Riding Home for the 115th Family Reunion

This month I'll be riding out with members of our Northern New York Harley Owners Group, taking our two-wheeled 'wagons' and heading West. Because the HQ of Harley-Davidson is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and this is their 115th Anniversary Paaaaarty.

It's going to be my first 'Family Reunion' of sorts, and the first time I've ridden my motorcycle this far - I'm so excited!!! I'm hoping that I'll actually follow my own advice that I recently blogged about: THE List of What & How to Pack and Battle Biker Fatigue (but I'm not making any promises!!).

Of the nine Bikers riding with me, some I've known only a couple of months, others a couple of years, and one going on 25 years (hi honey! 😉) -and all I feel close to because we share the same passion for a life on two wheels.

I just read how scientists have proof that 'the family we chose'  (aka our friends) are actually genetically related. Enough so that your 'Sister from another Mister' or 'Brother from another Mother' just might be your fourth cousin... How cool is that?!

That being said, families can still have squabbles and debates. Hell, these days good friends and even perfect strangers can get into a heated argument. 

Seriously! Ask about politics, climate change or religion- most people are quick to give you their opinion, and even quicker to ridicule yours if it doesn't match their view. 

Recent so-called journalism only adds fuel to that fire. Take this bit from NY Times on Youtube - 'reporting' other peoples' reactions to but not the whole story of the facts (and yes, I watched the entire video). It seems that their interest lies more with getting all of us wasting our brain power and energies on their pointless horror stories rather than practicing real journalistic values.

So before heading out, I just wanted to clarify a couple of issues that go to the heart of our family tree -because there is still a lot of gossip & rumors floating around out there:

• Harley-Davidson is a company and iconic brand that has been operating continuously since 1903. Over the 115 years since then they've grown to include markets outside the United States. In 2017 there were 103 countries that their motorcycles sold in. Of that, 94% of those motorcycles were produced in their US plants.
• It is their plan and preference to make their motorcycles in the United States - something that has not changed since 1903. 
• The MoCo does not wish to be in any political spotlight, but thanks to the current media highlighting and inciting drama, here we are.What Harley does want is a level-playing field, to inspire current and new Riders, and to work diligently to resolve these trade disputes while keeping the best interest of their customers, dealers, employees, suppliers and the brand in mind.
• With the current tariffs in place, HDMC is being squeezed at both ends: 1) Steel prices have gone up and 2) the European Union has increased their tariff to 25% on US bikes over 500cc's. Despite this increase to manufacturing and export costs the motor company has pledged to not pass along those to dealers or customers, opting to cover the cost themselves. However they cannot carry these higher costs indefinitely and, like any company with good business sense would, must look to find the best solution. Hence them looking at the possibility of building a plant overseas for overseas production. 

Let's all just take a breath and remember to enjoy this life. We certainly don't have to race to the 'conclusion finish line' and we can be open to the whole, entire story of facts. 

And if you're one of the hundreds of thousands about to descend on Milwaukee, look me up!! 😉

Family conversations & how to deal with them Biker style

Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinners - they're both great because they involve eating and drinking and being happy about all the cool things in your life (like friends, that Greek food restaurant and - if you're really lucky - your Harley).

But they also mean the relatives are coming, and just like most family gatherings, you cannot have your pumpkin pie and eat it too. These holiday dinners come with a catch.

The family personalities gathered round the table come primed with all the personal questions. Tough questions, like about your personal finances, your love life, career and that one time you were found sleeping on the front lawn..... the neighbor's front lawn that is.

However, this year is going to be different. This year you're going to put Aunt Deb in her place because you're an adult and your life is none of her damn business. 

Obviously you're going to need to inject some Biker into your family proceedings to get you through this. And we at FXCHD are going to help you prepare with these questions (and sarcastic comebacks) to each investigation your relatives have to offer.

As always, we're going to keep things completely scientific and rate these questions on a level of 1 to 5 backfires, just like before.

Ready? You've got this, tiger.

"HOW COME YOU NEVER VISIT ANYMORE?"
FXCHD anxiety rating: 1 backfire

The Bike: a Breakout with Spectra Glo LED Lighting which is brighter than the fake smile you're going to flash while you walk through the front door.
Your Reply: "Well, if you move to Sturgis, Laughlin, Daytona or Laconia, you'd be sure to see me at least one week out of the year.... sort of.... I'll definitely crash on your couch in-between burnout competitions."

"WHY DOES YOUR GENERATION DRESS SO WEIRD?"
FXCHD anxiety rating: 1 backfire

The Bike: Sportster Forty-Eight that is as zippy as your father's tone.
Your Reply: "Two words Dad: Parachute Pants. Let's pull out your 1982 high school year book and see what your fashion sense looked like back then."

