FJR Riders gotta Represent! or, "them's fightin woids!"?

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Phugedaboudet

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So twice this season, the intolerable has happened. Twice I've been accused of being a Beemer rider!

Now I can understand how hard it is to tell the difference between the BMW roundel and the triforks, but c'mon! my rear drive isn't on fire or anything!

Tho I can see part of the reason for the confusion. Usually the only people crazy enough to ride either all the time or in less than perfect weather, rockin' a shiny hiviz vest, *are* the beemer riders. The more it rains here, the more people assume I'm riding one of "those" motorcycles. Dressing to be visible in inclement weather seems to add to the confusion.

So we as FJR riders gotta step up! BMW must not keep the title of the most dedicated, committed or soon-to-be-committed-to-an-institution riders! the crappier, windier, darker the weather gets, the more we need to be out riding! Cross country, more IBA representation, maybe we can strap on some semi-off road tires or something and have some Round the World rides or something?

Did you put your bike away for the winter? Are the roads free of ice for an hour or so at any time of the day? Glove up, layer up and ride-for the sake of our reputations! Don't let BMW misidentification happen to you! :)

 
Last summer I'm at a mega-motorcycle dealer in the Detroit area waiting on my son-in-law. Step outside to the smoking area and after a few minutes one of the salesmen asks me how I like my BMW. My bike was not in sight.

"Hmm, I look like that, eh ?". Salesman apologized for stereotyping when I told him I rode an FJR. ;)

 
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I'm still riding. So far the coldest I've been out is 18 degrees(F) but that's only because I draw the line at icy roads. I'll be back out soon though. May go for a ride this weekend.

 
On the other hand, I've actually been meeting more people that recognize it for an FJR. Whole different story that 4 years ago when I got the 06, even the first salesperson I approached had no clue what I was talking about.

 
I'd like to help but the Feej is under the bed sheets and on the battery tender and has been since Nov. 7. It snowed Nov. 8 and the street in front of my house has been ice/snow since. Maybe in March ...

Back in 1982, in Williston, ND, the crew I worked with used to give me crap for riding my 750 Sabre in cold weather. One day it snowed, thawed and froze while the bike was in the parking lot. I had to bring it into the shop to thaw the ignition switch before I could go home. Another time, I recollect it was Dec. 5 and the temperature was 3 degrees when I rode the five miles to work one morning. Had to nurture that reputation for borderline insanity.

 
If it's any consolation, the BMW riders are very good at instantly identifying that the FJR is NOT one of their own, and will snub you more effectively than any other class of rider.

 
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The one and only performance award I have on the FJR was by a cop who thought it was a Beemer, too bad he didn't write the ticket to a Beemer owner.

This summer I was in Oregon during the National BMW rally, the dang bikes were everywhere. Then I realized I could ride hooligan style as they would mistake me for a BMW rider, man did I have fun! :yahoo:

 
I have prominent reflective stickies saying "YAMAHA" on windshield and back of trunk with big ones on the sides of the trunk

I think since mine is an '04 and there must be Blue Silver BMW's or cause their emblem is blue/white, they commonly mistaken my as a koolaid drinker.

I fellow PGR local older than me rides a Suzuki Bergman scooter. He found a BMW tank emblem sticker and bonded it to the nose of his Scoot.

The looks it gets are just fabulous. Especially Harley riders will spend 5 full minutes examining the whole bike calling over their friends to point out the Beemer Scooter they didn't know Germany produced.

 
I fellow PGR local older than me rides a Suzuki Bergman scooter. He found a BMW tank emblem sticker and bonded it to the nose of his Scoot.

Yeah, I want to replace the tuning fork badges with those cute little horsey ones they stick on a Ferrari.

I have had a few non riders think my bike was a BMW. Don't bug me at all. They point to their car and most times I can't tell if it is a Camery, a BMW or a Kia....they all look alike to me...so not really offended if they think my bike is a BMW.

"Oh, its a Nissan Rogue...." (Looks just like the Ford Edge, the Mazda CX7 ,Chevy Equinox, Toyota Venza , or a Cadilac SRX.)

MMM...thinking I should start collecting different emblems to stick on the bike besides the Ferrari...

"Wow...I did not know Buick made motorcycles...."

KM

 
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I have had a few non riders think my bike was a BMW. Don't bug me at all. They point to their car and most times I can't tell if it is a Camery, a BMW or a Kia....they all look alike to me...so not really offended if they think my bike is a BMW.

"Oh, its a Nissan Rogue...." (Looks just like the Ford Edge, the Mazda CX7 ,Chevy Equinox, Toyota Venza , or a Cadilac SRX.)
Yeah, I say "thanks" for the "nice BMW/Ducati" and turn to their car and say "nice Camaro" (or "nice Mustang" if it really is a Camaro) So far I've gotten 3 funny looks but no comment, and 1 "uh, that's not a Camaro" to which I said "that's ok, that's not a BMW..."

Now "nice bike!" is fine, but hey, if you're going to try to be a poseur "oohh, I *know* bikes" chap, you're leaving yourself open to having someone take the piss.

One time I was on my SV-650 (a Suzuki - you know, the squared-"S" logo...) and someone asked why I put dollar signs on my tank. "Is that some sort of bling thing?" :blink:

 
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Beginning to sound like Harley vs Metric. No problem! I'm used to it.

I threw down the gauntlet today to my BMW ST riding friend for a Sunday ride in the rain. It should be nuking. We are in an all-time top five weather event here in CA. Might be a good test of the rain gear.

 
I ill be riding out to the Long Beach motorcycle show tomorrow and I love riding in the rain. I pulled the rain gear out and it should be a good ride.

 
What's a BMW? Big Motorcycle Momma Bring More Wallet? Oh, that's Papa Chuy. :D

Hugs & kisses. :D
Yeah, I hear you loud and clear Bluesy; it does get old with people walking up to your Papa Chuy and saying "Nice FJR", they also mistake me for George Clooney too!

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