THANKS — for checking out my viewpoints and motorcycle experiences. This blog is about riders, rides, and motorcycle news across the U.S. that leans toward the Pacific Northwest. I’m not a cargo shorts hipster, a button-down academic or a wealthy socialite. Interpreting the motorcycle culture is nuanced science, but in the end I seem to reconcile it all just fine. — Mac
Looking to contact me? Send an email to: macrant at gmail dot com
DISCLAIMER:
This is a personal weblog. The content within it is personal OPINION about various people, situations and commonsense. The views and opinions within this blog represent my own.
© Macrant is a pseudonym. It’s a name I assumed instead of publishing under my legal name.
The quotations within this Blog are intended to be used under a policy of personal use. The use of any Trademark or Copyrighted material is not intended to infringe Copyright.
All original content on this blog is Copyrighted. All rights are reserved. Linked and quoted content is Copyright of the respective Owner(s). The author grants permission to copy, distribute and display this work in unaltered form, with attribution to the author, for noncommercial purposes only. All other rights, including commercial rights, are reserved to the author.
COMMENTS POLICY:
I encourage you to post comments on the blog. However, I reserve the right to reject or delete any comments. Any statements in your comments are deemed to be your opinion. I take no responsibility for the opinions or statements of others. The opinions and/or statements of others may be true or false, and I do not necessarily fact check the statements of others.
By posting a comment to this blog you agree to the Comments Policy. If you do not agree with the Comments Policy please do not post comments to the blog.
The disclaimer and comment policy is effective as of July 2, 2007 and was updated on August 30, 2019.
EMAIL POLICY:
Any messages transmitted to the author/editor of the Northwest Harley Blog, whether transmitted electronically or by any other means, may be reprinted at our discretion, and used for purposes of commentary, debate, satire, or humor. Transmission of such messages constitutes implied consent to publicly reprint such messages.
IF YOU’RE CONSIDERING HARASSING ME:
Don’t! I’m exercising my freedom of speech and the laws that allow me to state opinions to the world. No one is forcing you to look at or read this blog. As the “Dude” in the Big Lebowsk movie would often state… “Take it easy, man“… its not an inflammatory call to battle, but a reminder that in times of stress one always has the option of not stressing.
hello, I am a resident in port orchard washington.
If you haven’t heard already, tomorrow, friday the 30th, the Phelps Family from Kansas will be protesting a funeral of one of our fallen Heroes.
Quite a few people would love to stop them.
But, the question is, if you are in the area, or could be in the area, around 1pm-2pm by Bethel and Lund by Jackson Park / 7-11 in Port Orchard, we were hoping we could find a biker group to ride around the Phelps family and rev their motorbikes so loud that they could not be heard at all.
— Regards, Kagz
Just wanted to let you know I have added North West Harley Blog to my special page dedicated to Biker Blogs. Keep up the good work.
Jay aka Road Captain
http://roadcaptainusa.com/motorcycle-bloggers/
Bikers were blessed as they thundered through Dunham Massy village, Cheshire.
http://www.messengernewspapers.co.uk/news/news/display.var.2213117.0.revving_rev_on_hand_at_mass_bike_blessing.php
Hi, there’s no public email on your pages. I’d like to get in touch with you regarding our Twowheelsblog and Eurocarblog. Two Wheels Blog is for readers interested in what’s happening on the motorcycling scene in Italy. If interested, you might contact me. Thanks, Gianluca
Hi-
We are interested in purchasing text-linked advertising on Northwest Harley Blog and would like information on your pricing and policies. We are looking for a 2-3 word text link. Please take a look at uShip’s motorcycle transport page at http://www.uship.com/motorcycles and let me know if you have any comments or questions.
Thanks,
Alyssa Moskowitz
AMoskowitz@uShip.com
uShip, Inc—The Online Shipping Marketplace
Hello – I noticed you lived in Nekoma at the MSR site. When were you there? It’s few and far that one comes across someone who even knows what or where Nekoma is!
Hi Mac,
Thanks to the power of Technorati, I found your blog on Northwestern Harley-Davidson riding. I’m working on the All Harley Drag Racing Northwest Nationals in Woodburn, and I am curious to know if you want to attend the event. If so, we can get you access to the event and arrange anything that you may want to do there.
If you’re interested, let me know at benb at mandala-agency dot com.
And by the way, nice site.
Thanks.
