HOG Magazine - Spring 2013

for the harley-davidson® enthusiast since 1916canadian edition

De-winterizing your motorcycle / new gear / the route 66 of the tibetan Plateau / rally riDes / tomahawk: off the beaten Path for more than 50 years / mechanic with attituDe: sam VillanueVa

the shoP issue

$6.99 canspring 2013

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110TH LIMITED EDITIONS:Ride your own piece of the legend.

With the purchase of any new Harley-Davidson® model from an authorized Canadian Harley-Davidson® Retailer, you will receive a free, full one-year membership in H.O.G.® Always ride with a helmet. Ride defensively. Distributed exclusively in Canada by Deeley Harley-Davidson® Canada, Richmond and Concord. Deeley Harley-Davidson® Canada is a proud sponsor of Muscular Dystrophy Canada. The Bar & Shield logo, Harley, Harley-Davidson are among the trademarks of H-D Michigan, LLC. ©2012 H-D.

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The 2013 harley-DaviDson® moTorcycles are here

* Vehicle shown may vary visually by market and may differ from vehicles manufactured and delivered. See your Retailer for details.

Visit your authorized Canadian Harley-Davidson® Retailer today or online at www.harleycanada.com

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4 hog® magazine canada

GettinG your motorcycle ready for the road after

a few months of hibernation

involves a few key steps.

see paGe 46.↓

43 Back Shop44 Pitstop Turning the Corner. How to go around the bend without losing control.

Ready, Set, Ride. Getting your motorcycle ready for the road.

50 Rally Rides 2013 Canadian and USA Rally Rides.

54 Gear Wear the Harley-Davidson 110TH Anniversary Genuine MotorClothes® Collection.

56 Riding Stories Spit-Shake Promise. Adventurous childhood memories.

A Dream Realized. Another item checked off the bucket list.

Lessons Learned. Passion is not the domain of youth.

64 Archives Remote Capability. Backwoods Wisconsin, home of Tomahawk.

66 Exhaust Tibetan Plateau. Riding on the other side of the world.

Departments6 welcome Note Welcome Back to the Riding Season.

7 eDItoR’S Note & INtake New Editor. Letters from Members.

8 BackStage Velvet Gloves, Iron Fist.

11 FRoNt Shop

12 News Prince Charles, Movember, etc.

16 Backstory Hard Work and Innovation.

18 Gallery A Bit of Everything from Our Readers.

On the cover: It must be spring

time; the cherry blossom trees are

blooming and the motorcycles are

revving. 2012 Harley-Davidson®

Softail® SlimTM motorcycle.

Photograph by Grant Harder.

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hog® magazine canada 5

contents /sprinG 2013

Features22 IRoN gRIt It’s more than a job for Trev Deeley Motorcycles’ mechanic extraordinaire, Sam Villanueva: It’s a lifestyle. By Jim Sutherland. Photography by Paul Joseph.

28 h.o.g.® photo pRo Photography tips to help you capture the ideal motorcycle images. Photo Pro: Adam Scorey, editor of Photography Monthly magazine.

32 tomahawk Hidden in the heart of Wisconsin’s North Woods is one of the most sophisticated plastic manufacturing and painting plants you’ll find anywhere. By Mike Zimmerman. Photography by Mark Brautigam.

38 happy B-Day h-D Canada celebrates 110 years of Harley-Davidson Motor Company. By Karen Mayberry.

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welcome / spring 2013“If you rIde lIke there’s no tomorrow, there won’t be.”

get your motor runningIt’s time for everyone to get ready to start your engines! Spring is our favourite time of year, the snow melts, a strong desire to experience the wind on your face (minus the frostbite) appears, and we start itching to get out on the open road once again.

But before you hop on and head out, don’t forget to do a few key things for safety’s sake first! If you didn’t already prepare your motorcycle properly when you put it away for the winter, then charging your battery, checking the tire pressure, and putting on an extra coat of wax is the first place to start. Refer back to your owner’s manual for the necessary specs, tips, and maintenance schedule to ensure your chrome baby is tuned up properly and ready to go for your first test ride of the season.

For those of you who are new to the Harley-Davidson® Brand, welcome! The true value of H.O.G.® is that it creates friendships and camaraderie over the years through the social experiences of being a part of this wonderful family, and those relationships will always be there throughout life! Check out a H.O.G.® Chapter, supported by your local authorized Canadian Harley-Davidson® Retailer. Chapters play an important role in this family, and are loyal and dedicated to representing the Harley-Davidson® Brand by providing you with lots of planned occasions to ride and have fun while showing off your H-D® motorcycle.

Something new to keep your eye out for is the soon to be reinvigorated members.hog.com, which will re-launch in late Spring 2013. It will be one of our most valuable assets for inspiring riding activity and moving the Brand forward – strengthening the emotional and social connections of riders with the H-D® Brand and one another. Key Features will include: Canadian localized and personalized content in English and French; rider-generated content (photos, ride ratings and reviews, comments); information and inspiring content (includes, but is not limited to HOG® Magazine Canada content); a new way to showcase events; premium rides; points of interest (fueled by Google Places); Integration with Facebook and Twitter. Stay tuned!

Another special welcome is extended to Duarte Pita, Communications & Events Coordinator for Harley Owners Group® of Canada and our newly appointed Editor of HOG® Magazine Canada. You will see a great deal of his hard work and effort throughout this edition of HOG® Magazine Canada. He will now be your key point of contact in helping to improve an already exceptional Canadian motorcycle magazine that has been dubbed one of the best around.

Gina McNeilManager, Enthusiasts Services

HOG® MAGAzINE CANADA IS PuBlISHED BY THE HARlEY OwNERS GROuP® CANADA

SEND uS YOuR CONTRIBuTIONS TO: [email protected]

hogmagazinecanada.ca

HOG® MAGAzINE CANADA FEATuRES SOME CONTENT FROM THE uS EDITION OF HOG® MAGAzINE AND

EuROPEAN EDITIONS OF HOG® MAGAzINE.

The Canadian ediTion is published by:

Gina MCneil MANAGER, ENTHuSIAST SERvICESduarTe piTa EDITOR

sCoTT Clark PRODuCTIONTeresa Colussi COMMuNICATIONS

brad Jandrew DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

produCTion, desiGn & sales by

www.FRESHAIRPuBlISHING.CA

Gordie bowles PRODuCTIONdoris CheunG, lisa Thé DESIGNdon CaMeron DESIGN FRENCH

Please direct any advertising inquiries to [email protected]

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.

HOG® Magazine Canada is published quarterly by the Harley Owners Group®

Canada. Due to various circumstances, some information in this issue is subject to change. Harley-Davidson, Harley, H-D, H.O.G. logo and the Harley-Davidson logo are among the trademarks of H-D Michigan, llC.

No part of this publication may be reproduced for any reason without written consent from the editor.

By sending your submissions, you are giving Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Harley-Davidson Owners Group® of Canada ltd., and their affliates, the unrestricted right, permission, and authority to use and publish your name and city of residence, any photograph or image of you, including any state-ments you make, for publication in HOG® Magazine Canada or for posting on members.hog.com, without consideration or compensation of any kind whatsoever. You further hereby irrevocably release and waive any right, claim, or cause of action you may have against Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Harley-Davidson Owners Group® of Canada ltd., and their affiliates, for compensation, libel, or invasion of privacy, or any other liability whatsoever. Harley Owners Group® reserves the right to edit stories for content, length and clarity.

with the purchase of any new Harley-Davidson® model from an authorized Canadian Harley-Davidson® Retailer, you will receive a free, full one-year member-ship in H.O.G.®

Always ride with a helmet. Ride defensively. Distributed exclusively in Canada by Deeley Harley-Davidson® Canada, Richmond and Concord. Deeley Harley-Davidson® Canada is a proud sponsor of Muscular Dystrophy Canada. To find your local authorized Canadian Harley-Davidson® Retailer, visit www.harleycanada.com today. ©2013 H-D. All rights reserved. Printed in Canada.

“That’s all the motorcycle is, a system of concepts worked out in steel.” – Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Letters2.indd 6 2013-02-10 12:38 PM


We welcome all letters and feedback to HOG® Magazine Canada. Letters should be 100-150 words. E-mail your feedback to [email protected] and put “Intake” in the e-mail subject. Include your name, telephone number and e-mail address. We reserve the right to edit submissions for length and clarity.

“If you rIde lIke there’s no tomorrow, there won’t be.”

editor’s note + intake / spring 2013letters from our members

H.o.g.® canada member’s publicationwow! Thank-you Gina McNeil, Manager, Enthusiast Services, for the warm welcome. I look forward to working alongside you producing a motorcycle magazine chock full of interesting and informative articles for all of our Canadian H.O.G.® members.

As with all of you loyal readers, I take great pride in owning a Harley-Davidson® motorcycle, but that is only the beginning. Riding, sharing my motorcycle experiences, my passion, and my adoration of the Harley-Davidson® Brand with fellow riders and like-minded individuals is, for me, the greatest reward of all. Now, I’ve been given the opportunity to share through our common periodic publication: HOG® Magazine Canada.

From the very first issue, this has been our magazine, and I would like to take this opportunity to encourage all members and riders alike to keep sending in those great motorcycle-related stories and photos. Don’t be afraid to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), as we all have our own unique way of re-telling our adventures and showcasing our memories through great picture and words. I’m convinced that other members would love to vicariously experience the unforgettable Canadian motorcycle stories that some of our close to 50,000 members might have to share.

we also have our ever popular Member’s Gallery where we showcase, in photographs, one-off moments in time that were experienced by our readers in various Canadian locations, and sometimes, in foreign places! we have included an article by Adam Scorey, editor of Photography Monthly, who offers some tips to improve your picture-taking skills.

So, keep those riding stories and pictures coming in, as none of them ever go unread or unseen! who knows, you or someone you know might just be the next great writer or photographer and all it took was a great forum such as the HOG® Magazine Canada to display it all.

Duarte PitaEditor, HOG® Magazine Canada

dreams FulFilled The story on Cape Breton and the Cabot Trail brought back a flood of memories for both my brother and I after reading the winter 2013 issue of HOG® Magazine Canada. Following the

death of our mother, we decided to fulfill a dream we have had for many years. we each bought a 2012 Harley-Davidson® Road Glide® motorcycle: his a Custom, and mine an ultra. The night before we were to pick-up the bikes, my father in-law passed away unexpectedly. In July 2012, we decided to ride to Nova Scotia for two family reunions to honour our late mother and my father in-law. Between the reunions, we rode the Cabot Trail and stayed overnight in Pleasant Bay, Nova Scotia. we both fulfilled a longstanding dream to ride the Cabot Trail on a couple of legendary machines.James morris

oshawa, ontario

eat & breatHe ridingOn the eve of an 18-day, 6,440-km ride through the Great American west, I found Melissa Gevo’s Between the lines article “Ride to Eat (Healthier)” timely and informative. Her advice will be taken to heart and stomach. I hope this type of article will appear again; it was very useful.Skip Winterbottom

Via emaiL

b.c. to az celebrationThanks for the great 110th issue! wendy and I will

Question of the day:How are you going to celebrate the H.O.G.® 30th anniversary during 2013?

celebrate the 110th/30th of Harley-Davidson Motor Company/H.O.G.®, respectively, by riding from victoria, British Columbia, to liverpool, Nova Scotia, (her birthplace) via Sturgis, South Dakota, and Milwaukee, wisconsin, to surprise her parents! She rode her 2009 Harley-Davidson® Heritage SoftailTM Classic motorcycle to Arizona with me in April, so she can handle a long haul! nigel hawkins and Wendy dunnett

Victoria, British columbia

Editor’s Note

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Mechanic Sam Villanueva, of Trev Deeley Motorcycles, gets some help from Doug Belway (left) and Ken Jenson (right) removing a motorcycle from a crate, preparing the 1992 Harley‑Davidson® Super Glide® motorcycle for the road.

velvet gloves, iron fist

BACKstAge /spring 2013

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BACKstAge /spring 2013

Photograph by Paul Joseph

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Enroll & Book Today | BWrider.com | 1 888.BW2BIKE*Numbers are approximate and may fluctuate. Best Western and the Best Western marks are service marks or registered service marks of Best Western International, Inc. ©2012 Best Western International, Inc. All rights reserved. Harley-Davidson, Harley, H-D, the Bar and Shield logo and H.O.G. are among the trademarks of H-D Michigan, LLC. Each Best Western® branded hotel is independently owned and operated.

Restful Stay and Value

BEST WESTERN®

Enhanced Comfort and Service

BEST WESTERN PLUS®

Distinct Style and Plush Amenities

BEST WESTERN PREMIER®

Best Western® has been known for many years as the heart and soul ofhospitality and travel. Staying with us allows you the freedom to ride across the country to over 1,200 Rider-Friendly® hotels in the U.S. and over 85 in Canada*. This is why we created our free Best Western Ride Rewards® program designed for Harley-Davidson® enthusiasts. H.O.G.® Members are automatically upgraded to Platinum Elite status. Visit BWrider.com® for more membership benefi ts.

