Are you Hokiddingme!
It’s true. The press release is HERE with an accompanying H-D executive quote:
“We’re excited about what the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge represents to our riders,” said Steve Piehl, Harley-Davidson Director of Customer Experience. “The new direction of being more about a personal test of touring endurance, where rider and machine stretch the boundaries of long-distance touring, appeals to us. It’s a perfect match for the superior touring experience and capabilities of Harley-Davidson motorcycles. ‘Hoka Hey’ translates to ‘It’s a good day to ride!’ and that is always the case on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.”
Does the Harley-Davidson corporate firewall prevent Google searches? Or is the company desperate for publicity – even bad publicity?
There are so many lingering questions about the legitimacy of the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge that even after Will Barclay, the so-called winner of the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge, stated the $500,000 in prize money was wired to his bank account – no one believed him – he won’t produce proof – and months after the race the drum beat of rage in the motorcycle forums and Facebook pages about allegations of a full-blown scam and improprieties of Big Jim Durham/Redcloud continues unabated.
Is it possible for a 3-country, 14-day rally to get arranged, promoted, staffed and managed in such a short time (HHC 2011 is August 20, 2011), and come off with fewer legal threats, contradictions, communication issues, controversy and disorganization than last year?
And Harley-Davidson wants to entrust their brand with this organization?!
Photo courtesy of HHC/H-D.
Well given that Hoka Hey is Lakota Sioux and translates to It is a Good Day to Die I am not sure that if I was a motorcycle manufacture I would be real excited to have that as the rallying cry of a motorcycle rally I was sponsoring!
The Hoka Hey, with all its imperfection, was a breath of fresh air in a world where destructive political correctness and unrealistic expectations and blaming others has become almost universal. As I rode it I was surprised and pleased to see that there are great swaths of North America, even in the lower 48 where there is still abundant wildlife and green space. Where people still socialize from their front porch instead of watching TV. The overwhelming majority of the riders, (though not all) especially those who stuck it out, cherish the experience and want to do it again. Don’t take my word for it. Ask Mark Storey, the rider from Australia who finished second. Ask Ben Hudak who suffered a terrible accident in Canada and came on to Homer in a truck to be with the other challengers. Ask Alex Hood from Colorado who was badly injured in an accident in Arizona and who is signed up to ride again this year. Ask Greg Darby from Florida who used the Hoka Hey to raise many thousands of dollars for lieukemia. Ask them to give up their coins. Read the rider’s stories and blog comments in their own words on the hokaheychallenge.com website. No one fooled these people and they are not conspirators. They are teachers and police officers and retirees and middle managers and students and day laborers who had the experience of a lifetime. An experience they could not have duplicated on their own.
I think it was Winston Churchill who said words to the effect of: “There is nothing quite so invigorating as discussing the faults of others”. First they said: “It is a hoax, the ride will never take place”. Then it did take place. Next they said: “It is a hoax, the prize money will never be paid”. Then the prize money was paid. Then the focus of the negative crowd shifted to charities that did not benefit. the negativity did indeed reduce or eliminate the “proceeds” available for charity but many charities have benefitted and will continue to benefit significantly from the Hoka Hey.
The author above says that “no one believed” that Will Barclay was paid. When in fact most clearly did believe. Especially those he shared it with. Yet another example of negative folks damaging our sport and our community through their ignorance. Harley recognizes the greatness of the event. So do most riders. Read their stories. hokaheychallenge.com.
It’s 10-10-11 is the money you won this year in your bank account yet ? So what do you think now ?
Stand by for more news soon Bill!
Look forward to the info Bill.