Harley Riders

[Guest]

My boss, who rides a HD, invited me to go on a HD bike rally this Friday. It is to the Lake of Ozarks. Sounds like a good ride, but I'm not sure about going on a ride with nothing but Harleys. He said it is sponsored by the local HD club, but anyone can attend.

Has anyone had any good/bad experiences with Harley riders, expecially in a group. I know I have my own opinions about them. My brother is a prime example, if you don't own a HD he won't even talk to you. I've been told I drive Jap-Crap, Jap this and Jap that.

I know that when I drive down the road and see another Sportbike, I always get a wave back. I give a little wave to every bike I see. Many many times Harley riders don't even flinch when I give them a wave. What exactly is the deal with them, does anybody know? I see that members of this board still own or have owned HD's. Opinions?

[This message has been edited by Busa_Owner (edited 08 September 1999).]

 

[OB_SoreHead]

Before the Busa I owned 2 Harleys. We went on runs and other people joined in alright. Not that many though as i guess they felt they probably looked odd with all that chrome and noise. who knows. Anyone that goes on about jap crap or harley crap or whatever is just plain sad. if we all liked the same bikes in the same colours there never would have been Harleys or Busa's or anything else for that matter. Variety is the way forward. Even in Harley's I never liked the Big Softails (more a chopped type for me) but i would never tell an owner his Heritage was a bag of poop?? makes no sense. I guess you get people like that everywhere though. Go on the run. Most of the people there will be great about it especialy real bike lovers seeing as yours is so new to the market. You'll probably get a bit of slagging too but that's all part of it.

 

[OB_Dirty Pete]

Busa_Owner, I ride with Harley guys regularly. These particular riders are motorcyclists, not bikers. It's the bikers who descriminate against Jap Scrap and won't wave.

The Harley guys I ride with love the Busa, and I've let a couple of them try it.

ONE CAUTION: Harley guys tend to be cruisers, and if you find a sustained 70 mph cruise hard to deal with, you're going to be frustrated.

Why not ride down with them, then back on your own so you can get your speed fix?

At's what I do.

 

[OB_Cisco San Jose]

I own two Harley's,92Fatboy,94Hertiage.The Hertiage was bought for my wife but now she does not want to ride after a near death accident.Anyways the older Harley riders don't like other brand motorcycles,not all of the Harley riders are that way,just the dumb ones.I've been to most Hog rally's same old poop,riders looking bad,acting bad,"look at me I'll kill you look".Anyways most bikers are good hearted it's just that they have to put up a front some kind of image thing.I had Harley riders spit on me when I use to ride my 88VLX600 Honda shadow and yell at me to buy a real bike and it's funny cause one night some Harley rider was stuck on the Express way with a flat front tire and it so happens it was a 19" rim size same as my Honda anyways I went home to get my spare tube and came back and gave it to him and he offered me money and I said no,I told him someday someone may need help like you and just help the person out no matter what bike they ride and I rode off.Now bottom line,lots of bikers in California are crying about the helmet law,but not to may of these biker guys are doing much to repeal this law and not to many of the other motorcycle groups are willing to help,maybe it was that many years of bad mouthing Japanese bike riders.Anyways to bad the world is the way it is for the bikeing communities.If you ask most bikers what brand TV they got I bet it will be Japanese brand,and some of the Harley parts are made in foreign countries plus chrome parts are chromed in these foreign countries.Anyways hope the Harley riders who had bad habits wake up and smell the roses.My Hundred Dollar's "HD"worth!!!

 

[OB_FalconCOP161]

Luck of the draw..most Harley riders Are Cool,,some are the Hard Core sugar Bikers. With a bike as Cool Looking as the Hayabusa Most Harley guys will just Stare..and the Loser Bikers who Don't Like The Busa or any "oriental" Bike,,just ask if they'ed like to race and Bet your Title..that should Shut him up

161 ®

[This message has been edited by FalconCOP161 (edited 09 September 1999).]

