Harley’s Angels

TRAFFIC STOPPER The Moscare family with their beloved Harleys in UP Diliman

Wherever this family decides to park their motorbikes, people around think that they are seeing a Harley-Davidson mini showroom.

And they just might be right.

The dad, 54-year old Paul Moscare, rides a Touring Ultra Limited (mom Ma. Teresa is his backrider). Eldest son, 25-year-old Patrick Paul, rides a Dyna Street Bob. Twenty-three-year old Ivan Paul rides a Softail Slim. Twenty-year-old Ian Paul rides a Softail Breakout (the youngest and the only sister, 15-year-old Paulyn Teres, is his backrider). And 18-year old Lance Paul rides a Sportster Nightster.

Naturally, they all wear the traditional biker getup—jeans, T-shirt and black leather vest adorned with Harley-Davidson patches and badges.

Indeed, this is one formidable family of Harley-Davidson lovers.

“Riding our Harleys at least twice a week is a way for our family to spend time together. As a couple, we experienced the freedom, the adventure, the bonds and living life on our own terms. This legacy is now being passed along to our children now that they have their own bikes,” said Paul.

Paul, who started riding when he was a teenager, rode all sorts of motorbikes. But it was only 20 years ago, in 1996, when he started riding bigger displacement bikes (starting with a 400-cc Japanese model). From then on, his love of riding only grew stronger.

Passing down

“Although I was already riding (borrowed) Harleys both here and when vacationing in the United States, my passion truly solidified when I finally bought my very own Ultra Limited two years ago.

“Perhaps, it was during those moments of sharing unbelievably inspiring and warm experiences while riding this ultimate Batwing tourer, that my wife and I somehow passed down something to our children. Now that they’ve all grown up, they have shown their genuine love to the point that they even selected different Harley models that suit their varied individual tastes,” related Paul.

Why a Harley? Paul explained it’s different than any other motorbikes he’d ridden, explaining that a Harley can be a real treat to own.

“Safer since you’ve got far less ground clearance, lower center of gravity, than a typical sports, adventure or sports touring motorbike. It may be a big bike, but they’re easy to control if you’re confident.”

Since the Moscare couple and most of their children have their own respective businesses to manage, these regular rides allow the family to be kept updated with one another and at the same time, enabling them to plan their activities in the coming days or weeks.

“This is also our chance to go to interesting and relaxing places, say a restaurant in Tagaytay, Cavite, or Antipolo in Rizal,” said Ivan Paul. The Moscare family lives in Pasig City.

From time to time, the family would schedule a long ride, that is, one that ends up in Eastern Samar, the family’s home province, or in Cebu via roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) vessels, or in Matnog, Sorsogon, or even in Ormoc City.

These regular family jaunts do not yet include the ride activities regularly organized by the local chapter of Harley Owners Group (HOG).

“As Harley-Davidson owners and riders, we join the fraternity of Harley-Davidson enthusiasts around the world, which is now more than a million strong.

“Being HOG members, the family has access not only to the quarterly HOG magazine, chapter membership, the Touring Handbook, events and rallies but also HOG Assistance emergency road side recovery services, discounts on a range of goods and services, as well as invitations to big events. Whenever we go to the US, the chapter there would be more than glad to invite us to one of their tours,” said Ivan.

And like any Harley group rides, the Moscares follow certain rules while on the road.

ACCORDING to Paul (second from right), everyone in the family has shown genuine love to riding Harleys, so much so that
each of them has selected his/her own preferred model.

Rules

“I serve as the lead with my wife taking care of the toll fees of the group. I also set the top speed and the formation we should assume (via hand signals) while on a particular part of the road. My son Ivan usually serves as our sweeper (one who rides in the last position in the group, and who relays information to the lead bike regarding the other riders’ predicament, if any).

“Also, we make it a point to stop every 100 km not just to fill up our tanks but also to take a breather. Most importantly, we remind everyone to take a restful sleep before every long ride as this serves as the foundation for our mental and physical well-being during these demanding journeys,” said Paul.

He believed in formal training when it comes to handling big bikes, so he has sent all his children to the Honda Safety Driving Center in Parañaque City even if all of them already know how to ride.

Better way

“This is a better way. I want them to learn from knowledgeable instructors. One will gain the proper knowledge and the skills essential to enjoying every ride and doing so safely. I told my children that whether you are a novice rider buying your first motorbike or an experienced rider, your skill and ability are more important than the machine you mount,” said Paul, who years ago, took a riding course for the Highway Patrol Group as well as other advanced riding courses.

Ivan related that even before they got all their respective Harleys, their family get-togethers would include playing basketball and billiards at home, as well as mountain biking.

Said Ivan: “Before, we regularly [mountain] bike the 100-km distance from Pasig to Infanta, Quezon. But then, we discovered that riding a Harley is way much better. These rides enable us to share our days with each other, relax, and laugh. As my parents have discovered years ago, riding a Harley grows on you, and once you ride it, your life changes forever.”