Ride is our big charity fundraiser. The proceeds from it, as well
as additional monies, go to different
needy organizations that the group
votes on. Foodbank, Toys for Tots and
Angel Tree are a few examples.”
Some of the money comes from a
monthly raffle with prizes donated by
the Eagle Rock Harley-Davidson &
Buell dealership. G
123
who
By Georgs Kolesnikovs, Editor
FLASHBACK
saved
The man
Harley-Davidson
In 1975, Vaughn Beals had been fired for the second time
Vaughn Beals, now 80,
enjoys summers in the cool
air of Forest Highlands near
Flagstaff, Arizona.
in his career as an engineer and executive. He was in his late 40s and unemployed—with
two daughters in college. Life was not looking good.
By chance, he heard that American Machine & Foundry Company, which owned
Harley-Davidson at the time, was looking for management help for its expanding motorcycle business.
Beals was offered the position but almost immediately alarm bells sounded: “I told my
wife, I think I screwed up again. I have never ridden a motorcycle, I don’t know beans
about manufacturing motorcycles.” Also, the casual atmosphere at the H-D plant bothered him: “Everyone was just ambling around, talking, having a cigarette. Productivity
was terrible.”
Motorcycle sales in the United States had taken off with the arrival of Honda and other
Japanese makes. Harley production had soared to 50,000 units per year from 15,000.
Since its acquisition by AMF in 1969, manufacturing facilities had been expanded and the
workforce doubled. The Milwaukee-based company, which had been a relatively small
family-run business was growing rapidly, while quality and market share slipped badly.
AMF was investing millions in the Motor Company but expertise wasn’t keeping
pace with accelerated growth. Beals and another key hire, Jeff Bleustein, were recruited
by AMF’s Ray Tritten. Beals was to provide management while Bleustein was to head
engineering and develop new models.
>>
125
FLASHBACK
Vaughn Beals describes
how the deal was struck
on February 26, 1981:
“When we were negotiating the
purchase price, it must have been
10 o’clock at night. We were in
Manhattan and had been at it for
hours and hours. We were half a
million bucks apart in a $70-million
deal, stalled on the final price.
“I finally pulled a quarter out and
said, ‘We have been sitting here
arguing for hours about a half a
million bucks. I’ll flip you for it.’
“AMF’s guy was as straight and
proper as they come. He kind of
looked appalled. The AMF attorney
assured him it was a legitimate
option.
“I insisted they flip the quarter
and that they call the toss. It was
my quarter but I didn’t want to
touch it. I wanted to make sure that
there was never any interpretation
that I had called it wrong or done
something shady.
“So they flipped—and won the
half-million bucks. I got to keep the
quarter.”
At the time of the management
buyout, Beals was AMF’s group
executive in charge of the
motorcycle division. Prior to joining
AMF in December, 1975, Beals had
indeed had his “butt fired,” as he
puts it, twice. It had nothing to do
with his competence as an engineer
and executive, and everything to
do with politics. Simply put, he was
too successful.
126
About the same time a friend he had made at AMF asked why Beals and other
managers don’t buy the company. “I said, ‘Holy cow! How are we going to buy a
$300-million company?’ He said, ‘Do a leveraged buyout.’”
Beals had been involved in such deals earlier in his career, in the $20-million range,
with “financially sophisticated guys doing the tough part, but that’s a long way from
buying a $300-million company.”
But several banks expressed interest when they saw there were big earnings for
them and Beals and his partners ended up buying the company.
“If anybody but AMF had owned it, it would have never happened. They were
just not bright people. AMF was not well run,” Beals says. “We ended up buying a
$300-million company for $70 million in cash with only $1 million in equity.”
Except for a Milwaukee lawyer who had handled Harley-Davidson affairs and
asked to join the deal, the buyout participants were all management: “We all knew
each other, we knew strengths, we knew weaknesses. You should have seen them when
I called them into a room and said, ‘Hey, we have an opportunity to buy a company.’
They thought I was absolutely looney tuney, but they chimed up the money.
“My guess is that most of the million dollars was borrowed from parents. The
lowball was one guy who only had 25 grand, but that was good enough as we needed
everything we could get.”
It was an extraordinary achievement. Thirteen determined men and one friendly
bank. A debt ratio of 70 to 1. That’s what you call leverage!
New engine ready for production
Engineering for a new engine had wrapped up. Tooling was to start, but AMF balked
at investing the tens of millions of dollars needed. Soon it became apparent AMF—on
the advice of an outside consultant—had decided to favor its industrial divisions over
its leisure products divisions.
Beals foresaw Harley would wither away in such a corporate environment. He flew
to AMF headquarters in Connecticut to suggest AMF sell Harley-Davidson to fund
expansion of its financial divisions. He told AMF: “Harley cannot succeed unless there
is going to be a major, major capital investment to get all this stuff we have designed
into production and out on the streets. It would be absolutely fatal to Harley to not
put in the capital necessary.”
AMF agreed to sell Harley. So Beals set about retaining an investment banker and
planning how to proceed, not for a second imagining he
could be the buyer. Six weeks later he got a call from the
No. 2 man at AMF: “He wanted to know why the hell
we hadn’t sold the company yet!”
American
icon
Leadership today
James Ziemer, Chief Executive
Officer of the Motor Company,
started his career with Harley as a
freight elevator operator. He’s been
riding motorcycles since age 16:
“Harley-Davidson is truly a
universal language. One of the
great things about any ride on a
Harley is the chance encounter
with riders you’ve never met
before. Whether at a gas pump
or back at the dealership, the
connection is immediate. There’s
always something to talk about.”
The turnaround
became a success
story for the ages
The years right after the 1981
PHOTOS: HARLEY-DAVIDSON ARCHIVES © H-D
Flip of the coin
Beals, now 80 and happily retired with his wife in a grand home overlooking the
desert near Phoenix, recalls AMF’s lack of focus at the time—it had 40 companies,
all in totally different areas, but was doing only $1.5 billion worth of business a year.
Harley was $300 million at the time, making it 20 percent of the company.
“AMF had been making tennis rackets and skis or things like that, for which the
product development cycle is pretty darn short. They just plain did not understand the
complexity of making an engine, a chassis or series of chassis. But their heart was in
the right place. They wanted to grow Harley and the market was there,” Beals says.
“AMF wasn’t aware that no one at Harley had decent blueprints for the motorcycles. The blueprints were out of date but the guys all knew how to make the models
because they had been doing it for years. When AMF increased production and
doubled the workforce, the new guys coming in from the street didn’t know how to
make these things. So quality went into the tank.”
There was no one in the company with a professional degree. The engineering department got the work done, but the staff weren’t trained in modern technology.
“The problem was the scale of what had to be done,” Beals says. “AMF was superbly
generous with cash. They were extremely generous in investments. But then I started
to notice that the atmosphere had changed.”
The men who started Harley-Davidson
in 1903; the men who saved the Motor
Company from oblivion in 1981 with
Vaughn Beals seated lower right.
anagement buyout were not for the faint of
m
heart. Despite his casual manner and folksy
language, Vaughn Beals obviously had guts
of steel for the battle ahead:
“The alternatives were so bleak we couldn’t
conceive of not succeeding.”
Faced with the onslaught of Japanese
brands and its own quality problems,
Harley-Davidson had difficulty selling motorcycles. Production dropped to 30,000 units
from 50,000.
“It was the first time since the Depression
that Harley lost money,” Vaughn Beals
recalls. “We just couldn’t do anything to get
the market going.”
>>
Vaughn Beals greets
President Reagan at
the York factory when
he visited in 1987 to
congratulate the Motor
Company on its stellar
turnaround.
127
FLASHBACK
128
routine basis. We could also get officers
in the company involved in riding with
these local groups.
“Clyde Fessler [later, a Motor
Company vice-president] came back
with the name H.O.G. How much better
could it get than that?”
In 1984 Beals and his wife flew out to
the Los Angeles area for the first H.O.G.
rally: “I think we had 28 people and half
of them were factory people.”
Twenty-five years later H.O.G. boasts
more than one million members worldwide, making it the largest single-make
motorcycle organization on the planet.
unseen to the customer but crucial to the
success, there were changes going on to
company culture:
1) Employee involvement
2) Just-in-time (JIT) production
3) Statistical operator control
Employment involvement is simply
that. During the AMF years, the expertise and experience on the floor of the
factories were largely ignored. Starting
with the Beals era, quality circles receive
the full commitment of management and
employees have genuine influence.
Harley’s take on JIT is called MAN
(for Materials As Needed). Parts and raw
materials are purchased and built only as
they are required, dramatically lowering
costs and improving quality.
Statistical operator control means
employees are given the training and
tools to monitor the quality on their own.
Problems can be rectified at the source,
quickly and efficiently.
Beals and his fellow executives, as
H.O.G. has had a huge impact
“I can’t think of any single decision that
has had more impact [on the company’s
success] to this day,” Beals says.
In 1983 Beals took the Japanese motorcycle manufacturers to court seeking
protection from imports, especially
“dumping.” It was a desperation move
as Harley struggled to stay alive.
“Our law firm said it’s a great law in
concept but nobody has ever got any
material benefit from it. We said we don’t
really care. What we are trying to do is
just keep the Japanese off balance and
get through this spring. Then, maybe, we
will make it through the year.”
The petition to the International Trade
Commission was successful, and President Ronald Reagan imposed additional
tariffs on heavyweight Japanese bikes.
An even greater moral and PR victory
came four years later when Harley asked
for the tariffs to be lifted, signaling it had
regained its competitive edge.
But in the background of this American success story there have always
been the motorcycles, and the Beals
years saw improvements in quality and
productivity.
The introduction in 1984 of the Softail
design with its concealed rear shocks had
“an immense impact on success,” says
Beals, giving credit to Jeff Bleustein, head
of engineering. That year also saw the
debut of the V2 Evolution engine, after
seven years of development started in the
AMF era. The 1,340-cubic-centimeter
Evo pumped out more horsepower, ran
cooler, cleaner—and was oil-tight.
Within the walls of Harley factories,
much as they were locked in a fierce
competition with the Japanese, had no
qualms about touring rival plants in the
United States and Japan and learning all
they could. A quote from Beals reported
in Forbes magazine tells it all:
“We discovered the key reason for our
lack of competitiveness was poor management, by world-wide and not just U.S.
standards. We were being wiped out by
the Japanese because they were better
managers. It wasn’t robotics, or culture,
or morning calisthenics and the company
songs. It was professional managers who
understood their business and paid attention to detail.”
Manufacturing must be automated
More than anyone, Beals understood
that “you can’t achieve high standards
by the old fashioned way of manufacturing. You have to automate it.” He gives
all credit for that to Tom Gelb, who ran
manufacturing at Harley. His own role
in the turnaround Beals downplays, but
clearly there is pride:
“There are few companies in the U.S.
that can point to as long a run of profitable years. Even this past year, the
company made 16 percent after-tax
profit, with a strike—and it shouldn’t
have had the darn strike. The year before
it was 18 percent.”
His greatest satisfaction comes from
the market share. Harley has close to 50
percent of the heavyweight market. “To
beat the Japanese was one heck of an
accomplishment, because it took productivity and quality to do that.”
What about the possibility of a takeover with the Harley-Davidson stock
price dropping sharply in the recent economic turmoil?
“God, I hope it stays independent. The
price is cheap enough now that that’s a
real threat. It would be a disaster. The
Harley style of customer relations is such
an inbred thing with those who are going
through this. They know what it takes to
make it work. There aren’t many companies that have ever accomplished what
we have.” G
Get out to ride
PHOTO: HARLEY-DAVIDSON ARCHIVES © H-D
The investment
bankers were
amply rewarded
when the work
that Beals and
senior managers
started in 1981
paid off handsomely within a
decade. So were
the shareholders after Harley
went public:
$1,000 invested
in Harley stock
in 1986 was
worth $34,880 a
decade later.
Four years later the Motor Company
was again on the brink of bankruptcy
(the first time was in the late 1960s when
AMF rescued it). In alarm, Citicorp,
which had financed the management
buyout, wanted its money, some $40
million. Days before the plug was to be
pulled, Beals and two associates—Richard Teerlink and Tom Gelb—convinced
Heller Financial to provide funding. It
helped that the No. 2 man at Heller was
a Harley rider.
The investment bankers were amply
rewarded when the work that Beals and
senior managers started in 1981 paid off
handsomely within a decade. So were the
shareholders after Harley went public:
$1,000 invested in Harley stock in 1986
was worth $34,880 a decade later.