 

[OB_timos]

I hear Harley guys *can't* wave back - if they reduce the death grip on the bars, the fork vibration would make them crash.



[This message has been edited by timos (edited 09 September 1999).]

 

[OB_Dirty Pete]

So Busa_Owner, after all this hot debate about H-D types, what's your decision?

Is the cheetah going to play with the elephants tomorrow?

 

[OB_Cisco San Jose]

Dirty Pete,we are all going home tonight and break out the old YSR-50 race bike and ride down the road and wave at Harley Riders and ask Hayabusa riders if they want to race for Pink Slips!!!!!

 

[OB_KawAbuser]

Some of my friends from the trailer park ride harleys, and almost all of them admire the Busa for what she is. Only once have I heard that "my buddies Dyna will blow off my Busa!"

What I find the best laugh in is when they huddle and talk about how much American Greenbacks they stuck into those pigs. Two of my friends spent six thousand on their motors alone. And all I can think is why bother, but to each his own.

H.O.G. on! (Hayabusa Owners Group)

 

[Guest]

If they are true motorcyclists they would love to have you ride with them. However, if they are the Johnny come lately yuppy with a Harley because its cool.(Look Ma I'm a Biker) who doesn't know anything about bikes they might care, but who cares what they think. I have a '92 Fat-Boy. When a Harley yuppy says get a real bike, I don't say I have one. I just say I would get one except there are 4 things I look for in a bike:
1. Power
2. Speed
3. Handling
4. Reliability
You can always spot the wannabe bikers, they are the ones with the apparent idling problem. "How much noise can I make at this stoplight?"

 

[Guest]

Dirty Pete...I'll be there. I hope that maybe some other Busa Guys will join in. Jeffw said he may be interested. The problem for most is short notice and it's on a Friday. But anyway, I'm going. I have to, I just got back from buying a new leather jacket and a Susuki half tank bra. Got to show off the Busa.

Jeffw...I send an e-mail to the address listed in your profile, let me know if you didn't get it.

[This message has been edited by Busa_Owner (edited 09 September 1999).]

 

[OB_Kenichi]

Somehow, patriotism turns H-D guys into sugarbritches. Made in America this and that, in all honesty those things are only assembled in Milwaukee. Theres even plans for bulding Sportsers in Brazil! Don't most H-D bikes come with Showa suspension components and Denso ignition parts? Not to mention all those chrome dress-up parts are made in Taiwan, the tranny is built in Germany last I heard. About the only thing American maybe the IMAGE. I have nothing against any of those bikes, except maybe some of the people who ride them. A harley-man maybe your local accountant that gets dressed up in rivetted leathers on the weekends so he can give himself an ego boost of sorts. True, some people almost seem to think spouting garbage about "Jap" bikes are actually apart of the Harley Davidson ownership experience.

 

[sherm]

I seem to be getting a lot more wave backs from Harley riders than I used to. Harley has become the entry level bike for a lot of new riders, kinda like the Honda 90's back in the sixties. Some of these new riders will decide they like motorcycling and move up to better machines - Busa's for those who like power and speed, and Valkyries for those that like power and chrome.

[This message has been edited by sherm (edited 09 September 1999).]

 

[OB_jim p]

A friend of mine has a Harley with a S&S motor, this bike has over 30 grand in it. The bike makes a 108 hp on the dyno. which i guess is not bad for a Harley. Well this is were it get funny, because the last time this guy owned a bike was in 1970 a 750 honda. At the local hang out two sundays ago he was saying how the HD would stay with a Busa thru fourth gear. The race was a sad sight for the harley guys, if you could call it a race. This first time harley guy with his new black leathers and skull helmet did not have a clue, all he could say was what gear were you in. This guy shaved his head when he bought the bike, he told me it makes him look bad ass. I have known this guy for 20 years,and he should not even be driving a car on the street!!!

 

[OB_Dirty Pete]

One of my best old riding friends is senior mechanic at Jacox Harley here in Toronto, so he deals with a lot of Harley guys every day.

