Easy rider.

IF HOLLYWOOD MOVIES can be taken with any air of conviction at all, one might assume that the roar emanating from the motors of a motorcycle gang was enough to strike fear into entire communities. Upon hearing that unmistakable sound, people would scramble from the street, seeking safety and shelter in their homes. Yet they'd be intrigued enough to peek through the shades, shutters or curtains to see what all the fuss was about. Seemingly there's always been a certain je ne sais quoi for this enigmatic culture.

Although emphasized cinematically with a dramatic flair, there may have been a notion of truth behind this view. But a lot has changed in the last 50 years, particularly so in the last decade or two. You can forget the stereotype of the big, bad, biker dude, with his cigarettes, bottle and babe all close at hand. Today's biker dude--more commonly referred to as a rider--is as apt to be your financial advisor, your dentist, or your neighbour as they are to be your worst nightmare.

Indeed there has been a growing trend of riders who are regular, everyday folks. Taken one step further, there seems to be a correlation between people who ride bikes and people who own or manage companies. And just as you can put all preconceived notions about bikers to rest, similarly, many people in business are adding a new networking function to go alongside the chamber luncheon, the service club, or the golf course ... biker rallies. Sturgis here we come.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

And no, that's not Sturgis SK, population 684 in east-central Saskatchewan. We're talking Sturgis, South Dakota, a community of 6,000 people whose population swells an estimated quarter- to half-million people each summer for the infamous Sturgis Biker Rally. There, you'll find people and bikes of all types, although Harley-Davidson is far and away the predominant brand represented there. Where at one time its image leaned towards the aforementioned rough and gruff stereotype, in many circles of the world today, Harley-Davidson has become the status symbol equivalent of a Mercedes, or other similarly revered exotic car.

It's unlikely that no one has been more pleased to see this turn of events than Nick Allen, who along with wife Cathy, has co-owned Saskatoon's Redline Harley-Davidson since 1988. A four-time Deeley Dealer of the Year for Harley-Davidson Canada, Redline has been riding a nice, steady, year-over-year increase in sales volumes. Their growth and business acumen, along with the recognition of this rising popularity, prompted the Allens to open their second store--in Lloydminster--three-and-a-half years ago.

"One of the interesting things about us, or with Harley-Davidson in general, is that our customer base is a pretty broad spectrum," says Nick Allen. "It's from A to Z and I can honestly say that it can be a doctor, a lawyer or really anything in between."

"The business sector is definitely a good chunk of our business," Allen continues, going on to hypothesize why this is so. "The kids are out of their nest, they've got a few people that are looking after their business for them, so they've got a little more time to play with."

Allen is quick to point out that there has been an increase in demand by the blue collar segment of the population as well. But because of the extra money, freedom and stature that business owners generally have, that segment of their customer base has likely been growing a little more rapidly. Regardless of the demographic they come from, there's certainly been a trend in the growing number of riders in the province. According to driver's license statistics from SGI, as of this spring there are nearly 4,000 more motorcyclists in Saskatchewan than there were two years ago.

Gerry Weninger, owner of 77 Signs in Saskatoon, has been riding motorbikes each spring, summer and fall for about the past 40 years. A motorcycle enthusiast and collector who owns Harleys and imports alike, Weninger stresses there is something for everybody's budget. Having said that, however, he agrees that a large percentage of the 'new age' Harley-Davidson owners fall into the category of affluent, middle-aged, empty nesters.

"I think they're mainly people who had bikes when they were younger, but they had to give it up because of their family, their career or something along those lines," Weninger says. "They probably enjoyed that when they were young, and they want to get that feeling of their youth back."

Also, the money comes into play. Raising a family is never inexpensive, so once the nest becomes empty, money may be a little more readily available. Similarly, time is a factor. Whereas leisure time is hard to come by, once the family grows up, leisure time becomes more plentiful.

