Bike Night in the big City

[raydog]

Yeah, I wish this post was full of great pics and glamorous stories......I swung by the weekly bike night here in town and it's usually really interesting with MV's, old Ducaties, etc.. There's the Supermoto boys, the sportbike riders, the restored/cafe racer guys and the Harley crowd.

Well, tonight it was Harley's only, not by rule but by coincidence. I kinda tried to be friendly from group to group and noticed a tendancy......the "harder" 1% type were the least friendly and talked about bars, women's body parts, F words used every fifth word spoken. When I got in a conversation with guys that had vintage BSA's, BMW's, cafe bikes, it was really fun and interesting and I learned stuff. So that's my observation, am I being an elitist bastige? Be gentle and I know it's not a valid scientific sample of the motorcycle community but it sure fit the stereotype tonight! I left early. Doyle

 

[mr8ball]

I have never understood why most HD riders are like that. I have been places and talked with them about bikes and when we go out side and they see what I ride their whole attitude changes. It's never made any sense to me. When you go to a show and 90% of the bikes are HD you can pretty much bet you are not going to have a good time unless you are on one. I use to ride my busa with a group and all had HD and everything was fine until we met with others and I could see some change but just let it go. It was not worth saying anything or starting trouble over it. Sorry it turned out that way for you. Maybe it will be better next time

 

[cheferman65]

Sad, isn't it. It's the #1 reason I don't like going to the local bike nights here.

 

[kromdom]

I thought TRUE 1%-ers don't DO bike nights? My guess is those guys were posers, unless they were one of these guys: Top 10 Notorious American Biker Gangs

 

[Gpmo]

I have had the same experiences but would like to say, Try pulling up to a bike night on a HD sometime when its all import riders.

 

[BUSA CRUSEN]

I actually met a Bandito in Packwood who was part of the Spokane "group?". He was actually a really cool guy to talk to. My buddy was on a Interceptor and I had a 600rr at the time. He pulled up on a Hardly with a semi stack for exhaust (parallel with the ground) and chatted us up for a good half hour. Turns out he wanted to sell his Harley and buy a Buell cuz they were so fast. Guy was probably 40 or 50 and rode his buddies sportbike for the first time and loved it. They aren't all bad I guess

 

[raydog]

I thought TRUE 1%-ers don't DO bike nights? My guess is those guys were posers, unless they were one of these guys: Top 10 Notorious American Biker Gangs

That's actually a great point.....these guys were big, loud, somewhat dirty, very tatted up, their bikes ranged from rat bobber knucklehead to $35k showbike with a rear tire wider than a bread truck.....but, they were NOT the true 1%...Vagos, Hells Angels, Satans Slaves, on and on, they ain't showing up at some typical bike night.

BUT, generally speaking (call em the 2%ers or something) there is this bada$$ macho visual that they cling to...it's actually a very interesting psychological profile....they sure don't let motorcycle industry/general culture knowledge get in the way. One guy was talking to me (must've thought I was an HD rider) saying stuff like, (when a female rode on on a Sportster)"it used to be, if b****** wanted to be on a bike, they sat behind a man". I wanted to say, "yeah, cause they're inferior to us men and they're not entitled to be on their own bikes". He would not have known I was being sarcastic! I don't want to leave folks thinking I'm looking down at anybody, just how different their "take" is on the world of motorcycles and what is offered for the enthusiast. Maybe I am "being uppity", I simply think a great deal of the "Harley crowd" misses a lot of great stuff available in that greater world of motorcycles. Raydog

 

[Jacobs]

I would be willing to bet as high at 90%ish of the HD riders around here wouldn't lift a finger to acknowledge a sport bike rider

 

[BusaBret]

I got nothing against the bike. I ride with one quite a bit. It's a shame that anyone limits themselves to a small % of what the riding lifestyle has to offer.

From my dunce stool :cookoo:

 

[raydog]

I got nothing against the bike. I ride with one quite a bit. It's a shame that anyone limits themselves to a small % of what the riding lifestyle has to offer.

From my dunce stool :cookoo:

Yeah, besides wide open exhaust trend with v twin guys, I like the bikes too....I think it's the general Harley culture issues that gets me (and I ride with some Harley folks that are nothing like that BTW).