He says that the Harley biker-wannabe RUBs consistently have more attitude than the real MC bikers. That they're ill tempered and disrespectful to him, and that to keep his job he has to take shite from them all day.
He says it's the worst part of his job.

He tells how RUBs (who are mostly poseur dentists and TV commercial producers etc.) ride to his dealership, park in the service area, start to walk away from their bikes then turn back to admire themselves in the mirrors and adjust their daring little pony tails. Then they wander the dealership for a hour or two, buying nothing. Adjusting their chaps and smoking fancy cigars.

In my friend's opinion, for these Harley biker-wannabe RUBs it has nothing to do with the riding experience. It's strictly something they do to bolster their poor self image.

Most of them, he says, can't ride worth pee and are, in fact, afraid of their 65 horsepower 2-wheeled chesterfields.

I respect MC bikers for the life they've chosen. When they trash Jap bikes, I have to remind myself that blind conformity is important in biker ranks. Their anti-Jap bike mentality helps bind them together, as do their totally rigid dress and conduct codes.

But those Harley RUBs? I have nothing but disdain for people who buy a motorcycle just to intimidate others in order to boost their withered egos.

Shatter their windshields with your pipe every chance you get.

 

[OB_Michael Poulicakos]

Screw them,
If you wave to anyone on any bike they should have the courtesy to wave back.
In my opinion the riders on the Harleys that do not wave are the ones that are riding there first bike and they have never owned other brands to experience the differences, of power, handling, wheelies, ease of cleaning etc.
What it is they have never amounted to be anything to speak of in life, and are riding there first bike that they bought only because a buddy has one. They never experienced anyone ever paying attention to them until now.
So when you acknowledge them on the bike they tell themselves they are now Cool! ( so they do not wave,and think they are now special ).
I have owned six brand new Harleys since 1993,also Two Zx11D"s, One Katana, Two Suzuki Low Slingers in the 70's if anyone can remember them. My present bikes are a 98 injected Road King and the Hayabusa.All I can say is I wave to everyone. Owning Harleys Or Imports does not make me a snob to anyone.
What it means is I love machinery anything with wheels and if I had more money my FuXXing garage would be full of ever ride you could imagine.... SO -

Screw Those - Where Does The key Go!! ( Type Of Riders!!!

 

[OB_jeffw]

Hey Busa_Owner, where do you live? I'm in the Kansas City area, we should get together for a ride if you are near. I also know that one other person on this list is in the same area.

The Ozarks will be a nice ride, I would go I'm sure it will be fun. Does not matter they ride HD, just remember you won't need 4-6 gears on the ride

 

[OB_Dirty Pete]

Cisco San Jose...that is totally the eternal spirit of motorcycling in action!!!!!!!!!!

 

[OB_cbxchris]

My reply to the Harley guys when they ask me when I`m going to wise up and get a hog is...When they buy a car would they buy one that...has no power,won`t handle,vibrates like hell,breaks down constantly,and cost the most and almost forgot you have to spend another couple thousand to get the proper clothes...and is of 1940 design and function...would they really buy a car like that? I WILL STOP RIDING BEFORE I OWN ONE PERIOD......ITS ALL IMAGE ...everytime I see the harley road race team I just laugh!!!!!!! Sorry guys that my dollars worth...not trying to step on any ones feelings and if someone wants a harley they should get it just don`t try to tell me how great they are....I still think when the fads over they will be back like they were in the late 70`s and Hollywood can`t save them this time.

 

[OB_Mr Bear]

You can probably break the Harley-American-Japcrap attitude thing down by IQ level. If somebody has an IQ above about 75, they know that modern Harleys have Japanese and Taiwanese parts, and are better machines because of it. They also know Hondas and Kawasakis are made on Ohio and Tennesee.

If they are too stupid to get a clue about that, let them keep their heads up their butts...don't worry if they don't wave back.