No, you do not have to be a member of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company to ride one of their motorcycles. Harley-Davidson is a motorcycle manufacturer that sells motorcycles to individuals, and ownership of their motorcycles is not limited to a specific group or membership.
When you purchase a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, you become the owner of that specific bike, and you are not required to have any affiliation with the company beyond being a customer. The company does not maintain a formal membership program for motorcycle owners.
To keep track of who owns which bike, Harley-Davidson, like other vehicle manufacturers, relies on traditional methods of registration and documentation. When you purchase a new or used Harley-Davidson motorcycle, you typically receive a title or registration document that serves as proof of ownership. This document includes important details about the motorcycle, such as the vehicle identification number (VIN), which is unique to each motorcycle.
The VIN is a standardized alphanumeric code that allows for the identification and tracking of individual motorcycles. It provides information about the manufacturer, model year, production plant, and other specific details of the motorcycle. The VIN is recorded by the manufacturer and can be used by law enforcement, insurance companies, and other entities to verify ownership and track the history of the motorcycle.
Additionally, individual owners may choose to register their motorcycles with relevant local or regional authorities to comply with local laws and regulations, which further helps in keeping track of ownership records.