Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Hi, I need some help. I am going to Laconia this coming weekend. It is my first real bike weekend. I am a bit nervous being in such a crowded area with all these seasoned riders and I don't want to inadverntently do anthing that is considered faux pas. I know it's in NH and you don't have to wear a helmet, but since I am still new I am wearing mine just in case. I know that cruiser riders treat sportbike riders differently around here. I feel this way cuz in the begginning I use to wave to everyone. So out of ...lets say 50 bikers I got 4 (yes FOUR) responses! 2 were from sportbike riders (the only 2 I saw) and the other 2 from leather clad Harley style bikes (All the other bikes that I waved to were cruisers) Kinda put me off and made me feel like a know nothing idiot, so I stopped waving all together, not unless they instigate it. Maybe Mass riders are just funny like that?? But I digress.....eh hem......so, what are some common things you should know when mixing it up with a bunch of other riders? I already know, don't touch another ride. Can you take pictures? Wave and be friendly even if you don't get a response right? I know that you pull up next to your riding buddy at stops, but what about a congested bike area, is it okay to do ride next to them and is it considered normal? I just have NO idea what to expect, and what is expected of me.

When are you going up?

Be friendly, have fun. Enjoy yourself and wave to everyone if you want, if they don't wave back that's their loss. Ask before taking close up pictures of people's bikes that aren't specifically on display. No one cares if you show up on a Japanese bike.

A motorcycle is the best icebreaker known to man. If you are friendly and genuinely interested in someone's bike they're almost always happy to talk to you about motorcycles and riding no matter what kind of bike they ride.

Remember that the Laconia bike week is the best week to go riding...

...in VERMONT.

Duffy wrote:I know that you pull up next to your riding buddy at stops, but what about a congested bike area, is it okay to do ride next to them and is it considered normal?

The old saying goes "Side by side is suicide"

You should never ride side by side. It means if something were to happen, two bikes are going down instead of just one. And it can also mean miscommunication leads to an accident (you thought you were going straight, he thought you were going right...)

On treating rider differently do to the type of bike they ride, you have to ask yourself, would you want to be friends with anyone like that anyway?

I like all types of bikes and give a wave to all. I figure we have more in common than differences, like on the basics of why we like riding. The twist of the throttle , the sound of the bike and the way it performs in our hands .

Bikes and bikers are no different from other people (Well.... ?) In most cases just use the normal rules of courtesy. If you want to take a photo of a bike and the owner is there, then by all means ask. And it might just start up an interesting coversation.

Apart from that, make your own rules and forget about what others might think. I wave or nod at other bikers and it's up to them if they want to wave back. There's nothing wrong in being friendly. It's not a good idea to judge the value of what you do solely by how somebody else reacts to it. Decide what you want to do and be confident about it.

Laconia is a good time. I was there last year with no bike, and this year I will have my bike.

Don't worry about it, really.

jonnythan wrote:Laconia is a good time. I was there last year with no bike, and this year I will have my bike.

Don't worry about it, really.

Is Laconia mostly a "harley" rally or are there all kinds of bikes/riders? What was the crowd like, lots of troublemakers/hooligan types or was everyone cool for the most part?

Ian522 wrote:

jonnythan wrote:Laconia is a good time. I was there last year with no bike, and this year I will have my bike.

Don't worry about it, really.

Is Laconia mostly a "harley" rally or are there all kinds of bikes/riders? What was the crowd like, lots of troublemakers/hooligan types or was everyone cool for the most part?

It's a bit late, but all kinds. Few to no troublemakers. Most everyone seems pretty cool, and most people you strike up conversations with are happy to talk bikes.

I saw tons of metrics and Triumphs along with a healthy number of sportbikes and BMWs. I rode with two Harleys and a Honda ST1100 most of the week.

Well, I didn't make it to Laconia after all. The kid I was going with bailed last minute So instead since it was a beautiful day I was just going to tool around town by myself. But right as I was ready to leave my brother called up and said he was 5 minutes away with his bike (he has some 20ish yr old 250cc dual pupose don't know what make) So went riding around southern NH back roads for about 4 hours instead. Still was fun. We checked out some barely known about sites, like the oldest working saw mill and whatnot. So, needless to say, I got my riding fix satisfied