Harley Guardian Bell

[Zammy]

Or Gremlin bell, lots of names for these. Our daughter and son-in-law just gave us one and for those of you that have one I was wondering where on the trike you've placed it. According to lore it's supposed to be low down on the bike so where do you have yours, need some ideas.

 

[1dn5up]

Tie wrapped loosely under the RS floorboard mount :Angel:

 

[dartref]

Tie wrapped loosely under the RS floorboard mount :Angel:

Same here. Had ours there about a month and no problems so far.

 

[Peter A.]

Bell

Same here.......also put one up high (hanging from handlebars) don't want them little buggers jumpin/sneaking up on me......after 40+ years of
riding it's worked purdy darn well!
ThumbUp

 

[desertclassic]

Just in front of the oil filter. I took this picture when I was relocating the oil filter and adding the oil cooler. Jim

Picture is turned sideways, dang it.

 

[hogcowboy]

View attachment 36284

Just in front of the oil filter. I took this picture when I was relocating the oil filter and adding the oil cooler. Jim

Picture is turned sideways, dang it.

That's also where I stuffed my XIED's on mine. It's a good spot for a bell. Apparently this area has a bell thief. I had one stolen. I truly hope karma gets that jerk.

Something interesting, though. If you select the image and then select view image, it shows correctly.

 

[cdculbertson]

View attachment 36284

Just in front of the oil filter. I took this picture when I was relocating the oil filter and adding the oil cooler. Jim

Picture is turned sideways, dang it.

That's where I hang mine as well. FWIW, the image was right side up on my iPad, but it's sideways on the computer.

 

[rhino 2]

They only work if someone gifts to to you... Won't work if you buy your own...
How do i know, I bought one the other day i put it on and my Wife was watching me hanging it on the trike in my garage, And as i was backing out of the garage' She distracted me by asking whats that silly thing for?

Backed right over her foot...Lucky it didn't damage the Trike.... Then again maybe they do work....

 

[RedOregon]

Yup, tiewrapped under the front floorboards... both of them. One from the wife, one from the daughter, both bought in Sturgis during the 75th. Just need to find a Blessing Of The Bikes and I'll be bulletproof!

 

[BillR]

Question

They only work if someone gifts to to you... Won't work if you buy your own...

When my best friend died, I bought his trike from his family.There saw a bell already on it. I'm going with the feeling that he meant me to have it.

Does that count as a gift from him, or do I need another one?

 

[rhino 2]

When my best friend died, I bought his trike from his family.There saw a bell already on it. I'm going with the feeling that he meant me to have it.

Does that count as a gift from him, or do I need another one?

Your good to go....In a way you are riding with him.......ThumbUp

 

[BillR]

Your good to go....In a way you are riding with him.......ThumbUp

Thanks.
I feel like he's riding with me sometimes, but I make him ride bitch.
He died when he ran his Jeep off the road. No way I'm letting him drive. :gah:

 

[Ozarkryder]

They only work if someone gifts to to you... Won't work if you buy your own...

Yup, old school is they must be freely given, not bought for oneself or even hinted that a bell is wanted.
Usually it was a small bell made of brass (but I have seen cowbells on old choppers) picked up from Grandma's junk drawer, a flea market, rummage sale or Pier One back before they got trendy and stopped selling cheaper imports from India. It took a little effort to find them, which made the gift that much more thoughtful.
There weren't the specifically made bells with angels, winged wheels and such on them along with the cutesy card explaining "The Legend Of The Bell" that changes depending on the marketing & advertising department's theory on what story will sell more bells.
The instructions I got is that they go low and forward to keep the road gremlins away. What they are really about is that when you hear them tinkle or clean them you are reminded of friendship, someone cares and wants you to be safe.
My first bell was given to me when I was 14 by a friend's dad, the first 1%er I knew. Is was a brass sleighbell, and it has been on every bike since. It has lived on the Harley for the past 23 years, and I have been given a bell for the Bonneville, a friend gave us one for the Goldwing trike and I got a bell for Gloria for her new Roadhawk.
I do buy a bell once in a while and put it on my own bike, but not for me.

The new one is a giveaway bell - something neat about removing a used bell off my bike and attaching it on someone else.

It's like it has some good karma built up to transfer to the new ride.

 

[rhino 2]

Thanks.
I feel like he's riding with me sometimes, but I make him ride bitch.
He died when he ran his Jeep off the road. No way I'm letting him drive. :gah:

There you go, He should'a had a bell on the Jeep...:Shrug:

 

[headheaded]

hate to say it but the bikes in the junk yards have bells hanging all over them. if people want to believe in these thing i'm all for it. i've bought and gave away a few because it made me feel good about doing it and every time they look at it or someone askd them about the bell, they can tell them where they got it. even after i'm dead and gone.

 

[Ozarkryder]

hate to say it but the bikes in the junk yards have bells hanging all over them. if people want to believe in these thing i'm all for it. i've bought and gave away a few because it made me feel good about doing it and every time they look at it or someone askd them about the bell, they can tell them where they got it. even after i'm dead and gone.