Take Our Rewards for a Test Ride

CanadaHarleyDavidson Ad 6-12.indd 1 6/21/12 8:18 AMHOG Frontshop.indd 10 2013-02-10 12:51 PM


front shop/spring 2013news Prince Charles, Movember, International Female Ride Day©, UFC, International HOT.

backstory Hard work and innovation: The original Harley-Davidson Motor Company staff pose for a photo in front of the Factory in 1907.

galleryA bit of everything from our readers.

Gra

nt H

arde

r

Enroll & Book Today | BWrider.com | 1 888.BW2BIKE*Numbers are approximate and may fluctuate. Best Western and the Best Western marks are service marks or registered service marks of Best Western International, Inc. ©2012 Best Western International, Inc. All rights reserved. Harley-Davidson, Harley, H-D, the Bar and Shield logo and H.O.G. are among the trademarks of H-D Michigan, LLC. Each Best Western® branded hotel is independently owned and operated.

Restful Stay and Value

BEST WESTERN®

Enhanced Comfort and Service

BEST WESTERN PLUS®

Distinct Style and Plush Amenities

BEST WESTERN PREMIER®

Best Western® has been known for many years as the heart and soul ofhospitality and travel. Staying with us allows you the freedom to ride across the country to over 1,200 Rider-Friendly® hotels in the U.S. and over 85 in Canada*. This is why we created our free Best Western Ride Rewards® program designed for Harley-Davidson® enthusiasts. H.O.G.® Members are automatically upgraded to Platinum Elite status. Visit BWrider.com® for more membership benefi ts.

Take Our Rewards for a Test Ride

CanadaHarleyDavidson Ad 6-12.indd 1 6/21/12 8:18 AM HOG Frontshop.indd 11 2013-02-10 12:51 PM


front shop / spring 2013news • backstory • gallery

harley-DaviDson Motor CoMpany Bets Big on inDiaU.S. based Harley-Davidson Motor Company is targeting smaller towns in India as it looks to enhance its presence in the country. The Company also said that it will consider increasing the number of models assembled in India in order to offer its products at an “affordable rate” for Customers.

“We are looking to expand our Dealer network. Currently, we have nine showrooms, and by the end of the year we will have our tenth. And next year we will add three more in Jaipur, Indore, and Pune,” Harley-Davidson® India, Managing Director, Anoop Prakash told reporters. “We are getting a good pull in smaller towns. There are a lot of people who have the same key attributes as we have, in wanting personal freedom. The kind of enthusiasm we had received in a place like Kochi was the same as in any metro,” Prakash said.

four-Millionth harley-DaviDson® MotorCyCle MaDe in pennsylvaniaOne by one, they introduced themselves to Robert and Susan Shingler. One installed the left side footpads. Another put in the fenders. The Summerville, South Carolina, couple gazed at what stood before them – a cafeteria packed with second-shift employees who manufactured their 2013 Road Glide® Ultra motorcycle. It’s a privilege not afforded to the average Harley-Davidson® motorcycle owner. Then again, this wasn’t the average Harley-Davidson® bike.

“This bike was a collector’s item before it even hit the road,” said Robert, a 44-year-old police officer who, un-

beknownst to him, purchased the four-millionth motorcycle manufactured at the Harley-Davidson® Springettsbury Township operations.

The Milwaukee-based Company flew the couple to York on Monday to tour the plant, meet its workers, and watch a video documenting the bike’s October 16 “birth” – as it’s called at the site. The motorcycle, which Retails for more than $25,000, is a milestone for the Company, which – as evidenced in recent earnings reports – is beginning to see the fruits of an organization-wide restructuring that began in 2009. The first bike rolled off the line at the Factory in 1973. About 20 years later, the millionth bike was recorded, spokeswoman Bernadette Lauer said. – Lauren Boyer, Daily Record/Sunday News

King of the roaD: prinCe Charles tries a harley-DaviDson® MotorCyCle on for size The Prince of Wales hopped on the motorcycle and shook hands with bikers as he met with Poppy Appeal volunteers and celebrity supporters. Prince Charles is more accustomed to a chauffeur-driven limo, but on October 31, he tried a Harley-Davidson® motorcycle for size, meeting bikers from the Royal British Legion Riders Club at St. James’s Palace as part of London Poppy Day.

North America

India

Britain

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news • backstory • gallery

international feMale riDe Day©

The 7th Annual International Female Ride Day© is set for May 3, 2013. The event celebrates and promotes female motorcyclists of all ages, forms, and styles of motorcycling while creating awareness. The campaign invites women to simply JUST RIDE – showing their support globally on the first Friday of May. When I first introduced the event there was no doubt women would hitch on to it and make it the global happening it is today. It was obvious, as an avid motorcyclist, that this was the event we needed to underline women’s history and current day presence in the world of motorcycling. Seven years later, International Female Ride Day© has evolved to what most refer to as a – phenomenon!

It’s become a symbol for female riders the world over. The camaraderie, passion, and bonds created by this unified ride remain simply put, unmatched. I’ve yet to find the words to describe the “kick” felt by being out there on your motorcycle, on this one day, knowing there’s another woman in Paris or Vancouver riding with you.

H.O.G.® members worldwide, and maybe that’s you, have been strongly present since the get-go. And now, as we get revved up for this seventh edition, I hope you’ll have a fabulous, safe, and fun ride as you take to the roads in usual unrivalled H.O.G.® style.

See you on May 3 – JUST RIDE! – Vicki Gray

For further information, go to www.motoress.com/femalerideday.asp, or join the IFRD group or check out the page on Facebook.

Deeley Harley-Davidson® Canada began a partnership with Movember to help change the face of men’s health. In 2012, Deeley Harley-Davidson® Canada signed on as a major partner and the response from our H.O.G.® members, H-D® Retailers, and Associates has been incredible! The Harley-

Davidson® network across Canada had 587 Mo Bros and Mo Sistas participate in the Movember campaign. Together, this group, along with the corporate contribution of Deeley Harley-Davidson® Canada, helped to raise over $180,000. Overall, the Harley-Davidson® network ranked 14th in Canada.

Awesome!These results could not have

been achieved without the great support of our Retailers and H.O.G.® members. In particular, we would like to acknowledge the great campaign developed by Barnes Harley-Davidson®, who raised over $31,000 through their promotion with ROCK 101 in Vancouver. Well done!

Once again this year, Canadians’ support of Movember was unparalleled. To date, Canadians have raised over $40 million, the most of any country. As a major partner, Deeley Harley-Davidson® Canada was involved in sponsoring several key Movember prizes, including the $100 draw for a 2012 Harley-Davidson® Street Bob® motorcycle. Drum roll please … and the winner is Reed Ludwig from Medstead, Saskatchewan. Reed raised just under $100,000 as part of the Movember drive of MEG Energy.

MoveMBer MagiC

2012 was another great year for Harley-Davidson® and its partnership with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Over the course of the year, UFC fans in Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal witnessed the excitement and athleticism of these top warriors. However, in 2013, as part of our 110th Anniversary celebration, we want to give UFC fans across Canada the opportunity to experience a UFC event in a way that only Harley-Davidson can deliver.

In March, Harley-Davidson® Motor Company will launch the Hometown Throwdown contest. The contest gives entrants the opportunity to win round-trip flights, accommodation, and VIP tickets for two to the UFC event scheduled during the 110th Anniversary celebration in Milwaukee on August 30, 2013. The winner will also receive the chance to take part in an exclusive training session with a UFC fighter and be present at the weigh-in session. That would be a pretty cool prize, right? Well, what if your prize also included a 2013 Harley- Davidson® Street Bob® motorcycle? We thought you’d like that.

Contest opens March 16, 2013, please visit www.harleycanada.com to register. Hopefully, we’ll see you in Milwaukee.

Win tiCKets to the ufC hoMetoWn throWDoWn




harley® on sCreen1974 H-D® Super Glide® model, in Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Movie, 19851987 H-D® FXRS-SP Low Rider® Sport Edition model, in Heathers, Movie, 1988H-D® FLHTP Electra Glide® model, in In the Line of Fire, Movie, 1993H-D® FLSTFSE Fat Boy® model, in Wild Hogs, Movie, 2007

froM the vault

international hot – (h.o.g.® offiCer training)

MeMBers.hog.CoM

Milwaukee, April 19-20THE SOUND OF THUNDER From the quiet rumble of the first Harley-Davidson® motorcycle riders to the mighty thunder of Harley Owners Group®, we come together to ride as one. The rumble of a lone bike joins with many others to form a powerful thunder, just as individual efforts combine with those of fellow officers and riders to make Chapters strong. H.O.G.® Officer Training (HOT) is here to keep your Chapter’s thunder rolling forward, building in a crescendo of energy by giving you the tools and the knowledge to engage your Chapter’s full efforts. Come to connect

with other officers and learn from a training program designed specifically for you.

LET IT ROAR. Come explore the birthplace of Harley-Davidson Motor Company. You’ll hear from top Motor Company executives who are available to answer your questions on just about anything related to the Harley-Davidson® Brand. Plus you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy the local flavour, from pubs on the Riverwalk to the Milwaukee Art Museum. Join us for a hot night at the Harley-Davidson MuseumTM! For more information or to register, contact your local Chapter.

The soon-to-be reinvigorated members.hog.com website is “one of the most valuable assets we have to inspire riding activity and move the Brand forward – strengthening the emotional and social connection of riders with Harley-Davidson and each other,” said Gina McNeil, Manager, Enthusiast Services, for

Harley-Davidson Owners Group® of Canada Ltd.

Key Features• Canadian localized and personalized content in English and French • Rider-generated content (photos, ride ratings and reviews, comments)• Info and inspiring content (including, but not

limited to HOG® Magazine Canada content)• A new way to showcase events Digital connections to Customer Service and event registration (online form in phase 1)• The All NEW Exclusive H.O.G.® Members-Only Website will re-launch in Spring 2013, with a wide range of new features

By 1931, every American competitor of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company was out of the market except for Indian (Hendee Manufacturing Company). Indian and Harley-Davidson continued to be the only two American motorcycle manufacturers until 1953.


THE H.O.G.® MILEAGE PROGRAM. EARN AWARDS JUST FOR DOING WHAT YOU LOVE MOST: RIDING — STARTING AT ONLY 1,000 MILES. How far you take it is up to you, but the journey begins at members.hog.com. Download an entry form today, then ride to your local Retailer to sign up. And give yourself one more reason to hit the road with H.O.G.®

©2012 H-D. All rights reserved. Harley, Harley-Davidson and the Bar & Shield logo are among the trademarks of H-D U.S.A., LLC.

HOG_Mileage_Ad_CA-en-fr.indd 1 11/02/2013 2:25:39 PM





harD WorK anD innovationThe entire Harley-Davidson Motor Company staff, including three of the four founders — Walter Davidson (seventh from right), William A. Davidson (fifth from right) and Arthur Davidson (far right) — pose for a photo in 1907. The picture was taken in front of the Factory building they used prior to the one that was built in 1912. The years 1906 to 1908 saw a jump in production from 50 motorcycles in 1906 to 450 motorcycles in 1908. After hiring the first full-time employee (other than the founders) in 1905, 35 full-time staffers had been hired by 1908.


Photographs courtesy of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company Archives. Copyright H-D.



front shop / spring 2013

Harold Gates and selena Gates in St. Albert, Alberta. Photos by Lorissa Gates.

Marthe Fleury from Québec City, Quebec, at Mount Washington, New Hampshire, USA.

anne Wiebe from Steinbach, Manitoba, on Iron Mountain road in South Dakota.

Michel Vézina from Québec City, Quebec, at Mount Washington, New Hampshire, USA.

PHOtO suBMIssIONs: Please send minimum 2 Mb files at 300 DPI resolution to: [email protected]


MeMBers gallery



Christine and tom Payne from Winnipeg, Manitoba, on their wedding day on October 6, 2012, in St. Vital Park, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Dennis Butcher from Collingwood, Ontario, in the Badlands, South Dakota, in June 2012.

Gary & Joyce Barbour (left) and Bill & Marion Friars from Petitcodiac, New Brunswick, at the top of Beartooth Pass, Montana, in July 2011.

ron Gardiner from Montréal, Quebec, during Sturgis Bike Week in the Badlands, South Dakota, in August 2012.

Dennis Best, Gary Green and Howard seale from Sydney, Nova Scotia, visiting Mackie Harley-Davidson®, Oshawa, Ontario.




Members of the Gaspé Chapter during their annual charity ride to fight cancer.

John Klassen from Steinbach, Manitoba, reading a book to his grandson Parker.

al Carter from Vernon, British Columbia, on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Glacier National Park, Montana, USA, in August, 2012.

PHOtO suBMIssIONs: Please send minimum 2 Mb files at 300 DPI resolution to: [email protected]

MeMBers gallery


Jo Figueiredo from Toronto, Ontario, in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA.



Laurentian Chapter, Quebec.Members of the Gaspé Chapter during their annual charity ride to fight cancer.

al Carter from Vernon, British Columbia, on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, Glacier National Park, Montana, USA, in August, 2012.


