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Gregory Ormson

Writer, musician, yoga-loving motorcyclist.

Dear Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Company,

 

It’s good to see your leadership taking steps to become inclusive. I applaud it, and think it’s long overdue. My mentor taught me the importance of inclusion way back in 1975, and the lessons have, in part, driven my life decisions including failures, successes, and priorities. Harley Davidson, you’ve been kind-of-a-closed club to a lot of people in the past, and you have catching up to do, but at least you are on the road to opening up to change and diversity.

It can’t be news to leadership that few traditional Harley Davidson riders listen to Tupak Shakur. Most would probably categorically dismiss him and his music, and not many would recognize a Tupak rap. So when the December issue of The Enthusiast arrived – I was shocked to read several lines from Tupak printed on the full p.5. (right). Looking back at The Enthusiast covers from 1916 up to 2003, the lack of diversity in that magazine – compared to your emerging priorities – is striking.

Starting with HOG editor Matt King’s welcoming letter for issue 48, in 2019, I saw a new emphasis and read that Harley Davidson’s goal was to “grow ridership by as much as 2 million new riders by (in 10-years) 2029.” It signaled a change in your publications and a new outreach to diverse audiences by including: young people, women, and non-white riders not only in photographs but also in stories.

One large subtitle in the article, “Coming to America,” a diversifying feature story, quoted Freddie Franklin, a Milwaukee rider: “Harley Davidson has brought all ethnicities, races, genders, and cultures together, and it’s just been an incredible experience.”

HD over the years has enjoyed great success in market targeting to your predominant ownership base – which has been white men with disposable income – and you’ve successfully linked their interests and dreams to a rider lifestyle. But in the past, you’ve put forth almost no effort at diversifying the ridership or the image. Sure, once in a while, HOG Magazine would show a photo of a non-white rider, or a model in a sales magazine, but this has been rare.

In HOG Magazine issue 49 from last year, one of your stories covered the “Ezy Riders, New York City’s black biker clubs,” and featured on its cover the impressive ring-laden fingers and leather wrist band from Brown Sugar (below left) one of the EZ Riders.

This story surprised me, featuring 8 photos in an 8 page feature, including one that would certainly anger some of your core readers. It took guts for you to do so. I and admire your journalistic courage, and the decision to make your choices based on your priorities and not the  criticism.

Your 50th issue of  HOG Magazine with, “Bikes of the Mayans M.C.”, served to humanize Hispanic bikers and TV personalities as more than wild gang members; you showed them as people who like the same things many of us like, 40’s and 50’s era cars for example.

 

HOG 51, the last one of 2019, included my article on “Yoga & Leather: Yoga for Bikers.” I had pressed the point in my query that if you want to reach diverse demographics they ought to include yoga for bikers as an outreach that could break stereotypes. It took a lot of work, but I convinced you that a story on yoga for bikers tied directly into your 10 year goal of diversifying your customer-rider base. I also believe yoga can help bikers stay in the saddle safer, longer, and more comfortably. These are win-win factors for any biker.

Yoga as a riding tip is relevant because the great benefits of yoga apply to everything. Think about the importance of mindset before jumping on the highway, or the skill of balance.  Yoga practitioners develop both of these skills.

The dominant yoga demographic is women, by about a 70% to 30% ratio, and bikers are about the opposite. Both fields have problems including the minority sex and both are beset with old stereotype’s about who can or should do what. It’s time to dismantle stereotypes about women motorcyclists’ and yoga men. What’s wrong with us that we insist on placing people in boxes?

In my experience with yoga and motorcycling, I think Harley-Davidson is doing a better job at creating a welcoming space for women riders than yoga does for men. I published my opinions about this for OM Yoga and Lifestyle Magazine in, “Yoga’s Outliers: Men;” it would be easy to change the title and little else to, “Motorcycling’s Outliers: Women.”

In 2020, HOG’s first issue was, in my opinion, not inspiring. You did the same thing most of your issues have done: rehash the Sturgis Rally and offer the traditional stories of HOG gatherings, bike and equipment developments, and photos of Harley Owner Group riders – which the magazine had been calling – “Enthusiasts.”

Sometime early this summer (2020), HOG Magazine disappeared and in its place Enthusiast returned in its second incarnation as The Enthusiast, Vol. 104, issue 1. To signify an important change in philosophy and goals, your editorial letter in the magazine’s first pages came from the new CEO of Harley Davidson, Jochen Zeitz.

