How do you deal with motorcycle snobs?

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eugeart · #51 Unread post by **eugeart** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 1:44 pm

The other day I pulled up to a stop sign and a guy pulled up on a HD next to me. Now I know he knows people I know but he doesn't know me, but I recognize him. I wave hi... he looks over sees I'm on a old Honda then looks back as if I don't exist. Wow what a jerk. I pull out behind him and get a good look at his bike 'cause I happen to like HD's too.

He's got a $25k bike with probably another $10k in custom accesories. My bike cost $2k. I bet I have as much fun or more (I don't want to wreck my bike but if I do I won't be out the cost of half a house) and I'll outrun him in the twisties.

Sure theres bikes I want. I like'em all. They just shouldn't define a person. I get plenty of riders on all types of bikes waving at me first as I go down the road. Its a nice feeling of solidarity.

I'll leave off with this: I had alot of people come up to me and say "wow man nice bike, I wish I knew how to ride a motorcycle."

I'll say some thing like, " thanks, well buy a cheap used one and take a motorcycle safety course and you'll be riding."

To which the invariably say "yeah, but, I want a Harley!"

Ahh, the devil's in the details.

Gummiente · Sun Jul 24, 2005 2:03 pm

eugeart wrote:The other day I pulled up to a stop sign and a guy pulled up on a HD next to me. Now I know he knows people I know but he doesn't know me, but I recognize him. I wave hi... he looks over sees I'm on a old Honda then looks back as if I don't exist.

I had a Gold Wing rider totally ignore my wave today. He was on one of the new ones, so it was worth at least $7k more than what I paid for my Electra-Glide Standard. I also had a couple on a new Road Star give me a blank look when I waved; their bike is about $6k less than what I paid for mine. Some guy on a sport bike (not sure what make it was, it went by so fast - all I know is it was blue) looked right at me and never so much as lifted a finger off the bars when he went by. I'm sure his bike was worth half of what mine is.

Point being, what the hell does brand or cost have to do with anything? If they didn't wave back it's because they are jerks, plain and simple. And jerks do not limit themselves to one brand of bike.

eugeart · #53 Unread post by **eugeart** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 3:15 pm

I really think we are saying the same thing here. It may only seem I'm singling out Harleys. I believe the ride doesn't make the person though some would have you believe it. In fact, whether or not a person rides at all doesn't limit them to any certain personality type.

From my point of reference I guess maybe its a cultural issue in my area, all tied up with machismo, status and perception etc... I would hazard a guess that easily 80% of the bike sales in my area (Central Texas) are HD's. Alot of kids on sportbikes too. It was the same way when I lived in Vegas except HD's were even more popular. It just appears that the association of the word "motorcycle" and "Harley Davidson" are aligned very closely in my area. In fact the attitude about HD's borders on the pathological. Hey, I like'em too and I'd certainly ride one, but my budget and interests aren't there. Look at my last bike: so many people thought it was a Harley I began to doubt it myself.

So, yes some people sneer at those that are different or part of a group. I'm not one of them. In fact one of the things I really like about this forum is that alot of the contributers have older bikes and council against getting out of the cc range for the skill level. Seems to have realistic attitudes.

Sun Jul 31, 2005 5:24 pm

rickyh wrote:Ha this is crazy, I also have a 2004 Vstar 650 Classic, and I too wear a full face BELL helmet.

My helmet is KBC and my bike is a pretty 2 tone blue.

There have been a few occasions when I have been so very glad I had on my full face helmet.

Sun Jul 31, 2005 5:34 pm

I'm getting better at ignoring those people who find it necessary to give their $0.02 worth. You'd think now that I've had this bike for several months the people at work would ignore the bike now. But, no-o-o-o-o, just last week, one of them was saying how much he liked it and how he liked the colour....if only I could sand off the Yamaha name and the V-Star logo.

Like I tell everyone who has some pearl of wisdom to impart...Why? I like it the way it is. Then they will start to back peddle.