At the heart of that success, now the
subject of university courses in business
management, was unending customer
enthusiasm for the brand. Even when
quality was at its poorest, the devoted rider
was known for saying “I would rather
push my Harley than ride a rice burner.”
Tapping into that loyalty and promoting excitement and lifestyle over hardware truly started during the Beals era
at Harley-Davidson.
“What really worked is how all those
management guys got on motorcycles and
went to rallies. There was no rally of any
size that wasn’t attended by one or more
of those guys. Pretty soon the customers
know who’s who. If they have a problem,
they are going to look for the president or
head of marketing or whatever and tell
them what their problem is.
“Monday morning, when the guys get
back to the office, they know what the
heck is happening out in the field. They
weren’t just sitting at desks, waiting till
they had five or six problems from each
of 600 dealers to know they had a major
problem.”
Another critical moment came in 1983,
with the creation of H.O.G. — the Harley
Owners Group. The idea was born at
a meeting with an acclaimed marketing
consultant in Florida, who asked the
managers what they did with the riders,
apart from riding at rallies.
“What evolved was the concept of a
club for owners and how we could get the
dealers and the customers together on a
Vaughn and
Eleanore Beals
in rally mode.
First, Vaughn Beals had to learn to ride a motorcycle, then get his wife involved.
After that, getting senior executives and managers out there was easy:
“I figured the only way you can understand who the customers are is if you
ride with them. I can’t conceive running a motorcycle company and not being
an active rider.
“I had never ridden a motorcycle, and I don’t think I ever would have ridden
one if I hadn’t gotten in the business. I started there in Milwaukee in December
and obviously it wasn’t a good time to practice.
“By spring, I went around the parking lot a few times and finally hitched
up my britches and rode home one morning, Sunday morning about seven
o’clock, before traffic started. That almost produced a divorce. My wife, Eleanore, didn’t think that was the smartest thing I ever did.”
At first, Eleanore would agree only to short rides, generally with friends like
Jeff Bleustein and his wife, who loved to ride.
“We finally decided we had to get more serious about this. So I said why
don’t we take a long weekend and go to a place in northern Wisconsin 100plus miles away. I took a Friday off—and of course it was pouring. We rode
mostly in rain and that didn’t add to her interest at all.
But, on the return trip, “God was nice to us. The sun came out and it was one
of those great days. After the rains, everything twinkled. By the time we got
home, she was an enthusiast who wouldn’t stop. So we rode coast to coast
and to many rallies. We even did most of Europe on a Harley.”
Beals gave up his last Harley, a Liberty Edition Electra Glide, when he
was about 75 years old: “We just figured we were too old to be falling off
motorcycles.”
129
Selecting the most significant events in the history of Harley-Davidson is akin to choosing a favorite ride: So
many great choices that leaving some off the list seems sacrilegious. Here is Glor y Road’s take on the most
memorable moments in Harley-Davidson history. While some may debate our picks for the top 12, all can
agree that there are many great moments still to come. By Scott Himelhoch, Contributing Editor
The “flathead” is introduced,
a 45-cubic-inch engine so
reliable that variations are
produced until 1972.
1903
1981
The Motor
Company
introduces the
first V-twin
powered
motorcycle with
a displacement
of 49.5
cubic inches
and seven
horsepower.
William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson make available
the first production Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
The teardrop gas tank becomes a
Harley-Davidson signature and is
included on all models.
1989
1983
1971
Harley-Davidson
MotorClothes is
launched with
an expanded line
including leather
jackets, casual
sportswear and
small leather goods
for men, women
and children.
1990
2001
The Fat Boy is introduced and immediately
becomes a modern design legend.
1925
Great moments in the Motor Company’s 105-year history
H.O.G. (Harley
Owners
Group) is born,
eventually
becoming the
largest such
motorcycle
organization
in the world
with more
than a million
members.
1909
1910
Rear
View
Mirror
130
Thirteen Harley-Davidson
senior executives complete the
buyback of the Harley-Davidson
Motor Company from AMF.
1929
PHOTOS: HARLEY-DAVIDSON ARCHIVES © H-D
The “Bar
& Shield”
logo first
appears and is
trademarked a
year later.
The modern cruiser is born when HarleyDavidson introduces the FX 1200 Super Glide.
The VRSCA
V-Rod is
introduced. The
V-Rod is HarleyDavidson’s first
motorcycle
to combine
fuel injection,
overhead cams
and liquid
cooling, and
deliver 115
horsepower.
2008
More than 150,000 enthusiasts gather in Milwaukee for the
Harley-Davidson 105th Anniversary Celebration and Party and
opening of the spectacular Harley-Davidson Museum.
131
Buell: Engineer, rocker, family man
A life in
balance
Erik Buell and the art of motorcycle design: an American story
Motorcycle legend Erik Buell, left,
designed an electric guitar for
rocker Mike Stone of Queensryche
after learning about their mutual
love of guitars and bikes.
photo: HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY
Every single day that Erik Buell
walks into the motorcycle company in East Troy,
Wisconsin, that displays his name over the door,
he comes face to face with the twin angels of his
inspiration. One is the sublime karmic reward that
comes from creating clever machinery, good jobs and a
motorcycle community. The other is a darker sort—a
jagged-toothed demon ready to bite him in the butt
should his efforts fall short. Buell sees himself as an
underdog, in constant motion, drawn and driven by
those angels.
As unlikely as it may seem, the late U.S. President
Herbert Hoover is a good guide to the psyche of
engineers such as Buell. Hoover took more pride
in his engineering career than his presidency; he
recognized the angels that drive men like Erik Buell and
described them in his memoirs. He talked about the
By Peter Swanson / Contributing Editor
132
satisfaction of “watching a figment of the imagination
emerge through aid of science to a plan on paper …
to realization in stone or metal or energy.” Hoover
was most poignant, however, about the downside—
the engineer’s total accountability.
“His acts, step by step, are in hard substance,”
Hoover wrote. “He cannot bury his mistake like the
doctors. He cannot argue them into thin air or blame
the judge like the lawyers. He cannot, like the architects, cover his failures with trees and vines. He cannot,
like the politicians, screen his shortcomings by blaming
his opponents and hope that the people will forget. The
engineer simply cannot deny that he did it.”
What is it that Erik Buell has done?
He and his team have taken the standard stuff of
modern motorcycles—the metal, rubber, plastic and
energy—and put it together a little differently. The
result is a family of motorcycles generally classed as
sportbikes, the only bikes of their type made in the U.S.
133
Buell
Critics describe Buell’s bikes as “quirky”—
which means, of course, they incorporate
innovations that other manufacturers will
eventually imitate but haven’t done so yet.
aspiring tough guys, if not actual criminals—just like the protagonist in 1952 Vincent Black Lightning, an armed robber
named James Adie.
At the meeting, Harley execs were questioning the appropriateness of the CR designation. Harley, after all, is supreme
master of nostalgia marketing, and because there had been a
Café Sportster XLCR in 1977-78, the term café racer meant
“antique bike” to the boys at H-D. Buell prides himself on
thinking “rider down,” and to him it seemed the Harley guys
were failing to understand the 1125 customer.
So how did Buell defend “café racer?” He turned the meeting
into a musical. He transformed himself into James Adie, rider
and armed robber, and started spewing lyrics from 1952
Vincent Black Lightning:
Now I’m twenty-one years, might make twenty-two,
And I don’t mind dying but for the love of you.
As Buell recalls: “Some folks were claiming that the old H-D
XLCR was what represented a café racer, which was a nostalgic kind of bike all about image. I said the spirit was alive
and well in young riders today riding streetfighters, and that
although the XLCR was one of the last bikes to carry the designation and was not fast in its day, the real café racers in the
’50s and ’60s were as badass as a bike could be and were very
much a young and wild man’s motorcycle. So I started singing
the song. I’m sure that convinced them I was rational.”
Critics describe Buell’s bikes as “quirky”—which means, of
course, they incorporate innovations that other manufacturers will eventually imitate but haven’t done so yet.
Erik Buell, 58, is a great interview, a fact glory road knew
before ever speaking with him. In interviews others had done,
Buell comes off as at once articulate, humble and heroic. His
story sounds like that of the exceptional guy in the Hollywood
movie who seems ordinary until his triumph over adversity
proves otherwise.
Which brings us to the launch of the most powerful manifestation of Buell engineering ever wrought. Buell has announced
the second coming of its successful launch of the 1125R, an
exotic racing machine. The new iteration is called the 1125CR,
initials that stand for “café racer.”
Here it should be mentioned that Erik Buell has an alter ego.
He is lead singer and guitarist for the Thunderbolts rock band.
Buell and a changing cast of musically inclined compadres
tour the Milwaukee area, belting out a bluesy mix of original
motorcycle-themed songs and a wide range of covers. Thunderbolts originals sound like a cross between Steppenwolf (Born
to be Wild) and ZZ Top, not to mention a strong dose of Jimi
134
Hendrix, whose music Buell absolutely adores. Buell’s lyrics
also have been compared to Neil Young’s.
Buell was traveling the day we spoke to him by telephone.
We were wrapping up the interview because checkout time
at his hotel was approaching. What do you think of Richard
Thompson, we asked, referring to the British singer-songwriter
and guitarist, best known in the U.S. for the popular motorcycle tune 1952 Vincent Black Lightning. As a question, this
one was just an afterthought, but it got Buell revved up. Funny
you should ask, he said, because that song has a connection
to the 1125CR.
Buell tells how he and some of the honchos at Harley-Davidson were meeting about the new lineup when conversation
turned to the “café racer” designation proposed for the new
incarnation of the 1125. For those unfamiliar with the history,
a café racer was an informal designation for stripped-down
street-racing bikes in Britain during the 1950s and early ’60s,
when young riders would race from a café to a set point and
back, trying to complete the round trip before a particular
tune had finished playing on the jukebox, which back then was
rarely longer than a couple of minutes. The café racers were
Always a hands-on guy, Erik Buell, left, and two of Buell factory technicians look for a way to improve a part on the 1125R.
“pasta burners” and doesn’t much like the more neutral term
“metrics” either, especially now that the 1125’s motor is supplied by Rotax, an Austrian (and therefore metric) enginemaker. In fact, it may surprise many of his customers to learn
Buell looks to the late Japanese engineer/industrialist Soichiro
Honda to inspire his work in the same way he looks to Hendrix
to inspire his music.
“He’s definitely a guy I admire,” Buell said, referring in
particular to Honda’s design of the Honda 50 step-through,
often described as the Volkswagen Beetle of motorcycles. “The
Honda 50 was fundamentally a great design. There have probably been more step-through Hondas made than any vehicle
ever made. And I think they are still being produced in some
Third World countries. Soichiro was an interesting guy who
did interesting things in the way he ran his company, the way
he treated people. And he was a hands-on guy. Now it’s a big
company with its foibles but back then …”
Racing days
But the story has moved ahead of itself. By the late 1970s, Buell
was working as motorcycle mechanic by day while putting
himself through mechanical engineering classes at the University of Pittsburgh, graduating in 1979. He turned down job
offers at General Motors and others and flew to Milwaukee on
his own nickel to present himself to Harley-Davidson at a time
when the company was down in the dumps. He got the job and
distinguished himself, particularly in chassis design.
Here’s Harley-Davidson’s official take on Buell’s
Tinkering in the barn
contribution:
Hard to believe, for someone born as recently as 1950, but
“Buell was able to put the big bikes to the test, riding the
Buell’s childhood belongs to a lost world—before comput- cruisers well beyond the limits on test tracks that any normal
ers, computer games and round-the-clock adult supervision rider would be able to duplicate on the street. Buell’s rigorcreated a nation of listless, light-deprived children.
ous test riding, along
Erik Buell’s formative years couldn’t have been more
with the state-of-thedifferent—he grew up on an actual farm in Western
art electronic chassis
Erik Buell at speed back
in his racing days.
