What Kind Of Person Owns a Harley Davidson Softail?

Do You Qualify?

Harley Davidson what a great American icon. Harley Davidson has a rich and successful history dating back to the day they sold their first bike in 1905, and in 1906 the Davidson brothers along with William S, Harley opened their first factory in Wisconsin. Since that time, the company and its motorcycle designs have gone through many changes and improvements including their softail motorcycle designs. Along the way, this all-American original company has also developed a constantly growing and radically loyal following of enthusiasts, which is made up of both the average Joe and the rich and famous.

In the 1970’s the first softail design was created by a Harley Davidson riding engineer by the name of Bill Davis, who ultimately sold his prototype softail design to Harley Davidson in 1982. By 1984 manufacturing a revised version of the Bill Davis design, the Harley softail motorcycle was out on the market for the Harley enthusiast to fall in love with, and fall in love they did. In 1984, the FXST Softail became an instant success story in sales for the folks at Harley Davidson. Not only is the company’s success good for them, but it is good for Harley riders meaning that there are plenty of softails to go around.

Of course, as is often the case with popular trends and events there are many different types of people who participate in them, and nowhere else is this more true than in the motorcycle culture where the Harley Davidson is king. The most common kind of person who is identified as someone who would own a Harley Davidson softail motorcycle is the outlaw biker or one percenter. These are the people who are associated with motorcycle gangs like the Hells Angles, the Outlaws, the Banditos, and the Sons of Silence. Unfortunately, in the court of public opinion this shines a bad light on Harley riders.

Fortunately, there is also a lot of positive light shown on the Harley riding community with many famous people like actors, athletes, and musicians who ride Harley Davidson motorcycles and the Harley softail motorcycle as well. Late night talk show host Jay Leno is one of the most readily identified Harley enthusiast it is possible that his passion for the Harley came because of working as a motorcycle mechanic at one time. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is also a known Harley rider. Actors like Keanu Reeves, Brad and Angelina, Hugh Jackman, and musician Jimi Hendrix round out this list.

However, it might surprise you to know that neither the outlaw arm of the Harley culture, nor those famous stars and starlets are the most common types of people who would own a Harley Davidson or the softail motorcycle that they have made so popular. The most common type of Harley rider is in fact your average white-collar worker. They are typically married, Anglo, male, although more and more women are now riding too, and educated. Most of them are over the age of thirty and make an above average income to boot. The truth is that the kind of person who would own a Harley softail motorcycle is you and I.