29.5.11

What is A Real Biker...

I love that question. What is A real biker? Almost no other line will get the crowd going like that one. I am partial to the "anyone who works on his own bike" is a real biker, attitude myself. but thats just me.
i would like to introduce here the stories behind the bikers. I just watched Burt Lancaster deliver the line "There's always a story", in From Here To Eternity, and am taking that as an omen to proceed with these stories.
This first story is about a Real Biker. His name is Eric Dahl. When i joined SCHOG, some five years ago, he was Chapter Assistant Director. He is my go to man, when i have a motorcylce question. For example, during 2011 Daytona Bike Week edition of Old Skook Chopper Show at Tropical Willies Tattoo Parlor, i asked Eric, "why is there a hinge on the back fender on the older model bikes?" He very patientlly amongst all the rumbling, rocking rambunctious partying engulfing us, proceeds to explain in great detail the timeline, history and simple functionallity of the hinge. Patience. I think is a required quality for a Real Biker. Now to the event that most recently Eric Dahl, a real biker, stepped up. Last month, 60 plus motorcycles of SCHOG rolled north to New Smyrna, Florida Harley Dealership for a challenge and free food. We Schog's are not shy around free food. I get a call from my, still living at home 22 year old, sport bike riding, son explaining that his rear tire has a large nail and is flat. Oyyvaa. is it always something?? I quickly think of the best way to solve this, with only half assed solutions. Finally the light bulb flickered on, "Ask Eric"... "No. You don't want to pump it up with a bicylcle pump and risk riding it to the shop. What if the offending object comes out? You've got a flat and you are out in the road. What i like to refer to as "Toast". Best thing to do is trailer the bike to the shop." I agree. My good neighbor has a trailer, so i tell the son to wait, we'll figure this out. Eric then steps up and says "If your neighbor doesn't work out,you can use my truck/trailer". Just like that he offers me the use of his equiptment, to transport a sport bike to the shop. Not just any equiptment, but equiptment that is vital to his daily requirements. And he offered with no strings attached, just wanting to step up and do what he could for the cause. Eric Dahl is a real man and a real biker.
he is also one of the best tile men i've ever known. If you need custom quality tile work, contact Eric Dahl...

Dahl Tile-HandyMan-Services

1 comment:

Kathleen Jennette said...

I just never considered a "biker". More like a rider. Its so profiling and a lot of people take the word "biker" as a negative (for wierd reasons)... so I just never use it.