Paul Pratt from Oakville, Ontario, in Virginia, June 2012.

Mike and Marlene Gorman from Sharon, Ontario, in Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, in June 2012.

rick Carswell from Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia, with his grandson, rafael, just outside Merritt, British Columbia.

Harold Gagné’s Harley-Davidson® motorcycle in Tewkesbury, Quebec.

Kevin McMahon’s Trike, taken at Joggins, Nova Scotia, in July 2012.

Brian simmons’ pride and joy, a 2011 Road King® Classic motorcycle on the grounds of the museum in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta.



iron It’s more than just a job for trev Deeley motorcycles’ sam vIllanueva, harley-DavIDson® motorcycle mechanIc extraorDInaIre. story by jim sutherland photography by Paul joseph

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iron It’s more than just a job for trev Deeley motorcycles’ sam vIllanueva, harley-DavIDson® motorcycle mechanIc extraorDInaIre. story by jim sutherland photography by Paul joseph

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POETRY IN MOTION Mechanic Sam Villanueva doesn’t see a lot of bikes like this 1992 Super Glide® motorcycle, which will get put back on the road after years of storage.

ProfileSamVfeature.indd 24 2013-02-10 12:54 PM


Gun collection? Sometimes rides his bicycle to work. Check, check.

Speaking of contradictions, a mechanic who rides his bicycle to work isn’t the only one of those here at Trev Deeley Motorcycles. With its amazing museum and 60,000 square feet of merchandise and motorcycles, this hog heaven looks more like an upmarket mall, albeit one located in a parallel universe where it’s mostly men who live to shop. Back in the pristine and brightly-lit Service Department, some of the other mechanics look like they’ve been sent over by central casting to the wrong set. These guys are less Rebel Rousers than Portlandia, the cult hit TV series about hipsters who really know their artisanal cheeses.

None of which is to suggest that the place isn’t a shrine to Harley® motorcycles. In fact, there’s a classic example sitting in Villanueva’s bay right now, atop his personal altar, which is otherwise known as a stand. For the 27-year-old, working on a 1992 Super Glide® motorcycle with a rare silver frame (most were black) is a bit of a treat. The shop rate here isn’t the cheapest, and a lot of older bikes end up at indie shops or with shade tree mechanics. The owner of the Super Glide® motorcycle is getting it back on the road after several years in storage. Villanueva has already put more than a day into it, and now he just has to drill out and rethread the drain plug.

Next up is a 2013 FXDB Street Bob® motorcycle. At Trev Deeley Motorcycles the bikes that are not actually being worked on are corralled into one of three pods (yes, that’s what they call them). A dozen or so have been fixed up and detailed and are ready for pick-up; a similar number are waiting on parts or instructions; the Street Bob® motorcycle sits with a bunch more in the entrance pod, in line for their turn with a crew that, in high season, numbers up to 15 mechanics.

Most of the bikes are fairly new. On balance, Villanueva’s okay with that. “New bikes aren’t going to be

YOu caN TIck Off quITE a fEw bOxEs IN ThE casE

of Sam Villanueva, crack Harley-Davidson® motorcycle mechanic. Raced dirt and motocross bikes? Check. Owns six motorcycles? Check. One of them is a chopper? Check. Doesn’t have a car? Check. Has two trucks, the newest one a 1983? Check. Tattoos up and down both arms and on his legs and torso? Check.



MuscLE & fINEssE Everything in its place: whether a socket set, a demure pinup, or a tattoo. Next page: Villanueva tackles a new Street Bob® motorcycle; “Francesca” was inspired by a girl Villanueva met.

dirty; they’re not going to be rusty,” he says. That natty pin-striped shirt with the Trev Deeley Motorcycles logo on it will stay nice and clean. There will be no bruises on his knuckles, which sport arty tattoos of connecting rods and wrenches.

The tools of his trade are there, on his knuckles, because that’s exactly where he wanted them, but realistically, his body isn’t exactly a blank canvas. Villanueva has a lot of tattoo-artist friends, and he’s turned to several for designs that are often loaded with deeper meaning. A sailboat is in honour of a friend who loved to sail before dying in a bike accident. On the other hand, some just happened. “Francesca” is there because he met a girl of that name and told her that he would get her name tattooed. Late that night

it might have seemed like a joke or line, but “the next day I was walking past a tattoo shop and had an hour to kill,” he says. A popular guy who finds that it’s true that girls like a guy on a bike, Villanueva is going to have to be careful, because he could just run out of space.

Meanwhile, back at work, most of the bikes lined up in their pods are there for routine maintenance or warranty service, but there’s also a growing focus on customization. In some cases, especially with models like the 1200 Custom and the Street Bob®, are custom built at the Factory, but a lot of the personalization happens at the Retail Store level. Harley-Davidson Motor Company breaks it down to four categories. There’s fitting a bike to the

owner’s body and riding style – with tweaks to the handlebars, seats, or suspension, for example. There’s the functional aspect of outfitting a bike according to how it’s going to be used, like for two-up or touring. There’s the performance side. And of course, there’s style: the thousands of ways a bike can be trimmed to suit an owner’s eye. “With Harley [motorcycle]s, so much of it is style,” says Villanueva. “That and touring – getting a bike set up for long trips.”

On balance, he’s okay with that too. Still, he’s just 27 and what really gets him juiced is performance. Villanueva started riding dirt bikes at 11, and competed a little as a teenager. His mom was a bank manager who was constantly being transferred between towns and cities in the British Columbia interior. (His dad was in real estate.) “I suppose they were a good place to grow up,” Villanueva says, “but I wanted to get somewhere bigger.”

Soon after high school, and a move to Vancouver, he entered BCIT’s motorcycle mechanic program, where most of the focus was on what he calls “metric” bikes. (“More polite than saying ‘Japanese’,” he thinks.) But Villanueva had an uncle who was a Harley®

“WIth harley motorcycles, so much of It Is style,” says vIllanueva. “that anD tourIng – gettIng a bIke set uP for long trIPs.”



4

LuckY ThINg hE’s a MEchaNIcsam villanueva’s personal fleet runs to six motorcycles, two trucks, and three bicycles. a breakdown:

A 1973 Harley® Shovelhead chopper: “When I got it, [it] had a lot of weird goth stuff, which had to go. It’s a typical 70s chopper; small tank, no front brakes. Choppers evolved because Harley motorcycles were heavy and slow. The more you took off, the faster they got.” A Triumph 750 motorcycle, with a 1970 frame and a 1977 motor: “It’s set up for dirt oval and flat track racing.”A 1978 Yamaha SR500 motorcycle: “My grocery getter and date bike. It’s comfortable for two. The others are set up for racing with tiny crouch pads. Girls just hate them.”A 2001 Honda XR650R motorcycle: “It won the Baja 1,000. I figure any bike that can rip through the desert at top speed is OK.” A 2001 and a 2006 Honda CR250R motorcycle: “I use it for days at the track. Motocross is super fun but super competitive. If I started racing again, I wouldn’t win, but I wouldn’t finish last.”A 1967 Ford F150 truck: “A buddy left it with me; until he picks it up, I’ll consider it mine.”A 1983 Chevy S-10 truck: “A guy here gave it to me. I spent $50 getting it running.”Three bicycles, two of them BMX bicycles, the other is his single-speed commuter bike: “Yeah, I’m a motorcycle mechanic, but I still have to get to work. In rush hour it’s almost as quick.”

motorcycle guy. He has a photo of himself sitting on his uncle’s bike at three years old, and he thinks that might have played a role in leading him to Barnes Harley-Davidson® Buell® in nearby Langley, where he stayed for two years before moving to Trev Deeley Motorcycles, which is closer to where he lives on Vancouver’s east side. “I didn’t really want to be working on Japanese bikes,” he says; even if, of the five bikes he owns, four happen to be metric, all except one geared to racing or performance (see sidebar).

On a break he goes for a walk to the museum, with its collection valued at $3 million and a current exhibition called “Made in America”. Others might be spellbound by the dozens of classic Harley® motorcycles or the vintage Indian and Henderson motorcycles, a brand that died decades ago but was the largest and fastest of its day. Villanueva, though, is drawn to a bike from an era that seems to speak to him, the 1970s. Due to rule

changes and the rise of Japanese makes, Harley-Davidson was starting to lose its supremacy in dirt track racing, and the XR750 motorcycle was the Company’s response. That bike bounced Harley-Davidson right back to the front of the pack, served Evel Knievel on most of his jumps, and went on to become what many consider the most successful race bike of all time. Villanueva appreciates the purity and purposefulness of the competition-only 750 and he appreciates the way Harley-Davidson chose to tweak its ancient V-Twin engine and still vanquished competitors sporting much newer technology. He loves how the frame has been drilled out all over the place to save just a few ounces.

Only 200 XR750 motorcycles were made per year, and they’re not the kind of thing people bring in for service. Too bad. For Villanueva, one of the best perks of his job is the road check, and this one would be a ride to remember.



proH.o.g.®

photoEvery week, we love looking at all the photos we receive from H.O.G.® members across the country. To help you make sure your photo gets published, we asked the editor of Photography Monthly magazine, Adam Scorey, to share some top photography tips.

Photographs courtesy H.O.G.® UK.

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You don’t need to be a technical whiz kid to take amazing photos. By considering a few golden rules before you press the button, you can create masterpieces that you will be proud to hang on your wall and we will be proud to print in H.O.G.® Magazine Canada …

BackgroundUnless you are heading off on a specific ride, the first thing to consider when photographing anything, but particularly bikes, is a location. When scanning the Harley-Davidson® website, my eyes were caressed with evocative visions of classical downtown street scenes, polished bikes, and American cultural references. Where were we heading? The coast of north Norfolk in the UK, in the rain. No matter, the same principles apply irrespective of the weather.


adaM’S ToP TIPS1. Have fun2. Watch for cluttered backgrounds3. Shoot details 4. Try to create a narrative5. Get a high vantage point6. Try panning to give a sense of speed7. Shoot in black-and-white/ mono mode8. Avoid getting yourself in the shot by zooming in9. Mount a camera on your bike10. Shoot from low and high angles, not just standing


of scale and create a narrative. But think about where you place them. Look for lines and shapes that will lead your eyes as they look around the picture to your subject. Also, look for elements that give your picture a balance of subject “weight”. If you are travelling to somewhere special, with personal references or touristy hotspots, by all means include them in the frame, but do it carefully and with an eye for artful composition – again think balance and weight. Perhaps find a location that gives you a high vantage point to shoot down or a different view from the normal, wide-angle shots that we all take. Take care to remove extraneous details from your picture – people or power lines, for example, can be avoided with a bit more care.

LIghTIng/conTraSTIf you are not an enthusiast photographer, talking about light and all its glorious forms is going to confuse things – most of us shoot in whatever we find ourselves doing, no matter the weather. Generally, perfect light is only ever achieved by those who have the time to sit and wait for it, or to visit a location enough times to know when that

geT cLoSeConsider carefully where and against what you are going to shoot your bike. My first few images placed the bike against some colourful beach huts, being careful to omit the scruffiness I found. They didn’t work for the whole bike, so I moved closer and turned the camera upright for a tighter composition.

deTaILSYou can actually use the bad weather to accentuate your image, and give it feel or atmosphere. Cloudy conditions diffuse light and give soft shadows, and are therefore great for detail shots. I took close-up shots of rain-covered chrome, reflections of abstract details in a huge puddle, and generally used the rather dour conditions to help create a more dark and brooding mood, including shooting in the camera’s black-and- white mode.

narraTIveI love using the immediate surroundings in my images – architectural details, people, roads, trees – in fact, anything that will give my image a sense

is. Picture taking should be fun, so there are some simple things you can do to improve your images – read on for details!

MoveMenTShowing movement is a great way to add atmosphere to a shot, and helps concentrate the image on the bike and rider rather than the background. Yes, you can take a shot from the riding position, up high and including the handlebars, some of the tank, and the road ahead – you’ll need a wide-angle for this to work and a free-angle rear LCD screen would be really handy to check your framing.

A nice “cheat” here is to put your camera in landscape mode and shoot some movement sequences. It slows the shutter speed down and will add blur, which in turn helps create the sense of motion. If you’re taking on-bike shots, consider using what is called “panning” – as a subject moves past the camera, left-to-right and not too fast, you move the camera in a semi-circular arc to follow it, taking pictures as it passes.

The unuSuaLWhile sitting down and having lunch, I parked the bike so I


The Harley Owners Group® is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and we want to see how you are commemorating this milestone. Enter your submission, a high resolution image (minimum 300 dpi), to [email protected] by August 1, 2013, for a chance to WIN A H.O.G.® 30th Anniversary Gift Package. The winning submissions will also be published in the Fall 2013 issue of HOG® Magazine Canada.

