What would ya say?

[marcusorelius]

Stopped at the grocery store today after a ride over to Laughlin (collected my super bowl bet ) A scraggeley lookin guy comes up to me and starts asking me about my BMW (it's a FJR) I say it's a yamaha. He looks suprized and says " I wouldn't ride a yamaha" My thought was to say "are ya stupid?" but I know there's no win'n a battle with the "the only m/c is a harley" mindset. Besides who needs the aggravation so I just said it's got a top end of over 150. He said "no thanks I'll stick to my 100mph harley" (probably didn't even have one) Oh well ya can't fix stupid!

 

[Tyler]

So what's the problem? He likes his bike, you like yours. Rock on and ride safe. B)

 

[madjackdog]

So what's the problem? He likes his bike, you like yours. Rock on and ride safe

The problem, of course, is that one has to deal with an idiot who knows next to nothing about bikes, intrudes on your privacy, and lacks even a modicum of social graces.

 

[madmike2]

So what's the problem? He likes his bike, you like yours. Rock on and ride safe

The problem, of course, is that one has to deal with an idiot who knows next to nothing about bikes, intrudes on your privacy, and lacks even a modicum of social graces.

So, he's like 90% of the rest of the population of this country. It sounds likeyou reacted calmly, in a controlled fashion and were courteous.....

YOU WIN! :yahoo:

You don't have to deal with him any longer. You've sown some seed and it came up as a weed, now it's time to move along and leave him to his own devices. Imagine the poor soul who is married to him or is one of his progeny!?!?!?!?

 

[Tyler]

So what's the problem? He likes his bike, you like yours. Rock on and ride safe

The problem, of course, is that one has to deal with an idiot who knows next to nothing about bikes, intrudes on your privacy, and lacks even a modicum of social graces.

So, he's like 90% of the rest of the population of this country. It sounds likeyou reacted calmly, in a controlled fashion and were courteous.....

YOU WIN! :yahoo:

You don't have to deal with him any longer. You've sown some seed and it came up as a weed, now it's time to move along and leave him to his own devices. Imagine the poor soul who is married to him or is one of his progeny!?!?!?!?

I guess my point is who cares what he rides? Why not transcend the cliche "my bike is better/bigger than yours" and show a modicum of social grace? Why not say, really? You ride a Harley? My dad/uncle/friend has/d one of those... we all ride. That is the bond. I've met all kinds of people from all walks of life on all kinds of bikes. I don't ride an FJR but have been welcomed by many who do. It is about the love of 2-wheels and there is always a way to find that within our fellow riders and share a story or two. And if a particular person doesn't warm up that, so be it but I would still wish them well. :2cents

 

[madjackdog]

Don't get me wrong, I love it when strangers approach me and engage me in conversation about bikes. I've been riding for all of 6 months now, and I guarantee that I'm the one who gets the most out of these conversations. But to walk up to someone you've never seen, and insult them?

" I wouldn't ride a yamaha"

Emily Post would be appalled, and when Emily is appalled, I'm at least mildly chagrined.

 

[Tyler]

Don't get me wrong, I love it when strangers approach me and engage me in conversation about bikes. I've been riding for all of 6 months now, and I guarantee that I'm the one who gets the most out of these conversations. But to walk up to someone you've never seen, and insult them?

" I wouldn't ride a yamaha"

Emily Post would be appalled, and when Emily is appalled, I'm at least mildly chagrined.

:lol: I don't think Emily rode a motorcycle... but my response to this particular gentleman, with a bright smile and wondering eyes, would be, golly gee mister, why not? That would put him into a back pedal situation and throw him off balance... and then I would advance on him.

 

[DeweyIsgod]

One of the nicest things about the last 2+ months since I've been on the FJR is not having to deal with the "I didn't know BMW made motorcycles" idiot.

My favorite conversation with this type of guy goes something like this:

Them: "What kind of bike is that?"

Me: "It's an FJR (or BMW etc)"

Them: "Really. It looks neat, but I wouldn't ride anything but a Harley?"

Me: "That's nice...how many miles do you have on that Harley?"

Them: "I've got over 4000 miles on my 2005 dresser."

Me: "Really...sounds like you don't ride a Harley either."

 

[madjackdog]

I don't think Emily rode a motorcycle... but my response to this particular gentleman, with a bright smile and wondering eyes, would be, golly gee mister, why not? That would put him into a back pedal situation and throw him off balance... and then I would advance on him.

Tyler, you are absolutely right. You're playing Beauty to my Beast, and what a charming riposte. Completely puts him off his feed and on the defensive, yet upholding the tenets of politeness. I like it.