Changes that Harley had been hinting at were on full display in this issue. The curator of the Traveling Black History Museum was featured (below); member photos and stories featured minorities and women riders.

Letters to the editor rightfully took you to task for identifying women riders as “girls.” Immediately, with the first issue, The Enthusiast  made a mistake in print; but now your gender blind spot was in the public record.

Keep making efforts to include women riders but stop calling women ‘girls for God’s sake; and don’t accept others calling women riders chicks, babes, hoes, or bitches. When we disrespect anyone by name-calling we disrespect ourselves.

You were rightly corrected for your demeaning shortsightedness and historic blindness to the full spectrum of humanity and the riding community. Hey, don’t worry about it, you’ve got a long ways to go; it’s the same thing with yoga; most studios depicted on social media promote yoga with groups of white, mostly younger women. Yoga leadership has a long way to go too.

This month, December, 2020, when issue 2 of The Enthusiast arrived, I was eager to see what you did with inclusion in relationship to your stated goals, and what a surprise it was. Your lead story and cover focused on the Oakland black motorcycle club, East Bay Dragons with a six page, 13 photograph feature.

Harley-Davidson ambassador Erica (“Queen Sit” below with cool black hat), of St. Louis, was highlighted for the second time in The Enthusiast, and I noted you changed the name of riders’ stories in the back pages to “Featured H.O.G. Members.” In both issues of 2020, “Featured H.O.G. Members,” prominently included minorities and women riders. Many of them younger than Harley Davidson’s historic and now older demographic.

When I started riding, Harley published their riders survey which noted that the average HD rider was a white male around 50 years old with a combined household income roughly over $125,000. It was clear to me – 20 years ago – when I bought my first HD in Wausau, Wisconsin, that bikers were getting old.

That group, riders loyal to the HD brand, are now in their 70’s and older. They have a harder time riding big motorcycles and I think many of them should stop for their own good.

Maybe its time The Enthusiast published a story suggesting such a move and offering ways old riders can still be involved in the motorcycle community. Such a piece would not be a good marketing or economic choice, but from a human standpoint – out of concern for the lives of loyal Harley Davidson supporters – your suggestion would carry a ton of credibility and integrity. Your old guard might even appreciate it, but I’m sure they would not tell you.

The perceived lifestyle barriers and costs of owning a HD motorcycle have not been welcoming to many younger people and non-white riders. This is a barrier that HD needs to overcome. For a company to exist as long as you have, you know the value of changing with the times and to rider’s shifting needs. You can look at this as an opportunity, but you must overcome your blind spots and stop doing dumb things like writing about women riders as “girls.”

This is my long way of saying, thank you to the leadership of HD. Convincing your hard-core and long-time HD riders that inclusion is not just a good idea; it’s good politics, good economics, and good humanity is a hard sell but a necessary one. Don’t think about the disgruntled old crowd that wants things to remain the same; rather, imagine the many new riders representing the full spectrum of humanity and by their participation, enriching the Harley-Davidson (and biking) community.

I encourage you to own your work toward inclusion. It’s good leadership and that’s what leadership does; it sets the tone and takes the lead and the heat rather than allowing the comfortable ruts of the less enlightened masses inhibit change. “Leaders drive culture,” said Secretary Designee, retired General Lloyd Bressler.

Someone once said, if you don’t stand for something you’ll fall for any ol’ thing. The thing to take a stand for is the inclusion of all riders: women, men, minorities, and those not identified by these limiting categories.

Keep it up and improve upon the good work you’ve started. It’s what HD has always done and it’s the way HD – as an American leader and trend setter – will drive motorcycle culture right through the stereotypes and lead the way into the future for the worldwide motorcycle riding community.

Cordially,

Gregory Ormson, Arizona,

Former MSF Rider Coach #motorcyclingyogiG

 

Magazine Notes:

Starting in 1916, HD published a communication organ called The Enthusiast.  It retained that name until ‘77 when “The” was dropped.

In 2008, HOG Magazine, (Harley Owner’s Group) replaced Enthusiast as the company’s publication.

2020, The Enthusiast returned to replace the 12-year stint of HOG Magazine.

