Tell me why...

folks like to make other peoples' bikes *their* business. I'm in a riding club (Scot in Exile is in the same club) and we have skills day every month where we meet in a large parking lot and set up different courses that test different skills and let you practice, etc... Last weekend we were there and there was another member there that had a car tire on the rear of his Valk. Another member took it upon himself to tell the guy (in a rather condescending voice) he needed to lose the car tire, for the usual reasons that come up in these conversations. I have to say the Valk guy handled it better than I would have. I'd have likely told the guy to not worry about what I do to my bike, only I'd have probably only used two words to communicate my suggestion.

I have to say, and I'm just as opinionated about bikes as anyone, I wouldn't ever presume to tell someone what they need to ride, what they need to do to their ride, etc... unsolicited. If someone asks me a question, I'll give my *opinion*, but that's as far as it'd go.

RocketDaryl said:

folks like to make other peoples' bikes *their* business. I'm in a riding club (Scot in Exile is in the same club) and we have skills day every month where we meet in a large parking lot and set up different courses that test different skills and let you practice, etc... Last weekend we were there and there was another member there that had a car tire on the rear of his Valk. Another member took it upon himself to tell the guy (in a rather condescending voice) he needed to lose the car tire, for the usual reasons that come up in these conversations. I have to say the Valk guy handled it better than I would have. I'd have likely told the guy to not worry about what I do to my bike, only I'd have probably only used two words to communicate my suggestion.

I have to say, and I'm just as opinionated about bikes as anyone, I wouldn't ever presume to tell someone what they need to ride, what they need to do to their ride, etc... unsolicited. If someone asks me a question, I'll give my *opinion*, but that's as far as it'd go.

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I agree and confess to being hypocritical at times. A few weeks ago I was on a group ride and the guy in front of me was on his brand new, fancied up FatBoy. The problem was that his taillight was almost non-existent. It was very difficult to tell if he hit the brakes or not. I mentioned this to him and he got quite offended. Learned my lesson.

I still hang out with mostly harley riders.
at first they were condescending of my bike, even though alot of them knew me and knew where I came from.
You know, couldn't believe I was on something besides a h-d.
They were real opinionated after i put a car tire on.
Now that its been on over a year, and they've all been left for dead behind my Rocket,
especially in the curves, they ask questions, and all is good with the world.
When they were mouthing off, I'd take it under consideration before I offered my rebuttal comment.
If they were an idiot, I considered the source.
If they were an *******, I'd come back with a ride challenge.
After I whupped a few without question and without any trouble,
It's amazing how many harley riders had bonnevilles back in the day.
Good bike, all that....crap...

I never cut anybodies bike choice down, it's their bike.
I've got friends that ride vtx's, that's their choice.
I take crap off them too....
Car tire, baa humbug, won't corner,,,,,
yea right

I usually ride tail gunner cause that's where I like to be,
miss to much up front,
but when I blaze past the line to set up for a turn,
they notice....
Now they pretty much keep their opinions to themselves..

Same as you XHDSKIP,

I was riding in a large group with this guy in front of me, the road captain for our section. He had some aftermarket taillight that seemed to be more of a decoration than a meaningful way to tell those behind him he was slowing down. At our first road stop, I told politely and with all sincerity him that his brake light was so dim that it wouldn't serve him well on a sunny day and he literally told me to f#ck off.

A few weeks later he was rear ended by a cager who claimed he didn't realize he was braking... go figure!!

Needless to say, when it comes to rider safety, I would rather offer my opinion every time. Now, I don't think I would say anything about a car tire or the paint job or style of someone's bike to them directly. I might make a joke or two in my inner circle but that's between me and my buddies. (Personally I think leather tassels are the most ridiculous thing you can put on a bike but I would never tell someone that!)

Truth be told, when you ride a Rocket III, you have to put up with it all. Those that admire your ride, those that loathe it, those that want to compare their bike to yours (notably there is no comparison to any other bike on the road). But in all cases, they want to give their opinion. And at the end, you have to smile gracefully, handle the moment with the class and distinction that separates R3 owners from the rest of the pack!

technoguppy said:

Same as you XHDSKIP,

I was riding in a large group with this guy in front of me, the road captain for our section. He had some aftermarket taillight that seemed to be more of a decoration than a meaningful way to tell those behind him he was slowing down. At our first road stop, I told politely and with all sincerity him that his brake light was so dim that it wouldn't serve him well on a sunny day and he literally told me to f#ck off.

A few weeks later he was rear ended by a cager who claimed he didn't realize he was braking... go figure!!

Needless to say, when it comes to rider safety, I would rather offer my opinion every time. Now, I don't think I would say anything about a car tire or the paint job or style of someone's bike to them directly. I might make a joke or two in my inner circle but that's between me and my buddies. (Personally I think leather tassels are the most ridiculous thing you can put on a bike but I would never tell someone that!)

Truth be told, when you ride a Rocket III, you have to put up with it all. Those that admire your ride, those that loathe it, those that want to compare their bike to yours (notably there is no comparison to any other bike on the road). But in all cases, they want to give their opinion. And at the end, you have to smile gracefully, handle the moment with the class and distinction that separates R3 owners from the rest of the pack!

