Family fortunes

Italian H.O.G.^® member Marco Bauknecht has found himself in the right place, at the right time, to meet multiple generations of the Davidson family

I’d been interested in the world of Harley-Davidson since I was a kid, but it wasn’t until the age of 39 that I was finally able to realise this life-long dream. The year was 1999 when I purchased my first Harley, a Fat Boy^®, and immediately became a life member of the Harley Owners Group^®. Since then, I’ve had four different Harley^® motorcycles and have been a member of Firenze Chapter Italy, for almost 25 years. I am now one of the older members of my chapter and thoroughly enjoy my current motorcycle, which is a Road King^®.

I use my motorcycle whenever I can, whether it’s for riding with friends from my chapter or solo, and it’s a great way for me to escape into the surrounding countryside – Florence is surrounded by beautiful vineyards and the Chianti region – home to Chianti red wine – is within easy reach by motorcycle. However, I also like to venture further afield to join the wider H.O.G.^® community at rallies around the continent. In 2018, Harley-Davidson organised a great event in Florence, which brought over the most important dealers from the US, plus members of the Davidson family.

I work as a limousine driver and it was at this event that I had the amazing opportunity to meet the icon himself, Willie G. Davidson. I was the driver for him and his wife during the event and was proud to tell them that I owned a Road King and had been a H.O.G. member for almost 20 years. They were very amicable and Willie G. asked me to show him a photograph of my motorcycle. I was pleased to show it to him and he also wanted to sign my vest and the seat of my motorcycle. I have some photographs which I jealously keep and which fill me with joy every time I look at them.

What struck me most about this encounter was the kindness, simplicity and availability of Willie G. who, upon departure, invited me to visit the Harley-Davidson Museum^™ in Milwaukee, offering to personally guide me during the visit. I don’t know if I’ll be able to go to Milwaukee one day, but I can’t imagine what more a Harley owner could dream of.

This year, I went along to European Bike Week^® in Faaker See, Austria, and had the pleasure of meeting Bill Davidson, Willie G.’s son. I told him the story of how I’d met his parents years before and showed him the photographs of us outside the Westing Excelsior hotel. Naturally, I also took a picture with Bill and my best friend Stefano to remember the occasion.

---

Tags: