Jr. Patriot Report - October 2025

John Stumpner

The Past and the Future

Riding a motorcycle is a fun and relaxing way to get around. Whether it be commuting, shopping, travel or just a Sunday drive, for many of us, it's better on a bike than with a car. This is true around the world. Motorcycling does have a variety of challenges though. The Harlistas of Cuba have a unique set of challenges to their motorcycling lifestyle. How they ride with these challenges point to possible threats to our own motorcycling in this country.

Most of you may know that Cuba is an island nation just south of Florida. It had been an important Spanish colony since the 1500's. The Cubans started toward independence during the Spanish-American War of 1898 and were a completely independent country by 1902. At first, the Cuban governments were friendly with the United States. But a bad dictator in the 1950's caused a second Cuban revolution. The new Cuban government decided to ally itself with the communist government in Russia and all trade with the US was ended.

Of course, in Cuba, like everywhere else, dedicated bikers still wanted to ride. Before the revolution, Cuban bikers were able to buy new Harley Davidsons and get parts and service like everyone else. After the revolution, new bikes or repair parts were no longer available. The dedicated Harley Davidson owners in Cuba, known as Harlistas, got together and figured out how to keep their bikes running. Whenever possible, replacement parts were made in local shops. More importantly, old, non-usable bikes were carefully preserved for spare parts. This way, the Harlistas were able to keep their classic Harleys running and continue to enjoy the freedom of the road. Even though relations between the United States and Cuba have improved, parts and new motorcycles are still hard to come by. The Harlistas continue to work to keep their classic machines running as always. They even count among their number the son of Che Guevara, a famous Latin American civil rights activist. In a 2015 interview, Ernesto Guevara March admitted he'd rather work on motorcycles than at his job as a lawyer.

All around the world, you can find bikers like the Harlistas, working to keep old and classic motorcycles running. Many of these motorcycles have sentimental value to their owners, far above any money or historical value. Rules being passed in some European countries are threatening this, however. In an attempt to get rid of as many gas-powered vehicles as possible, these countries are passing “End of Life” vehicle rules. Under these rules, a government bureaucrat decides whether or not your old car is fixable or drivable. If the government says your car is too old, it must be scrapped. No parts can be taken to fix other cars, everything has to go to the metal shredder. These rules currently don't apply to motorcycles, but the bureaucrats are trying to change that. Of course, these rules would be the end of the life many bikers enjoy.

While no one in the United States is discussing End of Life vehicle rules, many politicians and bureaucrats in this country are trying to get us to copy some of these European style rules. Groups like ABATE of Wisconsin have to be always on guard for such things and maintain good relations with our elected representatives so we can continue to live our life and enjoy freedom of the road.

John