You got it - the "gremlin" part is just a bit of fun, there isn't anything magical about the bike bells, unless you consider brotherhood, friendship and caring a bit of magic in today's world.

 

[Larry Sobczak]

Got a bell from a friend and hung it under the right floorboard. The other day when cleaning my trike after a long run I noticed that the bell was missing but the dong was still hanging there, what are the rules, do I buy a replacement or wait until someone gives me one ?

 

[headheaded]

You got it - the "gremlin" part is just a bit of fun, there isn't anything magical about the bike bells, unless you consider brotherhood, friendship and caring a bit of magic in today's world.

yes ! the world can use more of this . that's why these bells are fun to give as gifts. what else can you give a person who just bought a new bike that would mean as much as this ?

 

[ol' school]

yes ! the world can use more of this . that's why these bells are fun to give as gifts. what else can you give a person who just bought a new bike that would mean as much as this ?

+1! My wife and I always gift a bell to our friends and riding crew whenever they buy a new ride. It might be hokie but it is a fun tradition.

 

[Zammy]

Thanks for all the replies everyone, got a couple of good ideas, I think I'll use the leather thong and a zip tie just for the heck of it.

 

[Rick Kay]

What they are really about is that when you hear them tinkle or clean them you are reminded of friendship, someone cares and wants you to be safe.
My first bell was given to me when I was 14 by a friend's dad, the first 1%er I knew. Is was a brass sleighbell, and it has been on every bike since. It has lived on the Harley for the past 23 years, and I have been given a bell for the Bonneville, a friend gave us one for the Goldwing trike and I got a bell for Gloria for her new Roadhawk.
I do buy a bell once in a while and put it on my own bike, but not for me. The new one is a giveaway bell - something neat about removing a used bell off my bike and attaching it on someone else. It's like it has some good karma built up to transfer to the new ride.

I really like this explanation, it gives a different perspective to the bell and its meaning. Cathy and I each received a bell, recently. It's the first time either of us has received a bell, in over thirty years of riding. Pretty cool.

ThumbUp

 

[1dn5up]

Got a bell from a friend and hung it under the right floorboard. The other day when cleaning no, if you havemy trike after a long run I noticed that the bell was missing but the dong was still hanging there, what are the rules, do I buy a replacement or wait until someone gives me one ?

Golly geeee--- good question. I read the rules and no replacement info noted :Shrug:
Then again in my over thinking, if you have two, does that mean it becomes a condo ?

 

[rhino 2]

Got a bell from a friend and hung it under the right floorboard. The other day when cleaning my trike after a long run I noticed that the bell was missing but the dong was still hanging there, what are the rules, do I buy a replacement or wait until someone gives me one ?

Get a new bell, And and hang whats left of the original with it...
I promise i won't tell the Bell Gods....:laugh:

 

[Ozarkryder]

Got a bell from a friend and hung it under the right floorboard. The other day when cleaning my trike after a long run I noticed that the bell was missing but the dong was still hanging there, what are the rules, do I buy a replacement or wait until someone gives me one ?

I have been given a bell for a bike that already had one, ran them both. No harm in that. I did have a bell that came apart just as you described, I left it on and the next time I saw the friend that gave it to me I just gave him crap about giving my bike a cheap, defective bell. We had a laugh about it and he eventually got me another one that got passed on along when I sold the bike.

 

[1dn5up]

One of my smart ass no it all neighbors noticed it and asked me what it was. I said: shooooh, it's full of gremlins!and left it . Let him sturr a bit. Then pulled the meaning up on my phone and stuck it in his face.

 

[rhino 2]

Not a guardian bell but interesting any way.... Way back when in my Youth i hung one of those little jingle bell under my buddys dashboard on his new car.... He was kind of a nit picker.... He just about went nuts trying to find out what the ringing was and where was it coming from. And naturally when we road with him and he would ask us doesn't anybody else hear that! We would said 'You must be hearing things 'We don't hear nothing... .:laugh:
Those were the days....ThumbUp

 

[consitter]

Not a guardian bell but interesting any way.... Way back when in my Youth i hung one of those little jingle bell under my buddys dashboard on his new car.... He was kind of a nit picker.... He just about went nuts trying to find out what the ringing was and where was it coming from. And naturally when we road with him and he would ask us doesn't anybody else hear that! We would said 'You must be hearing things 'We don't hear nothing... .:laugh:
Those were the days....ThumbUp

It just makes me think of my tinnitus. At least that's what my wife is trying to make me THINK I have. I know she can hear the buzzing wherever we go!

 

[rhino 2]

It just makes me think of my tinnitus. At least that's what my wife is trying to make me THINK I have. I know she can hear the buzzing wherever we go!

I ride Solo.... So the Tinnitus keeps me company..... I know my wife has super hearing, Hears every word i mumble under my breath...:gah: