twitch

Yesterday, I took a ride up to Harbor Springs, Michigan (250 miles). My grandmother passed away on Friday and I went up to my uncle's house to share some memories and have some fun, wake-style, before the funeral next week.

I stopped at a rest area around Bay City and, when I came out of the facility, I noticed that a couple of Harleys had parked beside me. I gave the riders a polite wave as I mounted my bike, and, in return, I got an unprovoked kick in the teeth!

The chick said, "Will that thing even make it to 70?"

At first, I played along--I'm a good natured guy, and I know my underpowered ride is less than impressive to HOGs. I said, "Yeah, she'll do 70...but just barely."

Then, the dude chimed in: "Bet those gerbils are workin' hard at 70!" (yuk yuk!)

I thought, I have had it with this crap. I've had enough of Harley snobs making snide comments, refusing to acknowledge me on the road, all of it. I wasn't bothering these people, I was just minding my own business. I wasn't trying to fit in with them at a rally, I didn't try to run with their pack (not that I could have), and I didn't park next to them at the rest stop--they parked next to me. Where the hell do these jackholes get off thinking it's okay to bust my chops? So I said:

"You know what? You look like good people. You don't seem like the type that would make fun of someone for being poor--at least, not to their face. If you had a brand new Lexus, you wouldn't park next to a complete stranger who was driving a rusty 1996 Toyota Celica and say, "Is that P.O.S. road worthy?" But that's exactly what you just did.

"I bought what I could afford. It's fun to ride, it gets me where I need to go and it gets great gas mileage. And, because it's a Honda, it will still be doing those things when your Harleys are being melted down and sold as scrap."

I didn't wait around for their reply; the stunned looks on their faces were all I needed. I was putting my gear on while spouting my monologue, so I started up my bike and took off. I considered adding something about compensating for shortcomings in the genital area, but I didn't want to push my luck. They both looked like they could take me in a fight.

What torques me the most is the hypocrisy. HOGs are so proud of their counterculture. They're all about thumbing their nose at fitting in with social norms and they supposedly cherish their individualism. So what have they done? They have created a different set of "norms" within their own pathetic little sub-society and, if you dare to be different, they shun you and shower you with ridicule. A snob is a snob, whether he dines on caviar at a country club or covers himself with ink and races barstools at the bike rally.

This latest incident has made up my mind about my next bike. If I ever get to a point at which I can afford a Harley, I will not buy one. I'll get a top-of-the line Honda, maybe a BMW--anything that doesn't sport the HD logo. I have no interest in joining that club.

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2008 Rebel 250 - 11,500 miles

People are more violently opposed to fur than leather because it's safer to harass rich women than motorcycle gangs. -- Alexei Sayle

Guba

Sorry to hear of your grandmothers passing, my condolences.

Not all Harley guys are like that. I rode with three Harleys yesturday, and my remark to them was "yeah, I'll let you guys ride with me even though you don't have a Rebel". It was all fun.

But there are some that are "brain washed" to think that if you don't own a hog, then it's not a bike. I personnally think Harley "anything" has a price tag of too much! As they say, "a fool and his money are soon parted". At least that's how I look at it.

When I get to work next, I'll be sure to rub it in their faces that I rode 208 miles before reserve. Just had a Sea Foam treatment.

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Some days beer tastes good...other days beer tastes better!

'07 Rebel 250 26,000 miles

jax

I was one of those types many years ago when it wasn't the in thing to ride a hog. Back in the late 60's and to the mid 80's. Then came all of the (rich urban bikers) RUBies, with more money than sense. Some of them made the Harley group a little to hard for me to get along with. None of them really have paid there dues.
That is my rant and rave for tonight.
It doesn't matter what you ride as long as you enjoy yourself and keep the shinny side up and the rubber side down.

Ride safe

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JunkyardDog

I like Harleys, have ridden a couple of Sportsters, but never owned one. I am definitely not a snob. I do plan on buying a Harley in the not to distant future, a 97 or older Electra Glide. I don't want it to impress anyone. Japanese engineering is definitely better than the older Harleys. But nobody supports old Japanese bikes. If they did, I would buy one. An older EVO powered carbureted Harley has got to be the simplest bike in the world, has an unbelievable amount of parts available, and can be rebuilt indefinitely. And that is what I am looking for. The motorcycle equivalent of my old car and truck. Something that can be kept going forever, something with no electronics or emissions crap on it. I want the Electra Glide because I want a big comfortable bike with lots of carrying capacity. The only "bad" part of the deal will be being mistaken for part of the Harley "scene". I like the bikes, but not the culture that has grown up around them. However, most people who are seriously into that ride brand new Twin Cam fuel injected Harleys anyway, and probably wouldn't give me and my 15 year old bike a second look. Harley riders claim to be into nostalgia, but they don't want the real thing, they just want the look, with the exception of really hardcore bikers, and I'm not one of those either. Maybe I'll take the H-D emblems off, and put Honda stickers on.


