Interview with Joker from The Harley-Davidson “Mystique”

My series of interviews got me now to Joker from The Harley-Davidson “Mystique”. He writes about his rides with the Blackstone Valley HOG members, his bike and the Mystique that surrounds a Harley.

• Cristian: Hi Joker and thank you for accepting the interview.

Joker: Hi Cristian. I appreciate being asked. These interviews are a great idea; I really think they give people in the blogging community a chance to find out a lot about each other.

• Cristian: You are a member of Blackstone Valley HOG. How are these HOG communities? What kind of people join and what actually happens there?

Joker: HOG (Harley Owner’s Group) is probably the best thing the Motor Company’s come up with besides the bikes themselves. It gives H-D owners around the globe a place to connect with others who share their love for riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles. What actually happens is of course up to each individual Chapter and its membership. I can say that Blackstone is like an extended family. We ride, eat, drink, party, and just have a great time together. If I had to pick one word, I’d say FUN sums it up fairly well.

• Cristian: You named your ride “The Gray Lady”. How did you come up with the name?

Joker: There’s an old disaster movie from the late 70s about a US nuclear sub trapped on the ocean floor called “Gray Lady Down.” My bike is actually silver, but you could call her gray. For some reason, when I crashed and saw her lying in the street near me, it was the first thing that came to mind.

Cristian: Your blog is about “How I got my first Harley-Davidson, the “mystique” that surrounds them ”. So how did you get it and what’s special about being a Harley Rider?

Joker: I had a big Dodge pickup truck that I used to plow snow. After two winters in a row with barely any snow to plow, and hardly any money made, the motor in the truck went bad. With the rising price of gas, and the fact the truck only got 11 miles per gallon on a good day, I decided not to invest money in repairing it. Instead, I sold it and used the money I had left to get the bike. What’s so special? The only way you could know is to ride one, and it will either hit you or it won’t. There’s just something about them, it’s as if they have a soul to them. It’s hard to describe; perhaps that’s why the word “mystique” is so often connected with them.

• Cristian: Any customizations to your bike?

Joker: Chrome headlamp ring, chrome plate lay-down kit, chrome clutch and brake levers, chrome belt guard, chrome tail light cover, chrome front fork nut covers, chrome engine guard, quick-detach chrome sissy bar with luggage rack, Vance and Hines Straightshot exhaust, Screamin’ Eagle Stage 1 kit, Kuryakyn ISO hand grips, mini foot boards, passenger and highway pegs, Mustang one piece wide two-up touring seat and backpad, H-D quick-detach windshield, H-D color matched locking hard saddlebags, and a Cruise-Mate throttle lock.

• Cristian: What about road side attractions. I mean when you ride somewhere, what’s the purpose, getting there or seeing stuff?

Joker: Depending on where we ride to there can be some really beautiful sights to see, but the journey is always the purpose of the ride. Sometimes I wish I had a “helmet cam” to capture some of the things on rides when we are passing by them without stopping. When I ride with Blackstone, the most important road side attraction usually ends up being a place to get a good cup of coffee and use the bathroom.

• Cristian: You are married and have 3 kids. I know your wife wasn’t very happy that you bought a Harley. What’s the best way to deal with these things with the family?

Joker: Well, first I should say what works for me may not necessarily be the way for everyone to go! It’s one of those things where you have to do what you have to do. It may seem selfish, and perhaps it is just a bit. But you only get one life, and as much of it as you give to your family, it only seems fair that a little be reserved for yourself. People are always growing, changing. I think if your family and friends really care for you, they’ll accept these changes as part of who you are. My family may prefer that I didn’t take the risk of riding, but they’ve come to accept that it is now a part of who I am and what I’m about. I have made it clear I’d rather have less time on this earth doing what I love, than more time worrying about what might get me killed.

• Cristian: Where are you located and what rides are interesting in your area?

Joker: I live in the US, in the south-eastern part of the State of Massachusetts. We have a wide variety of beautiful country back roads that twist through not just MA, but all the surrounding New England states. Our rides often take us into and through many of our neighboring states. We also have the great fortune to live near the Atlantic ocean. Harbor towns always make for great ride destinations.

• Cristian: You used to have a pick-up before the Harley. You didn’t want to put more money in the pick-up, but what about the Harley if something goes wrong?

Joker: I’ll sell everything I own but my underwear to keep my Harley on the road, and the only reason I won’t sell that is because nobody in their right mind would want to buy it!