Pennsylvania.
testing instrumentaFor teenagers in those days, the place to spend
tion and development
time wasn’t in their bedroom with the Game Boy, but
test methodology he
in the garage or barn, playing loud music with their
implemented, helped
friends and messing around with engines. Many were
to greatly improve the
riding motorcycles before they were old enough for
handling of Harley’s
a driver’s license—which, if you think about it, made
street bikes.”
them entry-level outlaws. So it began with Buell and
Harley was still
his first ride, an Italian Parilla 90-cc moped.
struggling in the early
Like many young people who go to college right
1980s, and Buell felt it
from high school, Buell felt directionless. He dropped out to would be unseemly to race an Italian or Japanese machine,
play in a rock band for a few years. One bike led to the next. but he didn’t put off his dream entirely. He bought an obscure
He raced motocross before getting into road racing. By his British 750 with the intention of competing in the Formula One
mid-20s he was privateering in national competitions held by class, but soon learned the bike was a clunker. Not long afterthe American Motorcycle Association. He was good enough ward the manufacturer went out of business. Buell bought the
for top ten finishes, and his rides bore the logos of Yamaha tooling, presumably at a bargain price, and had it shipped to his
and Ducati.
home workshop, confident he could turn that crazy machine
Perhaps that’s part of the reason Buell doesn’t go for the into a contender.
jingoistic world view of some American riders, the ones who
He did, and it was—it was the contender from hell. “The
are quick to put down foreign products. He respects his com- bike was incredibly hard to ride,” Buell says in the official H-D
petition too much to deride foreign bikes as “rice rockets” or history. “The power was like a light switch. This thing was a
135
Buell
Buell looks to the late Japanese engineer/
industrialist Soichiro Honda to inspire
his work in the same way he looks to
Hendrix to inspire his music.
which makes for fewer problems and lower costs.
Buell’s trademark underslung exhaust system is an easyto-explain element of mass centralization. Too bad the Buell
website no longer shows the video of Erik Buell swinging a
muffler from his outstretched arms, then making the same
movement while hugging the pipe close to his body. The bit of
theater made the centralization point very convincingly.
Buell’s engineering team also pioneered an “inside out” brake
system that allowed them to use a front wheel that was several
pounds lighter than conventional wheels, thus vastly reducing
unsprung weight. Buell chassis are robust aluminum spars, and
the 1125 integrates the motor for added strength and rigidity rather than just holding it bolted in place. Chassis sections
also take the place of a fuel tank. Not only do these spar components hold a great volume of fuel, they do so down low. A
lesson from the track: Buell the racer never liked the unbalanced feel of his ride when its traditional high-set fuel tank had
just been topped. No balance, no Zen zone.
monster. It was terrifying to ride.” Buell had found his passion.
He left his job at Harley and put his Buell 750RW (for road
warrior) on track for Formula One glory. But the sanctioning
organization, the AMA, had other plans and dropped the class
in favor of the more popular Superbike class, which left Buell
with neither a race venue nor a market for his product. It was
a body blow, erasing nearly his entire effort.
Despite this crushing disappointment, Buell had created
something tangible and salvageable from the 750RW experience—a superb racing chassis. Harley had surplus 1000-cc
engines and a surplus of affection for Buell himself. They struck
a deal. In 1985 Buell launched the RR1000, combining the H-D
XR1000 motor, Buell’s Grand Prix-style chassis and exotic
bodywork. As you may recall, the media then was predicting that Japan would soon rule the world, not just the motorcycle world, so the sheer counterintuitive direction taken by
Buell caught the audience by surprise. His breakthrough bike
became a modest success.
Pitching the product
Enter Harley-Davidson
136
Erik Buell, rear left, met up eight years ago with his college flame, Tish,
rear centre, and they married. Here they are with three of their six children.
every skill, every bit of talent of everyone on the team.”
Buell’s philosophy is to build bikes “from the rider down,”
machines capable of inducing a state of enlightenment.
Nowhere has he explained it better than in his remarks to a
Canadian newspaper writer: “I want the bike to disappear
when I’m riding. I want to feel like I have wings on my feet. I
want to be in that Zen zone.”
Trilogy of Tech
All well and good, but how does one make that happen? What
alchemy allows someone to combine “science and metal and
energy” into the sublime experience described by Buell? Back
down to earth, he calls the principles behind his philosophy
the “Trilogy of Tech.”
It being a trilogy, you would expect three principles, but
like the Three Musketeers (about four guys with swords, not
muskets) there are actually four. The first three are mass centralization, low unsprung weight and chassis rigidity. The fourth
is multifunctional design, which means designing components
to do more than one job. Fewer parts mean greater simplicity,
PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE BUELL FAMILY
Again, from the official H-D history: “Over the next several
years, Erik Buell refined those concepts into his own line of
street motorcycles, while maintaining close relations with
Harley. And in the ’90s, Harley began to invest in the motorcycle company its former engineer founded, eventually increasing
its ownership to 100 percent of the Buell brand by 2003.”
The day we spoke to Erik Buell coincided with his company’s celebration of 25 years in business and the launch of his
café racer for the new millennium. Buell says he has rarely felt
that he could ever afford the luxury of looking back. Running
scared might seem an undignified way to put it, but even under
the protection of Harley-Davidson, success was never guaranteed. As every H-D securities filing reminds its investors, the
vast financial resources of overseas competitors means that
they can always outspend Harley.
“I don’t have time to think about the successes we have had,
but about what we’re doing for the future,” Buell says. “And
even though there is really some substance in what we’ve done,
I’m always focusing to make sure that next thing will be something better. It wasn’t like we were ever leading the pack. First
we had to catch up.
“Here we were, the first American sport bike company. How
can we pull this off? We don’t have a lot of money, government
support, and we don’t have low wages, but that’s okay. It was
the real pioneer spirit that brought out the best in America, and
we knew that if we were going to be better, we would have to
be different and not just in the product but how we engineered
things. And we don’t have a big team so we would have to use
Besides his role as chief engineer, Erik Buell is the company
front man, traveling the world, talking up his product to a
tech-savvy consumer base. “We know we’ve got to sell to the
more technology-oriented people because our bikes are different. We’re not well known, and we don’t have a big ad
budget,” he says.
“We need to appeal to a thinking person, not ‘Hey dude, my
buddy got a 600G. I’m gonna get one, too.’ Plus I have got to
do innovative solutions to make the business work. I want to
build great motorcycles, and I also want to build a great business with high wages. Innovation helps because it can be patented, so it isn’t easily copied.”
Buell’s impulse to innovate is not confined to his bike factory.
Besides his extracurricular activities with the Thunderbolts,
Buell is also good pals with rider and guitarist Mike Stone of
Queensryche, who returned to his native Wisconsin to raise a
family. Together they designed a futuristic electric guitar that
they plan to see go into production. The collaboration seemed
logical to Stone, who says, “Erik’s thing is balance, and his
designs tend to be very unique and forward thinking. For this
collaboration I wanted a modern, crushing guitar that can do
everything, but be very curvy and sexy.”
For inspiration, Buell studied some old Vargas pinup girls
on the Internet. “There was one with a woman looking over
her shoulder and her body’s twisted,” he told the Los Angeles
Times. “I thought that’s cool because it’s dynamic, it’s got that
motion, not that classic hourglass shape. So I wound up making
this guitar that’s twisted a little bit. It’s offset, and then I carved
the shape of it so it would be comfortable everywhere you
touched it.”
The Thunderbolts, by the way, have released a new CD,
Riders of the Edge, with nine original tunes on board. Music
is another force that complements and balances Buell’s hectic
life. Much of the Thunderbolts playlist may be bike-related,
but plenty are just the songs we all grew up listening to in the
1970s and ’80s.
Angry stage presence
Buell is a different guy on stage. He says he adopts a musical
persona very much unlike his own easy-going self. Music is
an emotional release for him, his lyrics edgy and occasionally
angry. One track, Alive, pays homage to a couple of rider friends
who lost their lives on the highway but does so not by memorializing them as individuals but by railing at social forces that
Buell says threaten freedom and imagination.
I’m alive, and I’m gonna ride
Right through your plans to break our pride,
’Cause freedom is the power, destroy your ivory tower
It’s the ever-growing flower of our mind.
“We pull it off pretty well live because it means a lot to me.
In short, you don’t need to have a great voice to pull it off, just
the passion to scream,” Buell says. “The next CD we do will
have a lot of songs full of old-man teenage angst!”
The back-story to a life of racing, engineering and rock ’n’
roll may well be the most dramatic one of all—a tale of love
lost and regained. Buell is father to six kids, ranging from 15
to 25 years old, two of whom have last names different than
his own. He calls it a “blended family.”
“I was divorced several times. However, my wife, Tish, was
my college sweetheart and the love of my life. She was the
golden child of her family, and I was her black sheep brother’s
friend. Despite her family’s horror, we were very much in love
and planned to be married. But Tish left me because she thought
I was going to kill myself racing,” Buell recalls.
“She was raising two young sons with a very nice man, when
he was struck down with cancer. I ran into her by the most
amazing set of circumstances, and we have been together for
eight years and married for nearly six. The whole story of
our relationship would
be worth many chapters, if not a novel.
There are a number
of very spiritual and
miraculous things that
have happened during
it. She is absolutely
wonderful.”
Erik, you should
write a book, we say.
He laughs and says he
would never be able to
find the time. He says
he has a crazy 200-year
The artwork for the Thunderbolts’
new CD Riders of the Edge has a
business plan for Buell
sci-fi biker theme
Motorcycle Company
that needs his attention. “We could be building motorcycles for tooling around
the asteroids,” he says, revealing that he’s a bit of a sciencefiction fan.
Before you dismiss Buell’s futuristic vision, take a look at the
concept drawing. It’s the cover art for the Thunderbolts CD. G
137
Buell: Superbike, streetfighter, adventure bike
before finding a job at Rotax.
“The fit of culture was extremely
important to us. It was very important
to find someone who shared our vision
of quality and how you execute things,”
Buell told an Australian audience at the
unveiling of the 1125R. “We went to
Rotax with a spec book that was huge
and thorough. It didn’t tell them everything they had to execute in the engine,
but it did tell them what we wanted the
engine to do in great detail—more than
from anyone else who had ever given
them a spec sheet, according to them.”
The Helicon engine uses four vertical valves per cylinder, dual overhead
cam in a 72-degree V-Twin displacing
1125 cubic centimeters and producing
146 horsepower. With a six-speed transmission, the combination makes for “a
wide, flat power band”—from 3,500 to
over 10,000 RPM—that requires less
shifting on twisty roads. “What I don’t
want is to be in the middle of a turn and
have the tire light because I'm right on
the edge of the power band,” Buell told
one interviewer.
When Rotax crunched the numbers,
the bottom line was 1125 cubic centimeters. This might have been bad news—the
Superbike racing rule limited displacement to 1000 cubic centimeters—but
Buell did not care. He had been burned
by racing rules before [See the Erik Buell
Matt Lachman,
Sales Manager at
Grand Teton HarleyDavidson & Buell,
takes on twisties
with the 1125R.
The 1125 series may well mark the
most important step Buell Motorcycles
has ever taken, strategically distancing
itself even further from Harley-Davidson
in technology and marketing. Buoyed by
the 1125R’s instant success at the racetrack, this 146-horsepower superbike has
been an immediate sales success. With the
By Peter Swanson / Contributing Editor
138
launch of the 1125CR (for Café Racer),
Buell has brought the same performance
and “sinister” looks to the streetfighter
market.
With the 1125R, Buell went with a
liquid-cooled engine, departing from a
25-year tradition of using Harley-Davidson-style powerplants. Buell developed its
new Helicon engine in a collaboration with
BRP-Rotax in Austria. The decision to go
Liquid-cooled Helicon engine makes
the 1125 an instant success
Top: The new 1125CR (Café Racer)
takes the sportbike styling of the
1125R, below, and dresses it up in
a sinister, streetracer black.
Radical
departure
with liquid cooling was driven by business
considerations as much as anything.
Erik Buell, Chairman and Chief Technical Officer, said that while he is proud
of the performance achieved by Buell
with American-made air-cooled V-Twins,
the sportbike market is overwhelmingly
inclined to liquid-cooled engines. If Buell
was going to appeal to a larger market
beyond its current “niche within a niche,”
it had to respond to the demands of the
consumer.
A domestically produced liquidcooled powerplant would have been
years away—Harley’s engine development teams are booked solid—so Buell’s
team cast about for a partner that would
build an entirely new engine to Buell’s
detailed specifications. In BRP-Rotax,
Buell said his company had found a soul
mate. It didn’t hurt that the three-year
effort was headed by a “German kid”
who had worked at Buell as an intern
profile] and refused to let them be a factor.
In one of the great ironies of his career,
the American Motorcyclist Association,
a governing body for American superbike racing, revised its 2008 rules to allow
twins of up to 1200 cubic centimeters to
compete—just in time for the 1125R. The
AMA taketh, and the AMA giveth away.
Accidental contender or not, the 1125
was headed for the tracks.
Buell, a former “privateer” himself,
believes in showing “competence through
racing.”
