FEATURE ARTICLES
Check out the the below link. Interview with Harley-Davidson® International: www.harley-davidson.com/eu/en/about-us/hd-news/When_one_anniversary_isnt_enough_meet_the_couple_marking_a_double_celebration.html
WHEN ONE ANNIVERSARY ISN’T ENOUGH… MEET THE COUPLE MARKING A DOUBLE CELEBRATION July 9, 2018
Who are you, where do you live and what do you do?
Donna: We’re Donna and Graham Beker, and this year we’ll be celebrating our 35th year of H.O.G. membership as well as attending both the Prague and Milwaukee anniversary celebrations.
We own a Motorcycle Touring Business which is Authorized by Harley-Davidson®, so have made a business out of our passion for riding and the brand.
We both live in Wanaka New Zealand, for the past 3 years, before this, 27 years in Queenstown, New Zealand. (This is when we are not overseas touring/travelling with our business or our personal adventures).
When did you start riding?
Graham: At the age of 15, 48 years, riding continuously.
Donna: At the age of 16, 42 years, riding continuously.
And what made you start?
Graham: I loved motorcycles from a very early age, I started saving for my first motorcycle at the age of 13.
Donna: I had a fascination with anything that I could drive or ride. Got my licence on the day I turned 15. So after the car licence, I wanted to learn how to ride. I started going out with Graham because he had a Motorcycle (Norton 850 Commando), and he taught me to ride this bike.
What bike are you riding now?
Both: Road King and Ultra Limited.
What makes Harley-Davidson appeal so much to you?
Graham: We have both loved Harley's forever, for me, especially after seeing Easy Rider.
Donna: Sound, looks, plus, for me it was a natural progression from my Triumphs, then buying my first Harley in 1982 and riding to Sturgis SD. And of course, the social side, we meet so many great people and have made lifelong friends
What’s been the best moment on a Harley-Davidson?
Graham: Buying my first Harley-Davidson Low Rider in 1978, in Milwaukee.
Donna: Whenever I buy a new bike, plus all the anniversaries. Too many to mention.
Harley-Davidson is 115 years old this year – what does that mean to you?
Donna: I think I can say this for both of us; to ride and meet good people from different countries and cultures. And the anniversary celebrations are awesome places to do this.
On that point, what inspired the ride to Prague/travel to Milwaukee, and what are you looking forward to most?
Donna: Last year we discussed running a tour to 115th H-D Anniversary in Milwaukee, (because all the Anniversaries that we have been to have been fabulous) we got a lot of interest and sold out the tour within a few months. So we then looked up the dates for 115th in Europe (as we had gone to 110th in Rome, 2013), and found out we could just make it to Prague after our tour in Greece/Romania/Bulgaria. This tour finishes in Thessaloniki on the 2nd July, so this would give us a few days to get to Prague.
I’m afraid we are quite greedy we just want to do as much as we can while we can, and so we made a decision to go to the European Event and we made it happen. We won’t be rich when we retire but we will never regret all our adventures and have plenty of amazing memories.
WHEN ONE ANNIVERSARY ISN’T ENOUGH… MEET THE COUPLE MARKING A DOUBLE CELEBRATION July 9, 2018
Who are you, where do you live and what do you do?
Donna: We’re Donna and Graham Beker, and this year we’ll be celebrating our 35th year of H.O.G. membership as well as attending both the Prague and Milwaukee anniversary celebrations.
We own a Motorcycle Touring Business which is Authorized by Harley-Davidson®, so have made a business out of our passion for riding and the brand.
We both live in Wanaka New Zealand, for the past 3 years, before this, 27 years in Queenstown, New Zealand. (This is when we are not overseas touring/travelling with our business or our personal adventures).
When did you start riding?
Graham: At the age of 15, 48 years, riding continuously.
Donna: At the age of 16, 42 years, riding continuously.
And what made you start?
Graham: I loved motorcycles from a very early age, I started saving for my first motorcycle at the age of 13.
Donna: I had a fascination with anything that I could drive or ride. Got my licence on the day I turned 15. So after the car licence, I wanted to learn how to ride. I started going out with Graham because he had a Motorcycle (Norton 850 Commando), and he taught me to ride this bike.
What bike are you riding now?
Both: Road King and Ultra Limited.
What makes Harley-Davidson appeal so much to you?
Graham: We have both loved Harley's forever, for me, especially after seeing Easy Rider.
Donna: Sound, looks, plus, for me it was a natural progression from my Triumphs, then buying my first Harley in 1982 and riding to Sturgis SD. And of course, the social side, we meet so many great people and have made lifelong friends
What’s been the best moment on a Harley-Davidson?
Graham: Buying my first Harley-Davidson Low Rider in 1978, in Milwaukee.
Donna: Whenever I buy a new bike, plus all the anniversaries. Too many to mention.
Harley-Davidson is 115 years old this year – what does that mean to you?
Donna: I think I can say this for both of us; to ride and meet good people from different countries and cultures. And the anniversary celebrations are awesome places to do this.
On that point, what inspired the ride to Prague/travel to Milwaukee, and what are you looking forward to most?
Donna: Last year we discussed running a tour to 115th H-D Anniversary in Milwaukee, (because all the Anniversaries that we have been to have been fabulous) we got a lot of interest and sold out the tour within a few months. So we then looked up the dates for 115th in Europe (as we had gone to 110th in Rome, 2013), and found out we could just make it to Prague after our tour in Greece/Romania/Bulgaria. This tour finishes in Thessaloniki on the 2nd July, so this would give us a few days to get to Prague.
I’m afraid we are quite greedy we just want to do as much as we can while we can, and so we made a decision to go to the European Event and we made it happen. We won’t be rich when we retire but we will never regret all our adventures and have plenty of amazing memories.
