Would You Like a Harley with Those Blue Suede Shoes?

How important do you think the color of a motorcycle is to Harley Davidson? Plenty! About 40% of shoppers say the will leave a showroom if they can’t find the color of their hearts desire, according to Harley research.

Have you notice lately how aggressive Harley has overhauled its color palette? Many of the new motorcycles feature new paint colors. Crimson Red Sunglo…a Red with more sparkle and more depth and punch to it. Suede Blue Pearl that is soooo ice Blue and Firecracker Red are other metallic paint colors being pushed out to the dealers.

The Harley process of developing these colors is cloaked in a lot of mystery and involves consulting dealers, designers, marketing and manufacturing. And, oh yeah they do try and listen to as many customers as possible.

These color efforts come a bit too late for my Vivid Black Road King, as I had had my fill of the sharp colors and bright paint finishes on previous bikes. Sure Black is boring, but it’s not ugly! As my inner fashion sensibility tells me…it might not be the most trendy, but it’s simple and simplistic designs will win out over fashion in the long run.

But not all bikers like Vivid Black or Black Denim or Flat Black. And that is good news for the Harley color teams who need a job and start by looking at the trends in fashion, product design and the economy…basically anything that may influence change so that they can forecast colors that potential buyers may be looking to straddle and ride in the wind.

For example, that blazing Copperhead color for the 105th Anniversary models was launched on all 2008 models and includes anniversary trim/badges. The color cuts across all models and is a high number for such a trendy color. I can’t help but think this is like that Bright Yellow. Very visible, very trendy, but just wasn’t a big seller. The blazing Copperhead was chosen for the 105th Anniversary models because Orange was going to be a trendy, noticeable color, based on Harley’s research in home and product design. It matched what Harley felt was the sporty, fun, vibrant nature of the brand they are working to relay. And though Silver, Smoke, Black have been popular, the Harley team believe a resurging economy along with “other” factors (read younger demographic) mean more people are going to tire of them.

I’m no color expert, but I have to say I’m a bit disappointed in all the research. I don’t think the bottom is going to drop out on Black, but all this talk of customers wanting fresher colors, more colorful reds, blues, greens and golds — something that is more obviously a color — seems to run counter to what I see on the road. I call these new colors “Buzz” colors. Because Harley want’s their motorcycles to appeal to the upscale boomer generation — like luxury brands at Mercury or Lexus — they assume customers want the same “unique” treatment on their motorcycles? It isn’t about exotic colors with names like Mirage Orange Pearl, Firecracker Red, Crimson Red Sunglo, Golden Glow, Purple Haze, Copperhead Pearl and Red Hot, and Suede Blue Pearl.

I’m still trendy as the new deep metallic Vivid Black will glisten like no other black before it! Why? Because they are using a new glass pigment instead of mica flakes. Sometimes remaking a color has a bit of a re-fresh look to it.

And you thought Black was Black and Blue Suede was for shoes!

NWhog

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The “Last Lecture” and Life Lessons – Randy Pausch

I was on a Harley road trip in late September staying at a motel in Grants Pass, OR. You know the type. A double-decker ‘70’s vintage with highly “mobile” furniture which often makes it way outside during the evening to enjoy group refreshments while overlooking the chrome on the HOG.

I was getting dressed the next morning, drinking my coffee and thinking about the days ride with the TV running in the background. Some how I landed on ABC’s Good Morning America with Diane Sawyer. I’m not a morning TV person, because who needs to start their day with news of the world’s crisis?!

Anyway they had a guest speaker, Randy Pausch, a 46-year-old Carnegie Mellon computer science professor, talking about an inspirational talk he had recently given. I wasn’t sure if this was “news” worthy, but started watching several snippets of his Childhood Dreams, lecture. It got my attention! So much so that I wrote his name on my motel VISA slip, placed it in my leather jacket and vowed to revisit and do a blog post. Sort of a “pay-it-forward” for others if you will.