“We’re hoping more folks will be
racing 1125s next year, and the guys
racing them this year are doing pretty
darned well. I would expect race success
will definitely help sell these 1125s,”
Buell told Glory Road.
In March 2008, the only two 1125Rs in
a field of 32 racers finished third and fifth
in Germany’s Hockenheim 1000. These
surprising performances were followed
a few days later by more of the same—
second- and fourth-place finishes in the
French Top Twin event against a field
heavy with bad-boy Ducatis. In June, the
1125R won its first major North American event, the MOTO-ST 500K in Elkhart
Lake, Wisconsin. Since then, the victories
have kept on coming.
As a marketing strategy, triumph at the
tracks is a winner. “That will convert the
youth over,” said Matt Lachman, Sales
Manager at Grand Teton Harley-Davidson & Buell (part of the Chester family of
Harley-Davidson dealerships in Arizona,
Idaho and Wyoming), who noted Buell
already enjoys a following among older,
savvier riders.
The new model line-up sees the 1125
move from its superbike incarnation
to a streetwise hybrid that Buell says is
“part superbike, part streetfighter.” The
new 1125CR café racer harkens back to
the badass street racers of 1960s Britain.
Unlike the 1125R, the position of the rider
is more upright for comfort in general
riding conditions.
Soon after its debut, riders discovered
some 1125Rs throttled a tad unpredictably
at low RPM so the engineers went back
to work and came up with new targeted
fuel injectors, relocated O2 sensors, and
updated engine spark and fuel maps. (The
new spark and fuel maps are available for
the previous model as well.)
>>
139
The world knows of two fantastic rides called the Firebolt. The fact that
Harry Potter’s favorite mode of transportation is a broomstick called Firebolt may
not be entirely coincidental. The motor
cycle media has suggested Buell must have
used some kind of Wisconsin wizardry to
create its XB12R Firebolt, claiming the
bike performs far better than the specs
suggest possible.
“The frame geometry is far too radical
to be stable. The engine is too heavy and
slow revving,” one critic wrote on his
way to concluding that the Firebolt was
nevertheless “one of the most potent
track bikes you ever imagined.”
The Firebolt is a superbike powered
by the Thunderstorm 1203-cubic-centimeter, 45-degree V-Twin, churning out
103 horsepower. Yes, it is derived from a
Harley-Davidson engine, but Eric Buell
bristles a bit when someone says the Thunderstorm is a Harley engine. Buell’s team
has refined the Thunderstorm to tease out
every bit of performance without sacrificing the engine’s cast-iron reliability. It may
140
be air-cooled, but it is also oil-cooled with
a fan assist, and thanks to a sophisticated
engine control module, the Thunderstorm
passes even California’s stringent emission standards without requiring a catalytic converter.
“It’s not about specs. If you want to go
see who has the highest top speed, that
doesn’t take any experience at all,” says
Erik Buell, the Chairman and Chief Technical Officer of Buell. “But if you want
to ride twisty roads and really stretch a
bike to the limit, you can ride this bike
for a very long time without getting tired.
It’s so nimble, flicking through
the corners with very little
effort.”
The same agility that
makes the Firebolt fun
to ride on the streets also
accounts for its track performance. After all, there
With its twin headlights and its skeleton on the outside,
the XB looks like a predatory insect on steroids.
Large aluminum spars
form the Firebolt frame,
and double as its
3.8-gallon gas tank.
Nimble, reliable, easy to own
XBs make a statement, fashion and otherwise
Firebolt
XB12R
Full-frontal
attitude
are two ways that one motorcycle can
pass another-on the straight or in a turn.
Guess at which the Firebolt excels? One
commentator said the bike’s ability to
lean into a turn was limited only by the
courage of the rider.
Nimble and balanced, the Firebolt XB
has been the ultimate test bed for Buell’s
Trilogy of Tech: mass centralization, low
unsprung weight and stiffness of chassis.
That’s why the frame is configured of
massive aluminum spars, which double
as the 3.8-gallon fuel tank, thus positioning fuel weight down low. Mass centralization is the reason too for the underslung exhaust system.
Trilogy of Tech is the philosophy behind
the Buell ZTL (zero torsional load) front
brake system, which uses an “inside-out”
rotor to spread braking force along the
rim and not concentrate it at the hub. As
a result the spokes require less material,
so less unsprung weight is required. Minimizing unsprung weight also explains the
choice of a drive belt over a drive chain.
These and other innovations have
spread throughout the Buell line, including the 1125R and CR models. Happily,
these ideas don’t make the bikes more
complicated. Quite the opposite, the use
of reliable air-cooled engines in the XB
series, and of engineering components
that do double duty, lowers initial costs
and maintenance by virtue of simplicity.
According to the 2006 J.D. Powers survey
(the last that mentioned individual motorcycle brands by name), the cost of owning
a Buell XB series motorcycle is lower than
most all others in its class.
—PS
hollywood likes naked. Drama
thrives on menace. That’s why the naked,
menacing styling of the Buell Lightning
streetfighter has earned the XBs their
share of leading roles and bit parts on
the big and small screens.
Granted, some of these may have been
real stinkers, but don’t blame the bikes.
Their movie credits include Ghost Rider,
Blade: Trinity, 88 Minutes, Ballistic and
Nitro. On the small screen, there was the
sci-fi TV show Sliders, the sitcom The
Collector and even a cameo in the classic
French series Josephine, Ange Gardien
(Guardian Angel).
Says Matt Lachman, movie fan and
Sales Manager for Grand Teton HarleyDavidson & Buell: “Any time you have
a naked bike that’s all motor and
wheels, you're going to create that
really tough impression for people.
Also when you get that sound, that
exhaust sound, growling and rumbling, you’re going to create that
impression.”
Beginning in 2009, Buell’s naked
styling crossed over even further
to the dark side. Black finish was
applied to the engine, frame, swing
arm, powertrain, fork and other
visible components of the Lightning
series (as well as the Firebolt), reinforcing the XB’s aggressive look.
With the twin headlamps and the wearing
of its skeleton on the outside, it looks like
a predatory insect on steroids.
Besides the liquid-cooled 1125CR,
Buell sells three streetfighters built
around an air-cooled V-Twin engine—the
XB12Ss, the XB12Scg and the XB9SX.
Unlike Buell superbikes, these street
machines feature an upright position for
the rider, better to see and be seen.
The XB12Ss is designated as the Lightning Long for its 53.7-inch wheelbase,
compared to the XB’s usual 52, and a
seat height of 30.6 inches. The result is a
better fit for taller riders—or more correctly, riders with long arms and legs.
More room also for a passenger and more
frame for fuel (4.4-gallon capacity). The
net result is a comfortable ride and extra
range desirable in a commuting bike.
The XB12Scg (for center of gravity)
achieves the same comfort, except in
this case for riders less long of limb. By
lowering the suspension and reshaping
the saddle, the XB12Scg achieves a seat
height of only 28.6 inches, appealing to
streetfighters of the fairer sex.
Bodywork on both the XB12Ss and
XB12Scg comes in three colors—Midnight Black, Cherry Bomb Translucid
or Hero Blue Translucid—and both are
powered by the 1200-cubic-centimeter
version of the Thunderstorm V-Twin.
Not so the XB9SX or “City X,”
which carries a 984-cubic-centimeter
Thunderstorm V-Twin, geared for the
urban environment. Calling it a “middleweight class” streetfighter, Buell publicists
imagined a scenario right out of one those
movies mentioned earlier. “The quick-revving nature and broad power band … lets
the City X pull briskly away from traffic
and accelerate past pesky cabs, while an
upright rider position, wide Supermotostyle handlebar and intuitive handling
help the City X scat around potholes and
dodge through back alleys.”
The City X has a seat height of 30.1
inches and comes in two colors, Cherry
Bomb Translucid or Hero Blue Translucid. Naked indeed!
—PS
141
all the other Buell XBs are named
after forces of nature. The Ulysses is
named after a guy repeatedly beset upon
by those forces, not to mention a few
monsters. He was a Greek warrior who
got lost coming back from the Trojan War
and wandered for 10 years in a hostile
world before finally coming home to his
wife. (That’s what he told her anyway.)
Because the Ulysses XB12X and
XB12XT are designed for journeys to
the ragged edge of civilization, should
you decide to go with one of these bikes,
consider mounting a GPS on the handlebars so you don’t end up like our wandering hero. Alaska or bust! Baja, baby!
142
Marketed as adventure sportbikes,
“Ulys” are Buell’s best selling aircooled models. Product-wise, they
can best be described as in-betweeners.
They are lighter than touring motorcycles but have many of the same luxury
features found on the big boys. They
are heavier than dedicated off-road
machines (so you won’t be climbing
rocks) but nimble enough to negotiate dirt paths with panache—particularly aboard the X model.
Nothing suits off-pavement riding
better than a machine whose balance
is near perfect. As you might have read
elsewhere in this section, Buell’s Trilogy
of Tech (chassis rigidity, mass centralization, and low unsprung weight) is
the engineering mantra that imbues the
Ulysses and every other Buell bike with
legendary agility.
Much of the Ulysses versatility is due
to the Buell Thunderstorm 1203-cubiccentimeter air/oil/fan-cooled, 45-degree,
four-stroke V-Twin engine. The engine’s
broad power band lets bike and rider
negotiate slower dirt roads with minimal
shifting, then morph into an acceleration
beast once back on asphalt.
As mentioned, the XB12X is a dualpurpose machine, while the XB12XT is
designed specifically for touring or commuting. Naturally given their missions,
these bikes seat their riders upright for
comfort on long trips or, if need be, to
stand on the pegs. One major difference is
in the suspension—the XB12X has more
than six inches of travel, front and rear.
The XB12XT, meanwhile, comes standard with hardshell top and side cases,
which competing manufacturers offer as
expensive options. The XT also comes
with a taller windscreen and a lower seat
height than its sibling.
One nifty feature shared by both bikes
is a three-position, dual-purpose luggage
rack which Buell calls a Triple Tail system.
Folded forward over the passenger seat,
it is a luggage rack with tie-down hooks.
Upright, it becomes a cushioned passenger backrest with grab rails. Folded back,
it reverts to a luggage rack—but this time
extended over the rear fender.
Buell is now also offering the Ulysses
as a police model with the designation
XB12XP, designed for use by government
agencies whose officers need to travel over
unimproved terrain.
—PS
its inception in 2000. (That happens to be
the same year the Blast was launched.)
The Blast is Buell’s only single-cylinder
product. The air-cooled engine, displacing 492 cubic centimeters and developing 34 horsepower at 6,500 RPM, has
been described as one half of a Harley
Sportster V-Twin. It certainly preserves
the same throaty sound identified with
the Harley-Buell heritage.
Few bikes this powerful are so well
adapted to new riders and riders who
are 5-foot-8 or shorter. For one thing the
Blast is 360 pounds light. For another, it
has two saddle heights to keep you off
your tiptoes at the stoplights. The standard is 27.5 inches, fairly low to begin
with, while the low-profile model is a
ground-hugging 25.5 inches. To veteran
riders, this may seem trivial, but being
able to plant both feet flat on the asphalt
is a real confidence builder.
Those trying for their license attest to
Your
first ride
The Blast combines
economy, performance
and easy handling
the ease with which a Blast negotiates the
pylons and braking course of the road test.
After years of riding on the road without
a license (and without getting caught), a
Glory Road writer finally decided to go
legit a few years ago and get his motorcycle endorsement. Riding a Blast actually
made taking the test enjoyable.
This bike is no crotch-rocket to be sure,
but if you keep up the revs in the low
gears, the Blast will demonstrate respectable acceleration. It will cruise sufficiently
fast for the Interstate—70 to 80 miles
per hour—but you wouldn’t want to do
so all day. Buell designed this bike as an
entry-level trainer but also as economical transportation getting roughly 70
miles per gallon—say, for your average
college student.
The Blast is a reminder of an almost
forgotten chapter in the history of Harley-Davidson, when it owned the Aermacchi motorcycle factory in Italy, and
imported small bikes under the Harley
brand to compete with the flood of small
Japanese bikes. —PS
The Blast has two
saddle heights to give
new riders a solid
stance at stoplights.
PHOTO: HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY
Ulysses a versatile
on- and off-road warrior
The XB12XT (below)
comes with hardshell
top and side cases,
while the XB12X is
more of a dual-purpose
machine.
Riders
of the
edge
if you can’t pass the road test for
your motorcycle license on a Buell Blast,
you probably don’t belong on two wheels.
The Blast is a beautifully simple piece of
engineering, designed to attract a new
generation of riders, preferably turning
them into lifelong Harley-Davidson or
Buell customers.
