What Does Harley Davidson Mean To You?
Harley Davidson is much more than a moco. The bar and shield has become a symbol of American freedom, the spirit of the open road, a slap in the face to mainstream sensibilities, a fantasy, a way of life, a noisy declaration of independence, an obsession, an escape, a revered American icon. Harley Davidson represents adventure, freedom, individuality, and living life with all five of your senses. It is a legend.
The Harley mystique is all about attitude — a feeling that because you own a Harley Davidson motorcycle you are special, you belong. In a society that worships at the altar of internal combustion, riding a Harley just may be the last pure expression of what it means to be American…the freedom to go somewhere, anywhere, just you and the road and the wind in your hair. The essence of the Harley lifestyle is to dress up in black leather and ride your Harley to the horizon, calling for all the world to see you like an outlaw rather than the mild-mannered citizen you are the rest of the week. It is no wonder that today this American icon is so loved and recognized around the world.
Today’s Harley owner is more likely to be a dental hygienist, trucker, or coffee shop owner than a rebel without a cause. We are male and female, young and young at heart, but we all share a passion for the brand and everything that it represents. So much so that (second to the word Mom) the bar & shield is the most common image to be immortalized in human skin.
Harley Davidson does not just sell motorcycles — they sell dreams and lifestyles. The brand is so powerful that it can sell products that have little or nothing to do with motorcycles. You can get an HD version of Monopoly for your kids, Harley lingerie for your wife and/or girlfriend, or a black leather Harley jacket for your poodle. Many people who have never and will never ride a motorcycle still purchase the collectibles and sport Harley brand clothing. In fact, many dealers actually make more money from Motor Clothes and accessories than they do selling motorcycles!
Everyone wants a piece of the often imitated/never duplicated American icon. They want to experience that feeling of belonging to the largest fraternity on earth. How sad it is that some will go to such great lengths to grasp at some tiny part of that free-spiritedness. How wonderful it is that we don’t need to grasp for anything because we have found it. We have declared our individuality. We live free on the open road. We spit in the face of our own mid-week alter egos. We enjoy the journey as much as the destination. We ride Harley Davidson motorcycles.
