3.1
H.O.G.® LOVE STORIES
H.O.G.® Benelux
Danny Weel
Danny Weel, 34 years old, rides a 2013 Street Bob
When did you buy this Harley?
"In August 2018."
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Are you a H.O.G. member?
"I am a member, but I don't really use my membership. Partly because I don't know exactly what I can do with it."
What do you do yourself to encourage young people to ride?
"My sister just got her license; she now has something that looks like an H-D but she would also like a real Harley-Davidson. So now we do the window shopping at the H-D dealer together. The best way to encourage people without motorcycles to ride H-D is to be a little persistent. If you want to convince motorcyclists to switch to H-D, you must show all the stuff you can do with these bikes. Many people think all Harleys are made to calmly cruise straight ahead; I'm happy to show them otherwise. "
Why H-D?
"In the beginning, purely for the looks and the sound. I think they are beautiful, cool bikes to look at, super cool. I used to see a group of them riding and found that very impressive. From a young age, I always found it an impressive brand and motorcycle. I used to go window shopping at West Coast Motors in Alkmaar. But when I bought my Sportster in Australia, I realized it was beautifully engineered, that it was exactly right. When I rode off with it, into the wide-open spaces of the Wheatbelt, I didn't encounter any problems. Same with the Street Bob, rarely had any problems. One time I had some power loss, then I had the engine overhauled."
Do you ever wrench yourself?
"I have the engine done, everything else I do myself, like maintenance, suspension, etc."
What's been customized on your bike?
"A new handlebar with risers, Stage 2, removable fairing, and removable sissy bar."
What would you still like to do?
"In terms of performance I'm fine, maybe change the footpegs, to be able to corner a bit flatter. I do miss ABS, sometimes I have those 'Ow, damn, moments'...".
What model is on your wish list?
"You can take everything away from me except my dog and my bike, but if I can have one more, the Pan America is definitely it!"
Do you ever delve into H-D history?
"Yeah, I like those old races, like the old bowl track races and flat track races and stuff."
Which model from the past do you like best?
"The XR 750".
H-D is a true cult icon, do you carry that out?
"Yeah, but I don't need to have everything from Harley-Davidson. I usually just jump into kevlar pants and a T-shirt and go!"
What do you hope for in the future for yourself, Harley, and H.O.G.?
"I hope I will never stop riding. I hope to make lots of nice trips, create more publicity, and post more on social media. You strap your stuff on the back of your bike, leave Friday afternoon, have a nice weekend in for example Luxemburg, and come back home on Sunday. I hope can inspire and motivate people a bit with this story. "
What plans and dreams do you still have?
"I'm kind of looking to work and live in Spain, preferably on the coast, because I love the sea. Near every city there's a mountain range, it's a great place to ride! It runs in my family, just ride and see what the world will throw at you. Want to see some more of my trips, or want to ride together? Check my instagram: dann_88.”
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(Interview by Onno Wieringa – madnessphotography.nl)
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I discovered Harley-Davidson when I…
"That was in October 2017. I bought my first Harley in Australia at that time, which was fantastic! An H-D Sportster 883
I love my Harley because…
"It’s simply the most beautiful bike there is! I worked in the army for almost ten years, so I was away a lot. Then I retired and had to find my place in society. Riding helps, I just put a helmet on and go. It's a kind of therapy."
I chose this model because...
"I found the Sportster a bit too small, too light. Not quite my bike. I wanted something bigger, and a bit more powerful, but sporty, with a bit more oomph. I put a small fairing on it for long rides, so the wind doesn't bother me so much. I bought a removable sissy bar and now I can take everything I need on the back and can go anywhere I want in the world."
I'm a fan of my Harley because…
"I can do everything with it. Sporty riding, touring, really everything. I've even ridden offroad for a while, which I wouldn't recommend to everyone. I also like the looks of my bike, it’s a real no-nonsense machine. I don't like polishing, so most of it is matte black. Some paint is missing here and there, but that just makes it cooler."
I like riding my Harley because…
"Riding my Harley clears my head. On a bad day, it's something that makes me happy, it's a kind of therapy. It even works for me as an anti-hangover remedy, all the negative things disappear when I'm on that bike. "
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What do you do yourself to encourage young people to ride?
"My sister just got her license; she now has something that looks like an H-D but she would also like a real Harley-Davidson. So now we do the window shopping at the H-D dealer together. The best way to encourage people without motorcycles to ride H-D is to be a little persistent. If you want to convince motorcyclists to switch to H-D, you must show all the stuff you can do with these bikes. Many people think all Harleys are made to calmly cruise straight ahead; I'm happy to show them otherwise. "
​
Why H-D?
"In the beginning, purely for the looks and the sound. I think they are beautiful, cool bikes to look at, super cool. I used to see a group of them riding and found that very impressive. From a young age, I always found it an impressive brand and motorcycle. I used to go window shopping at West Coast Motors in Alkmaar. But when I bought my Sportster in Australia, I realized it was beautifully engineered, that it was exactly right. When I rode off with it, into the wide-open spaces of the Wheatbelt, I didn't encounter any problems. Same with the Street Bob, rarely had any problems. One time I had some power loss, then I had the engine overhauled."
What is your best experience with your H-D?
"My adventure in Australia. If your bike breaks down there, that's the end of it. You sometimes get to places where no one passes by in two weeks. But also my last trip, seven countries in seven days, especially when one of the guys I was with, decided we would ride the Route Napoleon through the mountain passes. On some stretches, we didn't see anyone for four hours. Beautiful riding there, with 150 up the mountain! Sometimes we also rode on half-unpaved tracks, super!"
Most beautiful trip or route you have ridden?
"Partly because of the strange environment, Australia is a very special adventure. Even though most of the time it is endless riding straight ahead, it is sometimes quite exciting and every morning you hope to wake up alone in your sleeping bag. There are poisonous snakes and spiders all over the place!"
What is the trip or route you would like to experience someday? "That was also why I was looking at the Pan America, I would really like to ride the Trans Euro Trail, a European dirt track adventure. It's usually ridden in sections, but I'd like to ride it in one go, which is about 51,000 kilometers, so I'd need a few months for that.”