I'll give it a shot. Just an educated guess -- but I figger it's same reason cowboys gussied up their saddles with conchos or sewed fringe to the sleeves of their buckskin jackets -- to fancy themselves up a bit and stand out from the crowd. Kind of a frontier fashion statement, back in the day.
I'm thinkin' tassels are probly a throwback to that, as well as when they're whippin' in the wind, they kind of exagerrate the feeling of motion, sort of like a galloping horse's mane. To further the association, notice how you still hear the phrase "iron horse" occasionally to refer to motorcycles. I had 'em on my bicycle when I was a kid (along with clothespinned playing cards on the forks to approximate motorcycle noises when the spokes riffled them). In my own mind, I was the epitome of cool (!) -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en.
