OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP AND ONTO THE HIGHWAY

Mr Anniversary rides through six nations on a day-old Road Glide™

Words: Dato Anand

Dato Anand pulls into Route 77 Harley-Davidson® of Kuala Lumpur on a large motorcycle with an even larger presence. ‘Mr Anniversary’, as he is fondly known within the community, alights from the gorgeous maroon 120TH Anniversary Road Glide™ Special with the ease of a man who knows the two wheels better than he knows his own two legs. He is, after all, probably the only person in the world who has taken a brand-new Harley-Davidson on a gruelling 7,900km six-nation ride the very same day he picked it up from the dealership.

He and fellow rider Mr Sanjey departed from Route 77 Harley-Davidson on 15 April 2023, heading northwards to Thailand and then crossing the border into Myanmar, then Laos, then Cambodia, and finally ending in Vietnam. They were on the motorcycle from pre-dawn until the afternoon every day for 20 days straight, averaging around 400km in a single day.

“I know the bike can take it. It’s a Harley. I just wanted to do something different,” he says.

The birth of a legend
When he was just a boy, Dato Anand already had posters of Harley-Davidson motorcycles up on his wall. He grew up dreaming of taming the great metal steed, the ones he watched in old Hollywood blockbusters, and having one to call his own.

In 2008, he welcomed home a Harley-Davidson 105th Anniversary Street Glide™, marking the beginning of a committed relationship with his anniversary models. Dato Anand decided right then and there that he would buy a new one every five years, to build his very own collection.

Now, in 2023, he owns four anniversary bikes, including a 2013 110th Anniversary Road King™, a 2018 115th Anniversary CVO™ Limited, and his latest addition, a 2023 120th Anniversary Road Glide Special – hence his well-deserved nickname. His motorcycles are proudly displayed in his house, much like in a showroom.

“Each anniversary has a different logo. I’ve got the patches, the tattoos. I have a record in the US – they have all my anniversary bike serial numbers recorded there,” he says, showing off a large tattoo of his 110th Anniversary Road King on his forearm.

He loves each and every one of his machines, loves the pure strength in its engine and its bassy potatoes, loves the way they make him feel, and most importantly: he loves the ride.

Dato Anand drove off the lot of Route 77 Harley-Davidson with a mere 15km on the odometer on a sunny Saturday, casually making his way up north with the first ever 120th Anniversary Road Glide Special to be seen on Malaysian roads. Along the way, he stopped at Harley-Davidson of Penang for friends to witness the legendary bike before continuing on his journey. By the third day of his ride, he pulled into Harley-Davidson of Bangkok, Thailand, with 1,501km on the Road Glide for its very first service – serendipitously the same number as his birthday.

Wheels of steel
It was by no means an easy ride. Not only did they ride long distances every day, but the weather was ruthless. Temperatures soared to highs of 45 degrees Celsius in the northern parts of Thailand. Dato Anand and Mr Sanjey rode past the worst forest fire Thailand had seen in 20 years, the smoke and heat making breathing difficult.

They suffered through a once-idyllic small village road in Mae Sot while on the way to cross the border into Myanmar. While pushing his Harley through a jungle which was literally on fire, Dato Anand fondly recalled the eight other times he had ridden through Mae Sot and enjoyed its cold, crisp forest air.

The fire didn’t deter him. It was a tough ride, but tough rides are simply part of the experience. The other part of the experience is the impressive passion and support of the Harley Owners Group™.

United we ride
When it comes to H.O.G.™, there’s no such thing as riding alone. At every border in every country, there would be H.O.G. riders awaiting Dato Anand and Mr Sanjey. The spectacular sight of Harley-Davidson motorcycles of every model and colour lined the streets awaiting one of their own.

Brotherhood is the core principle of Harley-Davidson riders. The importance of connection within the riding group is emphasised in each flag-off, each journey, each send-off. Malaysian riders like Dato Anand and Mr Sanjey were met with support from riders of each country, who brought them to local spots and scenic routes. They were hosted more than comfortably by fellow riders, bonding over great bikes and even greater rides.

A Harley no matter where you go
While Dato Anand’s most recent epic ride was certainly a memorable one, it was not his toughest. In 2017, he undertook yet another six-nation ride following an ambitious 12,000km route from Malaysia through Thailand, Myanmar, Bhutan, Nepal and India. Most of the journey was through mountainous terrain on damp, narrow mud roads, but the group of six brave riders (of which five were riding touring models) managed to stay on schedule despite the difficult riding.

However, tragedy struck in the Nepal leg of the trip, when Dato Anand’s 105th Anniversary Street Glide’s shock bearing failed completely. He was stranded in the middle of a mountainous road with difficult passage, a situation which would have struck panic into even the calmest of riders. Yet Dato Anand did not panic, because he knew that as long as he could reach a Harley-Davidson dealership, he would be well taken care of. The strength of the brand lay in its immense global presence and support provided to any customer no matter where they are. With more than 1,400 Harley-Davidson dealerships across almost 100 countries, there was bound to be one he could reach.

The closest Harley-Davidson workshop was 400km away in New Delhi, a two-night journey that required two lorry trips to carry the bike and a border crossing into India. Dato Anand stayed in constant communication with Capital Harley-Davidson in New Delhi, and when he arrived at 5pm two days later, a team of five foremen were waiting to inspect and repair his motorcycle. Within two hours they had diagnosed the problem, and within 12 hours they had fixed the issue and given the Street Glide a thorough wash and shine as well.

“All the Harley-Davidson dealership workshops have training directly from US headquarters, so it doesn’t matter where you are – the service you get is the same. In Bangkok, they check my bike, then they wash my bike too!” Dato Anand tells us candidly.

By 5am the next day, Dato Anand was ready to catch up with his group, who were on their way towards their final destination: the Malaysian embassy in New Delhi, to celebrate Malaysia’s 60th Merdeka. Despite the detour, Dato Anand made it ‘home’ in time, escorted in style by riders from the dealership.

Brotherhood maketh the lifestyle
The bond starts with the bike. When it comes to Harley-Davidson riders, the motorcycle supersedes borders and beliefs. Dato Anand, of course, has experienced this firsthand: “H.O.G. members are lovely people. In Korea, it is the same. In Bangkok, the same. Myanmar, the same. Cambodia, same. They all ride together with me. The community is very powerful.”

The brotherhood is warm and welcoming, with the H.O.G. of each country doing their best to serve each other. Much like how Dato Anand’s groups are hosted in other countries, so does Dato Anand do the same for visiting H.O.G. members. He met with Bangkok H.O.G. members at the Malaysian border and toured with them from Penang to Melaka to Cameron to Bentong .

And as for Dato Anand? Well, he’s not slowing down anytime soon. Asia is too small a continent for a Harley, and Dato Anand is keen to dream bigger and ride further. Next year, he will be attempting to ride from Kuala Lumpur to London, a whopping 20,000km away!

After that? Well, Mr Anniversary goes wherever the roads take him.

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