HOG® Magazine Canada Photo Contest


could see it from the table. Then, using my teacup and table, I shot a few abstract shots of the bike for two reasons. One, they were a fun way to experiment with angles, and two, they also helped to create part of my narrative for the shoot.

goPro hero2 acTIon caMeraI must admit to not having had so much fun with a camera for a while. This small, tough, but innovative camera can be attached to your bike via a sucker mount. You can then

turn on something called automatic interval timer shooting; basically, the camera will automatically take a picture in preset time intervals until you tell it to stop or the battery runs out. I attached mine to the windshield at the start of the trip and set it to take an image every 10 seconds for the whole day’s trip; I then converted the resulting images into a photofilm. It’s safe up to 160 km/h, has a waterproof housing, and is only the size of a box of cigarettes. Check out my photofilm at www.photographymonthly.com.


tomah awkTomohawkFeature.indd 32 2013-02-10 12:56 PM

tomah awk Hidden in the heart of Wisconsin’s North Woods is one of the most sophisticated plastic manufacturing and painting plants you’ll find anywhere: the Harley-Davidson® Tomahawk Operations facility.

story by Mike Zimmerman. photography by Mark Brautigam

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The plant originally produced boats for the Tomahawk Boat Manufacturing Corporation, which the Harley‑Davidson Motor Company bought in 1961 to acquire its fibreglass fabrication capabilities. For a short time, it continued to produce boats, as well as bodies for golf cars and snowmobiles. Today, employees at Tomahawk mould, paint, and assemble a variety of composite motorcycle components. Just a few kilometers away, around the corner and just outside of town, is the newer and larger Kaphaem Road facility. Built in 2002, this 95,000‑square‑foot plant (including a 2006 expansion) also produces windshields and other plastic parts, such as fairings, fairing lowers, saddlebags, and Tour‑Pak® carriers/luggage carriers. Both plants also house state‑of‑the‑art painting operations, in addition to other cutting‑edge processes and equipment, says Tomahawk General Manager, Latasha Akoma. But what really sets the two plants apart are the quality, commitment, and

character of the nearly 350 people who make it all run.

thE PRoCESSESThe fabrication of plastic parts at Tomahawk begins with state‑of‑the‑art injection moulding – or “I‑mould” – at Kaphaem, turning small plastic pellets into precision‑moulded components. A robot takes the part from the mould, trims the excess material, and begins prepping it for painting.

One of the key steps in this process is the “plasma” treatment, where all the edges of the part pass through what looks like a small blue flame.

“Most of your paint adhesion issues come around the edge of the part, that’s the most difficult part to paint,” explains Richie Richards, the Kaphaem Area Manager. “We want to make sure that the paint adheres, by etching it with the plasma for better paint performance.”

From there, parts go through “raw wash”, where they’re wiped down by hand. It’s here where the importance of cleanliness rises to the forefront, as even

the smallest impurity can compromise the quality and durability of the finished paint.

matCh makING Harley‑Davidson is known for the high quality of all of its finishes. Metal components often get the most attention, but it’s every bit as difficult – and just as important – to get the paint on the plastic parts exactly right.

Because different surfaces have different properties, calling for unique paint formulations, a great deal of attention is paid to making sure that when the catalogue says an accessory is “colour‑matched” to the primary paint set, it really is.

“There is a tremendous amount of coordination between factories [at Tomahawk, York, and Kansas City],” says Tomahawk Director of Operations Chuck Statz. “There are weekly meetings that don’t stop – we launch one model year and immediately go into the next. It’s a robust development process that ensures we achieve an exact match that we need

hE fIRSt thING you NotICE about the tomahawk Somo facility is how modest it seems. Located on Somo avenue, just on the outskirts of town, it’s not large, imposing, or high-tech looking. Rather, the plant looks like it’s been there for a long time – like it belongs there, as part of the town and its history, because it does.t



LoCaL CoLouR 1 Every part is closely inspected before it’s shipped. 2 Parts with two‑tone paint schemes are marked by computer, then masked by hand. 3 The plants may paint up to 30 colours in a day.

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between factories.” And it’s not a simple process.“Paint is affected by so many

different parameters, you have to control so many things to make sure you get a consistent paint job,” Statz says. “We have to control things like viscosity, the temperature of the paints, and the temperature of the air that the paint is applied in. It has to all be the same all the time. The length of time the part has to flash off solvents, that it’s in a radiant zone, and a convection zone, all are very critical.”

Everything has to be perfectly clean, from the part to the paint, along with the paint guns and hoses that deliver it. The air in the paint booth is filtered four times, and the temperature and humidity are precisely controlled to ensure consistent application.

Anyone who steps into the clean room has to put on a special suit and stand in a

sealed “air shower” for half a minute or so to blow off and suck away any dust particles that may be hitching a ride. There’s even a long list of personal care products that cannot be worn inside, as certain chemicals in them can give off trace fumes that can interfere with the delicate paint processes or leave unwanted films on surfaces.

It may seem extreme, but it’s because even the smallest contaminant can lead to a hidden problem, which in turn can lead to greater damage and shorten the life of the paint’s finish. It’s all “to make sure the Customer sees a high‑quality, consistent product on their bike, every time,” Statz says.

To ensure uniformity of appearance, paint is applied using electrostatic coating. An electric charge is applied to the paint particles so they uniformly cover the part, for a

great‑looking paint job. This process also produces less waste by reducing overspray and improved transfer of paint only to the part.

One of the recent process improvements launched at Somo is a $12‑million investment in a “wet‑on‑wet” painting process. Rather than having to go through a complete drying cycle between coats, which can take several hours, the part goes through an infrared oven, which quickly “gels” the first paint coat and readies it for the next coat much more quickly than air drying. That’s important, because multiple layers of paint and clear coat are what give H‑D® finishes their deep colour and long‑lasting shine. Some of the more exotic colours painted at Tomahawk get as many as seven layers of paint and clear coat.

“With wet‑on‑wet, you basically get two applications

in one,” Akoma explains. “That reduces our lead time to the Customer, and that gives you that wonderful depth of image and paint application in a quicker time frame.”

Once the painting is complete, extensive hand work goes into making sure every part that leaves the Factory is flawless. Parts are buffed, polished, and thoroughly inspected, with even the tiniest flaws in the paint or finish flagged for repair. If the blemish cannot be completely repaired, the part is scrapped and recycled.

Not until the finished part meets these extremely rigorous quality standards is it shipped to the Customer.

thE PEoPLEAs impressive as all the technology is, just as important are all the changes in the way the workforce operates – and

PLayING thE PaRt 1 After the raw polycarbonate sheets are cut and moulded, windshields are assembled by hand. 2 A Tour‑Pak® lid awaiting paint prep. 3 Injection moulding with style. 4 Saddlebags and lids make their way through the painting process at the Somo Avenue facility.

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the quality of the people who comprise it. As a large employer in a town of just 3,400, the Tomahawk facility has a larger than usual impact on the culture around it – and vice‑versa. The expression “hard‑working American” is not just a cliche here; it’s on full display through‑out both plants. The pride taken in a job well done is obvious.

A majority of the workforce lives in Tomahawk, while others drive or ride in from surrounding communities. In the summer, the plants are surrounded by employees’ Harley‑Davidson® motorcycles. In the winter, snowmobiles and

ATVs often take their place. The small‑town setting

gives everything a more “tight‑knit” feel, Akoma explains. “I go out [on the floor] and talk to people about our kids because they’re classmates,” she says. “We’re not always talking about the work, we’re engaging on a personal level.”

Historically, Tomahawk has had one of the most dedicated workforces in all of Harley‑Davidson, says Jeffrey “Wendell” Wendland, a 35‑year Tomahawk veteran who now serves as the local union president. “Whatever we gotta do to load the truck, that’s what we’re going to do.”

With the advent of a new companywide labour agreement, the plant is going through a period of transformation. Some new practices will increase the efficiency and flexibility of the workforce once they’re all in place, but will require plant employees to make adjustments in the short term. This isn’t always easy, but Wendland is confident that everything will eventually gel. “It’s like if you got into your car, and suddenly the speedometer and the clock and everything were switched around.”

The changes are largely centred around lean manufacturing techniques and the Harley‑Davidson® Continuous Improvement System, first introduced in 2009. One change is that more responsibility has been given to new “team leaders”. This is part of an “inverted triangle” approach, which empowers workers on the floor to have more input in Factory processes.

In addition, employees are trained to perform a variety of operations at different stations, increasing staffing flexibility. In November, a new shift schedule (featuring four 10‑hour days in a work week) will go into place that further increases

efficiency and will help the plant match production to varying seasonal demands.

CuLtuRE CouNtSGoing hand‑in‑hand with the procedural changes is something called the Cultural Transformation Rollout (CTR). This 10‑week training program is designed to help all employees better understand the reasons behind the changes and equip them to perform their best in a changing work environment.

“Adding that layer of support for our employees is of a great benefit to our operation,” Statz says. “We’re really excited about what we see and hopeful that with the engagement of our employees, who now have the ability to help come up with ideas and execute those ideas, we’ll see continuous improvement at a greater pace than we’ve ever seen.”

In the end, it’s all focused on one goal: to deliver the highest quality parts to Harley‑Davidson® Customers in the most efficient and affordable way possible, and help make each and every owner as proud as they can possibly be of their Harley‑Davidson® motorcycle.

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thE ExPRESSIoN “haRd-woRkING amERICaN” IS Not juSt a CLIChé hERE; It’S oN fuLL dISPLay thRouGhout both PLaNtS …



Canada Celebrates 110 Years of HarleY-davidson

By Karen Mayberry

Springtime markS our Canadian CalendarS aS the time of melting snow and the peak of that i-just-can’t-get-out-for-a-ride-soon-enough itch that has been mounting over the past few wintry months. it’s a feeling that is truly unique to very few riders across the globe and one that makes the upcoming Harley-davidson 110th anniversary celebration in milwaukee, Wisconsin, that much more of a reason for us to celebrate.

happybirthdayharley-davidson

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MilwauKee, wisconsin

110th anniversaryharley-davidsoncelebration

august 29 to september 1, 2013



all up-to-date details can be found by visiting the 110th anniversary page at: www.h-d.com/110

How is that possible? Look at it this way. As Canadians, we don’t casually read our odometers at just any time of the year to reflect back on the last twelve months of rides and how many kilometres we’ve put on. Goshdarnit no, we are ADVENTURERS on a TIMELINE! Our abbreviated riding season is end-capped with ferocious snowstorms and grey-drizzling rains that keep us chilled to the bone for months on end. In between, we have but a few short months to make good on all of those freeing daydreams that filled our heads while we were busy shoveling snow (!@#$%) or piled in a crowded car with too many people who wore too much bulky clothing and whose incessant breathing steamed up the windshield to the point of semi road-blindness (!@#$%). If only you were on your bike, the warm sun on your back, the breeze on your cheeks, the independence rocking your free world. If only you were celebrating the very peak of your own Canadian riding season in Milwaukee at an event like you’ve never seen before.

It is a short season, and that’s why you should celebrate all that you love in Milwaukee at the official 110th Harley-Davidson

Anniversary Celebration (August 29 to September 1, 2013). Come out and unite with other H-D® motorcycle independents, because it’s not just your resilient Canadian allies who are celebrating 110 years of getting their beloved Harleys out on the road after surviving another winter. You’ll be surprised at how many brothers and sisters you have from around the snowy globe.

Your authorized Canadian Harley-Davidson® Retailer will be celebrating the 110th Anniversary in your area this spring. So

perhaps that’s a great way to kick-off your own countdown to the main event! Is this the summer when you finally plan that group ride to Milwaukee, the home of Harley-Davidson Motor Company?

All event details will be kept up-to-date and can be found at www.harleycanada.com by visiting the 110th Anniversary page. Milwaukee event tickets, hotel rooms, entertainment details, and all general event information – everything you’ll need to know – is right there, including contest opportunities to win a VIP experience and attend the 110th celebration in style! In recognition of the international nature of this Anniversary, you’ll also be able to find a listing of other event celebrations taking place around the world, in case you’re feeling particularly adventurous this year.

Hosted at the legendary Henry Maier Festival Park (Summerfest Grounds) in Milwaukee, 110th Anniversary Celebration guests will be treated to non-stop activities and entertainment, beginning with the H.O.G.® 30th Anniversary festivities on Thursday, August 29 (12:00 pm to 5:00 pm), and the worlds’ largest bike night later that evening at the Harley-Davidson MuseumTM, followed by three nights of main-stage entertainment and nothing but fun throughout Saturday and Sunday. Police skills competitions, side-stage musical performances, and of course the parade are a few of the other

elements you won’t want to miss. Come join tens of thousands

of your fellow H-D® motorcycle enthusiasts and get a true taste of what being a part of this family is all about. After 110 years of Harley® motorcycle riders waiting out winter after winter, you’re at least sure to make a memory or two that might just make next winter a little less, well … !@#$%.