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interesting the difference between north-american riders particularly H-D riders and the rest of the world .
I was in europe all summer met all kind of riders and never once when the subject of safety came about , be it lighs or tires or something else did I get insulted or brushed -off and I was in the mist of a rather large congregation of H-D the last week of my summer .

the world of bike is very much different there I found . when I was in bad bruckenau in germany during the R3 meet (63 R3 attending . every one was always attentive to what was being said by people who though they had an issue with other ..
different world indeed

I'd say that folks whom feel compelled; or strongly opinionated enough about a topic either:

1. Are experienced in regard to the subject matter

-or-

2. Are insecure and looking to make statement to bolster their self confidence.

I'll always listen initially, and make a determination. It becomes very apparent in a short period of time which category they fall into above.

albertaduke said:

interesting the difference between north-american riders particularly H-D riders and the rest of the world .......

.....the world of bike is very much different there I found . when I was in bad bruckenau in germany during the R3 meet (63 R3 attending . every one was always attentive to what was being said by people who though they had an issue with other ..
different world indeed

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This is because you were in a world of refined culture. That does not exist in the United States. Trust me, I was stationed in Germany for 9 years. I know the difference.

Americans have lost their cultural identity. If we even had it at once time......

I ride with two entirely different crowds. The riding club is made up of mostly more "square" types, if that makes sense. I don't mean that in a bad way because I obviously like them; else I wouldn't ride with them. Don't get me wrong, there are a couple that I'm okay with not seeing, but they rarely come around so it works out. The other crowd I ride with is an almost 100% Harley (aka pirate) crowd. They dress like pirates, get "Live to ride..." tats, etc... There's also a couple of them that I don't mind NOT seeing.

I think I have a unique perspective because I actually live in both worlds on a weekly basis. The one thing I notice in terms of the perceptions folks have about others is this. The Harley crowd NEVER says a foul word about other bikes. Now, they may look at a particular bike and say "I don't like that man", but they won't look down their nose at it. They're that way about my Tiger. They make no bones about not liking it, but they don't look down their nose at it. They understand its purpose and what it's about.

The other crowd, however, is very strong on BMW and Goldwings, etc... and most have very little use for HD and will say so in one on one conversations. They don't get too vocal about it because there are a few in the club, but it's pretty obvious how they feel about them.

I guess I'm just an oddity because, frankly speaking, I rarely find a bike I don't like. Even with as many issues as I had with my Rocket, I still liked the bike. I just got tired of fighting the ergos. Maybe that's why I'm able to enjoy riding with two entirely different types of crowds; the guys that actually like to ride (riding club) and the bar hopping crowd, who also like to ride, but stop a lot more often. lol

Anyway, I digress as I really have no intention of turning this into a HD vs. the world or whatever kind of thread. My point was regardless of what someone chooses to ride or not ride or what they choose to do to their ride, it's really none of my business. Now that said, I can certainly understand letting someone know, in a friendly way, that their tail light isn't very bright or something else that may be a safety issue.

Anywho...

I would NEVER criticize someones bike to their face (talking behind their back is a whole other ball field). Just like I would never criticize their religion to their face ... now on that same note, should someone cross that line with me, I've been known to be an *******. It's not that I have a strong opinion about what they do, it's that they have an opinion about what I do and have no qualms about voicing it. They can ask why, they can ask how ... just don't ask a question of me then tell me I'm wrong. If you didn't want to know, then why did you ask? If I don't know you, just nod and walk away ... it's all I expect of myself.
Forcing your views on tires or bike manufacturers on me is like telling me I'm going to hell because I don't believe in a God or Heaven/Hell. You can ask me If I believe in Jesus ... just don't condemn me for saying NO. I promise not to laugh at you for thinking there is an afterlife with 72 virgins or giving 10% of your income to a tax exempt fraud, just don't attempt to convert me or give me **** for my views, which was asked of me in the first place purely to either confirm my belief or target me for conversion.
Same thing to some when you ask about, or even worse .... TELL them they are wrong about something they feel strongly about. And a Mans ride is about as strong a feeling as you can get.
If I ran around asking if people were Agnostic as much as the DeJesus question is asked .... OH BOY , wouldn't that be anti P.C.? Some feel as strongly as that when you criticize something they've spent hundreds of hours on ... like a bike.
............ So I wouldn't knock anothers ride in their presence. If you don't like what they've done with the place ... don't visit. What did Momma tell 'ya? If you don't have anything nice to say .........
How many have died in the name of their God? ... Some call him "Harley Davidson" some "Honda", so watch out and be nice.

Willtill said:

This is because you were in a world of refined culture. That does not exist in the United States. Trust me, I was stationed in Germany for 9 years. I know the difference.

Americans have lost their cultural identity. If we even had it at once time......

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I will keep a positive attitude on both side of the pond ,regardless of what come across my riding path, 35 years in the saddle makes me wiser and slower even on my rocket and I have learned to be more forgiving in most riding matters expressed by the riding population ( except maybe for the darksiders JUST KIDDING GUYS!!) we all have opinions, some are expressed intelligently some others not so. and that is the world we live in so let us make it as best as we can on our bikes..
now if somebody can turn on the coyote radar detector/iphone on for bike I think we might have heaven on earth