"Biker" is a stereotype term to me. It's usually used by the public in a negative conotation, and the word "Harley" usually isn't far behind.
I've owned Harleys and learned everything I could about them, including restorations, how to make them perform, handle and stop better. Am I a Biker? (actually a genius, if I made them handle, stop AND perform better. ) Most modern day motorcycle owners can barely add air to their own tires, for god's sake.
I also owned my fair share of Japanese bikes, did trackdays, and restored one Triumph and an Indian. Does that make me a Motorcyclist?
I disagree with the statement that "Hard core Bikers are gone", when I can show you guys that live, breath and shit motorcycles, 24/7. I's their primary mode of transportation for one reason or another, as well. To me, that's a biker. They can repair, if not rebuild their own machines and rely on friends help, and parts supplies to do so, not drop their bike's off at the dealership and pay with a credit card later. Not unless it's under warranty..... the brand of bike makes no difference. I'll make exceptions for some of the FI bikes and computer controlled crap out there.
It is an interesting topic, though.
I find today's "Bikers" have changed, in that most people that own Harleys or big cruisers don't know squat about repairing them, only that it's a symbol, or an image that they think makes them look tough, or not to be messed with. I actually know one guy that bought one, cause he heard that he'd get more girls with it, cause "Chicks dig Harleys......." He ended up selling it after 3 years and 2 women, that after finding out what a dooosh-bag he really was, didn't care about his penile extension that leaked fluids and set off car alarms.
Most of these people are middle aged men, with good jobs, cause not many people are willing to drop $20+k on a special interest form of transportation. Then it's off to the boutique, to buy leather and boots and a salad bowl for a helmet, or wear none at all, cause it's "all about expressing your freedom". (yeah....your freedom to die in a Trauma Unit, due to Closed Head Injuries)
Motorcycling for a lot of people, has become an IMAGE. We can thank the Discovery Channel for this, with shows like OCC, and Jesse James and the rest of the cookie-cutter choppers hitting the market and flooding the world with crappy handling, loud, over priced motorcycles for pussies that got beat up in highschool.
Most of these tools can't even change their own oil. I have a coworker that bought a $32K Big Dog Chopper, and trailered it 2 hours back to the dealership to get his oil change. It's sickening..........
Don't call me anything. Just leave me alone, and let me work on my bike, or go out riding it. Don't pull out in front of me cause you drive a big SUV, and think you're safe in it. Get off your cellular phone and watch the lanes of the road, and get out of mine. And please, don't ask me rediculous phucking questions like, "Can it spin the rear tire?", or "Can you ride a wheelie?". The answer to both of those questions is YES. Now go away.....
Rigor,, that post was so long my ADD did not allow me to read it. But I'm sure there are some words of wisdom in there so I printed it out to read during my next dump...
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2002 RC51 (and I have the frame stickers to prove it!) www.nickbee.com
Well said. Its a topic that has many different schools of thought. I can say that when I started out riding 10 or so years ago, it was just as cliche and streotyped, and that a jap bike was still a bad thing. Here I am deciding on what cruiser I wanted and I could see the quality and style on all these different bikes but being from central Michigan were Harleys are in every garage, I also had to consider Mr. Davidsons older Sportsters. I appreciated all these different bikes but which one to go with. I went with a 1980 Honda CM400 as a smaller starter bike and came up on older japenese standard bikes (76 XS 650) before finally getting into full fairing sportbikes.
My dad has had an 84 Softtail for 15 years or so and that thing has had every piece of drivetrain replaced at least twice not to mention the heartache it caused him every time it left him stranded. I could never see why he never shit canned that thing especially since the HD name on a brake caliper costs 3 times as much as any other. So why try and ride the damn thing when if it really is about "riding" and not what you ride. He finally accepted my japenese choices because they were smart choices that cost him nothing and never needed any work done to keep it on the road.
These days its sad to see grown ass men still trying to join that invisible club of coolness. Bumper stickers, slogans, ashtrays and HD golf shirts all designed to imply they are better than you. Does it make you any more of a man to make that much noise and not go anywhere on such a slow, heavy chromed out bike? What about the whole chicks thing? Biker babes on the back of full dressers are not the most attractive out there. So whats left? Get a bike that stirs up something in your soul that makes you want to ride it and not sit and stare at it. Nothing wrong with chrome, (I happen to dig that Aero 1100 you got Rigor) but dont buy that screaming eagle master cylinder cover for 325 bucks just because its chrome. It will still leak just like the stock one. But seeing the transformation of the typical HD rider is just sad since I know hardcore bikers and they too join this opinion that these Custom Choppers are not anything but a fad.
I agree with you Dave, except I'm one of those guys on a steep learning curve since I got into the sport so late in life. well anymore now 21 is young to start any sport. but I have learned sooo much in the last few years, thanks mostly to this board and Rouge, as well as a good solid community here where I live....
I agree with you Dave, except I'm one of those guys on a steep learning curve since I got into the sport so late in life. well anymore now 21 is young to start any sport. but I have learned sooo much in the last few years, thanks mostly to this board and Rouge, as well as a good solid community here where I live....
If Ronnie sees that, he'll suggest you be banned for a week, from Rogue
Rigor,, that post was so long my ADD did not allow me to read it. But I'm sure there are some words of wisdom in there so I printed it out to read during my next dump...
