I am a motorcyclist. So I enjoyed the weekend. The question is, how did the people in the downtown area who are not motorcycle enthusiasts feel about it?

I rode my Gold Wing downtown several times to get a feel for things. I eyed up the bikes parked along the road, looking for non-Harley brands. I'd say it was around 1%. Some of the custom motorcycles are hard to tell. There are so many replica engines available to the custom market that to the untrained eye, what appears to be a Harley may not have so much as a single item from them.

What has changed through the years and I appreciate it, is there was not a single snide comment about my Honda among the crowd. Granted it is made in the USA in Ohio by red blooded Americans, it can stand out like someone walking the halls of the Miller Brewery while drinking a bottle of Budweiser. The only comment I did receive was from a woman sitting on the back of a non-touring model Harley. She blerted out, "That looks comfortable!", refering to the large passenger seat, backrest and armrests on my Gold Wing.

Saturday night my wife, Pat, jumped on back and we rode around downtown. Finding a parking spot, we walked around checking out the people and motorcycles. Certain businesses appeared to be doing very well. I did notice that the trash cans were overflowing, but at least garbage was deposited there rather than scattered about. Cutler Park was loaded with people. It was also very dark away from the food booths. I stumbled a few times on uneven surfaces and I didn't have a beer in me. At home on the northwest side of town, I probably heard less motorcycles than most weekends even though many flooded the parking lots around the Best Western on Grandview by I94. Our weekend activity was not impacted by it. We still got our breakfasts at Christina's. 

So what do you think about it? Do it again in five years for the 110th birthday? 

Harley Davidson is unlike most any other motorcycle makers in that they market the same basic engine design that they started with 105 years ago. By today’s engineering standards it is archaic. But it is the centerpiece of the entire line of motorcycles because of one reason, the sound of the exhaust. Motorcycle magazines have tried to describe it as “potato potato potato….”  However you try to describe it, it is unique. To the untrained eye, many of the look-alike Japanese cruiser are identical in looks, but an attentive ear will notice that the sound is not the same.

I like the sound. I used to have one of Harley-Davidson’s biggest competitors back in the 50’s and 60’s, a Triumph Bonneville. Incidentally, with “The Fonz” being in the news, I will point out that he rode Triumphs in the show. Otherwise the statue might have him seated on a motorcycle down by the Milwaukee River. Putting him on a Sportster would have been nice but purists would have beleaguered the fact.

Triumph twin cylinder engines sounded neat too, but not the same as a Harley. I remember both my hands and my butt being numb on longer rides so I won’t make an issue of vibration of V-twins versus vertical twins. I also rode it with next to no mufflers. It was loud and I made sure everyone around knew I was there. I was also 18 years old at the time too. Often my rides would center around the Cutler Park area. Waukesha police never stopped me. Milwaukee did once when a Ford had the audacity to challenge me at the stoplight at 51st and Hampton. My choice was either a ticket for speeding or illegal/defective mufflers. Two days later I had factory mufflers on the Bonneville. Suddenly, the neighbors on 44^th street stopped frowning when I rode by. The Cutler Park area became quieter.

More than any brand of motorcycle, the sound of the engine exhaust is a “more is better” thing with many owners. As the Harley’s leave the factory, they are well muffled but have the rumble and syncopation that they are so famous for. Unfortunately it isn’t loud enough for many owners and the mufflers come off entirely or are replaced with something resembling the “glass packs” from the 1950’s.

Milwaukee has a small movement encouraging riders to keep the roar down. It will only lead to intentional throttle blips wherever a sign if seen. I’ll re-offer the solution that I’ve made before. My own favorite motorcycle rally is at Lake George New York.  All brands of motorcycles gather there and are welcomed by the town. But the unmuffled are not welcomed. The rally registration papers make this known and warn that Lake George police will ticket violators. I’ve seen riders pulled over many times for it.

The influx of motorcycles will be an economic shot in the arm for local gas stations, restaurants and taverns. This will be welcomed. But it is no reason for our police to look the other way when it comes to ordinance violations. The message must get out that you and your motorcycle are welcomed, but only if you have factory mufflers installed.