Formerly – column

Today, we motorcyclists are still seen as scum by some people. And that while we can at most be a bit overconfident.

But we heard that things were once different during the visit of a Really Old motorcyclist. He was a Harley rider when you rode a Harley because you didn't have any money. In the sixties you bought a well-running 750 cc WL side valve for amounts of around one hundred guilders. And how much is that in euros? Never mind. A Harley was the only affordable transport for ambitious apprentice concrete workers and students.

The hard core Utrecht motorcycle scene then consisted of a collection of irregulars under the name 'Harley Club Utrecht'. Those folks had a pub as their haunt and one of the nicest things to do was to get off your still-riding Harley, run in and have your first pint before your engine stalled. If the side valve had remained in the middle of the cobblestones and a worried motorist drew the attention of the resident of the pub to this, the bar-goers M/V all went outside to beat the motorist. Endearing, those kinds of local customs, right?

Friend Alfred dreamed away and rejoiced. He is now a retired ex-contractor and his mild self. But that has also been different. He was once arrested at the time, suspected of everything, but at that time above all of driving under the influence. When the officers saw what they had actually kept on, they immediately became a lot less heroic than when approaching an eleven-year-old girl who had forgotten to extend her hand on her bicycle.

In his early years Alfred had the appearance of a more or less successful cross between a massive prize bull and a moderately irritated Pitbull terrier. When under the influence of various mind-altering and/or narcotic drugs, the Pitbull in him predominated. Now he has softened and his terrier aspect has faded.

But all those years ago, it became painful when the officers asked Alfred for his papers. Alfred continued to stare at the two uniforms without saying a word. He kicked the sidestand off his Lib and took a few thoughtful steps toward law enforcement. In the late XNUMXs, the preponderance of Dutch police officers was already quite corroded. The two officers were concerned about the developments. Bearing in mind the then-promotional slogan 'The police are your best friend', they hoped for the best.

The still-silent Alfred apparently had another political ass in mind. At the time, Dutch citizens were urged to be attentive and to participate with the cry “Die cap fits you too”. Alfred looked straight at an officer and said: “It fits you, but it doesn't suit you at all”.

Then the biker, who was heavily under the influence of drink and drugs, grabbed the officer's cap and threw it into the Singel. Then he looked admonishingly at the policeman, shouted: “Find!” and threw his cap into the water after him. In practice, that was only the beginning of the story about a situation that then got out of hand and it is certainly not an incentive to take ill-considered actions under the influence of the most inspiring chemicals. Later it went wrong again. There was an ambulance at a house with an open front door. At that time it was still a Chevrolet bus with a big V8. The question arose as to how such a thing would drive. The keys were still in the ignition. And in no time the two enterprising youngsters drove in their ambulance to their favorite pub. They later picked up the motorcycles that had been left behind. The ambulance was left somewhere in sight. With the keys still in it.

But there was something comedy-like about the whole situation at the time. That may have been less for the two paramedics and their client. Yet “LAUGH!! with such a Chevy!”

Alfred recalled the memories with a mild smile. He had only heard everything afterwards, after he had been allowed to leave the cell where he had marveled at his bruises and bruises.

Meanwhile, Alfred is riding a motorcycle again. And has a recent Harley and a very neat Flathead. (“That thing actually has no brakes.”) Plus a 500 Suzuki T 1971. That was the bike he wished he had in college. But then such a machine was too expensive for him.

In the past not everything was better

At the time, some things were even very unclear. It's funny: Many of the men from those years – time has harvested a few, they are all 65+ people who have not all been equally careful with their bodies – still associate with each other. And they all still ride Harley and enjoy their memories. Nice is not it?