DEFEND YOUR RIDE: Remy Maxwell At His MaxiPadd Garage In Minneapolis

Q: What is the make and model of your motorcycle?

A: Nuthin' but Harleys for me! I know this is called "Defend Your Ride", but I've got 3 "RideS"—the 2 in the background are jealous of the exposure that my 1992 Springer Softail is getting—we'll get to the others in a lil' bit.

Q: Does your motorcycle have a nickname?

A: I've never been a nickname dude—I know allotta riders refer to their bikes as "she" or "her", but those feminine terms have never applied to my bikes. They're MEAN! Or so I'd like to think.

Q: How many miles are on your cycle?

A: My Springer's got 35,500 miles, and I put 28,000 and change on her. Oops, I mean IT. I'm a walkin' contradiction. There'd be more, but I've gotta split my time between the other two. Decisions, decisions…

Q: What made you want to get this particular motorcycle?

A: I saw it on the floor in a L.A. H-D dealer in '94, and I HAD to have it! The turquoise and cream paint job is what stood out for me---most Harley guys believe in only BLACK—and don't get me wrong—that's one of my favorite looks on a bike—but the thing was just callin' my name. It was my first bike, and I don't think I'll ever get rid of it.

Q: What is your favorite part of this bike?

A: The 18 1/2" Ape Hangers! When I bought it, it had drag bars and I kept 'em like that for about 10 or 11 years. People always ask if it's uncomfortable to have your arms up in the air like that for long rides… I don't really take this one out for cross-country treks, but it makes a killer bar hopper!

Q: What other motorcycles do you own?

A: I bought a 1987 Police Special in 2005 and a 100th Anniversary Road King Classic in 2010…both from my Dad! Slapped some custom paint on the '87 Bagger—ghost flames with skulls wrapped in barb wire—and didn't have to change a thing on the '03 King.

Q: What's the longest drive you've ever been on with your bike?

A: Flew down to New Orleans a coupla years ago to pick up the Road King, then my Dad and I took off for a 2,600 mile adventure through the Rockies, Wyoming, Montana, and back to Minneapolis—3 weeks. I'm ready for another one!

Q: Have you been to Sturgis?

A: Many times—the aforementioned trip was the latest, and my first pilgrimage to the Black Hills was in '98 with my Dad once again on this bike! With the drag bars, though. You know what they say—The Family that RIDES Together… uh, I forgot the rest.

Q: When did you first start riding motorcycles?

A: I had a passion for 'em since I was 4 or 5---my first was a Yamaha YZ-80 dirtbike that I got for my 9th birthday, and I rode that thing into the ground! Growin' up around motorcycles since I can remember definitely had an effect on me—my Mom even had a Harley-Davidson Sportster for a while. That's gotta be how I ended up like this. I didn't have a choice!

Interview by Sean Johnson
Photos courtesy of Tracy Imsdahl

View previous Defend Your Ride features as well as other great stories for people who love cars at CBSMinnesota.com/Autos.