"I think the Harley image has changed quite a bit since
I first got into motorcycles," David Gray, owner of a magnificent
2005 Electroglide Standard, said. "When I was a kid riding
my bike to high school, there was that biker mystique. But now
it's like all those people in my age group want to ride motorcycles,
and they're enjoying it."
"You get a guy who comes into the dealership and he's
thinking, 'oh, maybe I'd like to try a bike,' and then you
give him the opportunity, next thing you know he buys it,
and he enjoys riding it…it turns on a whole different
group, and it's a strong grup. Those kind of things were never
around 25 years ago."
As with most stereotypes and trends, there are those who
set the trend for a defined need. While choppers evolved for
speed as much as they did for look, practicality dictated
what went into Gray's creation.
"A lot of the people we deal with ourselves tend to
be riders, meaning they'll ride from east coast to west coast
or go down to rallies," Gray explained. "None of
those choppers are very suited for touring or travelling.
In town riding is pretty much it for them." Not being
one for slinging himself over a gas-tank or enduring the body
blows a rigid chopper suspension can deliver, Gray said it
was factors such as comfort and long distance travel that
guided him during construction of his bike.
"It's unique. It's not too far off the wall like some
of these real radical choppers, but I like to ride and travel.
For me personally, I like to use the bike. It was right from
the start, it was in the plan. A useful bike to make a run."
That being said, just because the bike is practical doesn't
mean it isn't powerful, custom or stylish. Only the frame
remains stock, and below the diamond plate pattern paint,
below the cascading flames, and amongst the array of performance
parts are engraved the three words that sum up the true soul
of the bike; "Dave's Hot Rod."
"It's probably around 135 HP, for a Harley that's good,"
Gray explained with a touch of modesty. "Your average
Harley comes in around 70 HP."
But having such a powerful bike comes with additional modifications
that need to be made, as Gray explained when asked what the
next step in the bike would be. "Big brakes! You need
big brakes on a powerful bike," Gray said, laughing.
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