Roadside Assistance = $100 valueTouring Handbook = $50 valueSafe Rider Skills Program = $50 valueHOG® Magazine = $30 valueRenewal Patches & Pins = $10 valueMileage Program = $10 value per level reachedABCs of Touring = $10-$50 value (depending upon prize level)

Membership Service Centre— Toll Free 1-800-668-4836The Harley-Davidson® World RideH.O.G.® Website — members.hog.comTheft Reward ProgramH-D® Authorized RentalsNEW — Digital Magazine Site www.hogmagazinecanada.ca

Best Western Rewards — Sign-up at 1-888-292-2453Pin StopsRallies & Events WorldwideCoordination and Travel Support of Regional Directors Production of the Canadian National RallySupport for Regional & Provincial RalliesProduction of the Chapter HandbookChapter SupportMember SupportRetailer SupportProduction of Chapter Officer and Rally Coordinator Training (HOT and HRCT)Liability insurance and coverage for Chapter officers and Chapter activities.HOG® Magazine Canada e-Newsletter


©2013 H-D. All rights reserved. Harley, Harley-Davidson and the Bar & Shield logo are among the trademarks of H-D U.S.A., LLC.

Demo Rides 2013

The latest demo fleet of Harley-Davidson® motorcycles is coming to a Retailer near you.Demo rides are free, our approachable team members are on-site with the information you want, and we’ll have a bike model for everyone to get excited about. Come out and experience the performance, style, and fit we have to offer.

Visit www.harleycanada.com/demorides for the schedule and program details. Motorcycle license and proper riding gear are required.

MY13_TOM_Ad_HOG_Magazine_CA-en-fr.indd 1 11/02/2013 1:32:41 PM


back shop/spring 2013Pit stoPTurning the Corner: How to go around the bend without losing control.

Ready, Set, Ride: Getting your motorcycle ready for the road.

Rally Rides 2013 Canadian and USA Rally Rides.

geaR Wear the Harley-Davidson® 110TH Anniversary Genuine MotorClothes® Collection.

Riding stoRiesSpit-Shake Promise.

A Dream Realized.

Lessons Learned.

aRchivesRemote Capability.

exhaustThe Route 66 of the Tibetan Plateau.

backshop opener.indd 43 2013-02-10 12:57 PM


back shop / spring 2013pit stop • rally rides • gear • riding stories • archives • exhaust

Turning The cornerHow to go around the bend without losing control.By Becky Tillman, MSF Rider Coach Trainer/Harley-Davidson Motor Company

If every motorcycle ride consisted only of travelling in a straight line, our sport would probably not be nearly so popular. Sure, getting ourselves into a slightly meditative state as we stare down a straight and open stretch of road – alone with our thoughts, absorbing the scenery, taking it all in – has its appeal. But it’s cornering – working our way through the twists and turns – that raises our heartbeat and gets the adrenaline flowing.

a four-sTep approachFirst, despite our initial description of the thrill of cornering, it’s important to point out that most of the time turning our motorcycle is about function and safety, not adrenaline. Yet the same basic technique applies whether we’re making a left turn at a busy intersection or carving corners on our favourite back- road ride.

Starting with the very basics, the technique is defined as a four-step process, “Slow, Look, Press, and Roll” – which assumes you’re already fully engaged in the “S.E.E.” process: “Search, Evaluate, Execute”. That is, that you have already Searched the upcoming turn, Evaluated the situation, and are prepared to Execute your turn.

slowIt may seem obvious that approaching a curve at the proper speed is very important. But the consequences of misjudging your speed are potentially very severe. This makes slowing down perhaps the most crucial aspect of successful cornering. Many accidents are

Pitstop.indd 44 2013-02-11 12:28 AM


the result of riders entering a curve or turn at a speed that’s too high.

The key is to slow down before you enter the turn. Apply the front and rear brakes firmly but slowly as you ease off the throttle. How much you slow down will depend on things like the sharpness of the turn, the presence of other traffic, and any obstacles that may be in your path.

This is especially important when you’re riding on unfamiliar roads. Remember, in uncertain situations it’s better to err on the side of caution by slowing down more, than to take a chance by taking a turn too fast.

For one thing, braking during a turn can cause problems. Applying the brakes takes traction

away from your turning, raising the risk that your tires won’t hold through the curve. The risk is higher when conditions are less than ideal, such as when it’s wet or when there’s debris, such as sand or gravel, on the road.

Even worse, if you brake too hard (easy to do if you panic) you risk locking up your tires, and going into a skid or losing control.

look “Look” in this context refers to turning your head and looking in the direction you want to turn. Don’t just redirect your eyes; turn your head! Keep your eyes up and look as far ahead into the turn as you can, making sure you know what’s ahead and looking out for potential obstacles such as gravel, roadkill, leaves, or anything that might get in the way of making a good turn.

As new information is added, adjust accordingly. Slow down as needed, adjust your intended path, or even, if the situation calls for it, make an emergency stop. Stay focused. Riders are at their most vulnerable while making a turn, and it’s crucial to keep your mind on what

you’re doing and not let your attention wander.

Turning your head and not just your eyes is key. It’s easy to think that just using your eyes to look down your intended path is good enough. But physically turning your head does a number of things that aren’t always obvious. For one, it seems to help clue in the rest of your body as to what your intentions are. For whatever reason, your motorcycle just

seems to “obey” your commands better when your head leads the way.

pressHere again, we encounter the countersteering concept. As you enter the turn, push forward on the handlebar in the direction of the turn. In other words, push left to go left, push right to go right. This action initiates a lean that starts your motorcycle turning in the direction you want it to go.

rollThe last step in the process is to roll on the throttle, smoothly and steadily, as you go through the turn. This does several things. For one, it helps counter a somewhat

natural tendency to continue slowing down, to extend the “Slow” step, as you enter the turn. More importantly, steady gradual acceleration helps stabilize the suspension and maximize handling. In addition, accelerating gradually as you come out of the turn helps to naturally return the bike to an upright position.

On longer turns or curves, you may not accelerate throughout the turn, but the same principles

* The more you Think abouT The “slow, look, press, and roll” process while you’re learning, The more naTural and auTomaTic iT will become.

apply. The important thing is to get back on the throttle after slowing for the turn, and then accelerate as you come out of it. But it’s often best to maintain a steady speed, without slowing or speeding up, through a longer turn.

To a beginner, accelerating through a turn may not feel like a natural thing to do, but it’s important for the reasons just discussed. The key is “smoothly and steadily”; gunning the throttle as you turn will only cause problems.

all TogeTher nowEven though we’ve broken the turning process into four distinct steps, with practice and experience it will begin to feel like one continuous action. Like

so many things in motorcycling (and life), practice and experience are key. The more you think about the “Slow, Look, Press, and Roll” process while you’re learning, the more natural and automatic it will become. In the long run, this will help free your mind to more actively engage with everything else going on around you. And help make every ride a little more relaxing, or exciting, and safe.

Pitstop.indd 45 2013-02-11 12:28 AM



ready, seT, rideGetting yourmotorcycle ready for the road after a few months of hibernation involves a few key steps ... mostly made by your authorized Harley-Davidson® Retailer.

Preventive maintenance is the most cost-effective way to maintain your motorcycle, since it helps prevent possible mechanical issues down the road. Following your owner’s manual recommended regular service schedule will help keep your Harley-Davidson® motorcycle operating at peak performance. Your authorized Harley-Davidson® Retailer knows best how to service your motorcycle with Factory-approved methods and equipment. In addition to the more than 20 specific check points described on the right, you can request your authorized Harley-Davidson® Retailer to verify for open recalls, product campaigns and engine management system updates.

Shown in the figure are areas that are serviced during the recommended 1,600 kilometre service for a 2013 Touring model. Always refer to the owner’s manual for more details.

1 Check the battery and clean connections.2 Inspect the fuel lines and fittings for leaks, contact, or abrasion.3 Lubricate the clutch cable. Ensure proper cable adjustment and hand lever free play.4 Inspect the front brake reservoir for the proper level.5 Inspect and lubricate the brake and clutch hand levers.

6 Check the operation of all electrical equipment, lighting, and controls.7 Lubricate the steering head bearings.8 Inspect the front brake pads and discs. Ensure that pad thickness is within specification. Inspect the front brake lines for leaks, contact, or abrasions.

9 Inspect the front tire tread depth and air pressure; adjust as needed. Check the torque of all spokes (if equipped).10 Drain and replace the transmission lubricant. Examine fluid condition. Replace the drain plug o-ring and torque to proper specification.11 Inspect the oil lines for leaks, contact, or abrasions.12 Drain and replace the engine oil; examine condition. Replace the drain

plug o-ring and torque to proper specification. Ensure the proper oil level at operating temperature.13 Inspect and lubricate the jiffy stand.14 Remove and replace the oil filter. Inspect condition. Tighten to specification.15 Inspect and adjust the drive belt. Inspect the wheel sprocket.16 Inspect the rear tire tread depth and air pressure; adjust

1 2 3

15 16

17

18

19

20 21 22 23

Pitstop.indd 46 2013-02-11 12:28 AM


your auThorized harley‑davidson® reTailer knows besT how To service your moTorcycle wiTh facTory- approved meThods and equipmenT.*

as needed. Check the torque of all spokes (if equipped).17 Inspect the exhaust system for leaks, cracks, and loose or missing fasteners or exhaust shields.18 Inspect the rear brake pads and discs. Ensure that pad thickness is within specification. Inspect the rear brake line for leaks, contact, or abrasions.19 Drain and replace the primary chaincase lubricant; inspect condition. Replace the drain plug o-ring

and torque to proper specification.20 Inspect the clutch assembly adjustment. Ensure the correct adjuster screw free play and locknut torque.21 Inspect the rear brake reservoir for the proper level.22 Check the rear air suspension pressure, operation, and leakage.23 Lubricate the fuel door, Tour-Pak® carrier, and saddlebag hinges, latches, and locks (if equipped). 24 Overall inspection*.

4 5 6 7

8 9

10 11 12 13 14

*Check the tightness of all critical fasteners. Perform a road test to verify component and system functions.

Pitstop.indd 47 2013-02-11 12:28 AM

HOG P&A_16x10.5_Single_CA-en-fr.indd 2 11/02/2013 1:07:33 PM

©2013 H-D, Harley, Harley-DaviDson anD tHe Bar & sHielD logo are among tHe traDemarks of H-D u.s.a., lLC.

H-D® Daymaker™ leD HeaDlamps wilL Help you see nigHt in a wHole new ligHt

to learn more, visit HarleyCanaDa.Com/owntHenigHt.

visit your autHorizeD CanaDian Harley-DaviDson® retailer anD ask an assoCiate for Details.

DayligHt at

miDnigHt

HOG P&A_16x10.5_Single_CA-en-fr.indd 3 11/02/2013 1:07:37 PM


pit stop • rally rides • gear • riding stories • archives • exhaust

back shop / spring 2013

2013 h.o.g.® rally daTesH.O.G.® Canada announces the lineup for the 2013 H.O.G.® Regional and Provincial Rallies.

25th Ontario Provincial H.O.G.® RallyJune 27-29, 2013Oshawa, Ontario [email protected]

www.ontariohogrally2013.com

9th Alberta Provincial H.O.G.® RallyJuly 4-6, 2013Medicine Hat, [email protected]

17th Quebec Provincial H.O.G.® RallyJuly 11-13, 2013Outaouais, Quebechograllye2013info@hogoutaouais.cawww.rallyehoggatineau2013.ca

21st Atlantic Regional H.O.G.® RallyJuly 18-20, 2013St. John’s, [email protected]

13th Western Regional H.O.G.® RallyJuly 25-27, 2013Kelowna, British [email protected]

*Please visit each respective H.O.G.® Rally website for more details.

PIN STOP DATESBiker’s ReunionNew Liskeard, OntarioJune 28-30, 2013www.bikersreunion.ca

Wharf Rat RallyDigby, Nova ScotiaAugust 28 to September 1, 2013www.wharfratrally.com

PD 13Port Dover, OntarioSeptember 13, 2013www.pd13.com

*Exclusive Canadian H.O.G.® 30th pins will be available at these pin stop events only through 2013.

Kelowna

Medicine Hat

Outaouais

Oshawa

St. John’s

H.O.G.® Members can pick up a free commemorative pin and chat with H.O.G.® Canada staff at selected motorcycle events. You must be an International H.O.G.® Member with a valid membership card and visit our pin distribution area during the stated hours for the event.

Pitstop.indd 50 2013-02-11 12:28 AM

*THE DESTINATION 110 SWEEPSTAKES IS OPEN TO RESIDENTS OF CANADA AGED 18 AND OLDER. SWEEPSTAKES BEGINS 3/1/13 AND ENDS 4/30/13. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. ONE ENTRY PER CUSTOMER PER DAY. THE GRAND PRIZE DRAW WILL TAKE PLACE ON 6/7/13. WINNER WILL BE NOTIFIED VIA PHONE OR EMAIL. THERE WILL ALSO BE 71 RUNNER-UP PRIZES AWARDED. SEE YOUR AUTHORIZED CANADIAN HARLEY-DAVIDSON® RETAILER FOR COMPLETE DETAILS. CONTEST RULES AND REGULATIONS ARE

ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE AT HARLEYCANADA.COM. ©2013 H-D, HARLEY, HARLEY-DAVIDSON AND THE BAR & SHIELD LOGO ARE AMONG THE TRADEMARKS OF H-D U.S.A., LLC.