The back story is that in September 2006, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and told he only had months to live. Yet here he is out inspiring others with a lecture on living life to the fullest. I’m not sure about you, but if I had a “life” count-down meter running I’m fairly certain it wouldn’t be on the lecture circuit. Maybe a very long cross-country ride. Randy is a father of three and talks about his battle with pancreatic cancer and the grim reality of his diagnosis. He doesn’t want it or talk about self-pity; rather he talks about his childhood dreams.

“You know, life is a gift,” he told Diane Sawyer. “Again, it sounds trite, but if you wait long enough, other people will show you their good side. If there’s anything I’ve [learned] that is absolutely true. Sometimes it takes a lot longer than you might like. But the onus is on you to keep the hope and keep waiting.”

You can read more about the steps he has endured, but after a whirlwind of chemo treatment and surgery there was remission. But then in August 2007, he learned that the cancer had returned to his liver and spleen, which is a death sentence. At that time, the doctors gave him an estimate of having 3-6 months of healthy living left. Earlier this month (October 1st), he learned that the first round of palliative chemotherapy was working, and that he would likely be on the “more like the 6 than like the 3 in that estimate.”

You can watch his lecture where he shares the lessons learned that helped him turn his childhood dreams into reality on the Carnegie Mellon site.

His mantra “you can’t control the cards you’re dealt, just how you play the hand” is an inspiration for all of us riders. I don’t know if Randy owns a Harley, or ever wanted to ride one, but I wish only the best for him and his family.

His last words in his last lecture are simple: “This was for my kids.”

Thank you for the reality check and calibration about how we should be spending more of our time.

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Link’n, Blink’n and Read’n Harley Blogs

One of the cool things about the Harley “blog-O-sphere” are all the “shout-outs” you get from others who run across your site or see a photo and decide to stay awhile and absorb what you have to say.

One dude in Pocatello, ID who goes by the name Uglicoyote recently visited then posted a link to NWHog from his site called Hard Ride.

I appreciate him stopping by and wanted to reciprocate by calling-out Hard Ride. He has some great information and anyone helping the biker cause deserves a link-back. Oh yeah, that Biker Babe-of-the-Week photo will have me checking in on the action.

Cheers Ugli!

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Harley Davidson Brand Promise

I’m not a brand expert, but brand promise (“This brand is all about….”) seems to be the corporate mantra these days on how to bond with customers and retain their loyalty.

I don’t like to admit that I’m a fan-boy for certain brands. But, I’ve come to realize that there are probably three or so that I really am devoted too.

A few of them are:

Apple products: I’ve really drank the Apple juice, but it is what it is. I have a work provided MacBook Pro, have a G5 iMac, multiple iPods and I’ve been pushing out an iPhone purchase because it will clash with the blueberry holster. But, a Mac Mini and Apple TV are on my holiday wish list of “need to have’s”. What it comes down to is that I spend a lot – maybe as much as half of my waking life in front of a computer. Everything needs to work well, and the peripherals and devices need to integrate with it. Apple just feels right! The products work and do what they say they will do. And if I’m feeling a little blue I can visit a store and get little moments 1-to-1 time of uplifting experiences…

Harley-Davidson: They work to deliver on a fantasy of complete freedom on the road and the comradeship of a kindred spirit for the avid motorcyclist… If you want to experience the psychology of hard-core devotion and feel the sense of anxiety that comes from not being part of the inner circle — wear your Polo Shirt, Tommy Bahama shorts and Sperry Topsider deck shoes to the next HOG wanna-bes event. Point is that each touch point in the Harley brand mates with consumers and is really organized to uniquely deliver on this promise. The Harley brand ‘essence’ has largely remained unchanged for decades. Sure they have refreshed and added different ad campaigns, but the hallmark of the company quickly describes the brand. Free spirited and rebellious associations while nurturing relationships to maintain a loyal H.O.G. community. With over 660,000 members it’s the largest motorcycle-sponsored club in the world and seems to work. I do think Harley has a looming issue of reaching the younger consumers entrenched in the internet age where the word “classic” and “tradition” have less marketing leverage. Maybe that explains why they’ve tried video games?