I have also ridden the new Goldwing 1800 (my boss has one) and it is a truly impressive motorcycle (of course, for over $20K it had better be). But like all Japanese bikes, and all new cars, it is built to be disposable, to be used up and scrapped, and replaced with a new one that will have even more electronics and emissions crap on it, and cost a lot more. I just don't want anything else to do with disposable vehicles. My car is 46 years old and still runs like new. And it will, forever. You will never see that from a new car. Jerry.

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Danzavier

That sucks man...i passed a harley guy in town and waved and all i got was a stare down haha...no big deal.

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"Flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss."

Justin
85' Classic 250 Rebel.
http://www.hondarebelforum.com/pictu...&pictureid=603

cagie

They are not individuals. They have to have everything Harley, which makes them less of an individual and more of a groupie. Those kind have NO idea what being a biker is really about. I usually don't give those kind the time of day, and just go on my merry way, feeling sorry for them, not me...

You will know the real people. The ones that look at you and laud you for riding, even taking time to have a real conversation. They have been there and understand. they are not covered in HD.

It's all about heart, desires, and the willingness to follow your path.

I laugh at someone who professes to want to ride (live to ride/ride to live), but won't because he/she "can't afford a Harley" and refuses to go with anything else. Period. They are not truthful to themselves much less the rest of the world.

Like you said, don't feel bad about riding what you can afford. Truth is, you are probably having more fun than they ever will because of all the money you are saving in maintenance, fuel and psycologists. Bet yours is paid off too!

Sort of on topic: My father wanted to buy me a new jacket for my birthday. He was eyeballing one at the local HD dealer. It was $675. I told him to wait. The next day we went to a small leather shop in town. I showed him the same jacket (even better becasue of the venting) for $129. He asked why the huge difference. I told him about the HD name, the marketing and the "culture" and that I refused to buy into that. Plus I got a new good quality jacket and chaps and gloves and hat.

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Comments contained in my posts are not intended to cause physical or psychological stress and are mearly my two cents worth, and in this economy, that's cheap!
87 CMX250C 'the Pygmy Pony'
87 CMX450C 'Black Lithium'

wannabeyooper

Sorry to hear of your grandmothers passing, my condolences also. I have a relitive who invited himself to ride with me one day. I was handed the comment "you should feel privliged to ride with him. He usually only rides with other Harley riders". His wife knows nothing about bikes. Example she doesn't know the difference between whats a Cruiser, sports bike, etc. I said hey mines paid for, it fits me, and I didn't invite him to ride with me anyway whatever. On this ride he showed off by stoping quick in front of me, passing cars, etc (being stupid and reckless). I just kept going my own pace and laughing to my self thinking what ever if you think you are impressing me ok you are such a jerk. But I have also met decent people who drive Harleys. I might consider a 883 someday but it's not in my budget and I am happy with the 450. Some people just don't get it do they? The wife has thought some of my bargin boots, jackets were Harley stuff and about fell off her chair when I quoted the prices of them too lol!

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twitch

Thanks for the condolences, folks. Grandma was 90 and her passing came after a long, slow decline in health. It's never fun to lose a loved one, but we had plenty of time in this case to come to terms with it and to say goodbye. I'll miss her but she went out peacefully, with no unfinished business--nothing for any of us to regret. Can't really ask for more than that.

My Rebel is not paid for, actually, but at least the payments are small. And I did that 500-mile round trip on about 7 gallons, riding almost WOT the whole way.

I'm not much of a joiner and I don't care to pay twice as much for a motorcycle as it's worth, nor four times as much for my gear, just to get the approval of a clique by having the HD logo on display. To me, that's no different than paying a ridiculous markup just to make sure my shoes say Gucci on the soles.

On the other hand, I'm not big on judging others for making that choice. If that's what makes you happy, hey...cool, bro. But you're right about all those things, Cagie, and the next time some fool decides to pull that stunt with me, I'll be sure to point it out. "Okay, you have decided that we are now going to judge each other. Let's play!"

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2008 Rebel 250 - 11,500 miles

People are more violently opposed to fur than leather because it's safer to harass rich women than motorcycle gangs. -- Alexei Sayle

Fridgitator

Not all Harley riders are the same, of course, but the whole bike culture has changed drastically over the years. Bikers are bikers, but motorcycle owners are older on average, actually hold jobs, have kids, etc. A bar that I used to hang out at was chosen as the Sunday afternoon hangout for a bunch of "bikers" when their regular bar closed. There were a couple of Scorpion types, but most of these guys were posers who ride about ten miles a week, to park their shiny bikes on display with a bunch of other overpriced bikes while they nurse a beer for an hour or so and pose in their leathers. Most of them talked about the most recent mod performed by their mechanic, and what they are planning to do with their 401K. A very dull group overall, and I would value their opinion on tax deductions far more than their opinion on anything to do with motorcycles.

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Henryinva

Yeah Fridge, that about sums it up..Their usually wearing more than I got in my bike...

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"Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he's too old to fight,
he'll just kill you!"

Rest easy Vic...5-15-58/10-28-2010