Are there any Harley-Davidson bikers in CL?
The reason I ask.....and I didn't want to register on a Harley forum just to ask one or two questions......is that I have noticed two very widespread practices by Harley riders. One is taking the mufflers off right after purchase and running straight pipes (perfectly legal in most places), and the other ( in states that have helmet laws) is wearing little saucer-shaped helmets that cover only the very top of the head and have small chinstraps attached. I know that one of the reasons (according to them) that Harley bikers use to justify cutting off the mufflers is they want their bikes to be loud enough for motorists to hear them and know they're there so they won't be cut off, run off the road, or run over....a constant hazard for bikers.
I don't understand the reason for the small micro-helmets, though. Is this a Harley tradition? Is it done for visibility reasons?...(the large, DOT-approved helmets that cover the whole head and neck, with the clear face guard, tend to block side visibility). Is it some kind of Harley-riders brotherhood or sisterhood thing?.....Maybe Harley bikers don't want to look like other bikers? Those small top-of-the-head helmets only offer minimal protection at best. It would seem foolish to me to wear them, especially on powerful Harleys that can do some real speed.
When I was growing up, Harleys were almost invariably associated with gang members, hooligans, and rebels in general.....many of whom had the ultra-long "Chopper " front fork extensions and small bicycle-wheels in front. Most of those guys never wore helmets of ANY kind anyway, and in many places it wasn't required back then. Of course, laws meant little or nothing to many of those guys anyway....they generally lived the wild life. Those days, of course, are long gone.....and most of those guys today are either in jail, dead, crippled, or (hopefully) reformed., and it is no secret that Harle-Davidson today markets and sells bikes to a far more legitimate group of people.....many of whom are veterans.

 

Yes the pipes have to be loud. There is nothing like the sound of a harley and it does get peoples attention on the road. Most harley riders like the smaller helmets becuase you still get the wind in your face and they are much more comfortable. The full faced helmets fit the sportbike scene more than the cruisers. I ride both a harley and a sport bike and have a both helmets and usually wear the half lid cuase its lighter and not so hot in the summer time. The full face comes out when its cold outside. Harleys just dont sound right will quite pipes.

 

Riding a Harley is an image thing (hence the Harley edition of the F150) - and the loud pipes and the top hat are just part of it. It all depends on whether you want to have an image or you really want to ride (you will not see the short pipes and small helmet on any Harley with considerable miles on the odo). Of course if you really want to ride - there are much better bikes out there.

 

I rode a motorcycle for years, and even rented a Harley for the weekend. It is true that some people believe that "Loud pipes save lives" but I think it's a fallacy. I think loud pipes annoy the heck out of people who aren't riding motorcycles and make us other motorcycle riders look bad to "cagers". But, like modding our cars, to each his own opinion, and if they want to have loud pipes, that's their choice. Harleys, because they're 2 big cylinders, happen to sound really good with loud pipes, as opposed to our small 4 cylinder japanese bikes.

My guess for the small helmet is that motorcycle riding is so much more fun without a helmet on. I only rode my motorcycle around the block a few times without a helmet, and it's a totally different experience (by around the block, I mean about 30 feet away from my house and back after washing it). The full face helmets really deaden the senses of what's around you, even though they keep you safe. So the reason for the small lids, is because that's the least restrictive helmet available that still keeps you within the mandatory helmet law, so it allows for the most free feeling riding experience.

 

Thanks for the input, guys. .............I didn't want to get mixed up in the Harley forums just for a couple of questions.

 

I've had my Harley for about 6 or 7 years, and I agree that the whole thing about loud pipes being favored for "safety" reasons is total BS. As mentioned already, putting a set of aftermarket pipes on your Harley is usually considered one of the first mods to get done based solely on enjoyment factor. It's fun to make a little noise when you're riding IMO.

As far as the "salad bowl" helmet is concerned many folks enjoy having the wind in their face, being able to hear better..lol, and just generally being less restricted. It's not the smartest or safest way to go, but many people do not care.

Over the last decade or so, the image of bikers all being gang members, etc has started to change as more yuppy types have started to ride. Now it's gotten to the point where "hardcore" bikers look down on yuppies who ride. It's pretty funny actually.

 

Yeah....I grew up several decades ago. To ride a Harley back then was to be considered the Devil on Wheels. Most of them had the long front "chopper forks" which you almost never see anymore.


For some reason Harleys have become EXTREMELY popular with military veterans. The largest Harley event in the country that I know of is "Rolling Thunder" every Memorial day where thousands upon thousands of flag-draped Harley riders (and a few other-make bikes) descend on Washington, D.C for the POW-MIA cause. I see it every year....I live in the area.

 

right, right....the "Run for the Wall" is what some people call it. Actually the whole biker/military vet thing started back when young WWII vets (namely bomber pilots)came back from the war with a little money in their pockets wanting to raise some hell. Many others actually rode Harleys and Indians in the European theater during the war, so these bikes were near and dear to them when they finally got home. IMO that tradition continues as you say. I see that (strong POW-MIA presence) around here as well as at any rallies I have been to...Daytona, etc.

I too, remember the 70's chopper days when I was very small. Believe it or not, that long chopper fork look has made quite a resurgence with the custom builders these days.

 

[QUOTE=ebruce2 Actually the whole biker/military vet thing started back when young WWII vets (namely bomber pilots)came back from the war with a little money in their pockets wanting to raise some hell. [/QUOTE]


Actually it was fighter pilots, not bomber pilots. These guys missed not only their planes but the "excitement" of close-in dogfighting and air-to-air combat. Their "squadrons" were the new bike gangs, and their "missions" were to ride around the country fighting the law.....and sometimes each other.
That still doesn't necessarily account for Harley's popularity among TODAY's vets........most of whom are FAR more respectable people than those hooligans of 40-60 years ago.

 

[QUOTE=mmarshall]it was pilots in general as far as I know, but hey 6 of one.....he he.

 

OK...anyway what matters is TODAY's riders. They are the ones I'm concerned with.
Anyhow my main question was why they wear those little beanie helmets. You guys pretty much answered that. Thanks.