Sitting on the side of the highway waiting to catch speeding drivers, a sate police officer sees a Harley-Davidson motorcycle puttering along at 22 mph. He turns on his lights and pulls the driver over. The driver, obviously "tsemisht" (confused), hands the officer "der firlitsents" (driver's license) and says to "der politsyant," "Vos tut zich?" (What's going on?) "Ma'am," the officer replies, "You weren't speeding, but you should know that driving slower than the speed limit can also be a danger to other drivers." "Slower than the speed limit? No, sir. I was doing the speed limit exactly...'tsvey un tsvantsik" (22) miles an hour!" the elderly woman says a bit proudly. The police officer, trying to contain a chuckle, explains to her that "22" was the route number, not the speed limit. A bit embarrassed, the woman grinned and said, "a dank" to the officer for pointing out her error. Before leaving, he notices that in the back of the Harley-Davidson sits an elderly passenger wearing safety gear (gloves, boots, a leather- jacket, and a helmet with a decal that says "Hairdo By Helmet"). The passenger is "vays" (white) as a ghost. The police officer says, "But before I let you go, Ma'am, I have to ask...Is your passenger OK?" "Oh, she'll be all right in a minute, officer. We just got off Route 119."

Non-Jews like the venerable Malcolm Forbes, Liz Taylor, Jay Leno, Gary Busey, Mickey Rourke, and Cathy Moriarty rode motorcycles. Moriarty said in an interview, "I am not a biker chick, and I am not a motorcycle mama."

Remember the myth, "nice Jewish boys (and girls) don't ride motorcycles?" Dan Greenberg defines "a fine boy" as a young man who owns a CAR, brings his date's mother candy, and studies medicine.

And in one of the James Bond books, 007 remarked that riding a motorcycle was man's second-greatest pleasure.

"A lebedike velt" (things are happening)! Riding a motorcycle is NOT just a blue-collar, working-class, bi-bicep American thing. Drew Rayman, founder of the Star of Davidson Motorcycle Club said, "I know. I know, good Jewish boys aren't supposed to ride bikes or get their hands dirty." Most Star of Davidson members own their own businesses, but still like motorcycles.

Bob Stolkin, a longtime (Jewish) biker and a commercial real estate salesman from Sausalito, says, "My greatest fear is to be stereotyped."

There was a Jewish bike club called "Maccabee" in Europe in the 1930s. Today, there are many motorcycle clubs for Jews. We've got a "gang" of advertising executives in Chicago who ride Harleys on the weekend and call themselves the "Rolex Rangers." There's a biking group named "Hillel's Angels" and still another named "The King David Bikers Club" (KDBC) in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. It was founded by "big macha," Jeff Mustard. Whether you're a Heb on a Hog or a Yid on a Yamaha, the club has no restrictions. It's open to all ages, couples, singles; the only thing that counts is your faith as a Jew and your passion to ride.

The King David offers the Bagel Run, the Blintz Run, a Salmon Run, and a Food Run.
Jeff says, "If Salmon can swim up stream and expect that kind of energy and exhaust themselves, we can plop ourselves on our bikes and schlep down to North Miami to get a corned beef sandwich."

Detroit has a Jewish motorcycle gang, "Members of the Tribe." Toronto has a group called "Yidden on Wheels Motorcycle Touring Club." The group's logo is a motorcycle riding through the curve of the Hebrew letters for chai.

"Chai Riders" is a Jewish motorcycle club in the New York area. They were formed to provide a conducive environment for safe motorcycle riding, for members of the Jewish faith, as well as those who identify with the Jewish people and the State of Israel.

The Israel Motorcycle Club boasts 150 women members out of an approximate membership of "toyznt" (l,000). The going gets "hart" (tough) when the women pull up at red lights and become the target of catcalls, wolf whistles and crude remarks, usually from male motorists.

David Bar-On, who owns a Harley-Davidson dealership says, "When a man who can't ride a motorcycle sees a woman doing just that, he feels threatened and inadequate. On top of that, there's a little bit of a fetishist in everyone.
A "leder" (leather)-clad helmeted female sitting astride a huge, powerful machine can be an incredibly sexy sight!"

Rabbi Yosef Langer, a Chabad spiritual leader, rides around San Francisco on a Honda. The back section is cut out to accommodate additional riders, and it is customized with a menorah and the words "Chabad of S.F.Mitzvah Bike" and "Moshiach NOW!" The Mitzvah Bike allows Langer to "take the message [of Judaism] to the streets." Langer keeps both candlesticks and phylacteries on his bike.

Louis Caplan, of Alexandia, VA, is a respectable individual with a love for riding his motorcycle. Although Caplan is deaf, he teaches both deaf and hearing motorcyclists the basic skills of riding.

And Jeff Mustard (ride@kingdavidbikers.com) invited riders of all ages to the first official group meeting. They met at the Rascal House. He cautioned future members, "BUT REMEMBER, DON'T TELL YOUR MOM."