 

[Lazerblade]

I have both. My Busa and a Road King. Both can be idiots. Both can be cool. It's the person, not the bike. The real HD crowd is harder to enter if your not on one from my experence. I don't even do "the wave" at the HD guys/gals anymore if I am on my Busa.

 

[BusaBret]

Yeah, besides wide open exhaust trend with v twin guys, I like the bikes too....I think it's the general Harley culture issues that gets me (and I ride with some Harley folks that are nothing like that BTW).

You just have to overlook the exhaust as that is all they have and you know that loud pipes saves lives



From my dunce stool :cookoo:

 

[kitchener rider]

depends on my mood but i will park right dead nuts in the middle of all the harleys,, couldnt give a rats as.s about them. i kinda like the attention.. my wife just calls me pot stirrer...fill with appropriate foul language

 

[dadofthree]

 

[t5stang91]

most are the same way around here, when gm was here it was way worse. They think they are the hard core and ride so much and think we are all just stunting squids. Until i tell them how much i ride and that usually takes the wind out of their sales as they have a hard time leaving the city because ya know it is scary out there... The people i work with that have harleys laugh at me because i ride rain or shine and never wash my bike. They don't ride because there was a cloud in the sky and i just tear them apart every chance i get, all in good fun though.

 

[Amode]

Well here is my opinion. I ride both bikes, And have no problems with either groups. I ride up to Alices sometimes on my Busa and i put on my Cowboy boots and leather pants and rest of gear. There are a lot of Sport bikes , And a lot of harleys. The sport bike riders just look at me and are not friendly. I like to screw with people. They all wear the full suits and i come up on my Busa with cowboy boots. I have a lot of HA friends in the bay area i can go any were they are and all love the Busa. The real problem is with the women the guys love them but the women just glare and say no you are not getting one. So its just who you know and how you present yourself. Its funny if you ride a biycicle, Sports Bike, Harley you have to dress and act like them i don't and have no problem's. I ride my harley with my busa leathers, I ride Busa with harely Stuff. So That's what i think.

 

[raydog]

Well here is my opinion. I ride both bikes, And have no problems with either groups. I ride up to Alices sometimes on my Busa and i put on my Cowboy boots and leather pants and rest of gear. There are a lot of Sport bikes , And a lot of harleys. The sport bike riders just look at me and are not friendly. I like to screw with people. They all wear the full suits and i come up on my Busa with cowboy boots. I have a lot of HA friends in the bay area i can go any were they are and all love the Busa. The real problem is with the women the guys love them but the women just glare and say no you are not getting one. So its just who you know and how you present yourself. Its funny if you ride a biycicle, Sports Bike, Harley you have to dress and act like them i don't and have no problem's. I ride my harley with my busa leathers, I ride Busa with harely Stuff. So That's what i think.

Do you ever ride a bicycle with your chaps and cowboy boots on? I will ride from Reno to Alice's in a heartbeat to see (and film) that! Doyle

 

[Stripes]

I just think the HD comes with the "Bad-ass" tag really just as the Ducati is associatedd more with class and finesse. Ride a sleek red Ducati and people will look at you different.??? Its more of an image issue here. Guys with that "bad-ass" attitude associate themselves with that "bad-ass" bike and the reverse is also true...the "bad-ass" bike will also tend to be associated with that "bad-ass" category of people.

 

[raydog]

I just think the HD comes with the "Bad-ass" tag really just as the Ducati is associatedd more with class and finesse. Ride a sleek red Ducati and people will look at you different.??? Its more of an image issue here. Guys with that "bad-ass" attitude associate themselves with that "bad-ass" bike and the reverse is also true...the "bad-ass" bike will also tend to be associated with that "bad-ass" category of people.

Hello to you in Kenya! How awesome that you are on the ORG! Doyle

 

[BUSAnomics]

I go to bike night at a local bar every once and a while and I dont ever have any problem out of those guys. I love how those harleys and choppers look personally but I dont run over to them and jump on their jocks about their bikes. I had a cute girl who rode a harley to tell me jokingly that my bike was JAP CRAP. I told her that her Harley had foreign parts on it and she didnt believe me.

I wish I had a print out of all the parts that were made over seas on a Harley so I can remember it and straighten the next ash.hol.e who calls my bike JAP CRAP or deny the fact that their bike has foreign parts on it!