Different worlds..

[Bungie]

So yesterday (and today) its pretty nippy up here. I wired up my power outlet to my Centech and thought I'd go for a little ride. Keeping in mind, it was about 40F with a strong gusty North wind and overcast. Its the kinda cold where it hits the bone in pretty short order.

I throw on my gear, with liners (no electrics) and go for a ride. I'm fine, in fact, really fine. But I noticed at every Tim Hortons and corner store theirs Harley's everywhere. What the hell. I swear, I saw 50 of them. No riders in sight. I keep going and catch up to a group of 3. Pipes resonating, chrome blinging, chaps flapping. Passengers trying to become one with the riders. Literally.

Without any warning, the lead guy pulls off the road. The other two pull in behind him. I slow down to see if theirs a problem, because I'm good that way. All I can hear is swearing "Fock THIS I'm freezing! I'm parking it till JULY!" The riders and passengers have tears streaming down their faces from the cold. One of the passengers is wearing wool mittens and a touque under her beanie.

Okay, I think to myself, no issues, just cold. I move on. I ride another 50 or so miles and stop for a coffee at the 'biker Tims' here in town.

4 more guys on Harleys parked there. Their all sitting inside trying to warm up. You know, two hands wrapped around the cup. I know one of them. Turns out the local HD dealer had their first annual (probably last annual if they hold it again the 1st weekend in May) Poker Run. I later find out, through frozen lips, that something like a 100 bikes showed up for it. Most bailed after the first stop.

... and then it happens....

"You look like a 'tard dressed like that" one of them says to me. This guy, in another circumstance would be looking at my eyes saying "3 or 4", "better or worse". Dick.

Unbelievable. This guys sitting there with hypothermia and he's calling ME a 'tard?!

Nothing to be said. I finished my coffee and went home, comfy as can be and left them sitting in the coffee shop - no doubt waiting for the truck to haul their bikes back home.

 

[str8]

To most owners of said bike, owning and riding them is more about how you look and who is seeing you, than it is about how you feel and what you're seeing.

 

[exskibum]

... and then it happens....
"You look like a 'tard dressed like that" one of them says to me.

I have only ONE thing that I can't stand about Hardleys:

THAT fucking attitude by the posers found on them!

I can appreciate a Harley for what it is, and can even appreciate the chrome and the mods a Harley owner might make to his pride and joy. Not my cup of tea (though 35 to 40 years ago, it was) for a number of reasons, but I can appreciate something done well in the vein in which it is intended.

But the attitude by a bunch of posers that theirs is the only REAL bike and that they are the only REAL motorcyclists is just way too ignorant, arrogant and hypocritical to me. Not to mention antisocial. Low class trailer raised dirt bag comes to mind. Yesterday, riding to meet up with some FJR friends**, I must have passed 30 to 40 bikes going the other way, with at least 3/4 of them being Harleys or metric cruisers. I waved at every one. Every non-cruiser waved back. Maybe 5 of the cruisers waved back (probably all the metrics).

** I was on my Blackbird, since the Feejer is in the garage with tank and lower fairing panels still off, but they accepted me anyway (imagine that!!!).

 

[user 6393]

That's classic and a no-win.

I met a man last spring, oddly enough in a Timmies, about a year ago. Me on my FZ6, him on a Honda Shadow.

After politely discussing motorcycling for a bit he launched into the inevitable "I could beat you going into ANY corner on my bike, ANY day". So then I started questioning him about his ride. How many HP, weight, rake, trail, ergos etc and just exactly what did he base that comment on? Then I preceded to tell him a bit about my "little 600" starting with how as she sits stock she has more than double the HP and weighs quite considerably less than his low slung POS and is actually designed to accelarate and corner, quite unlike his bike.

Well, the return conversation deteriorated rather quickly into insults, ending with an exasperated "So? I look waaaaaaaay cooler on my bike than you do on yours" (of course, he's dressed in regular Harley biker uniform duds, chaps, vest n'all)

I got up and said, "To each their own I guess. I'd prefer a young fit man in 1 piece racing leathers over an old 1/2 bald guy in chaps hands down...Have a nice day riding your penis extender"......and I left

Good times... :evilsmiley:

 

[rushes]

That's classic and a no-win.
I met a man last spring, oddly enough in a Timmies, about a year ago. Me on my FZ6, him on a Honda Shadow.

After politely discussing motorcycling for a bit he launched into the inevitable "I could beat you going into ANY corner on my bike, ANY day". So then I started questioning him about his ride. How many HP, weight, rake, trail, ergos etc and just exactly what did he base that comment on? Then I preceded to tell him a bit about my "little 600" starting with how as she sits stock she has more than double the HP and weighs quite considerably less than his low slung POS and is actually designed to accelarate and corner, quite unlike his bike.

Well, the return conversation deteriorated rather quickly into insults, ending with an exasperated "So? I look waaaaaaaay cooler on my bike than you do on yours" (of course, he's dressed in regular Harley biker uniform duds, chaps, vest n'all)

I got up and said, "To each their own I guess. I'd prefer a young fit man in 1 piece racing leathers over an old 1/2 bald guy in chaps hands down...Have a nice day riding your penis extender"......and I left

Good times... :evilsmiley:

Good for you Barb...

But old, fit, 1/2 bald guys guys in a touring suit, might be worth a look..



I know, I'm married. Jus tryin' ta help my old, 1/2 bald brothers....