Ben Benson
Hey Mac,
Who did you use as a source for the “$2.8B Motorcycle exhaust, accessory and clothing industry” quote in your “Motorcycle Noise Effects and You?” I am researching that industry (especially the exhaust segment) as part of an MBA program. (feel free to respond via email)
Thanks
@ Evan – can’t find the exact article, but I’m sure it came from DealerNews at: http://www.dealernews.com/
-mac
Hey Mac. Someone emailed me a link to “Biker Faith”. Thanks for the support. If you’d like to hear more, I’ll tell you anything that you want to know. God Bless!
-Ransom
Could you please contact ken@1800blogger.com
Hi Mac,
I was checking out your blog and I really liked it. I think it a great place for anyone interested in motorcycles. I am writing to find out if you accept guest posts? I work for uShip, an online shipping marketplace who specializes in motorcycle transport, and I am working on a brief with tips on shipping a motorcycle. I think this would definitely be of interest to your site’s audience. This is not an advertising post, just an objective piece on the topic, and the only mention of uShip would be in a link at the end of the article. Is this something that you would be interested in including on blog?
Any feedback is welcome, so please let me know what you think of this idea.
@ Ben – Thx for the offer. I’ve been approached previously (as I recall it was by someone else at UShip) to offer up guest writers. I’m not interested in going this path. If I do change my view then I’ll contact you. -mac
I’d Like To Feature Your Blog On Our Homepage
Hi,
I am currently working on developing a list of Motorcycle Blogs for our customers at Motorcycle-Fairing.com. This is our way of giving back to our loyal customers. Your blog, https://nwhog.wordpress.com, will be featured on our homepage. Aside from increased traffic, having your site on our homepage will benefit the ranking of your blog. If you have details you’d like me to use, please let me know and I will add your blog as soon as possible.
If you could possibly link back to us, and put a small link of our site on your blogroll; it will be very much appreciated. Please let me know if you can, so that I can send you the Title and the URL that we would like to use.
Thank you and I hope to hear back from you.
Regards,
Jon
Mac,
I did a boo boo on the “Comment on No Angel” thread.
Could U remove two replies;
time stamp 7:37 am
time stamp 7:40 (second one)
Tx
Hi I’m looking for an organization to join in Pendleton, or I own a 2008 FLHTCU Electra Glide Ultra Classic and would like to join up with a club, I live in Weston, OR.
Cheers;
Mark
Mac, I have a great song out on itunes that was written and recorded for bikers/Harley riders. The band is called Americana and the song is “That Harley Sound”. Its a rockin song and brand new. I’m just a regular guy trying to get the word out. Give it a listen and anything you could do to spread the word that bikers now have another great anthem along with “Born to be Wild” would be greatly appreciated! Thanks…..
I followed a link from my flickr account to here.
A couple of my ABC’s of touring pics are on the side bar…
I will for sure be back to look at the rest of you blog.
Ride Safe,
Steve
Hi Mac- Wow, your blog is awesome..and I read a lot of them. Your Twitter explanation is the best I’ve ever seen. Thanks. Can you refer me to some chats, postings to show off the 2008 FXCW Rocker that we’re selling? In addition to Cycle Trader and Craigslist. Thanks for your help and keep up the great work!
Safe fun travels, Amy B.
Congratulations you have made the Top 100 Motorcycle Blog’s list. Take a look at the list and see where you are.
http://www.attgophone.net/blog/2009/top-100-motorcycle-blogs
Thanks,
Susan Clark
@Susan Clark – I checked your ‘gophone’ site. To be candid your comment looks like just another SPAM method to attract eyeballs and take a piece of the ad revenue pie.
Nothing on your site indicates that you really are an avid rider of a 2006 VTX 1800F or not…could be a ploy?
However, your Top 100 list of motorcycle blogs does reflect some high-quality blogs.
-mac
Mac, please e-mail. I need to discuss something with you.
Bill
aka Santa
President, OVMA
Greetings from another Seattle rider. My buddy and I also have a riding blog, maybe more general than yours, which was originally a fun adjunct to our planning of our first ride to Sturgis, last year.
If you’re curious, we’re at http://renegadesmc.wordpress.com/
Cheers –
Hi I just wanted to let you all know about a fun poker ride taking place in North Idaho July 17th, 2010.
1st annual Shriners Poker Ride, Starting at Cuiser’s at Stateline (ride thru), going up to Spirit Lake, Priest River, Sandpoint, Athol and Lone Wolf Harley Davidson. Ending with a free Spaghetti feed from Cruiser’s and prizes for the best poker hands! I’ve got some kick ass sponsors and it’s all to benefit Shriner’s Hospital for kids. Come show off your bike and have a great time for a great cause!
shriners poker ride at gmail dot com for more info!!
