My First Harley By Mike Pullin

My first Harley was a 1979 Sportster, Guards red (Porshe red) with the old style lettering on the tank. I remember picking it up in March. My brother Gary had a truck or I should say what was left of a truck. Yeah I picked it up in a truck due to insurance reasons. It was a Saturday and the insurance company was closed, they still let me take the bike, try that today!

First a little background on getting the bike. Back then I wasn't making any money and walked into the dealership one day and filled a credit application out. I already knew it would be turned down. The next day the owner, Mr. Waugh at Waugh Enterprises in Orange Virginia called with the bad news and said I needed a co-signer. I told him I did not have one and he told me to come over the next day anyway and maybe we could work something out. When I got there he told me I had a co-signer and it was him! I was blown away to say the least. He said he trusted me and knew how bad I wanted the bike. I wonder how many dealers today would do that? I have always remembered that favor and visit Mr. Waugh’s shop each time I go back to Virginia.

Back to taking the bike home. My brother Gary and I loaded my new baby in the worn out old truck.About three miles from home we stopped at a red light and we heard a crash. Yeah, you got it the bike fell on it’s side. The tie down had broken free from the rusty old truck bed. Not much damage to the eye, a creased tank so I thought.

When I got the bike unloaded, I started it I noticed going down the road it had a bad miss. The following week I took it back to the shop or I should say I tried, half way there I was sitting on the side of the road waiting on my buddy Mike to come pick me up. We loaded the bike and got to the shop. Raw gas was running out of the rear exhaust. From the impact in the truck the manifold had become loose and it was sucking air and I had burned a whole in the piston. Not a very good start. Everything was fixed and my adventure was about to begin.

I rode that bike for 4 and half years and I still have a lot of memories of the times and that bike. Did it ever break again? Once or twice. Would I have traded any of the memories and the feeling I got when I picked that bike up? Never!

The 79 Sportsters were called “The Bastard Sportster” because of the cafe racer frame and the Siamese exhaust. To me it was my pride and joy! Having that bike opened my eyes, my heart and my soul to whole new world. The biker lifestyle and the adventure that comes with it!

STEALTHMAN