Starbucks: They are not about providing me a great cup of coffee! They do, but it’s more about providing me a great coffee “experience” and rewarding everyday moments. Lifting up my spirits one cup of coffee at a time and, looking back over my cash outlay this past month…they are doing a mighty fine job of lifting my spirits!! Similar to the Harley brand, Starbucks portrays a lifestyle image. Who hasn’t thought about what it would be like to leave the corporate 10 hour day mad-dash to become a Barista?! From napkins to paper cups, in-store posters, t-shirt designs to in-store architecture…the “Bucks” Creative Group tells a story to feed my habit all the while they put skim on my macchiato.

Born Shoes : I don’t buy a lot of shoes (or clothes for that matter; I’m kind of a charity case), but these shoes fit what my friends call my “techno-sporty” fashion sense. I was shooting for a cross between the Marlboro Man and REI fitness so, I’ve got some work to do in this department! I’ve been buying Born shoes for a couple years, and they have consistently been my “everyday” shoes. Do the math: that means each pair is lasting a couple years. I walk a lot and that’s a deal.

I’d like to be absence brand loyalty. I think everyone around has similar problems. Find someone who reacts with the “I don’t have any brand loyalty!” and I’ll bet within five minutes’ of conversation, you’ll expose:

Google (yeah, it’s a brand)

Facebook or MySpace

Tillamook Cheese

So, what are your brand loyalties?

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Say What? Men and Women Ride Differently?

It’s true. Just like there are differences in how men and women communicate there are differences in how they ride.

Whether you’re at work, at home or going for a Harley ride, understanding these gender-related differences – and learning the “tips and tricks” will help you navigate through them.

For example:

You’ll never hear a guy say:

Here honey, let me ride “bitch”

Do these chaps make my belly look big?

I know we just filled up, but lets stop and grab a latte

You’ll never hear a gal say:

Don’t stop for directions, I’m sure you’ll be able to figure it out

I can sure feel the difference of the $4000 in that “103” kit

Let’s smile at that car load of college girls

If you don’t get these differences then stop reading here. The ‘biker babe’ is somewhat stereotypical, but it does make a point. Traveling with the opposite sex can be incredibly fun, entertaining, but if you’re not careful or didn’t think it thru it can be frustrating.

In fact, Female riders are no longer satisfied hanging on to their significant other and want to grab the handlebars and do their own gig. I’ve never had the pleasure of a female lead driving our posse on a route. I’m sure it will soon come and I expect it be uneventful. How do I know this?

The demographics for female motorcyclists are:

1 in 10 motorcycle owners is a woman

In ’03 of the 23.5M people in the U.S. that operated a motorcycle about 4.3M were women

Median age of female motorcyclist is 42

28% of female motorcyclist have a college or post-grad degree

35% of female motorcyclist are in a technical/professional occupation

(Source: 2003 Motorcycle Industry Council (most recent))

As you can see above women are straddling Bold Blue with flame motorcycles. Mostly for the same reason men ride – desire of freedom, relaxing from stress, friendship, garage parties, camaraderie. Now you know why the cycle industry is trying to figure out “How to speak to women?” There are a couple hundred “Queens Together” or “Chicks ‘N Chaps” motorcycle clubs for the sisterhood. In the Northwest there is GRIP (Girls Riding Independently Proud – “Gripsters”) and a couple other groups Women in the Wind (WIW) and Chrome Divas out of South Florida. The “Divas” are women only…both riders and passengers…hummmm?

This isn’t about who can ride more aggressive or wrench a spark plug best. I really wanted to acknowledge the fact that more riders are women and that we need to understand the differences in how we communicate. I suspect many don’t give a hoot what I think. If the truth be told I got a fortune cookie after eating Chinese and it stated “You should enhance your feminine side at this time“…so, here is a blog about women…?!