Right now the average Buell or Harley
buyer is a man in his forties. Looking
toward the long haul, Harley knows
continued growth depends on promoting its vision of the motorcycle lifestyle
to younger and more ethnically diverse
riders and to women. Those words come
right out of the company’s strategy book.
The Blast was conceived to help achieve
those goals.
For example, the H-D Rider’s Edge
Program uses Blasts to teach basic riding
skills to novices, who make up many of
the more than 140,000 students who
have passed through the program since
143
Buell: PERFORMANCE, COMFORT, RIGHT COLOR
Glenn Geddes is not a motorcycle fanatic. He just happens to
own a motorcycle—in his case, a Buell Lightning XB12Ss—the way
others own a stereo or a BlackBerry. It’s a bike as an accessory, as
entertainment.
“I don’t ride every day. I just hop on it every once in a while for fun,”
says Geddes, 39, of Jackson, Wyoming. He was at a Buell dealership
when the Lightning caught his eye. He would have preferred a Ulysses
but it lacked one thing: the right color.
“I liked all the weird innovative stuff on these bikes, but it was
the Lightning’s color that sealed the deal. I just fell in love with the
translucent cherry bomb red and the red rims. Just think red. If I could
have had a Uly in that color, I would have bought it.”
Geddes, who works in the family hotel business, likes to ride to
Yellowstone National Park, two hours from Jackson. Friends have
counseled him to stay away from motorcycles, saying they are
dangerous, but Geddes laughs at the notion. For him the biggest hazard
is the wildlife. Yellowstone is the land where the buffalo roam . . . right
onto the asphalt.
—Peter Swanson
Scott Norman with
Alexa and Kendall,
age 3 and 5.
Riding where
the buffalo
roam
Scott Norman of Idaho Falls is a compulsive striver,
party animal and connoisseur of badass machinery. He is
manager of a lumber yard, owner of a home audio shop,
materials director for a residential construction company
and co-owner of a dance school. He’s also assistant fire chief
in the nearby town of Ucon, Idaho, and a family man.
Work hard, play hard? You might say that.
Street legal since his teens, Norman, now 33, initially
favored Japanese screamers. However, the Buell brand
began to enthrall his imagination. Performances at Laguna
Seca and other tracks won the American sportbike a closer
look.
Recently Norman rode away on the latest and greatest—a
Buell 1125R—purchased at Grand Teton Harley-Davidson
& Buell.
“I would characterize the performance as outstanding.
It is phenomenal,” he says. “It’s one thing to take it for a
test-ride at the dealership, but you don’t really know how
good it is until you ride it day in and day out. It outperforms
every other bike I’ve ever had.”
He and his wife now like riding to places like Jackson
Hole, Wyoming, sometimes mixing with the Harley crowd.
They have even done the 10 hours plus to Vegas. “She says
it’s the most comfortable bike of any I’ve had.”
—Peter Swanson
144
It outperforms
...in comfort!
Glenn Geddes with the Grand Tetons.
145
OUR FAMILY
WE’RE GROWING!
No longer just a store
The next time you visit Chester's Harley-Davidson,
you won’t recognize the place. A 20-year-old building on three
acres of land has been transformed into a sparkling state-ofthe-art motorcycle dealership spanning eight acres.
A three-year, $4-million expansion was scheduled for
completion by late March 2009. The result is much more
a destination than a retail store. It’s a genuine motorcycle
playground!
Designed to take advantage of the outdoor nature of the
Phoenix market, the new Chester’s is truly an indoor/outdoor
dealership as befits the Valley of the Sun.
When you visit, you will be amazed how the entire facility
is motorcycle-friendly, tailored for you, the customer, aimed
at making your time at Chester’s more enjoyable.
Here’s what you’ll find at the new and expanded Chester’s:
• A 20,000-square-foot canopy will protect you and your
ride from the weather. Ride right in under the canopy (or into
the designated parking lot if you’re on four wheels), park the
bike, and choose what you wish to do next.
• Fanned out around you you’ll see New Motorcycle Sales,
146
a new Nearly New Motorcycle Center, the new expanded
entrance to Service with kiosks and service associates right there,
Rentals and Fly & Ride counters, and a brightly illuminated
new-bike delivery area.
• The canopy area is a motorcycles-only environment,
protected from the weather, but man’s best friend hasn’t
been forgotten. Beyond the canopy, you’ll find Doggie Park,
a natural-grass area with two antique fire plugs for use by
pooches.
• A mural has been erected where new owners of motorcycles
can have their photos taken with images of the Harley legacy
as a backdrop.
• A rectangular two-acre training site has been paved
for Chester’s active Rider’s Edge, the motorcycle training
program sponsored by Harley-Davidson with involvement
by Motorcycle Safety Foundation. Classroom facilities are
nearby in a new multipurpose meeting space.
• There also is a new outdoor grill area complete with the
Cook Shack, a weathered old grill house, and picnic tables for
cookouts, a regular feature of the dealership on weekends.
ILLUSTRATION: IDEATION DESIGN GROUP
Chester’s is the hub of the Harley lifestyle in Greater Phoenix
• Across from the Cook Shack is a large area for parking
bikes under cover. No organization or parking lines here, park
anywhere you wish.
• Back inside, adjacent to the Service area, there is a new
customer lounge with a large flat-screen television and leather
chairs and sofas. A pool table is located in the lounge with high
pool-hall seating along the wall—Harley-Davidson branded
chairs, of course.
• A glass wall separates the lounge from the new-bike delivery
area. “What a mouthwatering experience,” says E.B. Chester.
“Your current scoot is in the shop and here are lucky people
getting new ones. And look at the new ones! And if that isn’t
enough temptation, just raise your eyes a little and you are
looking directly into the used-bike pavilion containing more
great bikes.” Conveniently, the customer lounge is adjacent
and connected to Parts, Service and a refreshment area where
vending machines and restrooms are located.
• A novel feature of Rentals (for everyone) and Fly & Ride
(for members of Harley Owners Group) is highly lighted area
complete with packing tables for customers to utilize in changing
their luggage from the airline to the bike configuration. Chester's
also offers rental customers a secure storage area in which to
store luggage they wish to leave behind while riding.
• One of the hopes of the dealership is that rental customers
will discover the great motorcycles and special lifestyle of
Harley-Davidson, thus, the rental check-out and -in area is
located directly beside the new-bike delivery area and across
from the used-bike pavilion. Explains E.B., “Renters get a
firsthand look at the big smiles on the faces of new owners.”
What hasn’t changed is the location of Chester’s, right
downtown on a major state highway, at 922 South Country
Club Drive in Mesa, Arizona. A bonus of all the expansion, and
purchase of the adjoining five acres, is that the dusty, vacant
lot next door has vanished.
But there’s more to the expansion project, some three years
in the making:
• At the rear of the site, a new warehouse building has been
constructed. The upstairs offices house the Chester family
business interests, freeing up valuable space within the dealership.
But the exciting news is downstairs on the main floor.
The warehouse obviously needs a loading dock. The loading
dock is four feet above ground—which happens to the the twoacre fenced area dedicated to Rider’s Edge.
Make the loading dock about 20 feet by 30 feet and—
Bingo!—you have a professional sound stage in front of a
two-acre spectator area fenced in a manner allowing liquor
sales at events.
Yes, concerts and other outdoor events have found a proper
147
OUR FAMILY
OUR FAMILY
WE’RE GROWING!
venue right at the dealership! Watch for the announcements
on the calendar page at www.chestershd.com.
Inside the warehouse building is a meeting room with an
adjacent kitchen and rest rooms. The meeting room is utilized
for the East Valley H.O.G. Chapter sponsored by Chester’s and
as a Rider’s Edge classroom. And—Bingo!—it’s also a green
room to accommodate performers using the stage.
There’s a story being the 20-foot high sign with dancing neon
flames marking the entrance to the new Chester’s.
When expansion was being planned, the subject of the main
signage for the dealership was discussed. A large, Las Vegasstyle sign with the Harley Bar & Shield and Chester's name
complete with dancing neon flames was the concept. With much
trepidation, the City of Mesa was approached about such a
WHO WE ARE
Say hello to the Chesters
sign. The response was a shocker. The question asked by the
City was, Why not real flames, driven by natural gas, in place of
the neon? “Wow, how unexpected!” says E.B. Chester, but “in
times of four-dollar gasoline, the neon won out in the end.”
What about the future?
You may have heard that a restaurant was one of the ideas
considered by the Chester family for the southeast corner of
the expanded property. The family was hesitant about getting
into a business where it had no experience. Then, along came
the Indian Motorcycle Company. [See adjacent story]
The restaurant idea hasn’t been canned. Beside the Rider's
Edge training course is a large, undeveloped pad which can
accommodate additional motorcycle-related businesses or a
restaurant, possibly a diner. Time will tell. G
The freedom to ride is at the heart of the business
This is the Chief
Vintage model in the
resurrected Indian line.
E.B. Chester with
his sons, Cliff,
center, and Craig.
Chester’s goes Indian
Revered brand is older than Harley-Davidson
148
Ask E.B. Chester about the business structure of the
to the Indian name and began to build and sell basically kit
bikes: No real manufacturing, just assembly of aftermarket
components. The business failed in 2003.
In 2005, another, much more sophisticated group
purchased the Indian name and the leftovers of the former
effort. The new group has established the Indian Motorcycle
Company, based in Kings Mountain, North Carolina.
Indian now truly manufacturers components and assembles
motorcycles and began shipping them to dealers in late 2008.
The new Indian comes with a new generation 105-cubic-inch
Power Plus engine designed and certified by the new owners.
Site see: www.indianmotorcyclephoenix.com
PHOTO: indian motorcycle company
Chester’s Indian Motorcycle of Phoenix is open for business as
a result of Chester’s being selected as the authorized Indian
dealer for the entire Phoenix market.
A new Indian dealership is being developed directly across
the parking lot from Chester’s Harley-Davidson. The new
facility is planned to open in late 2009. In the meantime, the
Indian dealership and motorcycles will be located in the usedbike pavilion.
The original Indian Motorcycle Manufacturing Company
started in 1901, two years prior to Harley-Davidson, but went
out of production in 1953.
In the late 1900s, another company purchased the rights
Chester family of Harley-Davidson dealerships and he’ll tell
you:
“It’s a family business. Craig is the president who oversees
the daily operations. Cliff is the new business development and
finance officer. The wives are directors and really call the shots.
I’m the chief rainmaker and quality control fanatic.”
The family runs a growing motorcycle business in five
locations:
• Chester’s Harley-Davidson in Mesa, Arizona, aka Greater
Phoenix;
• Grand Teton Harley-Davidson & Buell in Idaho Falls, Idaho,
and its satellite stores, Eagle Rock Harley-Davidson & Buell
in nearby Pocatello and Jackson Hole Harley-Davidson across
the Tetons in Jackson, Wyoming;
• Snake Harley-Davidson in Twin Falls, Idaho.
Plans to open a sixth location in Gilbert, Arizona, are
simmering on the back burner while major expansion has
more than doubled the size and scope of Chester’s H-D. [See
story on Page 146] Additionally, Chester’s Indian Motorcycle
of Phoenix has been opened.
Cliff, now 30, is an aeronautical engineer with an MBA in
business
Although Cliff has joined in the big rides to Daytona and
Sturgis, he rides less than his father and brother. His personal
passion is stock-car racing, not spectating but racing. Running
his own car, Cliff’s rookie season in semi-pro went well, with
car and driver intact and eager for more.
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OUR FAMILY
WHO WE ARE
Cliff Chester at the family’s Harley
dealership in Mesa, Arizona.
E.B. Chester at his Colorado ranch with wife Kay,
and on the road in Ten Sleep Canyon, Wyoming.
Craig, 38, started riding when he was seven years old, trail
riding at first, then racing motocross as a teenager. He began
riding Harleys more than a decade ago, often on long rides with
his father to Daytona and Sturgis and, recently, to Alaska.
Craig has undergraduate degrees in fine art as well as
business. He was born with the ability to draw freehand, a
talent that manifests itself in the cool way he builds custom
motorcycles.
Craig started working with his father early on, first in real
estate, then a jet center in Vail, and started the motorcycle
business with him in 2002 with the purchase of Grand Teton
Harley-Davidson & Buell in Idaho Falls and its satellite, Eagle
Rock Harley-Davidson & Buell, in nearby Pocatello. They
opened another satellite store in Jackson, Wyoming. As the
business expanded, Cliff and his father purchased Snake HarleyDavidson in 2004 and Chester's Harley-Davidson in 2005.
