Live to Ride, Ride to Live

Heavy metal thunder rumbled as Harley-Davidson aficionados roared down to Harley-Davidson/Buell of Glendale last month to register for the 18th annual Love Ride to Castaic Lake Nov. 11 for the Muscular Dystrophy Assn. and the Los Angeles Times’ “Reading by 9” initiative. Under the leather, denim and mirrored shades beat surprisingly gentle hearts--and all those hearts together sound like, well, as Harley enthusiasts describe it, “potato, potato, potato, potato.”--

Art Piatt,

special effects technician,

woodland hills

Harley of choice?

Harley-Davidson Road King

What does your Harley sound like?

Quiet, like a Stealth aircraft. Loud is kid stuff.

What called to you about biking?

A Whizzer in 1945. It was a motor you could put on your Schwinn bicycle. It freed me from my mother’s apron strings.

Who would you most like riding on back?

I’d say Racquel Welch, but she’s too old for me now.

How do you know you were born to be wild?

I’m not wild. I’m laid back.

Alma Abernathy,

legal assistant

Dewayne Abernathy,

cook,

los angeles

Harley of choice?

D: Harley-Davidson Dyna Wide Glide

A: Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail

What does your Harley sound like?

A: Thunder.

D: Popcorn.

What called to you about biking?

A: My husband. Love.

D: My friend who’s been riding 30 years.

Who would you most like riding on back?

A: George Clooney. He looks good! I want him behind me.

D: Alma. I love her carefree attitude.

How do you know you were born to be wild?

A; Either you have it or you don’t.

D: That’s a stereotype. Bikers seem to be bad, and only on weekends.

Kelly Cabral,

sound supervisor,

shadow hills

Becky Houser,

film saleswoman

Harley of choice?

Harley-Davidson Sportsters

What does your Harley sound like?

(Together): Potato, potato, potato.

What called to you about biking?

B: My mom rides Harleys.

K: I’ve been riding dirt bikes for 20 years. I always wanted a Harley.

Who would you most like riding on back?

B: Angelina Jolie. She’s tough and she’d look good back there.

K: I have a single seat; I don’t want anyone.

How do you know you were born to be wild?

B: I grew up on a farm riding tractors. I’ve always been a tough little tomgirl.

K: Never been anything else.

Mario Pikus,

artist who sculpts with harley parts

Rebecca Pikus,

legal assistant,

silver lake

Harley of choice?

M: Softail Custom with special paint, pipes and chrome

What does your Harley sound like?

M: Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

What called to you about biking?

M: The freedom. For an artist, the road is like an open canvas.

R: My mother rode a bike when she was pregnant with me and I got the rhythm.

Who would you most like riding on back?

M: Pamela Anderson. She gives good video.

R: Peter Fonda. He’s very supportive of Harley charity events.

How do you know you were born to be wild?

M: By the amount of helmet-law tickets I get.

R: That song plays in my head all the time.