"YOU KNOW, YOUR COUSIN JUST GRADUATED FROM [WHATEVER OBNOXIOUS UNIVERSITY] WITH HONORS."
FXCHD anxiety rating: 2 backfires

The Bike: a Street Rod that good 'ol cuz probably got after getting the MF Dean's Award for underwater basket weaving.
Your Reply: "How about we not compare everyone's lives right now.... I've seen Mandy's snapchat stories with my own eyes- her and her sorority did stuff that was waaaaay less than honorable."

"I'M A VEGETARIAN NOW- I CANNOT EVEN THINK ABOUT EATING ANYTHING WITH A SOUL.... AND YOU'RE SERVING TURKEY."
FXCHD anxiety rating: 2 backfires

The Bike: Sportster 1200 Custom -with 67 horses of power and lots of soul on two wheels.
Your Reply: "Have you seen the movie Wild Hogs? When Dudley let his bike bounce off the curb and fall to the ground.... that gets me crying every single time. Why did they have to torture his Harley like that??" *sob

"WHERE ARE MY GRANDKIDS???"
FXCHD anxiety rating: 2 backfires

The Bike: the Street Glide with a 6 gallon tank that holds enough fuel to gaslight all your mom's horrific backhanded questions.
Your Reply: "When I bought my Harley and put having fun in my life first for a change, you made it clear exactly how irresponsible I was being. Now you expect me to bring a baby into this world??"

"HOW LONG HAVE YOU AND [CURRENT DATE] BEEN SEEING EACH OTHER? WILL THERE BE WEDDING BELLS IN THE FUTURE??"
FXCHD anxiety rating: 2 backfires

The Bike: the Ultra Limited so you and your guy/gal can Ride far, far away.
Your Reply: "Well, we have so much fun sleeping around during bike week that we really don't see the need to tie each other down with an archaic ceremony. While we're at it- let's ask Uncle John about how his third divorce is going."

"SO, DO YOU HAVE A DECENT PAYING JOB NOW?"
FXCHD anxiety rating: 3 backfires

The Bike: the minimalist style yet maximum impact of the Low Rider S.
Your Reply: "Yes, I have a good paying job that pays me enough so I can have my Harley. If by 'decent pay' you mean a job that has to pay excessive wages just to keep employees because it sucks the very life from you, then no -no, I don't."

"WOW THIS TURKEY IS DRY."
FXCHD anxiety rating: 3 backfires

The Bike: a Fat Bob with a meaty front tire that handles everything exceptionally well.
Your Reply: "Oh Melissa, you're so sweet to point that out. And if it bothers you that much, then by all means stop stuffing your face with it." *imagines doing a burnout in the kitchen 

"HOW IS [FORMER DATE] DOING? I'M SURPRISED YOU LET THAT ONE GO!"
FXCHD anxiety rating: 4 backfires

The Bike: the Softail Deluxe for obvious reasons
Your Reply: "Oh.... well.... yeah, they died. Very shocking. I'm kind of still sensitive about it. Who wants to watch Ride With Norman Reedus?"

"DO YOU EVEN GO TO CHURCH ANYMORE?"
FXCHD anxiety rating: 4 backfires

The Bike: the holy-trinity of three wheels- the Freewheeler
Your Reply: "Until the priest has a ride-through confessional, you can see me out Riding my Harley in all of God's splendor, every day of the week and twice on Sunday."  

"IT ONLY TOOK ME SIX MONTHS TO PAY OFF MY STUDENT LOANS- I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DEAL IS WITH ALL THESE WHINY MILLENNIALS."
FXCHD anxiety rating: 5 backfires

The Bike: a Street Bob for it's light-weight frame which is super agreeable, but also easily handles the turns- like the give-and-take nature of the two-handed adulation.
Your Reply: "Life was so much simpler when you could BS your way through an associate arts degree, like you did back in the '70s Uncle Mike. So yeah, let's move on from this convo just like my Harley does when the light turns green."

"OH, YOU USED A FROZEN CRUST.... I CAN SHOW YOU HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT CRUST FROM SCRATCH -IT'S A LITTLE EXTRA WORK, BUT IT'LL BE GOOD FOR YOU."
FXCHD anxiety rating: 5 backfires

The Bike: the Heritage Softail for all the history but it also has all the modern conveniences. 
Your Reply: "It would be in your best interest to leave my pie alone because my Harley has been in Winter Storage for the last month and I will cut a bitch." 

"YOU SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN OUT OF THAT BUSINESS DEAL YEARS AGO."
FXCHD anxiety rating: 5 backfires and then stalled out

The Bike: a CVO Road Glide with a 117 cubic inch Screamin' Eagle motor to fly you the f*** out of there.
Your Reply: "You are so right, I should have known better. I should have learned from when you had all that financial trouble because your house was upside down and you declared bankruptcy.... but you only lived out of your car for those five months, right?" 