VISIT YOUR AUTHORIZED CANADIAN HARLEY-DAVIDSON® RETAILER TODAY TO REGISTER FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A V.I.P. TRIP FOR TWO TO THE 110TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION IN MILWAUKEE, AUGUST 29 – SEPTEMBER 1.

Q1-2013-CANADA-HOG-MAG-F.indd 1 1/31/13 2:44 PM



April 4-6, 2013Louisiana State H.O.G.® RallyHouma, Louisiana

April 25-27, 2013Alabama State H.O.G.® RallyDothan, Alabama

April 25-27, 2013Delaware/Maryland State H.O.G.® RallyRehoboth Beach, Maryland

May 2-4, 2013Arkansas State H.O.G.® RallyHot Springs, Arkansas

May 9-11, 2013New Mexico State H.O.G.® RallyAlbuquerque, New Mexico

May 16-18, 2013Texas State H.O.G.® RallySan Antonio, Texas

May 24-27, 2013Nebraska State H.O.G.® RallyGering, Nebraska

May 29 to June 1, 2013 Tennessee State H.O.G.® RallyMaryville, Tennessee May 30 to June 1, 2013 Missouri State H.O.G.® RallySpringfield, Missouri

May 30 to June 1, 2013 Kansas State H.O.G.® RallyWichita, Kansas

June 5-8, 2013Kentucky State H.O.G.® RallyLondon, Kentucky

June 6-8, 2013 Illinois State H.O.G.® RallyEffingham, Illinois

June 7-9, 2013 Indiana State H.O.G.® RallyTerre Haute, Indiana

June 13-15, 2013Colorado State H.O.G.® RallyGreeley, Colorado

June 13-15, 2013Alaska State H.O.G.® RallyFairbanks, Alaska

June 14-15, 2013South Dakota State H.O.G.® RallySpearfish, South Dakota

June 20-22, 2013Ohio State H.O.G.® RallyCincinnati, Ohio

June 20-22, 2013Iowa State H.O.G.® RallyClinton, Iowa

June 27-29, 2013Montana State H.O.G.® RallyGreat Falls, Montana

June 27-29, 2013Virginia State H.O.G.® RallyRoanoke, Virginia

June 27-29, 2013Minnesota State H.O.G.® RallyAlbert Lea, Minnesota

July 11-13, 2013Wyoming State H.O.G.® RallyThermopolis, Wyoming

July 11-13, 2013 New York State H.O.G.® RallyEllicottville, New York

July 11-13, 2013West Virginia State H.O.G.® RallySnowshoe, West Virginia

July 11-13, 2013Pennsylvania State H.O.G.® RallyTannersville, Pennsylvania

July 18-20, 2013Maine State H.O.G.® RallyCaribou, Maine

July 18-20, 2013Washington State H.O.G.® RallyOak Harbor, Washington

July 24-27, 2013Utah State H.O.G.® RallyOgden, Utah

July 25-27, 2013Michigan State H.O.G.® RallyAlpena, Michigan

July 25-27, 2013Oregon State H.O.G.® RallyPendleton, Oregon

August 7-10, 2013North Carolina State H.O.G.® RallyMount Airy, North Carolina August 15-17, 2013Wisconsin State H.O.G.® RallyMinocqua, Wisconsin

September 12-15, 2013California State H.O.G.® RallySan Diego, California

September 12-14, 2013Georgia State H.O.G.® RallyHiawassee, Georgia

September 19-21, 2013 New Jersey State H.O.G.® RallySeaside Heights, New Jersey

September 19-21, 2013 Mississippi State H.O.G.® RallyBiloxi, Mississippi October 3-5, 2013South Carolina State H.O.G.® RallyNorth Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

October 11-13, 2013Hawaii State H.O.G.® RallyKahului, Maui, Hawaii

October 17-19, 2013Oklahoma State H.O.G.® RallyNorman, Oklahoma

October 22-26, 2013Florida State H.O.G.® RallyOkaloosa Island, Florida

October 24-27, 2013Nevada State H.O.G.® RallyLas Vegas, Nevada

October 24-26, 2013Arizona State H.O.G.® RallyYuma, Arizona

WA

OR

CA

AZ

NV

ID

MT

WY

UT

CO

NM

TX

IN

KS

NE

SD

ND

MN

IA

MO

AR

LA

MS

ILOH

PA

NY

TN

KY

WV VA

NC

AL

FL

GA

SC

ME

WI

MI

VT

NH

MA

NJ

CT

OK

DEMD

RI

If you have not received the H.O.G.® Canada E-News go to www.hogmagazinecanada.ca to sign up

your exclusive inviteexclusive content & access for canadian h.o.g.® members!

Come check out what you’re missing

2013 u.s. sTaTe h.o.g.® ralliesWhether they’re around the corner or across the country, the U.S. State H.O.G.® Rallies provide unique opportunities to enjoy new experiences as you travel the United States.

Pitstop.indd 52 2013-02-11 12:28 AM

hog® magazine canada 53 If you have not received the H.O.G.® Canada E-News go to www.hogmagazinecanada.ca to sign up

your exclusive inviteexclusive content & access for canadian h.o.g.® members!

Come check out what you’re missing

The Harley-Davidson Owners Group® of Canada Ltd. and HOG® Magazine Canada have taken the next step in its digital evolution. Check out the new

website and re-launch of the HOG® Magazine Canada E-News.

Canadian Harley-Davidson® Retailer newsView the digital version of HOG® Magazine Canada

Updated event information in each region

NOW ON

iPad!

NEW & IMPROVED

SITE

visit www.hogmagazinecanada.ca

Pitstop.indd 53 2013-02-11 12:28 AM



rise To The occasion

Leather JacketConstructed from cowhide leather, the women’s 110thAnniversary 3-in-1 Leather Jacket features special anniversary details, including embroidered graphics and logo, a leather patch on the lining, and custom hardware. The removable hoodie has extended cuffs with thumbholes and embroidered graphics, and can be worn separately. For riding comfort, it features four zippered air vents, action back, power-stretch side panels, and body armour pockets at the elbows and shoulders.

Outerwear JacketWearing a commemorative patch, label, embroidery, and hardware, the men’s Outerwear Jacket rolls into 2013 in style. It’s made from water-resistant CORDURA fabric, with a lightly padded back waist, action back, and zippered cuffs.

CollectiblesMany accessories will commemorate the 110th Anniversary, including collectibles like the Anniversary Glass Ball Ornament and the ceramic Anniversary Hog Bank.

For more information about the H-D® 110th Anniversary Genuine MotorClothes®

collection, go to harleycanada.com/Motorclothes or visit your authorized Canadian H-D® Retailer.

Wearing the same logo as the limited-edition 2013 H-D® motorcycles, the Harley-Davidson 110th Anniversary Genuine MotorClothes® collection commemorates the occasion.

Half HelmetThe gloss-black men’s 110thHalf Helmet is decorated withthe Anniversary medallion on the front, and includes 3M Scotchlite Reflective Material for increased reflectivity. It also features embroidered graphics on the zip-off neck curtain.

front

back

Pitstop.indd 54 2013-02-11 12:28 AM

The new h-D® spring collecTion

Dress coDefor Those who

chase mile markers

©2013 h-D, harley, harley-DaviDson anD The Bar & shielD logo are among The TraDemarks of h-D u.s.a., llc.

freE gifT – a $75 value. a 110Th anniversary illuminaTeD picTure frame. wiTh qualifying $300 purchase. while supplies lasT.

visiT your auThorizeD canaDian harley-DaviDson® reTailer anD ask an associaTe for DeTails.To learn more, visiT harleycanaDa.com/moTorcloThes

HOG GM_110th_8x10.5_CA-en-fr.indd 1 11/02/2013 1:02:49 PM



When I was a young boy at summer camp, I made a promise with a new friend.

It was at our parting at the end of a week’s friendship, the spit-on-your-hands oath required each of us to go home and execute a feat of daring and adventure on a bicycle that

spiT-shake promisesAdventurous childhood memories inspire a rider to seize every day and dream big. Story and Photography by Glenn Roesener

state. I remember the moment when I realized that our move meant I couldn’t go back to that same summer camp again. I was bitterly disappointed, because I had already kept my side of the bargain, and was eager to get back to summer camp and exult in my triumph. Half of the deal was the doing, the other half was the telling. The story itself was a story of hilarity, pride, and drama, because of the consternation I had caused adults and the pluck, physical pain, and daring

we had dreamed up. We both thought it was just plain crazy, so crazy in fact that we must, absolutely must, do it. Since we lived in separate cities, we would have to be satisfied with individual achievement. But the hilarity, the glory, if we succeeded, the pride of

accomplishment – required that we return with proof of our deed. We swore a spit-shake oath that day that we would come back the next summer to share the epic story of adventure and triumph.

But by the next year, my family had moved to a different

Pitstop.indd 56 2013-02-11 12:28 AM


were also motorcyclists, as well as two of my uncles and even my great-grandpa, who had his day in the saddle in his youth. But the person who fueled my thirst for the open highway the most was someone I never knew. It was in the same autumn that followed my summer camp experience. As my dad and I were out riding, we saw a biker at an out-of-the-way gas station as we rode past. He was loaded with pack and bedroll, and was heading into the high desert. The roar of his open exhaust as he pulled onto the road overwhelmed all the other sensations I had at that moment. The sound of those pipes, roaring past and then fading into the distance, pulled at my imagination so hard that I have never recovered. And the only moment’s contact I had with him was a quick nod and wave he cast my way as he saw father and young son together. I wanted to wave. I tried to wave. But the moment was too fast, and I was too busy savouring it to raise my hand until it was too late. I waved at his shrinking figure behind us, disappearing into the horizon’s heat mirage a quarter-mile back. And I have never stopped.

Today, with the sun well into the morning sky, I pulled onto the roadway rested and ready for the short two-hour ride to my meeting. Behind lay nearly 1,600 kilometers of mountain, sea, and forest

highway between me and home. The mid-morning sun shone through and around an armada of billowing clouds that drifted across the sky like silent glider-bombers, navigating their way to a secret target beyond the horizon. The road turned and twisted gracefully, a welcome relief from the dramatic and challenging mountain pass yesterday. The bike beneath me rumbled comfortably through rolling hills, sometimes covered with boreal woodland, and other times open to farmland carved out of the midst of this vast forest that stretched as far as I could see.

Clusters of houses emerged occasionally on plots that left room for men to build shops with tin siding. Nearly every one of these clusters had at least one sign hanging next to the road: “Welder for Hire”, “Hay, Delivered”, or “Walt’s Welding and Repair”. Ranches proudly announced that they raised draft horses or cattle, that they sold hay, and that they had been doing so since 1959. And so, the communities announced to the passing travellers not just that goods or services were to be had, but that they were done by real people, doing what they loved, and what they excelled at. Workman’s pride was written on these highway signs. I wanted to know these folk, to hear their stories.

But I knew that to experience these stories, I also had to learn

who fined me thought I should hang on the wall with pride. I learned to ride a tandem, and to ride a friend’s Honda CBX, a motorcycle with a monstrous six-cylinder engine, and rode that thing all over the county whenever I could borrow it. All these small stories were added to the list of epic tales that we would have to tell if I ever ran across my friend again, hoping that the extra escapades might make up for having missed our first rendezvous.

At some point in my childhood, bicycles and motorcycles had already begun to merge in my dreams of freedom. My dad and I would ride through the back roads together on his motorcycle on weekends. I would sit on the back, learn to feel the movement and balance of the motorized bike’s faster speed, learn to be aware of the passing world that was finally in sync with my short attention span. Weekend rides weren’t for me to catch up with the world, they were for the world to catch up with me. I developed a strong attachment for the out of the way places, spots I could only imagine might exist until we got there, and I imagined! I dreamed of wild places, wide open places, and places I could get lost in for as long as I wanted.

It wasn’t as if this penchant for adventure came to me out of the blue. My dad and grandpa

it took to achieve the feat. The dream was big, the achievement even bigger. Never for a moment did I ever doubt that my friend had also triumphed, or that it had cost him any less than it cost me to achieve it.

It has been a long time since I have thought of that story, but for many years through childhood and young adulthood I imagined what his version of the story must be, wished I could hear it, and wished I could tell mine.

The challenge of that experience got something started in me. I began to add like-minded accomplishments that would fit with the eventual storytelling should we meet again. I once fought a fierce headwind riding to Garibaldi northbound, pumping as hard as my long, skinny adolescent legs could pump just to keep moving forward, feeling the thrill of speed when I turned around and headed home with a 60-kilometre-per-hour tailwind.

I rode 125 kilometres through the wheat fields of Walla Walla, Washington, on the spur of the moment one Sunday afternoon, wearing out a friend, who hitched a ride but still had the decency to have the guy pick me up too when he caught up to me a few kilometers up (I hadn’t realized the route I chose was over 160 kilometers long). I got a speeding ticket on the bicycle in my small college town, something even the judge

buT The person who fueled my ThirsT for The open highway The mosT was someone i never knew.*

Pitstop.indd 57 2013-02-11 12:28 AM


back shop / winter 2013pit stop • rally rides • gear • riding stories • archives • exhaust

Tomorrow I’m liable to make a mistake due to laziness, loss of focus, or inexperience. But not today. Today I’m following my dream. Today I ride the open highway, adding another story to a spit-shake promise from my childhood.