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About Greg Ormson

Musician, writer, yoga-loving motorcyclist teaching yoga for bikers (Yoga & Leather) at Superstition Harley Davidson in Arizona.

Free diving in Hawaii, Greg learned the importance of breath management and has translated that into teaching Yoga-Breath, Breath of Life workshops accompanied by his band, Sat Song.

He’s traveled through five countries and most of the US to study world religions and other non-formal spiritual expressions. His doctoral degree at the Chicago Theological Seminary was cultural interpretation through a theological and psychological lens. He focused specifically on the power of touch for healing in ritual environments.
He widely on yoga with nearly 100 columns in 18 publications with a combined followership of over 5 million; his writing often categorized under #MotorcyclingyogiG. He contributes regulary to OM Yoga Magazine (UK).

In 2017 he won the Lyric Narrative Non Fiction Award from Eastern Iowa Review for "Midwest Intimations," and in 2016 won Indiana Review's contest for 13 word stories. His nonfiction has earned finalist mention in New Millennium and The Bellingham Review.

Dr. Ormson is an alumnus of The Chicago Theological Seminary; Chicago, Illinois;
The University of Wisconsin, La Crosse; La Crosse, Wisconsin;
Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan;
Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Columbus, Ohio.

https://gregoryormson.com
Twitter: @GAOrmson
Instagram:#motorcyclingyogiG

His yoga articles have reached millions of viewers through social media and have been translated and shared in Portuguese, Tamil, French, Hebrew, and Spanish.

They can be found searching links the following titles and sources:

