HARLEY-DAVIDSON enthusiasts in the Philippines last weekend met ‘Fast Johnnie,” a limited edition high displacement motorcycle from the Enthusiast Motorcycle Collection of limited run bikes, featuring factory-direct custom paint and graphic treatments.
“We are thrilled to introduce new model additions to our limited-edition Enthusiast Motorcycle Collection, which have been created with our motorcycling community in mind,” Sajeev Rajasekharan, Managing Director, Asia Emerging Markets & India at Harley-Davidson said. He sent this video message to motorcycle enthusiasts and members of the motoring media at the Fast Johnnie Open House event.
Gracing the Fast Johnnie event were media celebrities Kim Atienza (bottom left), Jay Taruc (top left) and LA Tenorio (top right) and Coach Al Francis Chua who are big bike enthusiasts joined the event.
Members of H-D’s official riding club, the HOG (Harley Owners Group) Manila Chapter also joined in the handover of the first Low Rider ST Fast Johnnie to its new owner (bottom right of photo). At the Greenhills showroom H-D invited tattoo artists from CalCity Tattoo for guests and customers who wanted to get inked.
READ: ‘Fast Johnnie’ joins Harley-Davidson Enthusiast Collection
With Fast Johnnie, Harley-Davidson pays homage to the muscle car culture and its racing legacy. With its striking Celestial Blue color adorned with white racing stripes, the Fast Johnnie paint scheme is exclusively available on three 2023 Harley-Davidson models: the Low Rider ST (P1.760M), Street Glide ST (P2.380M), and Road Glide ST (P2.410M). The production of each model is strictly limited to 2,000 units worldwide.
Heads of H-D Manila explained that the Fast Johnnie paint scheme takes cues from the iconic design themes of high-performance muscle cars and pony cars of the 1960s and 1970s. These design elements include contrasting “racing” or “rally” stripes over a bold base color and incorporating a clever or symbolic character or logo into the graphics package. These features were originally used to visually differentiate the high-performance versions of cars from their standard counterparts.
The Fast Johnnie character, found on the left side of the fuel tank, also appears on the Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle factory team motorcycles that compete in the MotoAmerica King of the Baggers series. It pays tribute to the story of a piglet named Johnnie, who was adopted in 1920 by Ray Weishaar, a Harley-Davidson racer and member of the legendary “Wrecking Crew.” The piglet became a beloved team mascot and often sat on the motorcycle’s fuel tank for a victorious post-race lap. It is widely credited as the inspiration behind the “Hog” nickname associated with Harley-Davidson to this day.
“It serves as a powerful symbol for the generation that came of age during that era and still holds significance today.” The Celestial Blue base color chosen for Fast Johnnie evokes the popular tone from the muscle car era. The graphic striping features a custom white color specially formulated to authentically reflect the era. It is applied in a classic thin-wide-thin pattern on the sides and top of the motorcycle bodywork, paying tribute to pure Americana,” Brad Richards, the Vice President of Design and Creative Director at Harley-Davidson, explains the impact of Fast Johnnie’s striping graphic effect.
The “Harley-Davidson” script replaces one of the thin stripe elements on the tank and front fender. Depending on the motorcycle model, the striping can be found on various parts, such as the front and rear fenders, fuel tank, fairing, side covers, and saddlebags. The Enthusiast Motorcycle Collection logo is prominently displayed on the rear fender. On all models the mechanical features of the 2023 Low Rider ST model remain unchanged.
The Low Rider ST Fast Johnnie is designed for riders seeking the clean-and-lean West Coast style and the exhilarating performance of the Milwaukee-Eight 117 V-Twin powertrain, the H-D Low Rider ST model is an American V-Twin sport-touring bike embodying the true spirit of the brand.
For riders who can’t get enough of elevated pro-touring bagger performance and style, the Street Glide ST model is the perfect match. It combines the powerful Milwaukee-Eight 117 powertrain with tough West Coast styling influences and stunning dark-and-bronze finishes.
The sleek Road Glide ST model exudes an even more menacing presence and delivers exhilarating power with its Milwaukee-Eight 117 powertrain. Distinguished by West Coast styling elements and black-and-bronze finishes, this bike stands out from the performance bagger crowd. Its “sharknose” fixed fairing and exceptional comfort make it an ideal choice for riders who want to conquer the open road with style.
“Our riders in The Philippines can be assured of a smooth and comfortable ride as they pursue their passion for adventure and the open road,” Rajasekharan concluded.
