Video 31 Bronson Legacy

[@curtislund8322]

Bless you for starting this You Tube channel, it's amazing how this TV show affected people in a very positive way. I was in my teens when it came on TV and I watch all your videos, I have so many fun memories of getting my first bike and riding safely. Like Bronson.

[@buickman4878]

That is awesome! Thank you for watching!

[@terryross6070]

I was 16 at the time. I was so inspired by the show and Michael Parks. I was also known as Bronson around my neighborhood because I rode a bike. It started my love of motorcycles that started with me getting a job as a bike mechanic that lasted until 2017 when I retired. Still riding but only wrenching part time now. You brought back a lot of great memories by reliving my watching the show and how much I liked it and Michael Parks.

[@buickman4878]

Thank you Terry! I am glad it brought back great memories, that was one of my goals!

[@kennykittrell2549]

Hang in there. You might get there someday. I still ride motorcycles because of this show.

[@buickman4878]

Yep me too!

[@ernieroberts56]

Thanks. Locking forward to more.

[@buickman4878]

You bet!

[@martincvitkovich724]

There hasn't been a year gone by where I didn't sing The Long Lonesome Highway, while cruising on motorcycles since 1969

[@buickman4878]

Yep, me too! Thanks for watching!

[@peterloosigian7295]

A fantastic video wrap up of my favorite movie and tv show! You did us all proud and helped keep TCB alive. I don’t think anyone could have done better! And now I will follow your Bronson bike build……perfect! Peter

[@buickman4878]

Thank you Peter for all your kind words and encouragement!

[@matthewcody2963]

You are absolutely right, one of the shows ever

[@buickman4878]

Thanks for watching!

[@samueljeppsen9785]

Like you, the Bronson series helped start my love for bikes. Mine began in 1965 by my neighbor, a guy I called "Mr Beezer." He rode a highly chromed 650 BSA Lightening with trumpet exhaust pipes. Every time he started his bike, I stood still and listened until he was out of ear shot. My first bug bike, I bought from him. A 1954, 500 Matchless, thumper. I was 15 and the year was 1967. Bronson was my second motivator, and my first motivator to touring on bikes. I loved the series, still remember the opening lines with the guy at the stoplight in the station wagon. It was Bronson that created my love for the open road. I'm 73 now. Still ride. Ridden the equivalent of 16 times around the world, through 46 states, 9 Canadian Provences and 5 countries. Including having ridden from Key West Florida to Homer Alaska, twice. And like Bronson, most all of it was as a lonerider. My longest ride was 24K miles and 7 weeks long. My 2nd longest was 5 weeks and 14K miles long. My 3rd longest was 5 weeks and 8K miles long, through Mexico, Guatemala, British Honduras, the Yucatan Peninsula and Gulf of Mexico. I currently own 2 Harleys, an 03, 1200 Custom Sportster, a 2012 Dyna Superglide and an 06 Yamaha Stratoliner. On just these 3 bikes in my garage, I have over a quarter million miles on them. The equivalent of 10 times around the world. I loved your series reviews. It brought back a lot of sweet memories. I've even been to the National Motorcycle Museum, 3 months before they closed their doors for the last time. I credit Mr. Beezer for my love of bikes and Bronson for igniting my love for big V-twin's and the open road. I guess I can't ride for ever, I can tell 300 / 400 mile days are getting harder on me. But I love bikes. They clear my head. They are my special times with God. Like Bronson came to an end, I guess I will too. But not yet. I'm leaving June 3rd for a 2 week, 5K mile ride, again as a lonerider. Anyway, thanks for all the memories you ignited. You boys ever hook up again, I'd like to come, just as an admirer. I'll even buy you a burger. My love for bikes and the open road, runs deep and it all began with Bronson. So like you, I'll hang in there, at least as long as I can. Dios sea contigo mi amigo.

[@buickman4878]

Wow that is an awesome story and I envy your riding! I too have taken several long trips solo but not like you. My longest was 30 days and 11,000 mile from Little Rock, Ar to Prudhoe Bay and back. Then down to Key West and back. We are trying to do a 55th anniversary event some time this year. If it happens I will let you know. Thanks for watching!

