Mistaken for BMW?

[Karmak]

Just curious because this has happened to me on at least 3 occasions, all by HD riders. Lat time was yesterday on my way home from Americade. A HD was trying to catch me so I'd slow to 80 or so, let him approach and then bury him. At a small town, he pulled next to me at a light and asked "What size is that? I't awfully quick for a BMW!" I told him "Its not a BMW, it's an FJR. I'm fairly certain he doesn't know what an FJR is. I know the circle emblem may be similar to the BMW logo (I have an emblem of the tuning forks on the backs of the bags). I'm thinking that if a bike catches some respect in the Harley world it must be a BMW (for obvious reasons)-there are so many STs out there that look fairly similar from a distance, like the Honda ST, Kawi Concours, etc.???

 

[GPRIDER]

Just curious because this has happened to me on at least 3 occasions, all by HD riders. Lat time was yesterday on my way home from Americade. A HD was trying to catch me so I'd slow to 80 or so, let him approach and then bury him. At a small town, he pulled next to me at a light and asked "What size is that? I't awfully quick for a BMW!" I told him "Its not a BMW, it's an FJR and I'm not even using the nitrous." I'm fairly certain he doesn't know what an FJR is. I know the circle emblem may be similar to the BMW logo, but he was never close enough to see them (I have an emblem of the tuning forks on the backs of the bags). I'm thinking that if a bike catches some respect in the Harley world it must be a BMW (for obvious reasons)-there are so many STs out there that look fairly similar from a distance, like the Honda ST, Kawi Concours, etc.

More than once. Much more.

GP

 

[shokdimn]

Twice in the last 6 weeks.

Both were HD riders.

And, both were enthusiastic riders that I enjoyed talking with.

 

[wfooshee]

Happens all the time. If it's got bags, it must be one o' them big beeamers.

 

[Cdogman]

I have been mistaken for a ferrari enzo before.... zat count

 

[HuskyRider]

Weird you should post this question, twice yesterday. First time during the ride while stopped at an intersection and by my neighbor last evening.

 

[madmike2]

Uhm....its been happening since late 2002 when the first '03 FJRs were delivered.

Old news....just plan on a good answer. Most other bike owners don't know what ares is, as with FJR owners (a mass generalization) can't tell the difference between the various Harley models or, at a distant glance, between any cruisers.

Its not disrespectful, its merely an opening to talk about biking "in general".

[SIZE=8pt]Of course, I used to tell them it was the new model BMW designed and built fot he Japanese market and only a few are imported into North America. But that has been "blown" since the end of the PDP program.[/SIZE]

 

[sonicspeed]

almost everyday

 

[TechJunkie]

almost everyday

Had mine a month and it has happened a couple of times.

 

[Knifemaker]

Yes, ALOT.

And I don't care really.

Sometimes I will **** with them and tell them it is the new motorcycle from Masserati.

Or I will say it is a Yamaha and they will go.."Really?"

Or I will say it is BMW FJR1300 and let them stay confused.

As mentioned , I can't tell what model Harley someone has and even alot of the sport bikes on the road all look pretty much the same to me, so if someone that is not at all familar with motorcycles thinks my bike might be a BMW , they can't be blamed for not knowing the truth.

About 90% of the cars on the road I likely can't tell who made it until I see a logo somewhere .......

KM

 

[Docholiday]

It could have something to do with the fact that the Japanese engineers who designed the FJR spent a lot of time in Germany with the express purpose of building an UberBMW. I don't think the resemblance to a BMW is mere happenstance. The Japs really caught the Germans by surprise so much so that BMW had to completely redesign the K bikes to stay competitive. The closest thing to a FJR in 2002 was a BMW.

 

[Ignacio]

Yes, but it was far more entertaining the time I parked next to a BMW and a stranger came up and asked him if it was a Yamaha.

.....he almost lost his final drive on that one and if I had been drinking milk it would have come out of my nose.

 

[ShawnKing]

Just curious because this has happened to me on at least 3 occasions, all by HD riders.

I don't talk to Harley riders.

Kidding! :yahoo:

I've had several people on all makes/models ask me about the FJR. I just tell them it's a Yamaha FJR1300 and ask them what they ride. No big deal.

 

[Fubar]

Only owned my FJR for a few weeks and it's happened twice. :angry2:

 

[Yamma Jamma]

Bags on...looks European

Bags off...looks Japanese...had it dismissed as a crotch rocket....which I took as praise.

Love my FJR.

 

[dadof5arrows]

In the last 2.5 years of FJR ownership...its happened to me quite frequently.

 

[snikr]

When I first got my 04 I had this happen about 6 times. I would just smile and tell them it was a Yamaha, and much less costly than a BMW.

Tom

 

[fjrob1300]

Ha ha I tell them it's a better bike than the BMW at a 1/3 of the cost. I get a lot of people asking what type of crotch rocket is that? I tell them " no no it's a Sport/touring that can tour really fast.

 

[87Doodle]

Most non-riders think there are only two kinds of bikes. Harleys and Crotch rockets.

When I'm on my Honda Valkyrie, people ask me if its a harley

( because they know harleys are big)

and when I'm on my FJR people think it is the same bike that they see going past them on the highway doing a wheelie .

Give the folks credit though, they may not know much about bikes but they know what a great motorcycle looks like as I get lots of compliments on both the valk and the FJR.