Living Life to the Fullest: Harleys Have Been Roaring for EVIM in Hattersheim for 25 Years

You hear them before you see them. On this Saturday afternoon on Dürerstraße, the deep rumble of the engines is a pretty sure sign: They’re finally back! This time, 16 Harley-Davidson motorcycles are rolling into the courtyard of the new EVIM residential building run by EVIM Teilhabe, where they’ve been eagerly awaited for quite some time.

The joy is immense. Everyone knows each other, greets one another warmly, and embraces. Because what began 25 years ago as a volunteer initiative has long since become so much more. Friendships have blossomed from the annual reunion, which many residents look forward to for weeks in advance.

About 45 of the 53 residents from the EVIM residential buildings on Dürerstraße and Schulstraße are attending the anniversary event. The Harley enthusiasts arrive, decked out in leather, along with a good two dozen fans. For them, the visit to Hattersheim has become a natural part of the year, yet it’s never routine, says Wilma Goebel, who belongs to the “hard core”—that is, she’s been there from the very beginning. The chapter is very community-minded, she reports. They’ve even ridden up to a children’s hospital before, but the connections to Hattersheim are something special. “This unique friendship that has developed, and the encounters—that keeps us grounded,” adds Michael Koch, president of the Wiesbaden Nassau chapter, who has been active for 20 years now.

Anyone who wants to can come along—and they’ll be in good company

While some know exactly which Harley they’d most like to ride the moment they see the bikes, others approach the experience cautiously at first. And some simply watch and enjoy the hustle and bustle in the courtyard. It’s all good—no one has to, everyone is welcome to.

Anyone who wants to join the ride receives active support from staff and Harley enthusiasts. A properly fitting helmet is, of course, part of the experience and is carefully adjusted. The routes are also deliberately kept short: From Dürerstraße, the ride takes small loops to the Naturfreundehaus in Weilbach and back again. This keeps the tour manageable. Anyone who starts to feel a little unsure along the way knows that the Harley will be back at the familiar spot in no time.

One of the oldest participants in the program demonstrates particularly impressively that, with patience and many helping hands, things that initially seem quite difficult can become possible. Eighty-two-year-old Manfred is in a wheelchair and is determined to experience the thrill of riding a motorcycle again. So everyone puts their heads together and pitches in until he’s safely seated on the bike. Then it’s time to go.

In fact, there’s a lot of activity in the yard this afternoon. Motorcycles are returning, the next riders are standing by, helmets are being swapped, and everywhere people are chatting, laughing, and taking lots of photos. The grill is sizzling, and people are gathering under the party tents to chat. The Harley friends come across just as they’ve been known here for years: down-to-earth, resourceful, and with a truly big heart for social causes.

Small gifts for a great friendship

“After the event is before the event,” says Nils Bayer, director of the EVIM Hattersheim Housing Cooperative. Because no sooner have the last bikes disappeared than some people are already mentally looking forward to next year.

But this time, for the 25th anniversary, there’s something else that will last. Susanne specially crocheted numerous colorful ribbons for the Harleys. And both sides of this long-standing friendship have surprised each other as well. The Wiesbaden Nassau Chapter e.V. presented the residential community with a large commemorative collage: photos from 25 years together are arranged around the impressive chapter logo. “This will get a place of honor in the residence,” promises Nils Bayer. And the residents have also prepared a wonderful gift: a canvas adorned with small, colorful motorcycles and miniature tools, complemented by each resident’s fingerprints. A place of honor has already been set aside for this as well.

What’s palpable this afternoon is this: It’s not just a few motorcyclists stopping by once a year. This is where people who know each other and look forward to seeing one another come together. The rumble of the engines and the joy of riding are, of course, part of it. So do the gleaming Harleys. And the friendship that has been returning to Hattersheim time and again for a quarter of a century. (hk)