The wives, E.B.’s wife, Kay, and Craig’s wife, Tracy, have
passed motorcycle training courses but when they ride, they
prefer to ride two-up with their men.
When newspapers and magazines write about E.B. Chester,
150
often they describe him as a serial entrepreneur. It’s an apt
description for a man who prefers to be known simply as a
Harley dealer who loves to ride.
With the charm that befits a man born and raised in Georgia 66
years ago, E.B. downplays his accomplishments in business but
they are legion—starting from the time he was 16 years old.
How many teenagers can say they had a newspaper route that
contributed to the purchase of two new cars, several motorcycles
and one boat? E.B. Chester can, and that’s even before he sold
the route for a handsome fee. Since then, he has bought and
sold more than 200 businesses, serving as chairman, president
or CEO of more than 100 privately owned corporations.
He’s owned, sometimes with others, banks, cable television
Craig Chester at Devils Tower in Wyoming, and with
wife Tracy and daughter Ava at the Mesa dealership.
systems, software companies, outdoor advertising companies,
newspapers, television stations and a jet center, and found
success as a venture capitalist.
A mechanical engineer, E.B. began work designing machinery
and was involved in developing antenna technology that helped
send man to the moon in the Apollo space program.
Today, motorcycling is the passion that has center stage in
his life but one could hardly call E.B. one-dimensional in his
recreational pursuits. Over the years, he’s owned and raced drag
and road race vehicles, owned and operated two large motor
yachts, been a water skier and spelunker, an advanced snow
skier who was an early participant in heli-skiing, a race horse
owner and breeder, a world-class hunter and a self-described
“bad golfer.”
Did we forget to mention he loves to fly? Over the past 35
years, E.B. has logged more than 8,000 hours of flight time
as a licensed pilot in many types of aircraft. He’s owned and
piloted 18 personal airplanes including eight jets.
In his spare time, E.B. acted as the lead partner in developing
a Colorado ranch that is owned by seven families including the
Chesters and now covers more than 6,000 acres.
How does he do it, accomplish so much and still find time to
take his Harley on long rides 30 to 60 days a year?
“When I’m working, I work intensely, I’m consumed with
what I’m doing,” E.B. explains. “I’m a project-oriented person
who can see the beginning and end of what I’m working on,
and then let others carry on. And I don’t schedule projects so
densely that I can’t take off into the blue.
“I’ve been like that all my life. I can’t do something
halfway.”
For E.B. Chester, the freedom to ride is the greatest thing.
Enabling others to enjoy that freedom is what motivates him
most as the head and heart of the Chester family of HarleyDavidson dealerships. G
151
WHO WE ARE
Lon Carruth
Lon Carruth
Chief Administrative Officer
Chester Group
Like just about everyone employed in the Chester family of
Harley-Davidson dealerships, Lon Carruth, 62, the Chief
Administrative Officer, has been a motorcycle enthusiast for
many years.
In Lon’s case, motorcycling started in 1972 BC. That’s BC
as in Before Children.
Soon after returning from a tour of duty in Vietnam, Lon
“got the bug.” He started with a Honda 250, then moved up
to a Honda 550 and later a Suzuki 650.
“After a run-in, literally, with a huge dog and a stern warning
from my wife, who was very pregnant with our first child, I
put motorcycling away until my first grandchild came along in
1999,” Lon recalls. “I purchased a Softail Standard, and four
Harleys later I’m enjoying the riding more than ever.”
The GI Bill helped Lon earn a bachelor of science degree in
business administration—over eight years in night school. In
North Carolina, where he grew up and lived with his family
for much of his life, Lon’s sonorous voice landed him a job as
a radio announcer and eventually the position of chairman of
the broadcast technology department at Lenoir Community
College in Kinston, North Carolina.
In 1981, when E.B. Chester owned four cable television
systems in North Carolina and neighboring states, Lon
went to work for him the first time. That lasted until 1991,
when he was Vice-President of Operations at First Carolina
152
Chris Farney
Matt Lenox
Communications. During that period, neither had any knowledge of the other’s passion for motorcycling.
Imagine their surprise when they met the next time, in 2006,
at a Harley-Davidson dealer meeting, when E.B. was several
years into the motorcycle business and Lon was General
Manager of a dealership in Greenville, North Carolina!
A few months later Lon moved to Arizona with his wife,
Carol, to be the Business Manager at Chester’s Harley-Davidson, then General Manager. When Ray Valle was hired for the
GM’s position, Lon became Chief Operating Officer for the
group of dealerships owned by the Chester family. He now
serves as Chief Administrative Officer.
“Having had the opportunity to work with E.B. twice in
my career, at very different times in our lives, is very satisfying,” Lon says.
It’s a dream job, giving him an opportunity to play a vital
role in the business, ride his tricked-out Road Glide to rallies
such as Sturgis, and let his creative juices flow in customizing
Harleys for customers [see related story on Page 80].
Chris Farney
Business Manager
Chris Farney relishes the competition.
“With five other dealers in the Valley, we are constantly
working on separating and individualizing our dealership from
the rest of the pack,” says the Business Manager at Chester’s
Harley-Davidson in Mesa, Arizona. “Getting to the top was
OUR FAMILY
Mark Weiss
a tough and great challenge, but maintaining our dominance
and staying on top is even tougher.”
Even before the business was purchased by the Chester family,
Chris’s first job was detailing bikes there. Then he moved into
sales at a large Toyota dealership and returned to Chester’s in
2004 as a sales representative—a very good one, it turned out,
as he became the top producer.
Now he’s the Business Manager, responsible for completing
the financial details of a purchase, including financing, extended
service plans and prepaid maintenance, as well as completing
titling paperwork and helping a customer obtain insurance.
“Chris has grown up in our Chester’s family,” says Ray Valle,
the GM at the dealership. “We have years of history with Chris
and love him as much as we respect him.”
Owner of a 2004 Road Glide, Chris has been around motorcycles all his life. His father was an avid rider for 30 years plus
and his mother logged more than 73,000 miles on her own
Heritage Softail.
“I used to enjoy bar-hopping on my 1988 Softail Custom
but have grown as a rider over the years,” says Chris. “Now,
more than anything, I enjoy a quiet two-lane highway with
my tunes turned up.”
different manner.” So says the man in charge of sales and
finance at Chester’s Harley-Davidson. “Our customers get to
see and feel a truly friendly, family-run business that has the
best interests of the customer at heart. No gimmicky sale here.
It’s about customers finding the right bike for them. Price is
the easy part.”
Matt has been in the motor vehicle industry since 1993 and
with Harley-Davidson since 1998. He joined Chester’s in 2006.
He’s been into motorcycles for more than 20 years, currently
owns a 2002 Road Glide and has ridden across much of the
country. His most notable ride, he says, was a trip to Sturgis with
E.B. Chester and other dealership employees: “What a blast it
was to experience riding the most beautiful roads and scenery
I’ve ever had the chance to see—with a great group of guys!”
What Matt enjoys most about his position is the excitement
customers show when they fulfill the dream of owning their
first Harley. “Matt is a professional who displays a total commitment to the passion of motorcycling,” says Ray Valle, the
GM at Chester’s.
Matt Lenox
General Sales Manager
A motorcycle enthusiast for 30 years with involvement in rider
training for more than a decade, Mark Weiss has an extensive
depth of experience. It shows in the positive manner with which
he trains instructors and teaches classes as the Rider Training
Program Manager at Chester’s Harley-Davidson.
>>
“Far too many dealers sell Harleys like they would a car. No
offence to the car biz, but a Harley should be sold in a far
Mark Weiss
Rider Training Program Manager
153
OUR FAMILY
WHO WE ARE
These boots
were made
for bikin’
Debbie Metcalfe
Office Manager
154
Jon Perkins
Roy Richards
“Seeing students realize the dream of riding a Harley-Davidson (is the bonus),” Mark says. “Getting them to be able to
do that is special.”
Unlike his experience before joining Chester’s in 2007, Mark
is delighted that he now sees students after graduation, mainly
because the dealership holds a full program of activities for
customers. “Now I see the students before they take a class,
after they take a class, shopping for their new bike, and after
that for store events. It’s great!”
Mark’s ride is a 2008 Buell Ulysses with which he makes
long trips, short trips and commutes.
Jon Perkins
Sales Associate
“As cheesy as it sounds, making dreams come true” is what
gives Jon Perkins the greatest satisfaction from his work in
sales at Grand Teton Harley-Davidson & Buell.
“When people come in to buy a Harley, they have that allAmerican dream of owning a Harley-Davidson,” Jon says.
“When they leave on a Harley, I love to watch them ride off,
so satisfied with what they’re riding.”
His biggest challenge is “converting metric owners over
to Harleys. In the wide scheme of things, it’s not that hard
When she starts speaking at a Garage Party for women,
Debbie Metcalfe places a pair of blue boots on the table
and tells the story of how she fell head over heels for
Harley-Davidson.
Most men won’t understand—but women will. Debbie
bought her first Harley because it matched her boots.
In 2003, her husband, Travis, wanted to buy a Harley.
Debbie, who worked in banking, wasn’t excited by the
prospect but went along with the idea, making sure he
bought a model, an Ultra Classic, with a comfortable
passenger seat. After a few rides with Travis, Debbie purchased a pair of blue flame boots because the Ultra Classic
was blue. Much to Travis’s surprise, Debbie started to
show more and more enthusiasm for motorcycling.
Three months later, when they were at Chester’s
Harley-Davidson (in its earlier incarnation as Chosa’s),
Debbie spotted a 1999 FXR3 Screamin’ Eagle on the
floor. It was light blue with dark blue flames. She decided
immediately to buy the bike—before she even had a
motorcycle endorsement on her driver’s license.
Less than a year later, after thousands of miles on the
road, Debbie resigned from Bank One and applied for a
sales position at the dealership with the proviso she could
have two weeks off in August for Sturgis. That August,
Debbie sold more bikes than anyone else—despite being
away at Sturgis for half the month.
Today, Ray Valle, the GM at Chester’s, praises her work
ethic and commitment: “Deb Metcalfe is among the top
five managers I have ever had the pleasure to work with.
She is without fear, totally competent at any task.”
“This is the best job I’ve ever had,” Debbie says. “What
could be more fun than working at a Harley dealership?”
Jack Hilby
to do, but you get people that are in love with their metrics,
their Hondas and bikes like that. Getting them to buy into the
Harley culture and to realize what they are buying is exceptional
beyond any other standards for bikes—that can take time.”
Greg Warrington, the GM at Grand Teton, says Jon’s most outstanding quality is his ability to identify the customers’ needs.
Jon joined the dealership in 2006 after spending 11 years in
the restaurant business, the last four as manager. Before then,
he was a whitewater rafting guide.
He has been into motorcycling for 22 years and owns a
2008 Dyna Street Bob, mainly for short trips to Yellowstone,
Jackson, upper and lower Mesa Falls and day rides through
the desert.
Roy Richards
Parts Manager
If you’re old enough to remember the Tote Gote, then you’ve
been in motorcycling as long as Roy Richards. He owned one
of the five-horsepower wonders four decades ago.
Currently, he rides a 2004 FLHRS Road King Custom. He’s
ridden to Harley dealer meetings in Denver and Las Vegas but
mainly enjoys shorter trips in southeast Idaho.
Roy’s job is, simply put, to ensure the dealership has the parts
customers want or need when the customers need them. He also
advises customers interested in customizing their bikes.
“Customers are fun,” Roy says. “They don’t like to put a
set of tires on their truck, but they are so proud when it comes
to the first set on their bike!”
Roy is a veteran employee, having worked for Grand Teton
Harley-Davidson since 2001, when it was located in Blackfoot, Idaho. He’s spent most of his working life in parts management, the first 20 years in the automotive field.
Greg Warrington, the GM at Grand Teton, praises Roy’s
devotion to the company and its customers.
Jack Hilby
Parts Manager
Jack Hilby is “a Harley-Davidson fanatic.”
So says his boss, Otto Anderson, the General Manager of
the Eagle Rock dealership.
“He came to us with a background of service/tech, but he
picked up parts really quick. He has a great attitude and he’s
great with customers.”
Jack is responsible for maintaining the parts inventory in
Eagle Rock’s Service Department. Before joining the dealership
in 2008, he was “a mechanic for two independent motorcycle
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WHO WE ARE
Molly Mason
Tarren Andrews
shops, mom and pop shops, for a total of 15 years.”
