I was eating lunch at a restaurant in a coastal town in upstate Washington a few weeks ago, when a guy and his wife come in. They are mid-50s, he has stockbroker or banker written all over him. They both have on Harley chaps, Harley Jackets, he's wearing a Harley cap with a harley bandana underneath, and Harley gloves (they had ridden up, this town is a popular cruising spot for the aged Harley set). He sits down and drops his keys on the table, which I note are on a Harley key chain, and, I kid you not, when it comes time to pay - he pulls out a Harley wallet. It got me thinking that Harley's got a huge racket going here. They must make more off licensing their logo than on bikes.
I found this funny (and kind of sad) bit online:
"One of the places to see the culture clash between old-time Harley owners and new Yuppie bikers is at your local Harley-Davidson dealership.
There was a time when the stores looked pretty much what you'd expect--greasy garage-like places with lots of parts strewn around and few frills. Nowadays, a Harley dealership looks more like a Hallmark Store. The Harley name has been licensed to a wide range of manufacturers, from the logical (Harley biking jackets) to the ludicrous (Harley-Davidson Christmas ornaments, ceramics, plush animals, coffee, collectible plates, baby clothes and even Barbies). It's clear that the Yuppies have about won. It probably makes sense: Who else can afford to plunk down $6,000-20,000 (before the inevitable customization) for a fair-weather form of transportation?
Still, it's a little sad to watch toothless long-haired guys wandering in a culture-shock daze, carrying a greasy ailing carburetor through the rows of Harley bears and figurines, looking for the concrete comfort of the parts department. These are the guys that Harley-Davidson likes to brag about as being their most devoted customers, the ones who tattoo the name of the product on their arms and backs. We doubt they're going to see many dentists and lawyers doing that."
