This article is taken from "BC Magazine" 
Issue: 028 19th.September 2002 

Harley: Hardly a crisis

You might have noticed that the majority of riders are professionals in their thirties, forties and fifties and are likely to have an average income of at least $40,000 a year. Is owning a Harley a symptom of a mid-life crisis then?

Heath thinks otherwise: “I wouldn’t call it a mid-life crisis. I would say that it’s part of Harley-Davidson’s marketing strategy to target accomplished, career-minded people. They recognise that people established in their career or lifestyle are the people who have money to spend on leisure. It’s a leisure pursuit, especially when their children are off their hands; you have spare money and you are looking for something a little bit different to do. Golf might be too boring. You buy a Harley and you become part of something special. A little bit more exciting than the average leisure pursuit.”

However, Tony “Grease” Goldman thinks it’s an issue of affordability and the sticky issue of accessibility: “The smallest Harley is 883cc and to get a licence of Class 2 in Singapore takes a minimum of three years. It’s not easy to get a Class 2 licence here. Also, the cost of a Harley is much more than any other bike. The cheapest is $18,700 and they go up to $54,000. That’s probably why not too many youngsters are riding Harleys.”

Maybe Heath and Goldman are both right. Some guys spend the first half of their lives working hard and being practical. They toe the line, conform and buy in because one day they know they’ll be “established”. One day they’ll be called “sir” by the salesman as they sign the papers on that shiny hog in the window. Then they will have got their true reward for all that hard work in younger days.

For others, maybe it’s different. We might not be proud of it, but our society has a long, long history of conspicuous consumption – signals to the world that we’ve made it. It’s sad to think how wasted a beautiful machine like a Harley could be in the hands of the crass, but exclusivity comes at a price, and that price could well be that some Harleys are bought and owned by the unappreciative.

“Bond” to Be Wild"

The HOG was established in 1983 with a mission to share their passion and show their pride for Harley-Davidson motorcycles. They meet, ride and have fun as a group. The HOG Singapore Chapter was established in 1995 with less than 100 members, but the group has grown and now meets regularly at either the Hard Rock Café or Blooie’s. Wong says: “Currently the strength is approximately 250 to 300 members, a little less than half of the 700 Harleys cruising around Singapore. Only Harley owners can be members. However, if you know someone who is a member, you can sign up as an Associate Member.” Subscription fees are affordable, but you need to be an international member before joining a local chapter. International membership is US$40 or S$60 a year and with it you could enjoy perks like discounted accessories and official Harley-Davidson clothing and merchandise.

The all-encompassing, all-welcoming nature of HOG suits some people, but others are more specific in seeking out their own community. Harley riders have begun forming independent clubs and associations. They are not sponsored by the local Harley-Davidson retailer and have their own set of activities. For instance, Headhunters, established in Malaysia in 1996, have seen chapters sprouting from Singapore and Thailand, all the way to Hong Kong. It began just as a fun group, with no committees or leaders. Grease, who owns a Road King Classic ’99 model, which he bought for $40,000, explains: “You just don’t join the Headhunters, you are invited to become a member.” It is such an exclusive group that there are only about 40 members in Malaysia and just six in Singapore, who meet as often as possible in the aptly named Handle Bar.

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