"WHO DID YOU VOTE FOR?"
FXCHD anxiety rating: 5 backfires and then stalled out

The Bike: the Fat Boy because, yeah - The Terminator.
Your Reply: "Ooh, uummm - hey did I show you pictures from the bike rally I rode to on my Harley? Check these out!"

Reminder of the classic Biker saying if all else fails: 

When in doubt, throttle out.

We've come a long way, Mama!!

In light of Mother's Day, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite "Mothers of Motorcycling for Modern Day Women" on this blog. Not only because of "women power", "feminism" or the "gender pay gap" - but also because these ladies are just fantastic human beings who faced the odds against them, yet succeeded.

And, let's be honest, until this century women riding motorcycles wasn't considered 'the norm'. When I first started riding nearly all my gear was made for a man! Even back in 2008 (when I first started working at a motorcycle dealership) and I'd help out in the Parts department, I'd occasionally have a customer ask to speak to one of the guys because he didn't trust what I - a woman (gasp!) - had told him. [For the record, I did give the correct part or advice 99% of the time!]

But now the times are changing.... for the better that is. At least where women riding motorcycles is concerned. There's a lot more riding gear for us now, and it's fairly common to see a woman 'riding her own'. However, these are the ladies that heralded our motorcycling ways, way back in the day. In no particular order I'd like to introduce you to: 

Della Crewe and her dog Trouble

The year is 1914 - a time where women were expected to be polite and only speak when spoken to. Hell, we couldn't even vote!! Yet this young lady, already an experienced traveler, began her journey on her Harley-Davidson® from Waco, Texas the 'round about way to New York City, 5,378 miles.

Bessie Stringfield

This lady had more courage in her little finger than most people have in a lifetime! At age 19 she'd toss a penny over a map and ride to where ever it landed - crossing the lower 48 states six times. As a black woman, often she couldn't find a place to stay. This didn't stop Bessie! She simply rolled up her leather jacket to use as a pillow on her handlebars, rested her feet on the rear fender, and slept at gas stations.

Augusta "Gussie" and Adeline "Addie" Van Buren

As America was about to enter World War I, these sisters wanted to prove women could serve in the military as dispatch riders. So they set off from Brooklyn, NY to Los Angeles, CA. Along the way they made even more history by being the first to climb to the top of Pikes Peak by motor vehicle. Despite their epic and successful journey, even though they were arrested several times for wearing men's clothing, their application to join the military was rejected.

This is the 100th Anniversary Year of Gussie & Addie's trip. Their ride is being recreated and you can learn about that by clicking here.

Avis and Effie Hotchkiss

The ultimate mother-daughter bonding road trip!! Effie - a single, professional woman - was over-stressed. Given the 'prescription' to stop all work and be on rest, she bought a 1915 11-F Harley-Davidson® so she could see the vast countryside that she'd only dreamed of. After adding a sidecar that would enable her mother, Avis, to join her, they'd take daily trips outside of their home town of Brooklyn. According to Effie, it was Avis who came up with the idea of riding out to San Francisco, for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. And so they did, and then back to Brooklyn, a 9,000 mile round trip, becoming the first transcontinental women motorcyclists.

And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention:

Dorothy "Dot" Robinson

Considered by many as the "First Lady of Motorcycling", Dot was riding motorcycles before she was born (her mother was rushed to the hospital by motorcycle to deliver Dot). All throughout her childhood and into her adult years she was surrounded by the motorcycle industry. After she married, Dot and her husband entered endurance runs & races - despite race officials attempting to ban her. But is was during the Laconia National that she was approached by a fellow female rider, Linda Dugeau, about starting a women's riding organization. Within a year, the Motor Maids had been born.

So I'd like to conclude by saying "Happy Mother's Day" to these lovely ladies. They helped to 'give birth' to all the women riders we have today!!

Me and my 2004 Dyna Super Glide, taking the ferry across Lake Champlain

Risk versus Reward and "Pucker" Moments

Customers will sometimes ask me how long I've been riding and my reply is always the same: It depends on when you start counting. Technically I started riding at age five - riding horses. It wasn't long after that I graduated to bicycles and dirt bikes (did I mention my dad wanted a boy?). In my teens I started riding street bikes but I didn't have the "M" endorsement on my license till 2009.... (oops!)