Today’s ride took me through a small city, and then worked the grade upward and

northward out of town. When I reached the top and the road levelled off and resumed its meandering turns, I saw to my left a cluster of homes. A pair of boys played, with their dog cavorting beside them, in the summer sun. The dog was jumping and spinning while one of the boys whirled a stick over his head. Both boys, and presumably the dog, were laughing and leaping through the grass in a crazy dance of hilarity. The boys stopped when they heard my bike rumble from down the hill and around the bend, leaving the dog dizzy and still spinning, chasing a stick that was no longer there. They both looked up at me, cresting the hill and beginning down towards them through a long, sloping corner that curled around their field, and one boy

started to wave. It was a self-conscious half-wave from the hip, as if hoping I didn’t see him staring at me, but wanting to look ready if I did. The other, smaller boy, dropped the stick and stared with reckless abandon, leaping up and down in a frantic exaggerated over-the-head wave that destroyed the first boy’s hope of not

being seen. They continued to wave, turning with my passing, following my progress through the sweeping turn that encircled them. There was something about the first boy’s gaze that I recognized. This boy was in awe. It was not by me personally that he was transfixed – he saw a dream. He thought of possibilities, the idea that two wheels could take him somewhere so far that no one else knew about it. It was the same dream I had, staring after an unknown biker, wondering what road he would take, what compelled him to ride it, wondering what it was like to be free, dreaming of the unknown down that highway I had never been, waiting for my chance to find out what was over the horizon. I knew the power of that dream to shape an entire life.

about how Aunt Marabel had got the shingles last winter, and was still in an awful way, and that Roy up on Winter Hill Road had driven his pickup into the ditch last week, drunk off his gourd, and it served him right that the tow truck had pulled off a fender and possibly twisted the frame getting him out. Heck, it was his sixth accident in the last two years. This is how those stories come. They never sound proud of themselves or their work. But the signs don’t lie.

And so, through this country, I rode towards a business meeting. You might think that having a business that allows me to ride a motorcycle to the ends of the earth, to ride through country like this, sounds like a dream job. Well, it is, more than you know. I’ve never been especially good at sitting in one place. Having a place to be every day – even the thought is excruciating. But being able to spend time on lonely highways, sorting out the millions of thoughts that constantly flood through my head – yes, it’s the kind of dream that someone who lives in mortal fear of being stuck inside on any given day lives for.

I like to think I’ve paid my dues. I’ve knelt on the aft deck of a submarine in January, covered in salt-spray and rain, chipping paint. I’ve sat in a noisy, stifling sonar room in the tropics, trying to resurrect equipment that had succumbed to the humidity. I’ve worked through the night pursuing the answers to defiant technical problems that absolutely, positively had to be fixed, overnight. I’ve had more than my share of dreams come to nothing. Many times I’ve failed myself and others. Tomorrow?

Curiously, just a little while earlier, I had come across the phrase “Seize the Day” lying there in my head as one of my random thoughts. I had rolled it around in my mind like a fine wine, and had enjoyed the small afterthoughts that come along with such mindless internal banter that bikers who have ridden a long highway know. But now, it suddenly seemed serious, and more than an accident that I should have had thought it just now. In the space of a couple short seconds I remembered, as if it was yesterday, my friend’s spit-shake, and the solemnity to which we bound ourselves to take action to accomplish a daredevil feat of such epic magnitude that it would require a retelling a year later. I remembered how it was the beginning of a dream of the open road. I remembered how another biker’s wave of acceptance had stuck with me for so long. I realized how far that oath had driven me. In a sudden gesture to compensate for that long-lost moment and the importance of its promise, I mentally took hold of the dream I was seizing this day, and squeezed it hard, until its juices spilled into my gloved hand, and through my fingers. I raised my hand, dripping with the joy and freedom I held now, and waved to those two boys a spit-shake promise that through all the heartache of failure that might come to them, a boy’s dream can still come true. Dare big. Do the things you must. Find the furthest horizon you can find and chase after it. Get on a bike and ride into the darkest storm you can find. What you seek will show up when you least expect it.

Pitstop.indd 58 2013-02-11 9:58 AM


Our “Bucket List” includes a trip west, and this dream was finally accomplished in 2012 with a journey from our home on the south shore of Nova Scotia to the Pacific Coast.

Our goal with our new ride – a 2007 FLHTCU Harley-Davidson® Ultra Classic® Electra Glide® motorcycle – was to exceed the distance of any previous trip made on our former motorcycle, a 1991 FLHTC Harley-Davidson® Electra Glide® Classic model.

This is the story of our journey.

We woke up on June 25 to

a dream realizedA cross-country journey checks off another item on the bucket list of this Nova Scotia couple. Story and Photography by Al Cox and Frieda Mack

pleasant weather and travelled as far as the south end of Bangor, Maine. There, the weather changed for the worse and left us with a cool wet ride the next day on scenic U.S. Route 2 towards New York State, where the skies began to clear. This proved to be the beginning of a heat wave that followed us for many kilometers.

The next few days were spent crossing back into Canada at Gananoque, Ontario. We spent one night in Peterborough, Ontario, and took a jaunt along the Macdonald-Cartier Freeway through Toronto. We crossed

back into the U.S. at Port Huron, Michigan, and a visit with family in Grand Rapids provided us with a welcome rest and an opportunity to catch up on laundry chores.

Leaving Grand Rapids, Michigan, behind on July 3, we travelled through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and hooked up with U.S. Route 2 again. We headed north for the next few days to Grand Forks, North Dakota. We would strongly recommend U.S. Route 2 to other Harley-Davidson® motorcycle enthusiasts, because it has plenty to see and

lots of friendly folks along the way. We enjoyed great weather, with the exception of skirting a bad storm pocket just west of Duluth, Minnesota, which made for rough handling until we passed through. The winds were sudden and buffeting, but there was nowhere safe to pull over on that stretch of road so we were forced to forge ahead. The inclement weather didn’t last long, however, so no harm was done. Thank goodness we were riding a tough and heavy bike!

Crossing back into Canada on July 6, we quickly made our way to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where we spent another four days with family. During our time in Manitoba, I had some work done on the bike at the Lone Star Harley-Davidson® Retailer, where Sharon Danylchuk and her crew treated us very well and ensured our speedy return to the road.

Continuing our journey west, we made it to Milestone, Saskatchewan, where we met up with our newest H.O.G.® member friends, Rex and Penny, for a few days of riding and sightseeing that would eventually include the 5th Prairie Regional H.O.G.® Rally, one of the best we’ve ever attended!

On July 15, we again headed west, and for the next few days, travelled without incident to Alberta on the Yellowhead Highway, through Jasper National Park, and on to Prince George, British Columbia. There, we arrived on day one of the 12th Western Regional H.O.G.® Rally. We were, however, unable to attend, as our schedule demanded we carry on north to Smithers that same day.

Smithers, British Columbia, to Hyder, Alaska, proved to

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be a scenic wilderness ride of some length. There was a required stop for fuel in Kitwanga – in northern British Columbia – as, from there on, it is a fairly long haul with nothing but one wolf sighted along the way.

We passed through Stewart, British Columbia, on the Alaskan Highway and arrived in the little village of Hyder, Alaska, a stones throw beyond. This brought us to the beginning of a gravel road under construction that we had trouble navigating, and as a result, we were forced to pull over and call it a day at a local motel. One item of note is that high octane fuel is unavailable anywhere near here. While in Hyder, we met a few “local characters”, one

of whom I labelled the “Bear Lady”, because she ran a craft and souvenir shop and escorted friends when they travelled to the local landfill to dump garbage and “shooed” (her term) the bears away. She was armed though – just in case the verbal assault didn’t work out and the animals became too bold.

When we were packing up to leave Hyder, the bears did in fact sniff at the saddlebag of the bike next to ours while I was filling the Tour-Pak® luggage. A good reason not to leave food on your ride in bear country!

After passing through a small customs crossing, we were off to Prince Rupert.

We passed snow capped mountain ridges and one slow grizzly bear with cub in tow. It was a picturesque and thoroughly enjoyable ride with just a few showers. At Prince Rupert, British Columbia, we boarded the ferry for a 15-hour trip along the Alaskan Marine Highway to Port Hardy, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. We arrived late at night and travelled quickly to a pre-booked motel room a short distance away. After a pleasant and scenic 500-km ride stretching the length of the island, we stopped and parked for a few days to visit family on Saltspring Island and go trail walking with friends in the capital city of Victoria.

Next, we boarded a ferry to Port Angeles, Washington, where we would begin our travels south on the Pacific Coast Highway 101 through the rest of Washington, Oregon, and into California. This highway is a “must do” for Harley® motorcycle enthusiasts visiting the area, as the scenery and winding roads are second to none!

As time forced us to head east, we just made it to the Retail Store in Eureka, California, where we turned left onto State Route 299 and began heading towards Reno, Nevada. This section was also very picturesque, passing through the mountains and with its share of winding and twisting sections. Other than

the start of what would prove to be several days of extreme heat, this proved to be a wonderful section of our trek.

Gambling in Reno wasn’t terribly lucrative, but we did take the opportunity to donate $12 to the casino coffers before pulling stakes and heading out the next day for Salt Lake City, Utah; Cheyenne, Wyoming; and eventually, the 2012 Sturgis Rally. There we met, as pre-arranged, with friends and fellow South Shore and Sou-West Nova Scotia Chapter members from home, great friends to spend time with. While there, we enjoyed rides together, including the Devil’s Tower run, a ride to Wounded Knee, and a day at the drag races.

All good things must come

to an end. At the end of the last day of the Rally, we bade farewell to our friends and headed east towards home. After passing through Chicago on Friday afternoon and Toronto and Montréal on Sunday, we arrived in our driveway on Tuesday, marking the 18,685-km mark on the odometer. Through it all, we only had two days of rain and two days of light showers.

We kind of thought that wasn’t all that bad for a pair of 70-year-olds who still have the desire to ride their Harley-Davidson® motorcycle as far and as often as time and personal circumstances permit. To all fellow enthusiasts, we wish you safe and trouble free travels.

when we were packing up To leave hyder, The bears did in facT sniff aT The saddlebag of The bike nexT To ours...*

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lessons learnedA Harley-Davidson® motorcycle teaches a retired man that passion is not exclusively the domain of youth. Story and Photography by Ron Heusen

Motorcycles have been in my soul since 1969, when an orange Honda CT70 Mini Trail motorcycle captivated my youthful mind. My parents could never afford one, so I never asked. Instead, I lived vicariously through one of my classmates who was lucky enough to be living my dream.

As soon as I got my licence, I purchased a blue Kawasaki S2 350 Triple motorcycle. As much as I liked that little burbling bike, I quickly moved on in search of the perfect fit. Each new acquisition would teach me something new about the world of motorcycling. A Yamaha RD350 motorcycle taught me handling; a Kawasaki H2 Mach IV motorcycle taught me terror; a Honda CB750 motorcycle taught me the virtue of reliability; and while a Suzuki GS750 motorcycle taught me that you did not have to compromise handling to

get speed, a Honda CBX 1000 motorcycle taught me that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

The testimonial of my search for the perfect motorcycle experience is the embarrassing number of bikes I have owned. Through all those makes and models, the only Harley-Davidson® motorcycle that ever tempted me was the VR 1000 motorcycle, because the V-Twin bottom-end torque in a sport bike offered an intelligent option to the high revving fours playing on the edge of traction, but I never owned one.

Over the years, the inevitable process of maturation occurred. I had entered the cruiser phase of my life and a Yamaha Road Star Silverado 1700 motorcycle, which combined looks and reliability, rolled into my garage; yet something was still missing. There I was, 55-years-old, retired, and standing in the

Steve Drane Harley-Davidson® Retailer showroom floor in Victoria, British Columbia, studying the lines of a Vivid Black 2012 Harley-Davidson® Ultra Classic® Electra Glide® motorcycle.

The paint was deep and flawless, the chrome rich, and the design timeless; it was also pure and honest. It offered respectable power, a gearbox ratio that made sense, and even ABS. It was simply beautiful, and a catalogue of aftermarket products would make it my own.

A sales rep installed a Retailer plate and told me to take it for a good run. When I sat on it in the parking lot, I immediately noticed that its balance denied its mass. I touched off the starter button and it came to life, vibrating with a primal cadence deeply rooted in history. The smooth easy clutch surprised me, and my initial trepidation with vibration was lost to off-idle smoothness; it rumbled in a way that touched my soul. There was something brutish in its simplicity that appealed to me viscerally, yet there was also an ethereal non-descript quality about it that made me comfortable. As I throttled through the gears and rolled through corners, something was awakening in me that had been asleep for many years. A few hours later, I was in my garage admiring it as only a proud owner can.