Jack rides a 2002 Road Glide and his wife has a 2004 Dyna
Super Glide: “We take mostly short trips, day trips or a threeday weekend to Boise to visit family.”
He’s been messing around with motorcycles for 20 years:
“My brother and I had little Hondas. We rode those things till
we burned them up;” he recalls.
“I enjoy being able to help customers with parts and accessory needs,” says Jack, “finding the proper fit and application,
having the part available when they need it, so the customer
doesn’t have any downtime.”
Molly Mason
MotorClothes Associate
Meeting people is what Molly Mason enjoys most about her
work. “I love the variety of customers who come in. Many
people have the idea that Harley is all about rough-and-tumble bikers. That’s part of it, but as a group they are far more
diverse than that. I have seen everybody from rough-and-tumble bikers to my dentist in here.”
Molly’s job at Eagle Rock is to assist with all the general
merchandise that goes along with the purchase of a Harley156
Dave Fisher
Davidson—“educating them on what kind of gear is right for
them as far as helmets, leathers and everything else.”
She says she got the job purely by chance. “I fell into it and
loved it right away. I wouldn’t do anything else.”
Otto Anderson, Eagle Rock’s GM, says Molly “dove straight
into it. She’s very good at displays. She’s very likeable, customers love her.”
For Molly, the biggest challenge is keeping up with the knowledge. “Harley-Davidson renews itself every year. They are
always moving forward, and you just have to keep up.”
Tarren Andrews
Assistant Manager
Jackson Hole Harley-Davidson
Tarren Andrews is only 18 years old but already she’s an experienced retailer of Harley-Davidson clothing and gift items.
That’s because she started work as a part-timer at Jackson
Hole H-D when she was 14.
Says Tom Burr, General Manager at the store, “She’s been
working for me for four years and basically it’s the only job
she’s had. She’s very bright for an 18-year-old. I trust her more
than most 35-year-olds.”
Tarren has owned dirt bikes but no Harleys—yet.
OUR FAMILY
Fuzzy Worster
“I enjoy interacting with customers and having people be
real happy with the ride they are on and with the service we
provide,” Tarren says. “But working in Jackson is hard because
the winters are so long. It makes for a slow work day for nine
months out of the year.”
the Harley lifestyle. His biggest challenge? “It’s earning the trust
of a customer.”
Dave Fisher
Sales Manager
Fuzzy Worster is the type of employee that all dealerships would
like to have, says TJ Woodhall, the General Manager at Snake
H-D. “He’s considerate, understanding, always there to help,
and meticulous and thorough.”
The service writer’s job is to understand the customer’s needs,
answer questions about service, parts and accessories, and
prepare the paperwork to get the job started
After a 30-year career in the printing business, Fuzzy joined
the dealership in 2005.
He’s been a biker for more than 40 years and currently owns
a 2007 Street Glide and a 2008 Road Glide. He likes to tour all
over the Southwest, avoid freeways whenever possible. It’s not
uncommon for Fuzzy to head out on a 5,000-mile ride.
In his work, Fuzzy says, he derives satisfaction from helping
people solve their problems, acknowledging that occasionally
means “helping customers understand they may have a preconceived notion that is not realistic.”
G
Chances are excellent that the first person to greet you when
you walk into Snake Harley-Davidson will be Dave Fisher.
“He’s always there to help in any way possible,” says TJ
Woodhall, the General Manager at Snake H-D. “He does whatever it takes to get the right bike for the customer.”
Prior to joining the dealership in 2007, Dave spent 14 years
in the automobile business, most recently as manager of an
auto dealership.
He’s been riding for 17 years and currently owns a shiny
2009 Road King. He’s ridden as far as Seattle and Portland,
but most recently “it’s been around town, due to working and
family, with some 120-to-150-mile trips.”
The biggest kick Dave says he gets as Sales Manager is when
he watches a customer who has never ridden before experience
Fuzzy Worster
Service Writer
157
OUR FAMILY
WHERE TO FIND US
Grand Teton
Harley-Davidson
& Buell
Last year Sturgis, next year Daytona, Greg Warrington likes to ride
his Road King Classic.
“Living in Idaho, I have the privilege to tour some of the most scenic highways
in North America, including Beartooth Highway, Chief Joseph Scenic Highway,
Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park,” says Greg, the
General Manager at Grand Teton Harley-Davidson & Buell.
And if those, and the longer rides to Sturgis and Daytona, are not enough,
Greg, who has been involved in motorcycling for 35 years, aims to ride to as
many H-D dealer meetings as time permits. In recent years, he’s run his Road
King to San Diego and Las Vegas “on business.”
He’s a native of Baltimore, Maryland, but spent most of his life in the Los Angeles
area before moving to Idaho. Greg, a business college graduate, spent 20 years in
the automobile industry, running some of the largest and most successful dealerships in Southern California dealing in brands such as Land Rover, Porsche, Audi,
Ford and Mitsubishi. He joined the Chester family of Harley dealerships in 2006.
Today, Greg oversees the day-to-day operations at Grand Teton Harley-Davidson
& Buell in Idaho Falls as well as the satellite dealerships, Eagle Rock Harley-Davidson & Buell in Pocatello and Jackson Hole Harley-Davidson in Jackson, Wyoming.
What gives him the most satisfaction in his work? “Exceeding my own
expectations.”
What’s his biggest challenge? “Exceeding my own expectations.”
Despite the difficult economic times, Greg says the level of customer service at
the dealerships under his wing must remain high because every customer counts
more than ever before.
Chester’s
Harley-Davidson
Ray Valle is dedicated to ethical sales.
158
Tel: 800-863-5297, 208-523-1464
Site: www.tetonharley.com
Acquired: September 2002
Total area: 19,717 sq ft
Total employees: 21
Number of service bays: 4
New bikes on display: 30
Used bikes on display: 20-25
Buck stops here: Greg Warrington
922 South Country Club Dr
Mesa, Arizona 85210
Tel: 800-831-0404, 480-894-0404
Site: www.chestershd.com
Acquired: July 2005
After expansion: 80,000 sq ft
Total employees: 78
New bikes on display: 100 plus
Used bikes on display: 30 to 40
Buck stops here: Ray Valle
People often ask him why Chester’s Harley-Davidson has so many customers
from outside Greater Phoenix. His answer is simple:
“We treat customers well. Our sales system is called ‘honesty.’ We look
our customers straight in the eye when we sell a motorcycle. There is no high
pressure, no manipulation, just honesty to get customers what they want.”
Ray signed on as General Manager of Chester’s H-D in 2007 after a successful
stint as General Manager of a Mercedes-Benz dealership. Earlier in his career he
was in the top two percent of sales reps at Coldwell Banker Real Estate. Before
that he founded and operated Straight Sell, a sales training organization focused
on professional and ethical sales.
Ray got hooked on motorcycles as a 16-year-old growing up in Arizona. Since
then he has ridden “all over the United States,” including two trips to Sturgis.
Daytona Bike Week will be next on his 2009 Road Glide.
As Chester’s GM, Ray says he loves “providing an opportunity for our
employees to ‘Live the Dream’ and financially support their families. It really is
all about family! Our extended family includes our employee family, the Chester
family, and our family of loyal customers and friends.”
In tough economic times, one advertising theme that Chester’s H-D will be
using is that “riding a Harley makes financial sense—and it’s just about the most
fun you can have!”
Ray has worked out the math: “According to fueleconomy.gov, a car will get
you 16 miles per gallon. Our Harleys get 50 miles per gallon, our Sportsters get 60
miles per gallon on the highway. If you do 16,000 miles per year, in five years you
will save more than $8,000. Our Sportsters start at $6,995 so it makes financial
sense to go with a Harley over a car.”
Grand Teton Harley-Davidson
& Buell
848 Houston Ave
Idaho Falls, Idaho 83402
159
OUR FAMILY
WHERE TO FIND US
Jackson Hole
Harley-Davidson
Because of the unique nature of Jackson Hole Harley-Davidson,
General Manager Tom Burr is truly a jack-of-all-trades.
It’s mainly a retail outlet for Harley clothing and gift items in Jackson,
Wyoming, a small town surrounded by the majestic Teton mountains that
attracts millions of visitors a year, especially during the summer months.
“I do everything from the back door to the front door,” Tom says. “We
are just a retail outlet, so I do everything, shipping, receiving, ordering (and
everything else needed to keep the store up and running seven days a week).”
The seasonal nature of the outlet—“keeping things moving as well as we
can in the winter time, looking for ideas to attract business”—is an ongoing
challenge, he finds. But his goals are similar to those of general managers
everywhere: “Pleasing customers so they will return.”
Tom joined the Chester family of Harley-Davidson dealerships in 2004 as
a service writer at Grand Teton Harley-Davidson & Buell in Idaho Falls, then
moved to manage Jackson Hole Harley-Davidson the following year.
His working life started in farming in Idaho. Before joining the Chester
Harley family, he was Service Manager at a John Deere dealership.
Tom has been involved in motorcycling ever since he was old enough to hang
on to a handlebar. His current ride is a 2003 Road King. He joins in local rallies,
often riding to Red Lodge, Montana, and has been to Sturgis more than once.
“We take off mainly in the winter time,” Tom says. “Up here, we don’t get
riding like they do in Arizona, so we load up and haul our bikes to southern
Utah and farther down in the winter.”
As a satellite store of Grand Teton Harley-Davidson & Buell, Jackson Hole
Harley-Davidson occupies only 2,300 square feet—the smallest location in
the Chester family of dealerships—yet the volume of its T-shirt business is
staggering. Its location right in downtown Jackson means every one of those
millions of visitors a year passes by its doors, with many entering to shop.
Eagle Rock
Harley-Davidson
& Buell
Nothing makes Otto Anderson happier than when a customer is happy.
160
Tel: 866-739-5443, 307-739-1500
Acquired: May 2004
Total employees: 3
Buck stops here: Tom Burr
Eagle Rock Harley-Davidson
& Buell
1444 North Yellowstone Ave
Pocatello, Idaho 83201
Tel: 888-448-7433, 208-237-7433
Acquired: September 2002
Total employees: 12
Used bikes on display: 6 to 8
Buck stops here: Otto Anderson
“When you make a customer very happy with their purchase and how they
are treated in the dealership, that just gives me goose bumps,” says the General
Manager of Eagle Rock Harley-Davidson & Buell. “There’s nothing like
knowing we have done everything we can to make this customer happy.”
Otto has been in “the retail end of play toys for many years,” more than
two decades now, selling motor homes, travel trailers, fifth wheels as well as
snowmobiles, ATVs and personal watercraft.
A native of Idaho, Otto joined Eagle Rock H-D in 2001 and stayed aboard
when the Chesters purchased the Pocatello dealership a year later.
Otto first got involved in motorcycling about 25 years ago, riding dirt bikes.
He owns a 2008 FLHX Street Glide and his riding is mainly local: “I have a
young family so I don’t get to go on a lot of big rides. Maybe an overnighter,
once in awhile, to Jackson. The longest ride was with the Chesters when we
rode from Pocatello to the Vail Valley in Colorado.”
Eagle Rock is a satellite store of Grand Teton Harley-Davidson & Buell
in Idaho Falls so he has to be a multi-tasker: “With the great help from the
managers I have here, I do more than just manage the store. I do probably 40
percent of the sales, and 90 percent of the financing and insurance, whereas the
bigger stores have people in place to do that.”
He says his wife, LaDawn, calls his day off the toughest part of his job:
“Wherever I go, my wife says I’m always trying to sell something. One of my
biggest challenges is to step away from the work ethic on my days off, be with
my family and not talk about motorcycles and stuff.”
Jackson Hole Harley-Davidson
40 South Millward Street
Jackson, Wyoming 83001
161
OUR FAMILY
OUR FAMILY
WHERE TO FIND US
WHAT WE DO
Covering all bases...
and then some
At the Chester family of Harley-Davidson
dealerships in Arizona, Idaho and Wyoming,
we obviously sell motorcycles—but there is
a lot more we offer customers.
Service
Snake
Harley-Davidson
When you’re in TJ Woodhall’s office, you may spot a photo on the
162
2404 Addison Ave East
Twin Falls, Idaho 83301
Tel: 888-788-9809, 208-734-8400
Site: www.snakehd.com
Acquired: January 2004
Total employees: 18
Number of detail bays: 1
New bikes on display: 22-26
Used bikes on display: 10-15
Buck stops here: TJ Woodhall
wall of a 14-year-old kid on a Harley. No, the kid isn’t TJ—it’s his father. Small
wonder then that TJ grew up with Harley and why today, as General Manager
of Snake Harley-Davidson, he lives and breathes Harley.