Mac, stumbled on your blog, entertaining, thank you for the efforts. Linked you from mine (no, this is not spam)
Axel Art Blieglass
Howdy Mac,
Whelp, last September you wrote a column “The Smart person listens, the idiot insists”. (I hope I regurgitated the title correctly!) I commented on that blog as I was one of the unfortunate few affected by a reduction in force. Goodbye H-D! Oh-well, and though I certainly did not enjoy the layoff experience, I certainly never called Keith Wandell a liar and well understood the cost cutting measures taken to keep that great company afloat. I’m glad the union workers came around.
Here again WI is at it. I can understand resistance to change, the people are speaking and that’s a good thing! But the bottom line DOES NOT lie. WI is in fiscal dire straits, and if collective bargaining is the ground you stand on, then you never really stood for anything. After all, you have to take care of own. Anything else simply defers your responsibility onto somebody else. Here is a recent article quoting another “former H-D coworker” I think you’ll find interesting: http://www.cnbc.com/id/41965569.
BTW: I was back working (albeit another company) three weeks after my last day at Harley-Davidson. I may have been lucky in how quickly the turnaround happened, but I never doubted my own ability to stay employed.
Thanks Mac!
@ JD – Thanks for the comments and stopping back to the blog. Glad its working out well for you! Cheers,
I just stumbled onto your site, and I have to say I really enjoyed the motorcycle related information you have listed. I work for a online motorcycle parts company http://www.kandgcycles.com and wondered how I could get our listing under the “Products” listing. As well, I have listed your site off our links page, as I feel you are offering the type of information that our consumers would want to view. The link is at: http://www.kandgcycles.com/extra/html/links.html
Also, we have a motorcycle news blog of our own, and wondered if we could get it listed as well. Our motorcycle blog is: http://www.vtwinmotorcycleblog.com
Hello,
I wrote and recorded a song about riding. I hope you’ll listen…it’s free on youtube It’s called Saddle Up. I’m just reachin out
Hey Mac,
My name is Kevin Moore and I just came across your blog. I just started a website for stories about motorcycles, friends, family and the open road called Bikes and Buddies: http://www.bikesandbuddies.com/
There’s one story now about how Gilby Clarke from Guns n’ Roses, a Brit
named Dave and I almost blew up the town of Twentynine Palms due to sheer
stupidity. Another will be posted in a few days, then about one story per month.
Please check it out, and if you are interested feel free to subscribe for the email updates. There will only be one email per month when a new story is posted.
Thanks,
Kevin
I LOVE your comment on Harassment… as I have been the past few weeks on FB and my YouTube page My normal wittiness seem to be AWOL…Would you kick my ass If I stole it to use as a FB status. Will give credit where credit is due. Anxiously awaiting your reply in So Cal. :]
Go for it. Hope it helps. -mac
Hi,
Would you be interested in trading guest blog post on our blog, http://onetravelbloggers.com/? We are a PR 3 blog whose audience enjoys reading anything about travel (e.g. “Best spots in Philly”, “Top 10 beaches in Spain”, “How to travel around Tokyo on a budget”, etc). And, of course, you’ll receive a FOLLOWED link to your blog or page of your choice.
Please let me know if you’re interested. I think you’d be a great fit with our audience, and we’d also like to talk with you about other partnerships.
Talk to you soon
Just came across your blog, congrats on all the success! Was hoping to get any information leading up to my website http://www.slickcustoms.com listed on your blog as a supplier of Motorcycle Parts and Accessories. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Went googling some Harley engine history one day, found your blog. Found it a nice read, and I try to follow it every few weeks up here in the Great White North. Our riding season ends sooner and starts later than yours, but our beer is better! Very interesting format, keep up the good work!
Hello, I was just looking at your site and thought you might be interested in something we do out here in Minnesota. This year will be our 8th annual Patriot Ride, which is a benefit ride that has been assisting MN military, veterans and their families for quite some time. Also, I was wondering if you might be willing to add a link to Dennis Kirk, Inc. somewhere on your site? Thanks!
Something for your blog? My name is Doug LeTendre, and I’m an artist in Milwaukee. I make cards. I’ve made one in honor of the Harley-Davidson 110th anniversary. It can be found locally, but I thought you might want to do a blog item on it as well. Blogger ‘motorcyclemarc’ wrote about them (here’s a link) and I thought you might be interested, too!
http://motorcyclemarcblog.com/2013/08/16/little-pictures-telling-big-stories—milwaukee-people-ready-for-harleys-110th-anniversary.aspx
Thanks,
Doug
Great piece about your Father’s service! What brought me here was the Gen. Hugh J. Gaffey, T-AP-121. You seem to have found some good research mines for her.