• Cristian: You used to have a Honda CB 650 then a KZ 550. Tell us how important the KZ 550 was in your life and what happened

Joker: The one great thing about my old KZ was that a girl at work was more impressed with it than I was. She thought it was cool that I’d show up in the office in all this riding gear, and then emerge from the Men’s Room in a suit and tie. When I heard a rumor she was interested in me and thought I was cool because I rode a motorcycle, I asked her for a date. Back then, she liked riding on the back of it when we went out. I eventually married that girl, and it’s ironic that now I have a far superior motorcycle, and she won’t get on it. She’s paranoid that we will both be killed in an accident, leaving our children without parents. All I can say is never underestimate the power of the maternal instinct. I know one day, when she’s ready, she’ll ride with me again.

• Cristian: Why did you start the The Harley-Davidson “Mystique” blog?

Joker: I actually stumbled upon Road Captain USA quite by accident, while surfing the net. It got me to look closer at blogs, and to find out just how easy it is to start one. I’ve always loved to write, and have been told by many people that I have a talent for it. When I saw what others were doing on their motorcycle blogs, my love for riding and writing inspired me to start my own.

• Cristian: You had a nasty accident last year. Any tips on ride safety?

Joker: YES! I have several. Never assume anything on the road, and NEVER be in a hurry on a motorcycle. Always wear as much protective clothing/gear as possible for the road conditions. Take advantage of any motorcycle riding/safety courses offered in your area. Look at every other vehicle near you as a potential threat. I have gotten into the habit of slowing/stopping and waving cars in front of me trying to make a left turn to go ahead when I can. I also cover my brakes and horn whenever I see a car ahead of me at the end of a side street, and when I approach intersections. Make sure to always look both ways when proceeding through an intersection – even if you have the green light. Never assume cars will all stop just because they have the red light. Don’t tailgate cars! Leave a minimum 3-second distance. Stay out of other vehicles blind spots. Avoid the complacency that comes with experience and assume danger lurks around every bend in the road.

• Cristian: The Blackstone members showed up to see how you were doing while you were in the hospital following your accident. How did you feel about it?

Joker: I felt very grateful for that visit. That was a tough day because I knew they were on a ride that I had actually suggested and planned. Looking out through the hospital room window at the beautiful weather that day, knowing they were riding without me, had me feeling pretty sad. When they burst through the door of my room and surrounded my bed, the feeling was indescribable. At the time, I’d only been a member of the Chapter for a little more than two months. Most of them barely knew me, but they showed up anyway. That will tell you a little more about the character of the people I ride with.

• Cristian: Everybody says there is something special about being a biker. How would you describe the feeling?

Joker: For me it is a sense of freedom combined with belonging. Some riders I know prefer to ride alone most of the time. Once in a while, I like to do that also, but I much prefer riding with my Chapter. We share a special type of camaraderie and closeness; we have a trust in one another that people who don’t ride could never appreciate. It’s special in many other ways too, but these are most important to me.

• Cristian: Oh, by the way, why “Joker”?

Joker: I wanted to use a pseudonym to write under, like many authors do. Part of it had to do with not wanting to have my real name on the internet, and that “John” seemed sort of boring. I’m a big fan of Jack Nicholson’s “Joker” character from the 1989 Batman movie. I also am known among my friends (and my fellow bloggers too I think) as a guy with a bizarre sense of humor, so it seemed to fit.

• Cristian: Harley now displays an impressive number of bikes on sales. What would be your favorite, regardless of cost?

Joker: I keep thinking about that, since I plan on buying a brand new bike next year. I have been considering many models including the new Softail Cross Bones and the Road King. Harley has also really gotten into factory customs lately, and the new FLSTN Softail Deluxe with ape hangers and “Intervention” exotic custom paint has recently caught my eye. If I were going to buy today, I think I just might go for that Deluxe.

• Cristian: Any pictures from your trips?

Joker: None from last year unfortunately. I finally got a digital camera last Christmas and have really started getting into picture taking this season. When I do a posting about a ride, I try and include a nice variety of photos with it to give the reader more of a sense of being there. By this fall, my blog will be quite the photo album I think!

Cristian, thank you again for the honor of being featured on your blog. Keep up the excellent work, and always, ride safe.

• Cristian: thanks for the interview and ride safe!

If you want to stay in touch with Joker stories, here is “The Harley-Davidson Mystique“.