Doug Frondall, a partner with Virtus Group in Saskatoon, is the epitome of this type of rider. Like Weninger, Frondall's introduction to motorbikes occurred as a youngster. As Frondall aged, however, he became busy with other aspects of his life and riding fell off the radar screen. As his career and family matured, he realized he wanted to get back on a bike and he started kicking tires at Redline Harley-Davidson in Saskatoon. After going about a 15-year stretch without riding, Frondall got back into riding in 2000 when he came away with a 2001 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy.

"My wife thought I was nuts when I ordered it," says Frondall, who adds that his wife, Barb, has had a change in heart and in fact is now a frequent passenger with Frondall on his rides. "She just fell in love with it," says Frondall.

Interestingly, the other increasing demographic for Harley-Davidson is women riders. The majority of these riders also come from that baby boomer generation. "We've seen an increase in women riders year-over-year-over-year," says Allen. "For a lot of them, their old man's out working, so they're gone; they're out riding. They put more miles on them than the boys do."

Although this isn't necessarily the case in the Frondall household, Doug is still challenged with finding enough time to ride. Nevertheless he certainly makes the time to get out and hit the road as often as possible. He's been able to do so as a member of the Saskatoon chapter of the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.). In fact he's not only a member of the riding group, he's served on the executive for a number of years as well.

"You could not know a soul and have something in common with all kinds of people who you just met," says Frondall, extolling the virtues of the club. "Plus, you could instantly ride anywhere with 150 people. Every Sunday we'd go for a half-day or a full-day and just ride."

Establishing the Harley Owners Group was a stroke of genius for the American motorcycle manufacturer. It played a large role in the resurrection of the company, which actually very nearly went bankrupt in the 1980s. Then the realization hit that instead of just making a motorcycle, they were providing a lifestyle. Therefore under its new ownership group of former company employees, Harley-Davidson rebranded itself, became public and now, is in all likelihood the strongest of all American vehicle manufacturers.

Indeed as a brand, Harley-Davidson ranks right up there with Coca-Cola and McDonald's as one of the most recognizable names and logos in the world. Aside from its motorcycles, the Harley logo can be found on anything from jewelry to clothing to specialized Ford trucks to the mat of a mixed martial arts ring.

"We get compared to car dealerships and stuff like that, but it's a different gig," says Allen, referencing Harley-Davidson dealerships as well as their brand loyalty. "Basically we have a clothing store, a parts and accessories store, and of course service and the actual motorcycles."

Allen says the bike is just the starting point for their clients, who will wear their passion on their sleeve, and wherever else they can put it. "A guy will buy a bike for 20 grand, and then he'll spend another 20 grand on it. They'll do custom paint and chrome everything and hot rod the engine before it rolls out of the door."

Allen says that some riders will buy their bike thinking they don't have a lot of time to dedicate to their sport. But it quickly grows into a passion, as that person begins to find more and more time to hit the road.

"A guy will buy a Harley and he'll say he's not going to ride it much, maybe 1,000 km a year. Well you see him three weeks later and he's got 4,000 K on it. It gets into your bones. She's good therapy. You leave work, get on your motorcycle and you just go for a ride. And really, it don't matter what kind of motorcycle it is, but all that junk in your head evaporates in just a matter of minutes."

"When you're riding a motorcycle you've got to be more aware of what's going on around you," Allen hypothesizes. "Whereas if you're driving along in your car, you've got one eye on the road, one eye on the text message and you can't do that stuff on a motorcycle. You let you brain relax. I call it therapy."

Obviously, safety is an issue that motorcycle riders cannot take lightly. And it's for that reason that Redline offers a riding school with certified instructors, preparing new riders for the rigours of the road. Classes run Thursday night, Friday night and all day Saturday. Similarly the Canada Safety Council runs a program that goes five nights per week.

"You have to be the most defensive driver that you have ever imagined," says Weninger. "Whether it's from road conditions, weather conditions, or the other guy on the road. In fact one of my biggest worries when I'm talking to a friend who's says they're finally going to get their motorcycle, is first of all, I'm really thrilled because I'm glad they're getting back into riding, but I always tell them to go and take the motorcycle training and safety course."

Print Get the Mag Weekly Updates