I’m trying to pin down the exact date the Gaffey left San Diego in late January, early February, 1965, for a fiftieth anniversary kick-off event. Can you help?
bob@mindfulveteransproject.org
@Bob – Thanks for the comment. I suggest you post a comment seeking help directly on the blog post vs. in the “About” section. There are several folks following/looking for information and have obtain it via that post.
Hi Mac,
I have a custom chopper built by the late Click Baldwin. I am selling her and wanted to contact some Hamsters before listing her on the open market.
The bike, named Carolina Thunder was featured in a 5 page article in the Sept. 2000 Easy Rider Mag. with Click.
I bought her from Click in 06. Let me know if you think of someone who will give her a good home.
I also have a motor sports background which adds an interesting twist to the bikes history.
Thanks for your time.
Hello Mac,
I am an NCO in the Army, currently stationed at JBLM. I am building a safety and information brief for my soldiers, rider and nonriders. Do you have any information about biker gangs in the Sea-Tac area that Soldiers/Sailors/Airmen should be aware of and avoid?
Thank you for your pod cast with Zoro as speaker @ CCC. I love God opportunities, and God appointments! It is always nice to hear about the goodness of God. I don’t know how I got to your page, God maybe? I am in the process of putting together my first i-book (e-book) and was looking on the net for “the perfect picture” and I believe I found it, on your blog. The Hwy pic, winding road on Hwy 95. It has been so long, but I was wondering if this is the same hwy as the 395 to Mammoth? My story is themed around our ride to Mammoth on the Harley, Your picture is what comes close to what I want for my cover. Would you be so kind to share your picture? In exchange, for a copy of my PDF when it is complete. I believe, just as Zoro shared, God moments are our opportunities to minister and share Him. This is one of mine. I appreciate your reply. Thx
@ LD – you’re welcome to pull the pic from the website and use it. Cheers.
-mac
Hi,
I’m reaching out to you because I see that you are currently linking out to some fantastic sites under your products category. I wanted to let you know that one of your links is broken: http://www.bikerathome.com/. I was wondering if you would consider adding my site to your list of great resources to take its place. My site is: http://motorcycletradingpost.com. A link from your site will help us to gain a larger audience and offer our free service to anyone interested in buying and selling motorcycles.
Thanks for your consideration,
Alex
http://motorcycletradingpost.com
The patch: “Highway 101 Relics” is associated with the world’s longest highway (the Pan-American), which is also known as Highway 101 which stretches through the United States and Canada. This simple patch is about freedom, no borders and is free for anyone to use. It is free to all riders of all makes of bikes, and as an open patch it connects everyone to the history of riding (Relics) and available to lone riders or to new riding clubs. For information on how to view or how to obtain this patch directly from Hero Patches, email: rrrickwood@hotmail.com
Rory
Hi Mac,
Just discovered your website/blog.
Great thoughts
Please go to http://www.thehogradioshow.com check us out. You have my email so shoot me a reply, so we connect and possibly schedule you to come on the show for an interview.
Best,
Steve the Producer Johann
is there any advertising opportunities to reach your readers?
INFO: http://super8motelgrangeville.com/
On intersection of hyw 95 north/south and Hyw 13 (intersects why12 west/west) in Central Idaho – part of the National Scenic byway system.
I see the Lewis and Clark Ride in July this year and just wanted folks to know we were “along the way” on the Lewis and Clark Trail.
Thank you,
Ted Lindsley
ted@super8idaho.com or stay@super8idaho.com
Hello, I wanted to reach out to you today via an email, but I couldn’t easily find your address listed here. I was hoping to talk to you about having our site listed on your site. Our site is http://www.rumbleon.com/ and we offer an easy way for riders to get a cash offer for any bike in minutes. The offers are good for 3 days or 100 miles, and there’s no obligation. We’ll even pick it up for free if the person decides they want to sell.
Anyway I wanted to have this correspondence in an email, but I didn’t see your email address listed anywhere. If you don’t want this comment on your site, feel free to remove it.
Please email me back if you see this comment, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks again for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Thank You,
Cody S.
Cody, my email contact is in the “About” section. Ping me at (macrant at gmail dot com) and lets chat.
-mac
Hey, trying to help my Dad unload his Harley. Bike is on Bly Mountain near Bonanza. He is in FL. Hoping you may know some guys looking for vintage Harleys. https://klamath.craigslist.org/mcy/6127241666.html