A Little Harley Davidson with a Big Heart

In 1973, I inherited this bike from my father who passed away from a sudden heart attack. I thought the bike would go to my brother who rode motorcycles more than I did but since my dad had learned on my 1968 Yamaha 50cc, he left this bike to me. I was afraid of it at first since it was so much more powerful (in those days 400 and 500ccs were considered powerful bikes.) than my smaller bike. It took some adjusting to but with time, I grew accustomed to feel of the Sprint on the road.

It was only a year old and had plenty of power to spare. The sight of a 20 something young woman clocking down the road at 60 and 70 miles per hour had a tendancy to unnerve some people. Motorcycles, with the Sprint's power, were usually confined to a male driver but I have always been a bit of an odd ball with a love for fast cars, fast bikes, and fast horses. Being the mother of one son had not settled me down at all. I was still a wild child.

At a local restaurant, one guy told me that my bike was not a real Harley because it was built overseas. I did not believe that but it did not matter to me. It still said Harley Davidson on it and that made it a Harley even if wasn't a chopper or a big hog.

It was sleek and fast and I loved it but sadly as I had two more children, I had to sell the Sprint for a more family oriented vehicle such as a car. I still think of that bike and my dad who had just begun to discover the world of motorcycles before his passing and his legacy left me with a love for them forever.

It was a little Harley Davidson with a big heart.