 

[user 6393]

Honestly? attraction for me it's not about how much hair or fitness level or (insert sterotype/physical attribute here) a man has, or has not.

It's about confidence, plain and simple. Nothing more unattractive than an insecure human trying to bolster his (or her) ego with 'stuff' that does not matter. I like genuine people who are comfy in their own skin. It's that simple.

He was insulting me, so sadly, I went down to his level and shot back, from the hip...

 

[rushes]

Honestly? attraction for me it's not about how much hair or fitness level or (insert sterotype/physical attribute here) a man has, or has not.
It's about confidence, plain and simple. Nothing more unattractive than an insecure human trying to bolster his (or her) ego with 'stuff' that does not matter. I like genuine people who are comfy in their own skin. It's that simple.

He was insulting me, so sadly, I went down to his level and shot back, from the hip...

That's why I like you.

Somewhere inside, not sure where, and I don't care, you've got balls....

:thumbsup:

 

[exskibum]

That's classic and a no-win.
I met a man last spring, oddly enough in a Timmies, about a year ago. Me on my FZ6, him on a Honda Shadow.

After politely discussing motorcycling for a bit he launched into the inevitable "I could beat you going into ANY corner on my bike, ANY day". So then I started questioning him about his ride. How many HP, weight, rake, trail, ergos etc and just exactly what did he base that comment on? Then I preceded to tell him a bit about my "little 600" starting with how as she sits stock she has more than double the HP and weighs quite considerably less than his low slung POS and is actually designed to accelarate and corner, quite unlike his bike.

Well, the return conversation deteriorated rather quickly into insults, ending with an exasperated "So? I look waaaaaaaay cooler on my bike than you do on yours" (of course, he's dressed in regular Harley biker uniform duds, chaps, vest n'all)

I got up and said, "To each their own I guess. I'd prefer a young fit man in 1 piece racing leathers over an old 1/2 bald guy in chaps hands down...Have a nice day riding your penis extender"......and I left

Good times... :evilsmiley:

Hehehe -- a classic, Barb! Way to let him know you were impressed and ready to swoon. So those posers do that to women riders too?!? Unbelievable!

Three years ago, right after getting my '03 Blackbird together with all the goodies on it, I rode it over the Sierras to help my Mom move. As I merged onto I-80 at maybe 65 to 70 mph, a Harley with an extended front end, rigid frame (I think) and mounted by a dirt bag in Nazi helmet came up from behind as I merged. For a couple seconds, we were side by side in different lanes until he looked over, downshifted and gave me a big blast from the volume control so I could get the full benefit of those awesome straight pipes as he began to pull ahead at warp *snort* speed.

It took me a second to digest just how ignorant this bag was and laugh at what he was doing. He was maybe 3 bike lengths ahead when I grabbed my twist grip (which made less noise than the stud's HD), stepped on the shifter for greater effect, blew by with a lightened front end and left the bag like his rear brake had seized. I was laughing for 5 minutes climbing the westbound incline out of Truckee after that. How can these guys think (and even openly tell the rest of us) that they ride the only REAL motorcycle when they don't know enough about motorcycles to have the first clue about motorcycle handling or power? I remember thinking that my dirtbag challenger's bike had no chance against any 600cc inline 4 cyl. Japanese bike, but against a piped 1137cc XX !?!?! With lighter wheels, a 4-2-1 pipe and mapped PCIII, I'm sitting on about 530 lbs (wet), roughly 145 HP at the rear wheel with a really healthy torque curve, and he picks a roll-on to challenge me???

Small brains, big egos and little dicks on too many of these idiots. There are some real riders among Harley owners, but that HD lifestyle marketing nonsense has produced way too many of the type you ran into -- apparently, even the metric cruisers picked up some of that overflow from the HD marketing.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Ok, since we are on the subject:

The weekend I bought my FJR, I was riding a Honda VTX1800 to Pagosa Springs CO, with a group from our local Harley dealership. I had been on rides with these guys before when the dealership was owned by a truly nice guy who simply loves bikes. Never before had a problem.

This time, my best friend was on a Triumph Sprint 1050 and we had been pushing for the front of the group for most of the ride. A lot of those guys ride kind of slow, so the group breaks into two groups for the fast and slow guys. Well, some riders got pissed that the two "Jap" bikes passed them and got in front of them. At a gas stop, my friend and I were told that the front spots, behind the leader were reserved for the Harley Owner's Group (HOG) members only, and we could not ride up there.

The next day, we told them to kiss off and I went and bought my FJR. Since we were still staying at the same hotel, we pulled in on our ST's. We were talking with one of the dealer guys when some shit-bag Harley rider pipes up that he doesn't want us riding with them on our "Goddam" Jap bikes. Well, I have never really been known for my tact, so I first reminded him that he was a jackass because a Triupmh is English and not Japanese. Then I told him, "Well, if I paid too much for a rolling piece of shit, I would be mad too if two guys on faster, more dependable, less expensive bikes were out riding me up too." That pretty much ended the conversation and I will never go on a ride with those jackasses again; although, I do ride my Jap bike to their dealership on Sundays for free cokes and hot-dogs.

Oh, well...It's not all of them, but there has to be one in every group.

OH...And Bungie: I woulda asked the guy with the "tard" comment, "So how's the cold treating you frosty?"

 

[juniorfjr]

Maybe a "Tard", but a warm and comfy one.