Interestingly enough, now that I am out riding in the real world....instead of just commuting to work...the response has been quite different. Once away from the workplace, other people have been quite intrigued when they see a middle aged woman coming back to get on the bike....or when I arrive somewhere and take off my helmet....and they realize it's a woman underneath all the gear....people are quite chatty and for the most part friendly.
Now if I could just figure out a way to make people keep their paws off my bike.

Digginit · #56 Unread post by **Digginit** » Sun Aug 07, 2005 5:38 pm

The other day I pulled up to a stop sign and a guy pulled up on a HD next to me. Now I know he knows people I know but he doesn't know me, but I recognize him. I wave hi... he looks over sees I'm on a old Honda then looks back as if I don't exist. Wow what a jerk. I pull out behind him and get a good look at his bike 'cause I happen to like HD's too.

Now how in the world do you know what he was thinking???? Maybe he didn't pay attention to you because something else was on his mind. Maybe you were the only one paying attention to the fact that he was on a Harley and you were on a Honda. I think you were reading more into it than was probably there. Of all of my Harley-ridin' friends, I know of NONE who is concerned in the least about what another rider is riding.

Enjoy your ride. If someone doesn't wave, imagine that maybe he's having a bad day....or is tired of waving at every 3rd vehicle that he meets....or whatever. Prob'ly has nothing to do with you personally.

linz

iwannadie · Sun Aug 07, 2005 6:03 pm

Digginit wrote:The other day I pulled up to a stop sign and a guy pulled up on a HD next to me. Now I know he knows people I know but he doesn't know me, but I recognize him. I wave hi... he looks over sees I'm on a old Honda then looks back as if I don't exist. Wow what a jerk. I pull out behind him and get a good look at his bike 'cause I happen to like HD's too.

Now how in the world do you know what he was thinking???? Maybe he didn't pay attention to you because something else was on his mind. Maybe you were the only one paying attention to the fact that he was on a Harley and you were on a Honda. I think you were reading more into it than was probably there. Of all of my Harley-ridin' friends, I know of NONE who is concerned in the least about what another rider is riding.

Enjoy your ride. If someone doesn't wave, imagine that maybe he's having a bad day....or is tired of waving at every 3rd vehicle that he meets....or whatever. Prob'ly has nothing to do with you personally.

linz

yea i dont think because someone doesnt wave they are a snob. but sometimes you can just tell they are being stuck up. usually when someone looks directly at you waving, has no excuse not to and doesnt. but whatever doesnt bother me ill have a laugh at how stuck up they are and not care. i waved to a guy next thing i knew hes doing a wheelie trying to show off or challenge me or something, just laugh and keep riding.

i just dont like when people make direct statements, like 'if your not riding *brand X* like my bike then its not worth riding. or stuff like 'yea its nice but it needs *pricey brand name accessory* to be cool'. the best is 'yea well my bike can do 200mph i bet yours only does 150 how pathetic is that'

Bike Phreak · Mon Aug 08, 2005 11:14 am

It comes down to are you happy with your bike. If you are just let everything else run right off your back. Happy riding.

flynrider · Mon Aug 08, 2005 11:52 am

A lot of the time when I'm riding in city traffic, I catch a glimpse of a rider going the opposite way in full wave. Usually, they're almost past me when I see them, so there's no opportunity to wave back. I suppose some of these folks may think I'm a snob, but to be perfectly frank, I never really pay much attention to opposite direction traffic that's four or five lanes away (big streets here in PHX). I'm usually too busy watching what's going on immediately around me. With the way people drive around here (7 out of 10 of the most deadly surface streets are in the PHX metro area), it just doesn't seem safe to divert my attention away from the traffic in front of me to wave at other bikers.

Of course, on the open highway I gladly wave my "O Ring" off and have been doing so since I started riding 26 yrs. ago.

Mon Aug 08, 2005 3:53 pm

Hey, Wizzard, what are RUB's?

I, too, sometimes cannot wave back because of complex traffic situations and you don't notice you have been waved at on time. Sometimes I don't wave at all in the city. It's when you're out on the highway that other riders seem to wave or nod.
I think the word has gotten out that it doesn't matter what you ride....someone on a scooter waved at me this weekend.