CZECH REPUBLIC: World's oldest Harley Davidson Club celebrates its 80th anniversary in the Czech Republic

Record ID: 776673

  • Title: CZECH REPUBLIC: World's oldest Harley Davidson Club celebrates its 80th anniversary in the Czech Republic
  • Date: 24th June 2008
  • Summary: PHOTOGRAPHS FROM FIRST HARLEY DAVIDSON FAN MEETING IN 1927
  • Embargoed: 9th July 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Czech Republic
  • Country: Czech Republic
  • Topics: Lifestyle,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVACI7CDVNVLF0NDVW4YJXAKKEYD
  • Story Text: The Czech Republic has an unusual claim to fame; it is home to the world's oldest Harley Davidson Club, and this year the Prague club celebrates its 80th anniversary.
    To mark the occasion 300 bikes rode through the historical centre of the Czech capital on Saturday (June 21), with 85-year-old Josef Muller the oldest biker taking part.
    And more than 1200 bikers, most on Harleys, celebrated at the Skochovice camp near to the city, to share memories and honour the bikes they love so much.
    Harley Davidson Club Praha began in 1927 at the wedding reception of motorbike racer Bohumil Turek. Turek was accompanied to the altar by 60 bikers on their Harleys, who then decided they should meet more often. Their club was officially registered in 1928.
    "These clubs get founded and abolished and we are lucky we have had uninterrupted activity for 80 years. We passed through very hard times and fortunately, that united the people even more," said club president, Tomas Podhrazsky.
    In 1939, the importing of motorbikes ceased. The authorities seized cars and motorbikes for the military, so HCP members took their bikes apart, hiding them or making them immobile. But still, many bikes were requisitioned, and only ten percent of them remained at the end of World War II.
    In the communist era, club members met secretly. They made infrequent trips and travelled in small groups so as not to attract attention. After the invasion of the Russian occupational armies in 1968, club members were often followed by the secret police, but still the organisation survived.
    Many older members were at the gathering on Saturday.
    "We are the grannies of the club. And these are the oldest grandpas here, and one more - Drahos Cerny. We are the grannies and grandpas here," said Hana Rezabkova.
    "I just exchanged the keys of my hut, with a small boat and fishing rods, for the keys of a Harley bike and I had Harley 1200 with a sidecar and so from 1930 I had a Harley," said Muller, a former president of the club, describing how his love of the bikes began.
    "You can't simply explain it, you have to experience it. When you just once drive a Harley, you will surely become an addict," he added.
    The Harley Davidson Club Praha has about 260 members.
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