ON THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL

[Terry Wiegand]

I know that this is a little ways away from things that are related to Old Buicks and good-looking women, but, I hope Lamar will leave it on here for the benefit of those with multiple motorized interests.  I got an email from a friend the other day telling me about a three day documentary on the history of The Harley-Davidson Motor Company.  It is on The Discovery Channel and will start on September 5th and run for three days.  This got me all excited because I started riding when I was 14 years old (that's 378 years in dog years ago!)  I had a really nice 1937 Indian, 45 cubic inch Sport Scout back then.  I am a member of The Antique Motorcycle Club of America and I know that there are guys in the club who also belong to the BCA.  I also posted this down in the Motorcycles All topic.  I also know that all of us on here are really hooked on history and this promises to be a 'Do Not Miss' program.

 

Terry Wiegand

Out Doo Dah Way, Kansas

[Thriller]

It could also be a primer for a tour at next year's national meet. 

 

[NC-car-guy]

Thanks for the heads up

[MrEarl]

well I guess since it has the word Harley in it it can stay

Thanks for sharing Terry and be sure and remind us on the day of 

[NTX5467]

The documentary will probably explain the brand's nick-name of "Hog", if I remember correctly.

 

NTX5467

[buick5563]

I saw the commercials, and it intrigues me, too be sure. Not to nitpick, it is a three part dramatic mini-series not a documentary.

[Bhigdog]

29 minutes ago, buick5563 said:

it is a three part dramatic mini-series not a documentary

 

So.............20% fact and 80% dramatic license complete with heated arguments, betrayal, a love interest and plot twists......................Bob

[60FlatTop]

I bought a basket case Harley 74 and an Ariel Square Four engine and frame from a friend in High School. Then I bought a 1946 Dodge 1 Ton pick uo from him. But the $300 for his brother's '46 Chrysler Town and Country convertible was too much of a drain because of other stuff I had bought.

 

That's the extent of my Harley diversions.

 

The Discovery Channel, even if it wasn't dramatized the background music would tell you how to feel. When that became obvious I just sorta quit watching it.

 

Bernie

[JohnD1956]

3 hours ago, Bhigdog said:

 

So.............20% fact and 80% dramatic license complete with heated arguments, betrayal, a love interest and plot twists......................Bob

Since when do they throw in 20% facts?

 

 

[Terry Wiegand]

The Harley-Davidson story is so well known that any producer who would be willing to take on a project such as this would have to be an absolute idiot to not stick to the 100% facts.  We do not have cable in our little hamlet here in Doo Dah.  Satellite TV is absolutely insane on their prices, so, I am going to go to my daughter's home and watch it there.  I guess if you

guys feel that this program is not for you, you could always go to the cartoon shows and REALLY learn something there.

 

Terry Wiegand

South Hutchinson, Kansas

[60FlatTop]

MY daughter won't let me come to her house and watch TV. She says I'm a grumpy old man and wouldn't be happy if I was hung with a new rope. She sort of hinted the violence in cartoons isn't good for me either.

Bernie

[Restorer32]

Sadly, while there is the usual "based on a true story" disclaimer, whatever falsehoods they decide to include for dramatic effect will become "facts" much like what happened with the Tucker movie.

[RivNut]

True stories - yes.  But the folks didn't have the facts when they told their stories. So you have true stories of people just making up crap.

 

True story.  I was subbing in a science class at the beginning of the year.  I told the kids that their regular teacher Mrs. Jones, would be at 'Back to school night' tonight.  One student responded "Her name isn't Jones, it's Staff; says so right here on my schedule."  True story about Mrs. Staff (fictitious as she may have been), but the kid mistook a position for a name.  Fact - Mrs. Jones is the teacher; Story - her name is Mrs. Staff.  True story.  It's almost like believing that Reality TV isn't scripted and rehearsed.

[EmTee]

Will there be a test...?

[NC-car-guy]

On this note I'll be on my Harley at the bull city rumble tomorrow.... barring the hurricane of course...

[Marty Roth]

On 8/29/2016 at 11:14 AM, 60FlatTop said:

MY daughter won't let me come to her house and watch TV. She says I'm a grumpy old man and wouldn't be happy if I was hung with a new rope. She sort of hinted the violence in cartoons isn't good for me either.

Bernie

My daughter recorded that stuff for us to watch together before I had the right cable channels  - but then, SHE was the kid who racked up "YOUNGEST DRIVER" trophies on the National AACA & VMCCA TOURS

[EmTee]

On 8/29/2016 at 0:14 PM, 60FlatTop said:

MY daughter won't let me come to her house and watch TV. She says I'm a grumpy old man and wouldn't be happy if I was hung with a new rope. She sort of hinted the violence in cartoons isn't good for me either.

Bernie

 

I don't get it -- I grew up on a weekly diet of 'Tom & Jerry', 'Roadrunner' and 'Popeye'.  I turned out just fine...? 

[Bhigdog]

I just saw the trailer for it. Showed scenes of guys swinging at each other and a pretty lady with a come hither look. There might even be something about motor cycles in it. Good luck with that.................Bob

[EmTee]

I was all excited about the show until I saw that the second name was 'Davidson' rather than 'Earl'...

[D Yaros]

Well, I watched the Harley - Davidson melodrama in delayed viewing mode.  Let me say up front that I live in Milwaukee.  I am very familiar with H-D and the exact location where Harley-Davidson Serial #1 was fabricated.  Needless to say, the shed is no longer there.  In fact while the location is across the street for the H-D admin offices, nothing motorcycle related is on that site today.

 

Ok, here is my perspective:  The producers and/or directors have no cred (as in credibility) or integrity at all.  The basis for this viewpoint is the fact they showed the the guys mulling matters over a beer, and that beer is clearly Budweiser.

 

The fact of the matter is, in turn of the (20th) century Milwaukee, no one was, would be, drinking Bud.  I mean come on, Milwaukee at that point in time was home to "The Beer that Made Milwaukee Famous" - Schlitz, "The Champagne of Bottled Beers" - Miller High Life, "Milwaukee's Finest Beer" - Blatz and "What'll you have?" - Pabst Blue Ribbon.  Bud, I don't think so, not in Milwaukee!

 

I wonder if the fact that Budweiser was a major sponsor of the show had anything to do with the producers and directors prostituting themselves for the almighty buck?

 

Secondly, the introduction of the baby pig (hog) was more than trite, and without any basis whatsoever in fact.

 

HOG = Harley Owners Group.  Per Wikipedia:   The Harley Owners Group was created in 1983 as a way to build longer-lasting and stronger relationships with Harley-Davidson's customers, by making ties between the company, its employees, and consumers.

 

As an aside, the precise location in Milwaukee of the shed where H-D #1 was fabricated is now home to the Millers Coors Brewery complex.    

[trimacar]

I watched it, but one has to take any "history" with a grain of salt, or a mug of Schlitz as you say.

 

It was entertaining, and had a few things that may have been fact.  If you watched it closely, it had cars in the supposedly 19-oughts that were clearly 20's cars.  The "factory " scenes were entertaining, all these nice motorcycles on stands that guys were gently polishing or slowly turning wrenches...in a nice, clean, lighted room...nope, not the way it was for sure.

 

But, think about it...if told in a true, gritty, dirty environment and background, we would watch it, but the "masses" wouldn't, as most people want sanitized history, not the real story.