autoevolution
 

This Tiny Harley-Davidson Bell Will Keep Evil Road Spirits Away

“Live to ride, ride to live,” so says one of the oldest Harley-Davidson slogans, in perfect accordance with the rebellious, outlaw image of the Harley-Davidson rider.
The Gremlin Bell wards off evil spirits 6 photos
Photo: liljoejoe54 / hdforums.com
The Gremlin Bell wards off evil spiritsThe Gremlin Bell wards off evil spiritsThe Gremlin Bell wards off evil spiritsThe Gremlin Bell wards off evil spiritsThe Gremlin Bell wards off evil spirits
That may be a good pitch, but what do you do about those road gremlins? No rider, no matter how tough, strong or badass has ever been able to overcome the evil open road spirits without significant help. It’s tiny, it’s cheap (it could even be completely free, if it’s a gift from someone else), but it’s very powerful: the Gremlin Bell.

That’s what Harley-Davidson is calling it, but you may have heard of it under different names: the Guardian Bell, the Angel Bell, the Spirit Bell or the Rider Bell. All of them refer to the same thing: a tiny metal bell that riders tie to the lower part of their bike’s frame, with the purpose of getting protection against open road evil spirits. Or gremlins.

The legend of the evil road spirits goes way back and no one seems to know exactly how it got started. These bells are most commonly seen in the Harley-Davidson community, but they’re not exclusive. Through time, they have come to represent a way for bikers to bond, to welcome new riders into the group or simply show kind-heartedness.

Legend has it that the open road is packed with evil gremlins. They roam the roads looking for bikes to jump onto, so they can cause mischief – anything from serious crashes to unexpected and totally unexplained malfunctions. Once they cling onto a bike, there’s no way to get them off or stop them from doing harm.

The Gremlin Bell wards off evil spirits
Photo: harley-davidson.com
Unless you have one of these bells. You’re supposed to tie it to the lower part of the frame, as close as possible to the ground. Depending on who you believe, the gremlins are either attracted to the sound or they jump on the bell because it’s closest to the ground. The result is the same, though: they become trapped inside the hallow of the bell, where they will be driven mad by the constant ringing.

Apparently, in addition to being very evil, these gremlins are also quite delicate of hearing and they won’t stand the noise of the bell for long. Then, they lose their grasp on the bell and fall back on the road, which is how potholes appear. That last part is perhaps the cutest of the entire story, taking all the blame off local authorities.

You may think using one such Gremlin Bell is as simple as tying one to your bike, but there are certain rules you should consider. First and foremost, the consensus is that it’s best if you don’t buy one yourself. The power of the bell apparently lies in the good intention of whoever offers it as a gift, so if a friend or someone you love presents you with one, you should enjoy double protection against evil spirits.

Secondly, you should always tie the bell on the frame, as close to the ground as possible. Anywhere higher on the bike, the bell won’t work because the gremlins will have open access to the bike. The third rule says that you should never sell your Hog with your bell on. If you wish to pass the bell along, you must meet with the new owner and hand it over in person, otherwise it will lose its power.

Last but not least, never steal a Gremlin Bell from a bike. If you do, you will steal the Gremlins with it and it will lose its power. Karma – you know what they say about it.

The Gremlin Bell wards off evil spirits
Photo: harley-davidson-verona.com
This last “rule” is perhaps key to tracing back the origin of this legend in the Harley-Davidson community. In the 1950s and 1960s, in the early days of bikers, they used one such bell as a cheap alarm system, to alert them if someone moved their bike in the middle of the night. This could have evolved into today’s tradition.

Another possible explanation could be the found in the bells WW2 pilots used to hang in their aircraft, to bring about good luck. Many of them moved their bells onto their bikes when the war was over, and this could have morphed into the Gremlin Bell as we know it today.

Whatever start the tradition of this tiny bell has had, one thing is certain – and Harley-Davidson vouches for it: as long as you use it, you can be sure Gremlins won’t cause any malfunctions or accidents on your hog. So “screw it, let’s ride.”
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Elena Gorgan
Elena Gorgan profile photo

Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories