Saturday evening post

[HarleyCreation]

Hog

It was niether, it was used more as an identifier or description of the big twins. When I was in high school in Milwaukee in the mid-sixties and the MoCo started selling the Italian lightweights along with the Topper scooters and Scats and Bobcats and all that other junk we used to refer to the DuoGlides as hogs; "Now that's a REAL Hog". So, as Chris has already mentioned, the term was in use before 1965.

We also used to call some of the girls from South Division High School hogs, I'm pretty sure it was a negative term in that context. But that's another story.

Mike

Neutral is how I recall the term when growing up in Racine. That was in 1968 or '69 when I first became interested in motorcycles. My friend Brian brought "Big Bike" and "Choppers Illustrated," etc. to shop class and that got me hooked. I'm sure the term "hog" appeared in those mags and at the time it had a "cool" sound to it. But that is a little later than you guys remember hog being used.

However, after I got my first Harleys in 1971, I can't remember the term "hog" being used by myself or hearing it used by anyone else very much. It was out there, of course, but it was not commonly said, as I recall. It was a "Harley" or a "bike" or more rarely "scooter." But hog? Not used too much at all.

Somehow hog didn't really fit the beast. Altho that fat Brookfield saddle looks kind of "hoggish."

[Perry Ruiter]

I had this model as a kid in the late 60s. I pulled the picture from an eBay auction and the seller identifies the kit as 1968. I would think if the term was common enough for use on a kid's model in '68 it pre-dates 1965 ... Perry

[T. Cotten]

Thanks Perry!

Gosh, that's a chubblehead.
My selfish agenda was to re-write history to declare '65 for the first "hog".
(Consider the weight increase alone.)

At least we are getting something in print....
Now how about film?

Chris!
Surely you can pull something out of a B movie for us?

...Cotten

[Chris Haynes]

Chris!
Surely you can pull something out of a B movie for us?...Cotten

I could Cotten. But I promised you I wouldn't tell anybody about that movie you made.
Anyway back in the '40's I have read about Hog Scrambles at Gypsy Tours.

[HarleyCreation]

I could Cotten. But I promised you I wouldn't tell anybody about that movie you made.
Anyway back in the '40's I have read about Hog Scrambles at Gypsy Tours.

That would be worth finding to verify the term and to see how it was applied at that time.

[T. Cotten]

That would be worth finding to verify the term and to see how it was applied at that time.

I agree, as Chris has me confused with my reputedly-biological father Joseph Cotten. (Actually slightly shorter than the real matinee idol I believe; Pic attached.)

...Cotten

[indianut]

PS: Chris!
Just think how rich you would be if you had copyrighted!

Heck yeah! Then he could BUILD his garage AND his '36 Knuckle!!

[Chris Haynes]

Heck yeah! Then he could BUILD his garage AND his '36 Knuckle!!

I have a 2,300 sq ft garage. And a lot of other bikes beside the '36 I am gathering parts for. Early '36 parts are a real bitch to find. Most are made from a material called unobtanium.

[T. Cotten]

Think about it Chris: Could a Corman film be at the bottom of the "Hog" phenomenon?

Odds would seem to be in that favor.

I'm not familiar with them myself. I am a "dim viewer".

(Short attention span.)

...Cotten

[Chris Haynes]

This afternoon I spoke with retired 3rd generation Pasadena, CA H-D dealer Bruce Chubbuck. He says the term Roadhog, shortened to Hog, was coined by Limey bike riders during the late '40's/early '50's.

[aka HAWG]

I have a 2,300 sq ft garage. And a lot of other bikes beside the '36 I am gathering parts for. Early '36 parts are a real bitch to find. Most are made from a material called unobtanium.

If I understand correctly - some califorinian immigrants possess the ablility to find unobtanium and I beleive chris is an immigrant to california ( 2nd generation ) :-o

the parts will arrive if you beleive

aka HAWG

[Chris Haynes]

If I understand correctly - some califorinian immigrants possess the ablility to find unobtanium and I beleive chris is an immigrant to california ( 2nd generation ) :-o

the parts will arrive if you beleive

aka HAWG

No, I was born here.

[aka HAWG]

unless I heard you wrong but did you not tell us your parents immigrated to california???

thus making you the son of immigrants,

thusly you are a 2nd generation immigrant <:-O

or is that too techincal for you to comprehend

aka HAWG

[HarleyCreation]

This afternoon I spoke with retired 3rd generation Pasadena, CA H-D dealer Bruce Chubbuck. He says the term Roadhog, shortened to Hog, was coined by Limey bike riders during the late '40's/early '50's.

Altho again anecdotal, that's a logical explanation and road hog in shortened form crossed my mind too. We need to find early uses of it in print. This suggests a time period to look.

One can easily imagine a fast, hip, ultra-cool (in his mind) Triumph Thunderbird rider coming up behind a group of 1950s AMA clubbers on stock FLs with bags, windshields, and fat Buddy Seats obstructing the highway like HOG runs do today.

Wow, some things never change!

Anyway, "road hog" is actually a very old term, going back to "Airship" Pennington's days. I wonder if he invented that term too like he did motor-cycle?

Dictionary.com
"road hog"
 –noun a driver who obstructs traffic by occupying parts of two lanes.
Origin: 1890–95

[aka HAWG]

They were callin' them ..........

I was loosin sleep over where I heard that before

and chris Haynes said - "I was calling them hogs before 1965"

now I remember while shovelling snow - the 4th grade playground, the kids would say " I said it first - stop stealin my sayin"

aka hawg