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Davis Harley-Davidson in Burlington recently expanded. Harley-Davidson of Greensboro has dealerships in High Point and Reidsville -- the last one open only about a year.

"It's not the rough person's hobby anymore," said Davis, who also founded a No Rules group in North Raleigh. "Those people riding are not as much the hard-core people."

More than 300,000 people in North Carolina have motorcycle licenses, which require passing a road test. Many dealers and community colleges offer safety courses, but the state does not require them. "Not yet," said Marge Howell, a DMV spokeswoman.

Spend a night at any of the Triangle's biker-friendly bars and it's clear the culture has changed. No flying chairs. No broken-bottle fights. Not even very much leather.

Iron Horse Bar in Apex holds a poker night on Wednesdays, and you won't see a single bike parked outside.

Locked & Loaded sits next to an Office Max in Garner, and it inhabits a square brick building complete with a drive-through lane that looks like it might have once housed an Applebee's franchise.

Most of those clustered around the bar look about 25, and aside from Chinese characters tattooed on a few necks, they aren't menacing in the same way that, say, Marlon Brando was in "The Wild One."

You wouldn't exactly call them Hell's Angels, either.

But "you wouldn't want to call them yuppies, necessarily," said Kemmeries, the No Rules rider.

Inside Locked & Loaded, Tiny Hinnant is one of a few patrons who looks like a classic Harley rider. Long white beard. Confederate flag bandanna. He lived through wilder days and plans on riding through many more.

"Knock on wood," he said, rapping his forehead.

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