From:Brent Dugan e-mail:cdf959-A-embarqmail.com
Subject:The website Date:Wed May 16 23:32:24 2018
Brent Dugan here.
When Dave looked to fix up an old motorcycle he picked up someone said it was a Harley Hummer. He went to his local Harley dealer and was told “Harley-Davidson didn’t make these things”.
Dave put an article in Hemming’s Motor News looking for parts. He got a few responses and found the people contacting him were as clueless as he was and had run into the same problem. Enough responses came in that he decided to form a Club in hopes of getting the parts he needed. We’re talking about a guy who worked for the Federal Government doing classified government computer technology.... who loved motorcycles.... and had a little piece of crap that looked promising. He formed a grass roots membership and mimeographed a News Letter to Members who were willing to send in a $5 donation. He was working a 50+ hour job and trying to still keep things ‘happy’ at home.
He did this all by himself until I came along at Member #85. I volunteered to be his Treasurer.
I didn’t know what I was getting into.
The checks rolled in and there were nights I had to lay them all over my bed just to keep track of them. Explaining to my bank is another story. My mailbox was filled with letters and photos from ‘Members’ that I had to go through. The telephone calls between Dave and I cost us money as there were no ‘unlimited plans’ back then and everything out of the local area was ‘long distance’. Stories and photos were mailed and Dave had to deal with them. When the internet came along Dave was already there with his government work. I remember the call when he said, “Brent. Let’s put this on the internet for free”. I didn’t have a computer. I didn’t really know what the internet was. A younger friend of mine at work, ‘Joey’, had a computer that had Windows 3.1 and he had a ‘dial-up connection’. I was amazed at what this guy Dave Hennessey, my buddy, had accomplished. One thing led to another and I no longer had to lay checks out on my bed or send him as many stories and photos (yes the photos and stories came in during the phase-over period), and yes, I was working a full time job also and juggling my home responsibilities.
When I approached him about making money from the site he stopped me with, (paraphrasing now) “I’m not doing this to make money. I want these bikes to get recognized. H-D and the AMCA are having problems with these”. I understood completely as I spent 7 years completing my 1948 before winning a show award in Manville, NJ before someone there told me about the AMCA. When I finally became a member they looked at my bike as an ‘oddity’.
Dave pushed the AMCA and got these little bikes recognized... he got the judges involved in accepting them and learning about them so they would be able to judge accordingly. His efforts caused a coast to coast effect where ‘Members’ were requesting him to send his ‘Harley Hummer Club’ banner so they could display it and then offered food and drinks!
He taught me HTML.. as that was what was happening then... and I’m stupid in stuff like this. He didn’t give up. He mentored me and I eventually caught on. I also learned Photoshop to reproduce members photos... and clear them up.
Members sent me photos and stories. I had to figure out how to put them in HTML and make them work. When I did I found out that new web browsers had their own code and what I’d just put together didn’t work right on ‘their platforms’.... many calls, and emails?, to Dave to straightened me out. Calls that interrupted his day to day. He helped me through all of it. The web was changing and Dave was trying to stay on top of it. Why? The HHC was his baby and he didn’t want to let it go.
The few of you who have challenged him lately about moving on don’t understand the Man. He started this, he made it work and it exists.
The AMCA has acknowledged his efforts. The Harley-Davidson Co. has re-issued the Light-Weight Service Manuals. Vendors have reproduced parts and Duane Taylor has reproduced parts that even H-D can’t tell the difference.
And Mutt has found a revenue source he didn’t have before this happened.
Fears? You made a custom and didn’t like we didn’t glorify you. Mutt? You’re the best mechanic I know and that’s why I sent you my Scat motor.
A few are trying to say this site is out of date? If it wasn’t for Dave these bikes would have been sold for scrap metal.
Respect the Man. Give him his due. You don’t like the free site and the info given? Go somewhere else.
I’ve been there with him. I’ve experienced the battles. Offers to make it better? You kids are looking at website applications that require ‘fulfillment’.... fulfillment that requires tracking and spam. Yea, we’re old but old isn’t bad.
Dave set this up so that wouldn’t happen... and I’ve always respected him for that. And worked with him.
One finger up? Try two and rotate,.,,, you might like it. The world is a new and wonderful place... but we're talking old motorcycles here. You want everything to be a puzzle piece until all that's needed is to read the book and assemble the final product? Without discussion and sharing it all becomes boring. Without searching for parts and the discussions at Meets you'll never experience what Dave and I have known all these years. Getting it running is only half the experience.
I'm not talking to those who already know.

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