For many years, he was a general contractor in his native California, where he
built many of the Chili’s restaurants on the west coast.
He joined the original Snake H-D in Twin Falls about 10 years ago, then left
to start his own independent motorcycle shop, returning to Snake in 2005, the
year after the Chesters acquired the dealership.
TJ’s own ride is a 2007 Road Glide which he’ll be trading in on a 2009 Road
Glide in the spring. He’s ridden to Sturgis many times and tries to ride to Harley
dealer meetings if possible. Despite a busy schedule, TJ aims for several three- to
five-day trips a year, often riding with his wife, Kristy. [See profile on Page 103.]
TJ’s other passion is racing stock cars, and he’s quite good at it on the
semi-pro circuit. So good, in fact, that he’s qualified to race against some of
NASCAR’s best in the Toyota All-Star Showdown.
Rumor has it that it was TJ who helped get Cliff Chester started in stock-car
racing by offering to let Cliff take his race car for a spin around the track near
Twin Falls.
TJ will joke that the biggest challenge in his position is keeping his desk clear
of paperwork, but he does derive pleasure from his role as head of the team at
Snake H-D: “The most satisfaction is seeing a truly happy and satisfied customer, one who has no regrets about giving us his business and who feels we did
our job perfectly.”
Our convenient hours and fully staffed facilities allow us to
do most routine maintenance or minor repairs while you wait.
For larger jobs, we will schedule an appointment for you. Due
to our participation in national and state rallies and events, we
recommend you call ahead for scheduling your appointment
during those times.
Our Service Departments offer our customers the very best
quality service and repair. Each of our locations is equipped
with a full complement of tools and professional know-how
to handle all of your service needs.
We employ teams of Harley-Davidson factory-trained technicians supported with continuing education and training on
each technical advance developed for your particular HarleyDavidson product.
Understanding how important your “ride” is to you, we
strive for quick turnaround times, tempered by our commitment to produce the highest quality work.
Our service bays are state-of-the-art to provide you with
an array of services from a basic scheduled maintenance to a
complete engine rebuild or replacement. In addition, we do
installation of performance packages, including a wide range
of Screamin’ Eagle performance parts.
We also offer crash estimates and work with numerous insurance agencies to provide our customers a complete restoration
of one of their most prized possessions.
Should you need the use of a rental unit while yours is being
repaired, we have motorcycles available at reduced rates while
your bike is in for any service. Many of our locations provide
complimentary shuttle service to assist you with the pick-up
and/or delivery of your motorcycle.
Our dealerships are certified Dynojet/Super Tuner Tuning
Women riders enjoy
the dealerships’
garage parties.
A tuneup with the dynamometer is
among the services available.
Centers. A dynamometer allows us to make accurate adjustments that maximize the performance of your motorcycle. [See
related story on Page 86.]
Customization
Each of the Chester’s dealerships features genuine HarleyDavidson parts and accessories. They fit your bike and you.
We enjoy the challenges our customers present us with for the
tough-to-find items.
We carry a large variety of chrome accessory kits, fender
conversions, hard and soft saddlebags, bike covers, bike security systems and much more. We specialize in keeping many
Screamin’ Eagle performance parts on hand for your needs.
We encourage all of our customers to individualize their
bikes and to keep them roaring with help from our friendly
staff members. [See related story on Page 78.]
Rentals
The Chester family of dealerships offers a rental program at
most of their locations. Our rental programs use only current
model year Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
Security locks, helmets that meet Department of Transportation specifications, short-term luggage storage, emergency roadside assistance and low-cost insurance coverage are all part of the
services provided for rental customers. If you want additional
insurance coverage for peace of mind, our rental customers can
choose from upgrades. (Services vary by state or market.)
Our primary concern for our rental customers is safety. Protection on the road is a good thing and we encourage all of our
customers to ride responsibly. Customers and any passengers
must sign an agreement that states they will wear a helmet that
meets DOT specifications at all times while on the bike for the
duration of the rental, even if they’re traveling in states without
mandatory helmet laws.
For more info
Visit www.chesterpowersports.com and select the dealership
nearest you.
163
OUR FAMILY
WHAT’S HAPPENING?
CHARITIES
Reaching out to riders
and beyond
From rides to benefit charities, from open houses
to garage parties for women, there’s always
something going on at the Chester family of
Harley-Davidson dealerships in Arizona, Idaho
and Wyoming. Anyone involved in or curious
about the Harley lifestyle is welcome.
EVENTS
PHOTOS: SCOTT HIMELHOCH
We strive to be the leaders in our markets when it comes to
service and attention for our family of riders. We know. We
ride. We are professionals hooked on the passion and freedom
that Harley-Davidson motorcycles bring to our lives. We’d like
to share that lifestyle with everyone.
As a family-owned business, we personalize the HarleyDavidson dealership experience to create a tight-knit community of free-spirited friends. All of us live for the fun of
the motorcycling on every workday and every road trip and
every event.
Events hosted at the dealerships range from H.O.G. DOG
Days to charity poker runs. A popular event is the Ladies Only
Garage Party, which provides women an opportunity to hear
from women riders about the experience and lifestyle that lies
ahead for them. The party is for ladies who are interested—or
just not sure if they want to become a new motorcycle rider.
Discussions and demonstrations include the Harley-Davidson lifestyle, learning to ride, gearing up for the ride, motorcycle safety, fitting your motorcycle, and a photo opportunity
on your favorite motorcycle.
About 1,600
riders show up for
Chester’s Annual
Torch Ride in
support of the
Special Olympics.
164
Our dealerships believe in community involvement and actively
sponsor events and rides to benefit charities.
At Chester’s Harley-Davidson, our largest event is Chester’s
Annual Torch Ride in support of Special Olympics. Last year
1,600 participating riders raised more than $20,000 for the
Special Olympians.
We support East Valley Charities. In partnership with the
East Valley H.O.G. Chapter, in excess of $10,000 is contributed each year.
Additionally, Chester’s is involved with American Heart
Association, the Shriners, Coast to Coast Youth Football
League, Disabled American Veterans, Liberty Wildlife, Choirboys United Fund for Fallen Officers, and Bikers Against
Diabetes.
At Snake Harley-Davidson, we organize fundraiser events
and rides throughout the year to benefit our four chosen charities: Magic Valley Humane Society People for Pets, Disabled
American Veterans, Magic Valley Toys for Tots and Magic
Valley Toys for Kids, and Quick Response Unit Fundraiser.
We try to make our events fun happenings for the entire
family. For example, our Humane Society fundraisers include
photos with an Easter Bunny in the spring and with Santa in the
winter. In November, we host a Soldier Packing Party with gifts.
Our summer Quick Response Unit event includes a challenge
run, raffle, dinner, live music and carnival-type activities.
Our annual Open House for new models is held every September with demo rides, refreshments, opportunities to win
prizes and more. It’s often a two-day event.
In the past, our largest event at Grand Teton H-D & Buell
has been our All American Show. It combines a fashion show
of the latest motor clothes and accessories with great entertainment like a concert or Las Vegas hypnotist. It has also served as
an opportunity to help raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). In 2008, we replaced the All American Show with a block party celebrating the 105th anniversary of Harley-Davidson. Next year more activities for riders
and families are planned.
The first Friday of each month, we host Friday Night Live at
our dealership. This event is two hours of live music by a local
band and free food for all who attend.
In addition to MDA, we support the United Way, Toys for
Tots, and assist in numerous fundraisers and benefits for local
charities.
At Eagle Rock H-D & Buell, our largest event is the local
POW/MIA Awareness Rally. We support the three-day rally
each July, which is sponsored by a non-profit organization dedicated to the financial support and public awareness of the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) issue, the Idaho
State Veterans Home in Pocatello, Idaho, and special charities
in the local community that need support.
Our local H.O.G., the Portneuf Valley Chapter, is active
in the community, sponsoring events and rides year round,
weather permitting.
Our Jackson Hole H-D outlet, located at the foot of the
Teton Mountains in Jackson, Wyoming, receives overwhelming
traffic each July and August as riders travel through to see
Yellowstone Park or are on their way to Sturgis. In the nonriding season, we keep busy supporting local events like the
Annual Fireman’s Ball for the Volunteer Fire Rescue Association of Jackson and the Ducks Unlimited Banquet. We also
support other local fundraisers and this year even sponsored
a demolition derby car at the county fair.
We believe in being active in each of our communities, from
the large cities like Mesa, Arizona, to the smaller towns of
Idaho and Wyoming.
FIND OUT
For up-to-date information on events at the Chester family of
dealerships, click on your nearest location at www.chesterpowersports.com or telephone the number provided.
G
OUR FAMILY
HOW WE DO
The pursuit
of excellence
Our Harley-Davidson dealerships regularly receive
awards for excellence from Harley-Davidson
Motor Company.
Chester’s Harley-Davidson has been honored
with the Circle of Excellence Silver Bar & Shield
two years in a row, while Grand Teton HarleyDavidson & Buell and Snake Harley-Davidson
received the Circle of Excellence Bronze Bar &
Shield. Grand Teton Harley-Davidson & Buell and
its satellite stores, Eagle Rock Harley-Davidson &
Buell and Jackson Hole Harley-Davidson, also have
been recognized as Promoter of the Year as well as
General Merchandise Retailer of the Year.
The awards are based on outstanding quality
levels in motorcycle and related product sales, an
evaluation of customer service and satisfaction,
facilities, skilled and well-trained staff, and overall
operational measures.
“We are thrilled to receive these awards,” says
Cliff Chester, one of the owners. “National recognition for our customer service and sales is very much
a reflection of the caliber of talent and dedicated
employees we have at our dealerships.”
165
Ride Safe
Dressed to live
One rider’s brush with death
By Chris Arbogast
After many years of waiting for children and grandchildren to grow up, I went with my urge to ride the
wind again.
Because it had been a while since I’d been in the saddle,
I ended up buying a 2007 Sportster 883C, just to get
my “feel” back. I also started looking around for the
proper gear to wear.
This was a first for me. In all my riding days I had never
worn proper gear before. Besides, I was older now. So I
had Chester’s Harley-Davidson in Mesa, Arizona, outfit
me with FXRG riding gear and I was ready to roll.
Little did I know what lay in wait . . .
I was headed to Montrose, Colorado, along Route 145.
Coming into Rico, I drove across some snowmelt. I had
already slowed to 50 miles an hour but the rear tire slid
onto the gravel shoulder and all control was lost. I had to
make a snap decision—stay with the bike or bail.
I jumped off at 50 miles per hour.
I rolled across the asphalt and was knocked out for a split
second. The Harley, which traveled 600 feet along the road
and down the embankment, was totaled. Miraculously,
166
however, I seemed to be okay. There was no blood.
My full-face helmet was badly damaged—the point
where it hit the road was scraped down through two
layers of carbon—but it had been so properly fitted by
the girls at Chester’s that even though I was wearing
glasses, the glasses did not bend or break.
The back of my FXRG leather jacket was ripped
between the shoulders and the leather along the arms was
chewed up. But all the protective pads stayed in place.
In the hospital, numerous x-rays and CAT scans (23
in all) found no broken bones and no road rash.
During my travels as an inventor and distributor of
energy-saving products, I visited a lot of different Harley
dealerships across the United States, but I was never
treated as nicely as I was at Chester’s. Whenever I went
in to check on clothing items, someone was right there
to answer my questions. The gear I bought not only fit
like it should but I truly believe it saved me from serious
injury. I will never ride without FXRG equipment.
I’m 64 years old. I started riding in 1963—a ’54
Harley—while doing a naval tour of duty in Charleston,
South Carolina. But this was my first serious accident.
The proper riding gear is as important as the choice
of your ride. G
Chris Arbogast, a customer since 2007 of Chester’s
Harley-Davidson, is shopping for a new Harley.
Chester’s staff, from
left, Kristen Laws,
Jenna Wood and
Lesleigh Meisenzahl
with customer Chris
Arbogast and the
FXRG gear that
saved his life.
Pictured: The restyled Heritage Softail® Classic.
Copies are 39 cents at the copy shop.
Copies get a big red F from the teacher.
Copies hang over the bed on cheap motel walls.
We’ll stick with
building the original.
ridetrue.com
eyewear and protective clothing, and insist your passenger does too. Never ride while under the influence of alcohol
rley-Davidson, Heritage Softail and the Bar and Shield logo are among the trademarks of H-D Michigan, Inc.

GR_140h_dps - Glory Road

Transcription

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