[@ThatBobGuy850]

Great video, as always, Tom! We Bronson fans appreciate all the work you've put into them. It is funny, isn't it, how a one-season show could be so inspiring to so many people! It really was one of those "lightning in a bottle" shows that could not be re-created or sequeled. I may be wrong, but I think most of us fell in love with the *idea* of Bronson: Chuck it all, jump on the motorcycle and roam around the country doing good things. I still dream of it, but by now I'm way too old to make that happen (although I could). If only we had the money and means to do the really important (or silly) stuff when we're young. I, for one am happy that we didn't get any closure - that we never found out what happened to Bronson. To me, it's better to think that he could still be out there, roaming around and doing his "Bronson" thing. It leaves us all wondering: Did he ever stop? Did he settle down? Did he find a girl and get married? I can't imagine him doing *any* of those things, but since we never found out, we can all dream up various scenarios in our heads. It's nice that you donated your Bronson bike to Barber's! From Pensacola, Florida, Birmingham is only a couple of hours up the road. I sense a road-trip in the making...on my Sportster, of course.

[@buickman4878]

Thank you, I appreciate your feed back and observations. I have often wondered what would have happened to Bronson as well. Thanks for watching. My bike is NOT yet on display as of 4/5/2022. You should call before you go.

[@hondachopper6978]

Bronson aged, couldn't ride anymore, and made 2 appearances in the Kill Bill movies.

[@gerardlacey9384]

Brilliant, many thanks, I can only imagine how much work you have put in to making these videos. I mentioned to you before how much Then came Bronson influenced my life and definitely gave me my huge love of motorcycles and the freedom of travelling. I have never ridden in the USA through I visited in 1982, the wild west is also very much of interest to me. My sincere thanks to you for taking the time and effort to put these videos together, and if you're at ever at a loose end in Ireland I'd love to take you out for a few pints of Guinness. My very best wishes to you and yours. Le gra mor. Gérard. X.

[@buickman4878]

Thank you Gerard for your kind words and for watching. I feel the same way you do! And thank you for the invitation!

[@Holly1960-]

Bronson got me and my friends those motorcycles dreams in our hearts !!! We would ride our brand new Schwinn Stingray Bicycles.... pretending to be Jim Bronson.... Could not ride til my youngest Son graduated...I took the riding course, graduated, bought a Harley Davidson Sportster Iron 883 ! Been enjoying the long Lonesome Highways for over 7 years now ... Riding back country roads and the occasional over night trips on the bike.... SO MUCH FUN ! INDESCRIBABLY EXILERATING FUN !

[@buickman4878]

Good for you Michael! Thanks for watching!

[@jamesschaeffer1770]

Excellent content....thanks so much!

[@buickman4878]

Thanks! And thanks for watching!

[@srkwixdraw]

I do know that the Bronson bike used in the episode “Forest Primeval” was destroyed. The bike came back to Fullerton Harley-Davidson, which handles the West coast test fleet. Basically all H-D bikes for media use, magazine tests and so forth. That bike was not much more than a ball of bent and twisted Sportster. I had the job of trying to salvage usable parts off of it. Very little was saved.

[@reginaarcher4844]

Thank you

[@buickman4878]

Thank you for watching!

[@markwilliamson2795]

Looking for the original Bronson bike ? Might start with the Bud Ekins family...and those of his friends..

[@buickman4878]

Yep, that was a good idea and I have talked to his brother Dave but no luck. Thanks for the suggestions and for watching!

[@meissner14]

Be great to have a modern day remake of the show, Then Came Bronson II

[@buickman4878]

I agree! Thanks for watching!

[@dalecarpenter8828]

all my life growing up I was always going to be a biker ! 1984 I bought a 74 CB 750 k and I have road motor cycles all over CA OR WA up to canada ( didn't go into canada as they don't allow Americans ) ! I held the guns while the other 2 riders went across completing their border to border ride ( I rode with them from Brookings to the border ) ,and crossing off a bucket list item for myself !

[@buickman4878]

I almost bought a 1974 Honda CB750! Thanks for watching!

[@1958栗鼠くん]

いつも楽しみに、観ています。 ブロンソンの、バックの中には、何が入っているのか分かりますか??

[@buickman4878]

I'm always looking forward to watching it. Do you know what's in Bronson's back?? Thank you for watching. If you are asking what's inside Bronson's bags? The rear bag is a sleeping bag. The front bag from what I have seen has his clothes, tools, a radio and coffee pot. For the show, it was stuffed with foam.

[@phillipwallace2214]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The not so good tv show was a product of its time .A time that came and went in less than a years time. I recall having discussions with my friend at the time. We usually came to the same conclusion which was this guy needs to grow a pair.

[@buickman4878]

Thanks for watching Phillip!

[@jamesschaeffer1770]

I had a different take on the "grow a pair" thing: I felt Bronson's violence-is-a-last-resort attitude was an antidote to the uber-violence of the era -- referring to the Vietnam War -- and made him a unique and appealing character, especially in the biker world as we knew it.