 

[marcusorelius]

The problem, of course, is that one has to deal with an idiot who knows next to nothing about bikes, intrudes on your privacy, and lacks even a modicum of social graces.

Yep the problem was I would NEVER walk up to someone and talk about their bike as if I liked it, and then find out it wasn't the make what I thought it was and say "I wouln't ride that make" It' always the guy who doesn't really have a bike that can act like this. A lot of harley riders in this town and I yet to have one parked next to me on my Kawasaki's and say something like this. Heck I even had a hells angel smile and laugh when he saw duke ride'n in his bag on my concours.

 

[old&slow]

I was riding thru New Mexico a couple years ago on my Kawasaki Concours....

I pulled into a McDonalds to grab a bite of lunch ,,, A man & woman in a car with Michigan plates

pulled in next to me,,,

they came in a sat a couple tables from me and the man started a conversation...

Ask where I was going ,, now long ,, etc.. etc...

Then he ask ,, "What like of bike you riding ?" I told him it was a Kawasaki...

Then in a somewhat louder voice ,, ( I guess so he could make his point ,,or so more people could hear)

He saids,," What the matter , Don't they sell Harley's in Ohio..??!!

In a very polite voice ,, I told him ,,,

" Yes they do sell Harleys in Ohio ,,, But I wanted a bike that would get me There and Back "

Kind of ended the conversation....

Just another asshat that probably never had his butt on a motorcycle ,,,

but with a " Well if I was going to ride a bike it would be a Harley" ,,, attitude...

Sort of like everybody's God Given Right , to tell you some horror story about a friend ,,

of a friend's second cousin that was killed or maimed , when they find out you ride a motorcycle..

The world is full of dipshits ,,, just smile and go on...... :yahoo:

 

[user 6393]

... but my response to this particular gentleman, with a bright smile and wondering eyes, would be, golly gee mister, why not? That would put him into a back pedal situation and throw him off balance... and then I would advance on him.

you RAWK!

:yahoo:

 

[ShawnKing]

Besides who needs the aggravation...

You asked, "What would ya say?" Either nothing or use my fave line:

"There's no such thing as a bad bike - gotta go now. Nice talking to you." And then just walk away.

one has to deal with an idiot who knows next to nothing about bikes, intrudes on your privacy, and lacks even a modicum of social graces.

Welcome to America - here's your sign.

 

[jmdaniel]

One of the nicest things about the last 2+ months since I've been on the FJR is not having to deal with the "I didn't know BMW made motorcycles" idiot.
My favorite conversation with this type of guy goes something like this:

Them: "What kind of bike is that?"

Me: "It's an FJR (or BMW etc)"

Them: "Really. It looks neat, but I wouldn't ride anything but a Harley?"

Me: "That's nice...how many miles do you have on that Harley?"

Them: "I've got over 4000 miles on my 2005 dresser."

Me: "Really...sounds like you don't ride a Harley either."

:lol: :lol: :clapping:

 

[old&slow]

One of the nicest things about the last 2+ months since I've been on the FJR is not having to deal with the "I didn't know BMW made motorcycles" idiot.
My favorite conversation with this type of guy goes something like this:

Them: "What kind of bike is that?"

Me: "It's an FJR (or BMW etc)"

Them: "Really. It looks neat, but I wouldn't ride anything but a Harley?"

Me: "That's nice...how many miles do you have on that Harley?"

Them: "I've got over 4000 miles on my 2005 dresser."

Me: "Really...sounds like you don't ride a Harley either."

I LOVE IT ,,,, :yahoo: can I use it ????

 

[v65]

I wouldn't ride a yamaha"

Probably a Burgman rider, bunch of conceited skooter riders they are. :angry: :lol:

 

[DeweyIsgod]

I LOVE IT ,,,, :yahoo: can I use it ????

Not without the expressed written consent of Major League Baseball.

 

[radman]

March is "Frank's a Laverda 1000 Jota" month.

 

[Tenchi]

I remember a BMW owner asking what kind of bike I had. The conversation went something like this:

Him: "How do you like it?"

Me: "It's pretty good. Very forgiving on a rider with heavy gloves, but not so much it's a pushover to ride."

Him: "Do you get out much?"

Me: "Oh yeah, put on about 4000 mi since I bought it in September."

Him: "4000 miles?! I put on 300 mi on my R1200RT since I got it 3 years ago..."

Me: *chuckle* "Well, I did just move here, so I wanted to see more of the state..."

I felt bad though. That poor R1200RT, sitting there unused... unloved... even if it is a BMW... I would still show it some love and take it for rides.