Has this ever happened to you ?

[Chuck A.]

Nobody ever talks to me.  :(

That's cause you ain't right. Harley riders usually polish the paint off. You ride it off. Strange man I tell ya! :o

[bblass]

No one ever talks to me on the harley either, but almost every time I ride the CB750 someone stops me to tell all about how them or their dad/brother/grandfather had one when they were growing up. Pretty cool aspect of riding a vintage bike.

And don't knock a harley until you've ridden one (excluding sportsters and "customs")! My dyna is one of the most pleasant motorcycles I've ever ridden.

[KrisCook]

Several years ago I had a K1200LT, VFR800, and a Road King police bike in my garage at the same time.

When I rode the Harley, sportbike riders wouldn't wave at me because I was the man...but would when I was on the Honda.

When I rode the VFR, BMW riders wouldn't wave at me because I was a squid on a sportbike...but would when I rode the K bike.

When I rode the Honda/BMW, Harley riders wouldn't wave at me because I was on Jap/German crap...but would when I was on the FLHP.

I thought it was funny, because I was the same guy regardless of which one I was riding.


I have been caught off-guard before though, and been guilty of stereotyping. After buying my Versys, I rode up to N. GA and stopped at a hole in the wall gas station in BFE. While pumping gas, I see an older gentleman in overalls gassing up his 25 year old F150.

He starts ambling my direction, and I immediately start to dread the "Izzat a crotch rocket?!" discussion that's about to happen. He greets me and asks, "That's the new Versys 1000 that just came out, isn't it? I've read several articles on it...how you like it? I like that color...it also comes in black, doesn't it?"

I get a kick of seeing who will wave to me when I'm on the Suzuki GS500 (a standard - no one else in the world rides a standard any more), wearing my HarleyDavidson jacket, my Triumph boots, in black chaps, with a hugemongous acid yellow Scorpion full face helmet.  And besides who will wave, it's fun to see HOW they wave. 

I wave like this:   

[IceCold4x4]

Several years ago I had a K1200LT, VFR800, and a Road King police bike in my garage at the same time.

When I rode the Harley, sportbike riders wouldn't wave at me because I was the man...but would when I was on the Honda.

When I rode the VFR, BMW riders wouldn't wave at me because I was a squid on a sportbike...but would when I rode the K bike.

When I rode the Honda/BMW, Harley riders wouldn't wave at me because I was on Jap/German crap...but would when I was on the FLHP.

I thought it was funny, because I was the same guy regardless of which one I was riding.


I have been caught off-guard before though, and been guilty of stereotyping. After buying my Versys, I rode up to N. GA and stopped at a hole in the wall gas station in BFE. While pumping gas, I see an older gentleman in overalls gassing up his 25 year old F150.

He starts ambling my direction, and I immediately start to dread the "Izzat a crotch rocket?!" discussion that's about to happen. He greets me and asks, "That's the new Versys 1000 that just came out, isn't it? I've read several articles on it...how you like it? I like that color...it also comes in black, doesn't it?"

I get a kick of seeing who will wave to me when I'm on the Suzuki GS500 (a standard - no one else in the world rides a standard any more), wearing my HarleyDavidson jacket, my Triumph boots, in black chaps, with a hugemongous acid yellow Scorpion full face helmet.  And besides who will wave, it's fun to see HOW they wave. 

I wave like this:   

Hey now I think there are still a few of us that ride standards still. And unfortunately my wave generally only gets a few fingers off the clutch as I swear I only see other bikes when I'm getting on it, never when I'm out for a Sunday stroll.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

[renchinrider]

Nobody ever talks to me.  :(

That's because when they see you and Sandy roll in on that ol' Hog, they can see the miles you've covered, and they're speechless with respect.

I remember once, I went to a Harley rally in Colonial Heights, VA.  I was walking around looking at all the bright, shiny new bikes (hadn't yet bought one myself), when a couple rolled in on a dirty old shovelhead with a little blue smoke puffing out of the pipes.  I expected some one of the organizers to shout to the spectators to "make way!" for a couple that really looked like they and that bike had seen some miles.

Klaviator and Springer are spot-on...It doesn't matter what you, I or anyone else rides--the joy is in riding!  I ride a Harley, too.  I wanted one since I was an 8-year-old boy.  And I wouldn't trade for it!  But I'm with the rest of the crowd when I say that nothing turns me away from a conversation faster than a bunch of that brand-centric trash talk.  I exit that scene as fast as I can, and look for the crowd that's talking riding and the simple (NO BRANDS!) pleasure of two wheels and a strip of asphalt!

See you (all!) on the road! 8)