98. “Yoga & Leather’ NMU alum leads class for bikers,” The Mining Journal, Marquette, Michigan July 23, 2020
97 "Yoga and Leather: how yoga is helping Harley riders and other bikers to find their Ze3n on and off the highway,” " OM Yoga Magazine July 2020
96 “Clearing Space,” OM Yoga Magazine
95 “Why We Need Yoga Now More than Ever,”
94 "Seniorgrams from the Successful,"
93 “Jesus, Yogi” Asana Journal
92 “Yoga Precis: six steps to a complete yoga practice”
91 “Yoga’s Outliers: Men” OM Yoga Magazine
90 “Yogatecture: Building Your House of Truth,” OM Yoga Magazine
89 “Conducing Heat to Cleanse the Self,” Yogi Times
88 “Silence and Slow Time,” OM Yoga Magazine
87 “Rough Road? Breathe . . .” HOG Magazine
86 “Yoga and the Pure Consciousness of Healing,” Asana Journal
85 “Conducting the Awesome,” OM Yoga Magazine
84 “Yoga: A New Road for Bikers,” Yoga Magazine (UK)
83 “The Way to Sacred Being,” Bad Yogi Mag
82 “Let It Be: When Your Yoga Becomes You,” Bad Yogi Mag
81 “Yoga as Commencement Ritual,” Yoganect
80 “Yoga, Jesus and the Pure Consciousness of Healing,” Bad Yogi Mag
79 “Traveling OM: rediscovering the abiding peace of coming home in a frantic world,” OM Yoga Magazine (UK)
78 “Conducting the Awesome: What I’ve learned from 7 years practicing hot yoga,” elephant journal
77 “Nine Ways you Give Back to Yoga,”
76 “Your Yoga Mat: Dimensions of Healing,”
75 “Yoga and Spiritual Questions,”
74 “Making Contact with Yourself and Your Practice,”
73 “How Many Limbs are Required,”
72 "Por que Precisamos de yoga mais do que nunca.” Why We Need Yoga Now More than Ever. www. boayoga.com.br/por-que-precisamos-de-yoga-agora-mais-do-que-nunca-gregory-ormson
71 “Fixing our Backs, Riding our Bikes: common benefits of yoga have every day application to motorcycling." AZ Rider Motorcycle News
70 “Hatha, Hawaii,”
69 “Armor On, Armor Off: The Psychology of Yin Yoga,” Sivana Spirit
68 “Yoga Script for Health and Joy,” Sivana Spirit
67 “Namaste: Nexus of a New Identity,” Sivana Spirit
66 “Embraced by Joy and Bliss,” Sivana Spirit
65 “The Delight Song of a New Architecture,” Sivana Spirit
64 “Transforming the Emotional Body,” Asana Journal
63 “The Real Power of Savasana,” Sivana Spirit
62 “Intention: Your Golden Egg for Change,” Sivana Spirit
61 “Yoga Tips: 6 Easy Ways to get the Most out of Your Yoga Class,” The Health Orange
60 “Mantra for Me and You,” Sivana Spirit
59 “Slow Down and Breathe,” Asana Journal
58 “Tradition Trumps Trendiness,” Asana Journal
57 “Yoga Teacher Training: Revelations Encountered” HelloYoga
56 “How Yoga Ruins our Lives” elephant journal
55 “Yoga Teacher Training: Encountering Self,” TribeGrow
54 “True Presence,” Asana Journal
53 “A Parable of Unmaking,” Asana Journal
52 “Yogatecture: The Elegant Arc of Change,” Asana Journal
51 “Truth Force on Your Mat,” Asana Journal
50 “What You Give to Yoga,” Yogi Times
49 “Enter the Master, Enter the Child,” Asana Journal
48 “The Honorable Yogi,” Asana Journal
47 “Finding Your Depth,” Asana Journal
46 “Teaching Yoga: It’s Not About You,” TribeGrow
45 “In the Midnight Hour: How Yoga Brought My Soul Back,” HelloYoga
44 “Gifts from the Core,” Asana Journal
43 “Release into Savasana,” Asana Journal
42 “The Bridge Within,” Asana Journal
41 “By a Thread,” Asana Journal
40 “Coaching Up: Yoga for Newbies,” DoYouYoga
39 “Your Beautiful Feet,” Asana Journal
38 “Lessons from Yoga and Freediving,” Asana Journal
37 “Five Tips and One Requirement for Coaching Yoga,” Seattle Yoga News
36 “The Immigrant Asana,” Asana Journal
35 “Making Heroes” Asana Journal
34 “Namaste: Nexus of a New Identity,” Sivana Spirit
33 “Sphinx Pose: To Rise in Righteousness,” Asana Journal
32 “Storage Wars and Yoga’s Emotional Rescue,” Asana Journal
31 “Asana Back to the Innocent Age,” Asana Journal
30 “The Year of the Monkey and Yoga’s Counter-Cultural Mathematic,” elephant journal
29 “The Missing Link,” Asana Journal
28 “Your Portable Home” Yoga International
27 “Yogi, Heal Thyself” Asana Journal
26 “Health and Joy, Why Not Us?”
25 “A New Planting, A New Harvesting,” Do You Yoga
24 “Three Stages of a Yogi’s Transformation,” Do You Yoga
23 “Peace: Just a Pause Away,” Yogi Times
22 “How Yoga Helps Us Release,” elephant journal
21 “Why Unpolished Prayers are Still Good Prayers,” elephant journal
20 “Yoga and the Place of Soul,” elephant journal
19 “Yoga’s Covenant: The Promise of Change,” Yogi Times
18 “What is a Kind Yogi,” The Yoga Blog
17 “Yoga and Social Responsibility,” The Yoga Blog
16 “Who Moved the Yoga Mat,” Yogi Times
15 “Yoga’s Touchy Subject – Touching,” DoYouYoga
14, “A Yoga Parable,” Yogi Times
13 “The Yoga Pose that Healed My Back Injuries,” elephant journal
12 “Becoming Your Own Life-Changing Quote,” The Yoga Blog
11 “Finding Your Mantra,” DoYouYoga
10 “Will You Yoga 30 Years from Now,” The Yoga Blog
9 “Ego, Injury, and Your Yoga,” elephant journal
8 “Silence and Your Practice,” The Yoga Blog
7 “Your Breath, Your Center,” elephant journal
6 “Your Practice, Your Inventory,” The Yoga Blog
5 “Aligning and Refining,” elephant journal
4 “Understanding a Yoga Teacher,” The Yoga Blog
3 “Yoga and the Unconscious Mind,” The Yoga Blog
2 “You’re Not Alone on Your Savasana Cloud,” elephant journal
1 “Changing My Story: 365 Days of Yoga,” The Yoga Blog

Comments

  1. Pookie Rosa says

    December 11, 2020 at 4:45 pm

    Thank you for putting into words what so many of us have wanted to say. This is powerfully relevant. As a Puerto Rican woman ( and life long Harley lover) you have spoken for me, too. Thank you.

    Reply

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