Point being that if we don’t learn to communicate better (at work, at home or going for a Harley ride) — that off-ramp you just took might be a result of “Sally” checking out a broken finger nail…not a right turn signal! I couldn’t resist.

Yes, honey I’ll gladly sleep on the sofa tonight… Have I told you how wonderful you look in those chaps?! What color roses do you like?

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Lady Luck and Casino Night

This Saturday (October 20th) Paradise HD (PHD) is having their 6th Annual Casino Night. It’s not Vegas, but get your lady luck shirt on and make a run for the money! They plan to have Craps, Blackjack, Roulette, and Texas Hold’em. You collect prizes for your winnings on the gaming tables and food and beverages are provided. Casino Night starts at 6pm and ends at 9pm. So much for running the tables all night long! Register in advance with a $5.00 donation for needy families.

And if you don’t drink to many soda’s playing Craps, on Sunday morning the Sunset HOG Chapter is doing a Fall Color Ride. They plan to meet at PHD at 10:30am.

Cheers

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Harley Rides and Routes

I’ve been thinking about Rides and Routes for next spring and summer.  I’ve been playing with ride planners on the HD site, but they are U.S. based only (leaving out Canada) so, Google maps software is better and has features which better fit my interests. Also its much snappier than the HD MapQuest application.   Most unfortunate is the fact that wordpress.COM won’t support iFrames so, I have to do screen shots of the maps to provide you a visual image vs. just embed the HTML code.  At any rate here is some info for your review and future planning.

Below is the approx 2050 mile trip from Bend, OR to Milwaukee. This is the route for the 105th Anniversay Ride Home. When you click on the “view larger map” link below you’ll get the full map and all of the route details.

View: Larger Map

This next map is a 2200 mile trip Portland – Las Vegas – Salt Lake – Portland.

View Larger Map<

Below is a 678 mile Las Vegas – Zion National Park, Utah – Grand Canyon, AZ tour.
 
View Larger Map

If any ride or route seems interesting let’s pull a plan together…

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Lehman Trikes Target Safety-Conscious Bikers

We’re all familiar with trikes. Most are a solid rear axle with two rear wheels bolted to an  Electra Glide, right? (Photo courtesy Lehman Trike web site)

Last year Harley Davidson signed a deal with Lehman Trikes USA of Spearfish, SD to design and build Harley based trikes for its riders.

Part of this move is the demographics of Harley riders who are getting older and HD is looking to expand its fan base so, it’s looking to fill the three-wheel niche.  And speaking of niche, the Canadian company BRP is showing off the Can-Am Spyder (MSRP: $14,999).  It sits about 45″ tall, and promises sports-car handling and has it pair of wheels in the front rather than the rear.  It looks like a personal watercraft or snowmobile on wheels.  BRP is a privately held spin off of aerospace company Bombardier which happens to be one of the largest makers of watercrafts and snowmobiles so, the comparisons are natural.
 
In front, the double A-arm suspension offers 5.7″ of travel to the pair of 14-inch wheels. An anti-roll bar limits the amount of lean on corners. The rear end uses a mono-shock on a conventional swingarm, with an aluminum 15 x 7-inch wheel on an automotive-type 225/50 rear tire. (Spyder Can-Am photo by Jim Smithson, Bombardier)

The marketing spin is… the Spyder is the “perfect balance between performance and peace of mind” or so says Marc Lacroix, Product Mgr.

Further complicating the trike issue is that in three states (CA, Del, SC) you don’t need an motorcycle endorsement to drive one!  There are only 11 states who have resale rights to the Spyder.  Nothing in the Northwest so, you’ll need to head to CA. to put down some money for your spring ’08 anticipated delivery date.  If the wait is too long then Piaggio (MP3) makes a similar (MSRP: $6999) dual-front wheel scooter

So is this just another step in the evolution of Harley Davidson into a motorized “wheelchair” company as they follow the “blue hairs” to the grave?  Is it something to take your poodle for a ride or a legitimate use to target the safety-conscious and support the disabled?

You choose…

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Where Have All the Saddle Bags Gone?

