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Serious question for the Harley riders


MidgetTodd
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OK seriously, what the hell is with the tassels on you Harley riders handle bars??

I know this will prolly get thread jacked and completely off topic but it's a serious question I really want to know. WHY?

My daughter had tassels on her first bike with training wheels and wanted em off by the time she was like 5 so for a grown man on a Harley come on really???

Now the greater reason I ask this "besides the fact they look gay" is today a big burly dude on a Harley was running down the highway in the lane next to my truck with those queer tassels on and they were whipping so violently in the wind that they were slapping the hell out of his forearms and had turned his skin redder than a dogs pecker. So again WHY? I hope at least one HD rider on here can give me a serious answer to this.

Carry on and discuss.

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Well I don't have a Harley, but I do have the accessory you speak of.

Why? Why bike the neighbor had that taught me to ride had them, so there is this memory of way back then when life was more simple.

Why he had them? I was told something about rain will go down them and away from you and not up your arm and what not. Is it true? Hell if I know.

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I have a cruiser and I hate those damn things. My dad and most of the guys in my group have them and I have no idea why, never cared to ask because they are ugly as shit and no reason is good enough. I don't think many people other than my dad do this but on 1 piece of the fringe he tied on 4 beads to represent his 4 kids and the knot at the top represented him as head of the family and the knot on the bottom represents my mom holding everything together.

As much as I hate them I did have them on my bike for about a month. It was after my dad wrecked his bike and I told him I would keep them on mine until he got another because no matter what he said I knew he would buy another bike. A month later I got to take them off my bike and put them on his new bike.

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Serious non-Harley rider answer:

On One Hand: Fringe Has a History

The history of fringe in fashion comes from Native American dress that was both symbolic depending on the culture and also practical as it wicked rain away from clothing. Fringe was popularized by the hippie movement and by the movie "Easy Rider."

On the Other: Little Meaning Today

There appears to be no meaning or symbolism to motorcycle fringe used on bikes or clothing today. Fringe is also not included in biker gang symbolism. Used for looks, fringe may be chosen in different colors to complement the color and design of your motorcycle. Floorboard fringe adds a retro look to a motorcycle. Fringe on grips and levers is more modern.

Bottom Line

The meaning of fringe is little known to today's biker. It is simply a way of enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the bike.

Fashion Encyclopedia - Fringe

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Why he had them? I was told something about rain will go down them and away from you and not up your arm and what not. Is it true? Hell if I know.

I'm thinking about adding them to the SV for that reason, in the off chance I get caught in the rain.

I don't know what would happen to me if I got water on my arms. I might melt. I just can't come up with ANY other solution that would keep water off me when it's raining. I wish someone would come up with some sort of device, maybe made out of plastic fiber, or even cowhide that would... perhaps cover my arms or torso during inclement weather. Bonus if that device would offer some other type of protection beyond rain water when I'm riding.

If someone could come up with something I could wear on my head to protect my eyes from bugs as well, that would be great -- or else I'll be forced to get a 8' tall windscreen too.

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I'm thinking about adding them to the SV for that reason, in the off chance I get caught in the rain.

I don't know what would happen to me if I got water on my arms. I might melt. I just can't come up with ANY other solution that would keep water off me when it's raining. I wish someone would come up with some sort of device, maybe made out of plastic fiber, or even cowhide that would... perhaps cover my arms or torso during inclement weather. Bonus if that device would offer some other type of protection beyond rain water when I'm riding.

If someone could come up with something I could wear on my head to protect my eyes from bugs as well, that would be great -- or else I'll be forced to get a 8' tall windscreen too.

You dont ride if there's even a CHANCE of rain so you have nothing to worry about. :nono:

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I think it does go back to that wild west, cowboys and indians thing. The whole steel horse image. It also doesn't help that Harley has a wicked powerful marketing department.

Plus leather fringe used to be slightly bad ass. Now not so much.

If you really want the look, just buy some ribbon and stick on the end of the handle bars. Then some baseball cards in the spokes. A basket on the front. Maybe a flag off the back.

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Mike Smith wore tassels or "fringe" on his race suits. He was the furthest from gay you can find and faster than most.

Lesson here? You better be a bad muther F-er to run them. Otherwise, you're a fag.

I also think it allows the HD rider to know when they are moving. Their obnoxious "loud pipes save lives" deafen them so they have no idea...

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I'm thinking about adding them to the SV for that reason, in the off chance I get caught in the rain.

I don't know what would happen to me if I got water on my arms. I might melt. I just can't come up with ANY other solution that would keep water off me when it's raining. I wish someone would come up with some sort of device, maybe made out of plastic fiber, or even cowhide that would... perhaps cover my arms or torso during inclement weather. Bonus if that device would offer some other type of protection beyond rain water when I'm riding.

If someone could come up with something I could wear on my head to protect my eyes from bugs as well, that would be great -- or else I'll be forced to get a 8' tall windscreen too.

Naw man, you won't melt... Shit floats! (ask yota, I hear he has pics?)

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The only time tassels are acceptable on a motorcycle ridden by a guy would be if they were hanging from the chest of the naked girl on the back.

maxim_t_kelly-brook-topless-maxim-magazine-200710cfront.jpg

Yeah, Yeah, I know she doesn't have tassels. I can't spend all my time scouring the internet for crap.

That is the model of Harley I have though. ;)

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