Merry Motorcycling : Harley-Davidson Enthusiasts Parade in Beverly Hills

The holiday season came in with a thundering roar Sunday, as thousands of Harley-Davidson motorcycle enthusiasts were welcomed to exclusive Rodeo Drive, in Beverly Hills’ first-ever black leather Christmas parade--at least the first official one.

The unorthodox celebration--”Happy Harley Days/Rejoice on Rodeo”--brought Harley fans of all types, from “Rolex riders” to Hells Angels, to the parade and bike show.

The event, in conjunction with Los Angeles Harley-Davidson and Permanent Charities, was expected to raise $50,000 for Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, a program for children with cancer and their families.

From perhaps the only tattoo booth in Beverly Hills, camp counselor Nicole (Corky) Lesley hailed potential customers, offering temporary rub-on tattoos for $2 and $4 to give people the Harley look--for a day.

Business had been marginal: “We keep trying to get people to get (the rub-ons), but they’re all saying, ‘No, we already have the real ones,’ ” she lamented.

Rodeo Drive, with its reputation as the shopping mecca of the polished, pampered and bejeweled, was a sea of black leather jackets as bikers--some wearing Santa hats over their helmets--joined gawkers, strolling down the street and sipping gourmet coffee after the block-long parade.

“It is an unusual sight,” admitted Beverly Hills Councilman Tom Levyn as he and his children sat on the curb and watched the parade, led by actress Cher astride her own Harley. “I never thought Rodeo Drive would be taken over by bikers, but it certainly is fun and everyone is in the holiday spirit,” he said.

Besides Camp Ronald McDonald officials, no one was more joyous than the Rodeo Drive merchants association, which gauged the event with a decidedly commercial eye.

“The demographics showed us that the average Harley-Davidson owner has a household income of $100,000 a year, and their average age is between 35 and 40 years,” said John Petterson, president of the Rodeo Drive Committee.

Young, affluent bikers are just the clientele Rodeo Drive needs, he said. Petterson, vice president of Tiffany & Co., added: “In fact, many of these Harley owners already live, shop and dine in Beverly Hills.”

Bob and Mary Beth Van Dine were just the bikers the merchants association had in mind for Happy Harley Days. The couple, preparing to join the procession of about 1,600 gleaming Harleys on their chrome-decked monster, said they lived in Beverly Hills before moving to Palos Verdes.

“I came today because I wanted a picture of my bike out in front of Carroll & Co., where I buy my clothes,” said Bob Van Dine, vice president of St. Ives, a company that sells hair and body care products.

Now the owner of four Harley-Davidsons, he said: “We figured out that we have more money in motorcycles than we spent on our first house.”