On a recent visit to the Big Apple, my husband and I stopped into the Harley Davidson NY showroom and stocked up on souvenirs for all the Harley lovers in our family.

Located in Long Island City, Harley Davidson New York is the place to shop for all your Harley needs. From new to pre-owned bikes and tons of clothing, accessory and novelty items, there is something for every Harley enthusiast.

The friendly and knowledgeable staff guided us as we purchased, tee shirts, sweatshirts, mugs and more, some customized with Harley Davidson New York logos featuring the New York skyline complete with twin towers and more.

Some of my favorite items were the ladies shirts with Harley Davidson New York emblemized in rhinestones across the chest. Nothing like a little bling bling!

And then there were the bikes. Although w didn’t take one home, we really enjoyed browsing the impressive selection. Sportsters, touring bikes, softails and more were on display in the Harley Davidson New York showroom.

Since we went on a Friday we were free to shop ‘til we dropped as Harley Davidson New York is open until 8 p.m. on both Wednesday and Friday. We left with bags full of specialty merchandise that marked our trip to one of the best cities in the world and the best Harley Davidson store anywhere.

And what better way to celebrate our fabulous finds at Harley Davidson New York then by heading to Hogs and Heifers for drinks.

If you can’t get to the Harley Davidson NY store, you can purchase merchandise as well as gift certificates on-line. Although it’s not the same as being there, you still have access to Harley Davidson New York’s vast selection of merchandise and you can shop at all hours. The only downside is that you can’t go to Hogs and Heifers afterwards.

Big Bear choppers are the ultimate in self-expression and creativity. Choppers, made famous in the movie “Easy Rider” are hugely popular today due to the amount of creative control and individual detail that goes into making one.

Big Bear choppers share the same characteristics as any other chopper. Typical features include lots of chrome, custom paint jobs, higher handlebars, lower seats and smaller headlights.

Big Bear choppers got their name from the technique used to make them; essentially “chopping” up another bike and doing away with large and unnecessary parts. The result is a stripped down, streamlined bike that is considered tougher than the more cushiony counterparts.

For some people, the thought of chopping up their motorcycle for parts is too much to bear. That is why many people turn to do-it yourself kits when they are ready to design a Big Bear chopper. This is actually more cost effective than purchasing a new bike and stripping it down.

Building a Big Bear chopper from a kit might sound like the easy way out but, while kits come with ideas and instructions, it isn’t a job for everyone. The mechanically challenged are not going to have an easier time than they would starting from scratch.

Furthermore, just because your Big Bear chopper comes in a kit doesn’t mean that you have follow every instruction to the letter. There is still plenty of room for imagination.

Perhaps the best way to express yourself when it comes to your Big Bear chopper is through the paint job. No two are alike. Your custom paint job is a reflection of who you are, what riding a Big Bear chopper means to you and the image that you want to convey.

If you aren’t sure where to start or are creatively challenged, there are plenty of chopper Web sites and pictures of Big Bear choppers to get you started and inspire you.

With a little patience and imagination, you can be king of the road on your own Big Bear chopper.

Major cities have a Harley Davidson store and Web site including Chicago, which is set up with the Chicago Harley Davidson.

What to Expect at the Chicago Harley Davidson

The Chicago Harley Davidson store has many of the same products and services that the national store offers. This is because the Chicago Harley Davidson is directly tied to the national stores. Anything that can’t be found at the Chicago Harley Davidson can be found at the national store.

The Chicago Harley Davidson has tons and tons of different Harley Davidson apparel. Apparel includes hats, jackets, vests, pants, shoes, undergarments, wallets and hair ties. Most of the bigger apparel items — jackets, vests and pants — are made out of leather. This is because leather is a good substance to have between a rider and the concrete. If a rider falls of a bike and they’re wearing leather, there’s a good chance they won’t leave any of their skin on the pavement. However, if they wear cotton materials, the fabric will probably rip and scrape their bare skin across the pavement. Much of the apparel in this store is embroidered with the traditional Harley Davidson emblems.

The Chicago Harley Davidson store also has a lot of apparel with reflective pieces of material. This material reflects when headlights hit it, allowing other cars to better see the motorcyclist. You should get this type of apparel if you plan to do a lot of night riding.

The Chicago Harley Davidson also has apparel that’s Chicago specific. For example, rather than saying Harley Davidson, a patch might say Harley Davidson, Chicago on it. The idea being that placing the city on the patch makes it unique to other Harley Davidson patches.

Need Riding Help?

The Chicago Harley Davidson store also has a link to the Riders Edge New Riders Course. New riders can take a course and learn how to safely ride their new bike. Riders can choose the course according to location. The entire training course costs $325 a person and they fill up really quickly. This course teaches the rider to be safe, but it also can help relieve the high cost of motorcycle insurance. Of course the amount of help you’ll get on your insurance depends on your driving record and insurance carrier.

The Chicago Harley Davidson also features several links to its new and old bikes. For example, right now it’s featuring the Firebolt XB12R, which is a sports bike. You can get to any of Harley’s bikes by checking out the Chicago Harley Davidson Web site. You can even order a new bike from this site. You can also find a place to get your Harley repaired or get into a Harley forum and get answers to questions you may have about your bike. The Chicago Harley Davidson Web site is a great source for Chicagoland Harley enthusiasts.