Aside from a road trip with my wife, for the rest of summer free time was at a premium, so

we had to satisfy ourselves with regular 150 kilometre “coffee runs” and a little garage time installing aftermarket parts that enhanced the Ultra Classic® Electra Glide® motorcycle’s timeless elegance.

My days of riding in inclement weather are over, and the Ultra Classic® Electra Glide® motorcycle now rests comfortably for winter on its carpet in the garage, paint and chrome freshly waxed and oil clean and new. I regularly go out, uncover it, and every time, I find myself excited because I know that spring’s first ride will evoke the same passion that Honda CT70 Mini Trail motorcycle did so many years ago. The other bikes, for all of their individual virtues, did not do that.

All of you who ride Harley-Davidson® motorcycles know what I am saying. For me, Harley-Davidson® motorcycle ownership is not about image, status, or Brand kinship; it is the feeling I get while riding an empty stretch of road listening to the music of mellow pipes playing that Big Twin’s unique loping irregular song. Those moments transcend emotion and transport me to a more innocent time when simpler was better and we still had dreams.

A Harley® motorcycle taught me my final and, arguably, most important lesson. Passion is not the domain of youth; it is in all of us, sometimes dormant, but always waiting for something to release it.

when we were packing up To leave hyder, The bears did in facT sniff aT The saddlebag of The bike nexT To ours...

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Renew today at members.hog.com.

IN 2013, the WORD

JUSt WON’t Be eNOUGh.ePICH.O.G.® has a helluva year planned, so renew your membership now to make sure you’re a part of all the anniversary year excitement.

Plus, by not waiting, you’ll get your 2013 membership materials early next year – and be ready to celebrate all year long!

©2012 H-D. Harley-Davidson and the Bar & Shield logo are among the trademarks of H-D Michigan, LLC.

PG_11_Renewal_Ad_CA-en-fr.indd 1 11/02/2013 3:40:29 PM

H.O.G.® yearly packages are sent upon renewal. If you have a July 2013 expiry date for instance, you can renew in January 2013 to receive your package at the beginning of the season. Your membership will still expire in July 20XX (depending on your renewal term), but you will receive your materials sooner — so you don’t lose any months of membership by renewing early!

H.O.G.® and H.O.G.® Roadside Assistance are two separate companies, working closely together but with separate enrolment / renewal systems. To upgrade your package, please call Customer Service at toll-free 1-866-209-8270. To call for service, please dial 1-888-443-5896.You must call this number to receive the necessary assistance as per your H.O.G.® membership benefits. Calling another towing service and submitting receipts after the fact is not the proper procedure and will not be reimbursed.

Motorcycles must be enrolled in the H.O.G.® Mileage Program first before kilometres can be claimed; this applies to all bikes that you

want to claim mileage (including rental bikes). Please enrol at your local Retailer, as they are required to sign the form to validate the number of kilometres.Members receive the year-specific H.O.G.® pins and patches when renewing. In the first year of H.O.G.® Membership, the H.O.G.® (eagle) pin and patch are sent out, not the year specific ones. These are received for the first time on your first year of membership renewal.

Free H.O.G.® Membership from a new bike purchase is transferable to an existing full member or associate member.

Renewal updates online will be visible within the members only area approximately 10 days after their completion. Online profiles for access to members.hog.com can be created for new memberships within 10 days of your enrollment being processed.

For delivery of H.O.G.® materials, please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery as this can vary depending on the local postal service in different areas.

Gina McNeilManager, Enthusiast Services

H.O.G. ® Canada Team

Myles Anderson Regional DirectorWestern

Yvan LejeuneMembership Services Coordinator

Duarte PitaCommunications & Events Coordinator

Brad CarveryRegional DirectorPrairies

Vern WilsonRegional DirectorOntario

Michel-André RoyRegional DirectorQuebec

Dale WilliamsRegional DirectorAtlantic

Pitstop.indd 63 2013-02-11 12:28 AM



The “North Woods” of Wisconsin is not a place you would expect to find a high-tech fabrication plant for a global manufacturing corporation like the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. So why is the Tomahawk Operations facility up there? It’s simple, really: because Harley-Davidson faced a growing demand for fibreglass components, and Tomahawk could help meet it.

Beginning as the tiny Tomahawk Boat Manufacturing Company, the plant was purchased by Harley-Davidson in 1961 to produce fibreglass saddlebags and other accessories. Until 1965, the plant continued to produce boats under the ownership of Harley-Davidson. Among the early duties of a young new designer named William G. Davidson was the task to design the interiors of the Tomahawk Boats, then produced under the Harley-Davidson® name.

With the rising popularity of fibreglass components, the “new” facility would play an important role – and not just producing motorcycle

components and boats. Almost immediately, Tomahawk began turning out bodies for the all-new Harley-Davidson® golf car. Over the course of their 20-year tenure, golf cars were available in gas and electric models in both three- and four-wheeled designs. Details such as holders for beverages and scorecards were not overlooked, which helped to make H-D® golf cars an industry standard and market share leader. For a time in the 1970s, H-D® golf cars were even the preferred choice at Camp David, the famous retreat for U.S. presidents. More importantly, many Harley-Davidson® Retailers found selling and leasing golf cars highly profitable.

Lesser known are the Harley-Davidson® snowmobiles. For much of the history of Harley-Davidson, the highly seasonal nature of motorcycle sales meant an expected downturn in revenue during the winter, and snowmobile production was introduced to help stabilize demand throughout the year. Engine cowlings were manufactured at

Tomahawk, with final assembly taking place first in Milwaukee, then in York, Pennsylvania, in 1972. The sleds were available in 398 cc and 440 cc displacements, complemented by a small line of accessories and apparel. After only three years on the market, the snowmobile line was discontinued so as not to compete with the “Ski-Daddler” produced by AMF, the parent Company for Harley-Davidson at the time.

Golf cars and snowmobiles were not part of an AMF product strategy for Harley-Davidson. In fact, the golf cars preceded the presence of AMF by more than seven years, and the snowmobile was in development before the 1969 merger. The influence of AMF on Harley-Davidson® products was more engaged with the motorcycle product line.

But, with the demise of

golf cars and snowmobiles, Tomahawk’s relevance did not decrease. Over the course of the 1960s and 70s, Harley-Davidson became the gold standard in the touring motorcycle market. With use of the lightweight, adaptable, and well-constructed hard saddlebags and Tour-Pak® becoming the only way to tour, Tomahawk’s focus changed considerably. The early 1970s also saw the rise of the now signature bat-wing fairing for Electra Glide® models. Originally an accessory, the bat-wing became available Factory equipment on Electra Glide® bikes beginning in 1971.

The popularity of touring boomed through the late 1980s and 90s, which led to new-and- improved luggage pieces and other accessories, such as fairing lowers. Windshields, once an accessory of the 1960s, are now produced in numerous original equipment (OE) variations, as well as accessory offerings. In addition, sidecar bodies were produced out of Tomahawk from 1967 until model year 2011, when the introduction of the Tri GlideTM motorcycle led to a decrease in sidecar demand.

In recent years, production at Tomahawk has shifted from fibreglass to plastic. Early fibreglass parts had a rough, pebbled look. It was unthinkable to finish those components in the same colour as the gas tanks and fenders coming from the Milwaukee or York Factories. Today, plastic accessories appear right at home on stock motorcycles, with cutting-edge processes and technologies producing top-quality finishes and exact colour matches that meet and exceed the exacting demands of Harley-Davidson® motorcycle owners around the world.


remoTe capabiliTyTomahawk is off the beaten path but right on track – for more than 50 years.

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over The course of a 20-year Tenure, golf cars were availablein gas andelecTricmodels

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In August, I rode a Harley-Davidson® Street Glide® motorcycle across the Tibetan Plateau. I rode it in deep gravel and sticky mud, through pools of water of unknown depth, across pavement warped like a skateboard ramp, and to altitudes of over 16,000 feet. I rode it while my gasping lungs ignited the fuel of the many yak products in my body. It was an epic ride, the ride of a lifetime, and it kicked off our H-D 110th Anniversary year. And it also taught me things about you, about me, about the Harley-Davidson® Brand –

and about yaks.We started in a Chinese city

I had never heard of: Xining – whose three million people had never heard of me either. It was my privilege to ride with some excellent characters – among them, four new Chinese Harley-Davidson® Retailers and another American – who shared a love of adventure, if not a common language. For 2,000 kilometres across the Tibetan Plateau to Lhasa, Tibet, we shared a spirit I might call “Screw It, Let’s Ride”, if only I knew the Chinese word for “ride”.

We travelled one road all the

way to Tibet, what we called the Route 66 of the Tibetan Plateau: Road 109. Our progress was marked with hundreds of small white roadside tombstones carved with red painted characters designating “Tibet” and the total kilometres we had travelled.

Throughout the five-day ride, we experienced the magnetic effect of our beautifully dirty Harley-Davidson® motorcycles. Locals jumped out of cars and carts with camera in hand, or fast-walked out of villages or through town squares to gather around us. Whether they were soldiers snapping photos from a passing convoy or local police who just wanted to sit on our bikes, all were welcoming, curious, and happy. They were just people, loving Harley® motorcycles.

During the ride, I wore a custom black leather jacket. At the pinnacle of 16,500 feet, where our crew stopped to enjoy the incredible panorama of melted glacial pools blotting the broad landscape below and reflecting the intense high-altitude sun back into our shades, we learned that a local custom at this highest point of the road was to repaint the red Chinese characters in the rock marking this stop. On a whim, I asked a Chinese man to use his red paint to write something on my jacket that expressed his thoughts about the Harley-Davidson® Brand. I pointed at the bike to make sure he understood. Then I held out my leather sleeve as he carefully painted the word “freedom” in Chinese characters in thick red strokes of paint (I double-checked later to make sure it didn’t say “idiot”). I let the paint

dry in the mountain wind as we rode on toward Lhasa.

Days later, I stood before the mystical Potala Palace wearing that jacket and reflecting deeply on what I had learned during the ride.

I learned that the Harley-Davidson® Brand pulls people and cultures together, that during the ride we can put our differences aside and enjoy a lifestyle that celebrates the idea of living a little more freely. Harley® motorcycles can help people do that, anywhere in the world. I learned that you are the people who make the Harley-Davidson® name an ideal, not just a motorcycle. Your pursuit of fun and freedom is what it’s all about, and you’re making a better world, one ride at a time. I learned that I love a good hang, even if it’s with people I can’t really speak with in a little tin-roof shack clacking chopsticks and drinking rotgut “wine”. I learned that the dynamic 110-year history of Harley-Davidson Motor Company is much bigger than any one person at the Company.

I learned that it’s our responsibility to embrace and preserve our legacy even as we introduce it to the farthest-flung places on Earth. Places like Chinese mountains, where they paint “freedom” on jackets and understand that a machine can help take you there.

Oh yeah, and I learned that yaks are fabulous multi-use livestock. And they don’t taste like chicken, more like … yak.

To read about, and view photos and video of the ride, visit h-d.com/110. Mark-Hans Richer is Chief Marketing Officer of Harley-Davidson Motor Company.


The rouTe 66 of The TibeTan plaTeauRiding common ground on the other side of the world. By Mark-Hans Richer

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UNITED WE CELEBRATECelebrate 110 years of Harley-Davidson with a 110TH Anniversary Living the Legend™ Rivet at the Harley-Davidson Museum.® Stainless steel on a wall of iron, the rivet commemorates the enduring bond that unites all riders. Create yours today at h-dmuseum.com/110rivet.

LIVING THE LEGEND™ RIVET 110TH ANNIVERSARY EDITIONAVAILABLE IN 2013 ONLY

Order by June 15, 2013 to guarantee installation for the Harley-Davidson 110TH Anniversary Celebration in Milwaukee.

©H-D 2013. All rights reserved. Harley-Davidson, H-D, Harley, Harley-Davidson Museum and the Bar and Shield are among the registered trademarks of H-D U.S.A., LLC

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: H.O.G.® Canada830 Edgeley Blvd. Concord, Ontario L4K 4X1 Tel: 1-800-668-4836 Fax: 905-660-3372members.hog.com

Publication mail agreement No. 40037386

4161505

KNOWLEDGE DOESN’T OPEN DOORS,

Learn how to fine-tune your pipes with the Rider’s Edge® Skilled Rider Course.

With the purchase of any new Harley-Davidson® model from an authorized Canadian Harley-Davidson® Retailer, you will receive a free, full one-year membership in H.O.G.® Always ride with a helmet. Ride defensively. Distributed exclusively in Canada by Deeley Harley-Davidson® Canada, Richmond and Concord. Deeley Harley-Davidson® Canada is a proud sponsor of Muscular Dystrophy Canada. ©2013 H-D. All rights reserved. Harley, Harley-Davidson and the Bar & Shield logo are among the trademarks of H-D U.S.A., LLC.

IT OPENS ROADS.Coming soon to an authorized Canadian

Harley-Davidson® Retailer near you.

HOG_OBC_RidersEdge_CA_en-fr.indd 1 11/02/2013 1:23:27 PM

HOG Magazine - Spring 2013

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