Harley: It's all in the name

A first-grader at View Ridge Elementary School, Harley Groller didn’t even know how to ride a bicycle yet.

But when he first hopped on a dirtbike several months ago, it turned out he was a natural.

His father, Jeff, didn’t see it coming. He rode a bit when he was younger but that was years ago. Harley, whose middle name is David, nods when asked if he thinks his name may have something to do with it.

Mom and Dad entered Harley in a race, thinking it would be good practice for him. Then, he almost won the darn thing.

“He got second and then a whole lot of firsts,” Jeff said.

Harley started out on an old Suzuki that wasn’t even fit for racing.

“It was a piece of junk,” Jeff said. “No suspension, it wasn’t fast. Nothing.”

Now Harley rides a newer orange KTM bearing the number “06” for the age at which he started riding. Why a KTM?

“’Cause it’s faster,” Harley said.

That first race Harley was in took place in Port Angeles June 12, less than a month after he got his bike.

His next five races were for the Pacific Northwest Championship Series, and by winning four of them, Harley took the 50 cc oil injection class title. He also took home a Washington State Championship.

Next it was the Top Gun Team Shootout in Washougal where Harley competed for the BBRC (Bowtie Construction, Bays End Excavation, Race Prep by Ralph and Cliff’s Cycle Center) team on his oil-injected bike that was one of the slowest in the 50 cc class race.

No matter, the boy overcame the disadvantage to finish second only to his teammate and friend Jacob Seeley.

Along the way, Harley has taken a few spills, only one of which put a scare into him. A bad crash in Washougal had everyone a little worried.

“I had to race in grass. I got done with a turn where it was slippery,” he said. “There was this big muddy part where I landed on a hill.”

But Harley was quick to get back on the bike afterward.

“If he sees me running to help him, he doesn’t want to be embarrassed and just gets up and goes,” his mother, Joanie, said.

Harley also has a friendly rivalry with is sister, Alyssa, 8.

“It took about a month or two to (be able to) beat him,” Alyssa said.

She got interested in motocross after seeing her brother get off to an amazing start and has collected a few trophies for herself since.

Harley’s next hill to climb is an attempt to qualify for nationals, either in Las Vegas or Tennessee.

He will also participate in his first indoor races later this month next month as well in Clark County along the Oregon border.

Then, early next year, he’ll get to have a homecoming race finally.

“Racing Under the Lights” is scheduled for Jan. 28, Feb. 4, 11, and 18 at Kitsap County Fairgrounds.

As far as his family can tell, they will be the first races in Kitsap County in decades.

Expect Harley David Groller to show his hometown a thing or two about racing motorcycles.

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