What turned out to be a post-Sturgis story telling and laugh adventure ended up being a birthday celebration for Eastwood, and a re-cap of the Reno-Street Vibrations ride…quite a milestone for the posse to reach this year and doing it on one of finest motorcycles on the planet!

First a big THANK YOU goes out to MC for hosting the gathering and devoting all the time to making it a successful party. Whoo hooo…

What better way to welcome a close of the Northwest riding season (at least without rain gear and winter gloves!) than to have a recap of the heat, the rain, the rides, the repairs, the pretty, the ugly, the FUN!

It was an amazing season of riding and one for Mac’s Most Excellent Adventure – The Movie!   And speaking of movies, a big (“bring it in close” hug) for Jimmy for the hard work on pulling together the movie/slide show of the trip.  Great music mix and something we can review over the years…THANKS!  So,  we’ve put up the Saddle Bags for another year and look to planning next year. Below are a bunch of picts from the party…
















collage created by picasa2html

And speaking of birthday celebrations August 2008 is the 105th Harley Birthday party and 25th Anniversary of H.O.G. in WI. I’m thinking this could be a great adventure to add to my riding log book….

The first Harley Davidson motorcycle was created in 1903 with a single cylinder, three horsepower motor. In 1906, Harley Davidson manufactured the first 50 motorcyles bearing their name. The V-twins that it a household name today came out about 1909. The “Choppers”, we love, were born and “Hogs” were named for the extra room used to transport racing pigs without switching to a larger vehicle. In 1983, H.O.G., The Harley Owners Group, formed its first chapter. Today more than 1,000 chapters are in existence and more than one million members.

I’m looking forward to planning out the ’08 rides. If you are the lucky owner of a Harley then you know what its like being a member of the family.

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Grab Your Nuts!

I’m talking about Goobers…peanuts! In the early days Wanker’s Corner (pronounced either “wohn-kers” or “waah-nkers”) is the name of a little pub at the intersection of Stafford and Borland Roads. From the Bud Light banners plastering the outside, to the random nicotine stained antiques and sports memorabilia hanging from the walls on the inside, “wohn-kers” offers up plenty of cheep booze and pre-cooked taco’s to feed the hundreds of riders who keep you well occupied with relentless loud pipes roaring past the shack. Yes, fall in the Northwest brings another end to Harley riding moments and now it’s the end of Taco Wednesdays.

They even had all customer service aspects covered…so considerate they are of their patrons that anyone could dispose of those pesky goober shells by just tossing them onto the floor. And if you’re too tipsy to remember the location when you call your posse/bros to have them join up, Wanker’s put their name right on their beer mugs.

It’s not well known that the original Wanker’s Corner Saloon & Cafe was opened shortly after the repeal of prohibition, in 1933. It shared space with a grocery store at the intersection of Stafford and Borland Roads, within the boundaries of Clackamas County, Oregon. Because this is not a recognized community, it has never had a post office, nor does it consistently appear on maps (although the AAA map of Oregon shows it in an inset).

As folk lore goes, the head Wanker kept collecting more and more antiques, junk, knickknacks, Americana, Australiana, movie posters, and many unidentifiable objects, that the space became too crowded, and a move to a larger building was inevitable. The Portland suburb of Wilsonville.

At the Country Store, Lois Wanker has talked about how her grandfather settled there (West Linn, Oregon area, just south of Portland) in 1895. The tavern was founded by Lois’s father in 1931 and evidently it burned down back in 1969 but they built a new one…if you could call it “new”! They own the store and lease the saloon. My research in Oregon place name books and Oregon history books revealed nothing about the place so, getting multiple sources for the information is a challenge.

The new Wankers location in Wilsonville serve up goobers to the disenfranchised and us “oil leakers” continue to post up at the Corner Saloon – the original pub on Harley nights and enjoy tacos, refreshments and good friends jawing about chrome.

Remember the Wanker motto: Go Ugly Early, and You’ll Never Go Home Alone…

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