My experiences with the Harley crowd

[Bruin]

I was on my way to a wedding today on my 650 and finally met someone who didn't wave back. A group of about 15 Harleys all snubbed me! I had the wave out for the first half of their group when I realized I wouldn't get one back. I wanted to turn it into the one finger wave but figured I was better than that and just gave more of a pushing away motion as I let the wave drop. My guess is it was a bunch of posers out for their holiday weekend ride. Maybe nobody wanted to be the only one to wave to a rice burner. **** on 'em, it was a nice ride anyway. My uncles have always had Harleys and are just happy that I ride. One told me all about the GS550 he used to ride, I could see he was riding it again in his mind as he looked at my bike. One uncle gave me some friendly picking but I told him it leaks oil where ever its parked too so its kind of like a Harley. These are the Harley guys I know, just care about the ride, not the brand. It's still okay to make jokes though.

 

[Kendall]

My main mode of transportation is a jeep and its kinda the same deal. I always wave whether the other person is in a wrangler, cherokee or a liberty. One of my experiences with some harley riders happened when they pulled up next to me at a stop light when I was on my way to work. I looked over and gave them a head nod as to say hi. They both just looked away while giving one of those arrogant head pull back things. Light turned green and they roared off. By chance when I got off work 6-7 hrs later low and behold those same two guys coming back from wherever. Met them at the same light only this time the light turned green and we all took off. The little zuki did me proud, first time I had actually opened it up. Surprised all of us I think. :twistedevil:

 

[spyug]

Don't feel bad that is par for the course withthe die hard Hardley or even metric cruiser crowd. Mind you, when they are by themselves I find they usually do wave.

Today I was out and had a strange experience with a metric guy( details posted seperately) and when I pulled in for a coffee a bunch of metric cruiser boys looked at me like I arrived from Mars.

Most riders are decent but there are some wonks about.

Enjoy your holiday weekend.

Cheers,
Spyug

 

[Buffalo Bill]

Me too! But?

Me too! But?

bunch of metric cruiser boys looked at me like I arrived from Mars.

Most riders are decent but there are some wonks about.

Enjoy your holiday weekend.

Cheers,
Spyug

Funny, that's how some folks treated me at the BC rally.

 

[propflux01]

That is odd, as I had the complete opposite experience at Sturgis, when I took my 'GK there most all of them came up and asked me about it and woo-'d and such, with the "I had one of those but mine was....' response.

 

[Bruin]

Don't feel bad that is par for the course withthe die hard Hardley or even metric cruiser crowd. Mind you, when they are by themselves I find they usually do wave.

Thats what I thought. I have only been riding for a month, but have gotten a wave from every single rider I have met until the T-shirt brigade rolled by. Oh well, the holiday weekend is over and I am sure it will be back to normal again.

 

[earlfor]

I dont care if HD riders wave or not, and most dont. Oddly, their girlfriends on the back frequently do wave. heheh I must admit I particularly enjoy having one or a herd of them pull up alongside at a stop light and when the light changes, try to leave me in their dust and noise. Most dont have a clue how quick a Bandit 12 is. hehehe They find out though.

Earl

 

[kilog55]

i dont see how anyone can tell what brand a cruiser is until you get right along side of it, everyone here usually waves cept the rockets and the real dippoops who think they are a biker yet can really ride.

 

[Colorado85gs550]

I get more waves from kids in the back seat that are stuck in a cage.......

I wave anyways.......makes me feel good to know that no matter what, I'm the better person for acknowledging them!

Keep waving at those rocket riders.......you never know when it might be me driving by on my GS rocket conversion

 

[sschering]

I figure they are not being rude.. It's just that they are to scared to let go of the bars.

The cool guys are the ones who still throw out a wave leaned over in a turn.

 

[Mr. Brown]

My wife's busted me waving at bikers while driving the Exploder.

I'll wave first if I haven't been passing too many other bikes. My favorite cruising highways are RUB/Retiree parades on weekends.

I know I get a better response when my feet are up on the highway bars. Maybe ya'll should dangle those leather frilly things off your brake levers.

 

[Odinist]

I figure they are not being rude.. It's just that they are to scared to let go of the bars.

The cool guys are the ones who still throw out a wave leaned over in a turn.

And us really cool guys will wave, mid turn, with L bars. That takes some balls, I tell ya. ;-)

 

[rudy]

And us really cool guys will wave, mid turn, with L bars. That takes some balls, I tell ya. ;-)

I wave in a turn, while shifting, no clutch. And that's with the sketchy rubber mounted bars on the old XS650. They usually just nod.

 

[Odinist]

I wave in a turn, while shifting, no clutch. And that's with the sketchy rubber mounted bars on the old XS650. They usually just nod.

Oh wow, yeah, you win. Hehehe.

 

[Bruin]

And us really cool guys will wave, mid turn, with L bars. That takes some balls, I tell ya. ;-)

You're not kidding, these things are unstable in a straight line

 

[1978GS1000custom]

you know, its not the brand of bike that makes the person wave. i ride both suzuki and harley and i found the best thing to do is just wave back. that way you will always know who the good guys are before you attempt a wave. actually, i stopped waving to people 10 years ago (i still stop roadside to help people). with all the new riders on the road they really need to keep boths hands on the grips. i saw one guy on a rocket wave right into a parked car? i saw another rider wave his bike right into the roads edge. in the 50s the wave was a sign of permission to cross another clubs territory and it was only the captains who wave (a low wave). funny how that got out of hand over the years. but dont hold it against the harley riders most are pretty cool with all types of bikes. most of them didnt start with a harley they started just like me with a jap bike and just like me they remember where there from. some new riders start with a harley and those are the clueless ones but i find that also applys to the new hayabusa riders as well. my cat toby likes sleeping on a harley and he dosent wave either. in the back on the pic you will see my 1978s (gs1000 and FLHS dresser) sleeping together as always.

 

[maro]

80% of my riding is in an urban environment. That translates to most bikes around here are the ruff ryder crotch rocket types. The type with no gear and a chick rocking a thong on the patch of back seat ......

....they almost all wave back at me, or give me the head nod at a stop sign... even when on my 650G... even if they are gassing up or pulled over a head nod is acknowledged.

I don't see too many harleys around here, but I have been snubbed by them in the past, and believe me, the crotch rocket crowd is living a harder (take that any way you want) lifestyle than the harley weekend warrior, and they still show respect.

I wave to everyone. If they don't wave back, I feel in my guy that they feel dumb, not me.

 

[Nealswheels]

You're not kidding, these things are unstable in a straight line

Ok I thought it was just me....

Neal

 

[traveller]

I always say a bad days riding is still better than a good day at work . So wave at everyone and who cares if they never learned good manners. If you want to see snobs try riding a R1[my sons bike] when your 48 years old. People almost fall over with shock.

 

[jknappsax]

Earl, I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one in touch with their inner 17-year-old! Whenever I see a group of Harleys, I just want to pass them all! Especially when they have $25,000 bikes, and I have my 30-year-old GS 1000, worth maybe $1500.