F.X. Caprara Harley-Davidson also sells other brands in our dealership - Arctic Cat, BRP - Can Am, Ski-Doo, Sea-Doo, and Honda motorcycles, ATVs and power equipement. So sometimes I'll hear about a customer's near accident, going into the reason they gave up riding a motorcycle. I won't forget the last customer I talked with (but he won't be the last) who told me that he gave up riding because of his job:

• Him: "I just couldn't ride anymore after seeing what I see doing my job."
• Me: "What do you do? EMS??"
• Him: "I'm a State Trooper." (who was looking to buy a new jacket to wear while riding his snowmobile)
• Me: "Wow - really??" 
• Him: "Yeah, the risk of what could go wrong on a motorcycle is just too much."
• Me: "But you ride a snowmobile now, and I know I just heard of a snowmobile accident over the weekend where the rider had to be airlifted out!!"

The risk of something bad happening to us just going about our normal day-to-day are probably more than I want to know. Slip and fall, kitchen accidents, something falls on you, poisoning (not by your spouse's cooking!), and choking - and that's all before getting out of the house. Then calculate in your commute to work, your work environment, and going out after work to dinner and a movie - we're just piling the risk on!!

I'll be honest, I've had a few of what I like to call "pucker" moments (because you usually get that "oh sh*t" moment where everything in your body tenses up - or is that just me?) while riding my motorcycle. And Bikers are quick to tell you: It's not a matter of if you'll go down, but a matter of when you'll go down. But there's one instance in particular that I really didn't see myself coming out on the other side. 

On a Sunday morning I was riding on the interstate, in the slow lane, on my way to work, and had just checked my speed - 72mph. Then, about 50 yards in front of me, my greatest fear jumps out from the grassy median in the middle of the highway: an adult doe.... PUCKER!!! I do a quick assessment: she's going uphill and not full speed yet and I'm in 5th gear about half throttle. I decide not to hit my brakes because I don't think I can stop in time - I twist the throttle of my bike instead and try to cross in front of her.

Now obviously I'm here talking about it, so it wasn't all that bad. But at the time, one of my thoughts running through my head was, "I don't think I'm going to make this...." And then my next thought literally was, "Well, at least I'm going out doing something I love!" This contest between myself and the deer came out a draw - I did get my front wheel ahead of her but she rammed her head into my left knee, spraining it. By the grace of the Gods, I did not go down on my bike. By the following Tuesday, ignoring doctor's orders, I was back riding my motorcycle, leg brace and all.

So yeah, there are undeniable risks that come with riding a motorcycle. But for me and most Bikers I know, the rewards are so much more. When we're riding our motorcycles, we see, smell and experience things in a completely different way. When you're in your car, looking through the windshield, it's like you're watching TV. On a bike the 'window' is gone - you're using your body to move the motorcycle, both hands and feet to control it. Riding a motorcycle you're completely in contact with it all. You're in the scene.

Add in all the friends you'll meet, some of which will become like family, and it's really easy to start to understand why I ride. Then I'll invite you to try it out for yourself - living life that is. Because doing what is fun will always come with risks, but the rewards are better than sitting at home on the couch. 

L to R: Queen Mother, Nance, Me, Black Widow, Halo and LoLo 

And, in case you think I'm the only crazy one, check out The Risks of NOT Riding a Motorcycle

The Greatest Gift of All

A great time was had by all at the FX Caprara Car

Companies annual Christmas party. Unfortunately Captain

Morgan and I tied one on pretty good and I failed to take any pictures myself.... It happens!! That just means I relied on others - so that's what these pictures are. We can clean up pretty good!!

And then shortly after that Christmas day arrived at last. I am thankful for all the gifts I received - and it seems at least one person reads this blog!! That, along with a bottle of Irish Cream, new clothes, and the complete set of Ballykissangel were just some I received. 

I'd like to think I gave as good of gifts as I got.... I gave soft,

cuddly and warm pj pants to my daughter so she can relax during her time off from school (it's her freshman year in college this year). To my son I gave a replica of the bike Jax Teller rode in the last episode of Sons of Anarchy - this is something even his dad doesn't have - giving him the gift of having the upper hand. 

But of all that, the absolute best gift I received this year was

both kids being home for the holidays. Since they're both young adults and finding their own way in life, I don't know how much longer that will happen - so I'll take it while I can get it.

All the while looking forward to the new year - at FXCHD we have lots of good things coming up in 2016. Kate & I will be going to Phoenix for Harley-Davidson's winter meeting. Then on January 23rd we will be hosting our first ever Artistry in Iron Paint Party - something I'm really looking forward to! Also in 2016 look forward to H-D 101 which is for those who want to take the

first step into the world of motorcycling. And we have more in the works, so be sure to check in on our Website Events Page and/or our Facebook Events.

This is my last post for the year - I'm taking this week off to spend with my kids. So, until next year, all of us at FXCHD wish you the best and may you have all that you need in 2016!