Biker, Motorcyclist, Stunter, Racer. I don't care what you call them (or me), but they are all enthusiasts in their own sport. You are one of the above for many reasons including enjoyment of the 'open road', a twisty canyon, a quiet country highway, an abandoned parking lot, or a racetrack. We are enthusiasts.
The other label, "The Poser", rides for an image. These people ride the exact same bikes we all do, just for a very different reason...to 'look' cool! These people are the detriment to our sport, because after they ruin the way the public looks at sport bike riders, they will just quit and move on. We simply cannot quit, it's in our souls, and we will have to fight harder to improve the way the general populace sees us...as we truly are.
We are cool, not because of what we ride, or how we ride it, but because we truly enjoy motorcycling. Keep being an enthusiast.
Thought it was interesting that the newbie in question was just stating he just likes to ride his bike and doesnt want to be a label or pretend to be a label, unlike so many others.
Not sure of the name you called me. It is ok to swear if need be. Sometimes **** doesnt exactly get your point across.
I agree with you Dave, except I'm one of those guys on a steep learning curve since I got into the sport so late in life. well anymore now 21 is young to start any sport. but I have learned sooo much in the last few years, thanks mostly to this board and Rouge, as well as a good solid community here where I live....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rigor
If Ronnie sees that, he'll suggest you be banned for a week, from Rogue
i will only assume he was refering to his time spent with the Khmer Rouge.
if he was refering to the moulin rouge then yes he will be banned for a month.
I do too (just got done with my evening dump),,,, If you ride it you should know how to work on your bike and/or surround yourself with people who do. I have much more respect and appreciation for my bike (and myself) because I work on my bike (even if I do some bonehead things along the way)...
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2002 RC51 (and I have the frame stickers to prove it!) www.nickbee.com
i will only assume he was refering to his time spent with the Khmer Rouge.
if he was refering to the moulin rouge then yes he will be banned for a month.
oh and i agree with everything dave posted.
My grammar gets a little crazy sometimes when I drink...... it's been a long week
What's worse is I drink Rogue beer, they even brewed a special batch of beer for my unit when we came home from Iraq
I live a short distance from the Rogue River, and am a member of the Rogue site........ I'll take my beatings now
Thought it was interesting that the newbie in question was just stating he just likes to ride his bike and doesnt want to be a label or pretend to be a label, unlike so many others.
Not sure of the name you called me. It is ok to swear if need be. Sometimes **** doesnt exactly get your point across.
If a person questions why he/she rides then it is pretty much a no-brainer the love of machine is lost on them thus the stereotyping gets worse
Some guys can spin a wrench some guys can't. that is fine ,but when people get iffy on the topic of what they ride and why they ride and then proceed to ask who they are it bugs me.
I'm no-one special but I shure as hell get sick and tired of hearing the same old crap every day...
Your crazy
It's just amatter of time
Do you have a death wish !
pop a wheelie
be careful ....well that one is O.K.
And last but not least "what's up with the outfit" you look like a power ranger.
Mostly the difficulty of having to respond to those that don't get it and never will is a waste of time and alot of them share the motorcycle parking area where I work.
And NO I cannot relate to wishy washy who do I want to impress or emulate type of B.S.
I tried to say I love you ,but I'll leave that to the hoff
Biker, Motorcyclist, Stunter, Racer. I don't care what you call them (or me), but they are all enthusiasts in their own sport. You are one of the above for many reasons including enjoyment of the 'open road', a twisty canyon, a quiet country highway, an abandoned parking lot, or a racetrack. We are enthusiasts.
The other label, "The Poser", rides for an image. These people ride the exact same bikes we all do, just for a very different reason...to 'look' cool! These people are the detriment to our sport, because after they ruin the way the public looks at sport bike riders, they will just quit and move on. We simply cannot quit, it's in our souls, and we will have to fight harder to improve the way the general populace sees us...as we truly are.
We are cool, not because of what we ride, or how we ride it, but because we truly enjoy motorcycling. Keep being an enthusiast.
Rigor,, that post was so long my ADD did not allow me to read it. But I'm sure there are some words of wisdom in there so I printed it out to read during my next dump...
Who the hell actually reads on the toilet? I sit on the toilet to shit or piss. And I don't go there till I'm ready. Why sit on that uncomfortable ring unless you need to? I don't get it. Do people actually read while on the toilet?
Who the hell actually reads on the toilet? I sit on the toilet to shit or piss. And I don't go there till I'm ready. Why sit on that uncomfortable ring unless you need to? I don't get it. Do people actually read while on the toilet?
You don't have magazines next to your toilet? strange...
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2002 RC51 (and I have the frame stickers to prove it!) www.nickbee.com
I bet that Rogue beer tastes like shite. Did you post on the Rogue site? I bet they got a kick outta that one.
actually, they (Rogue.org) have known about it for years. and no, it's probably one of the best breweries in the U.S. Just go to their website and check out their numerous gold medals and the fact that they are the largest micro brewery in America.
Biker vs Motorcyclist
) Most modern day motorcycle owners can barely add air to their own tires, for god's sake.
He ended up selling it after 3 years and 2 women, that after finding out what a dooosh-bag he really was, didn't care about his penile extension that leaked fluids and set off car alarms.
faggit
"03 RC"
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