I've met some wonderful people over the years, a lot of the truly wonderful stories I've heard have been from lovely old gents who used to ride many many years ago. I got to chat to a lot of them whilst working as a pacemaker physiologist in Weston Super Mare.... the story of the scrotum , the car bonnet and the policeman will haunt me forever....
And then every now and again you meet the most horrendously rude bikers as I just did yesterday at a Harley Davidson rally in France. I had just turned up at the same campsite, travelling through on my Honda XR125 when I saw a couple of British reg's and decided to have a chat. It turns out this couple were from my town in Bristol and had come down for the rally. I wish I hadn't bothered stopping, they told me that because I didn't have a HD then they didn't really want to talk to me!!! They said how could I understand how it feels to be a 1 percenter if I didn't have a Harley and that they had nothing in common with me. They even said that they had stopped going to one of the local bike nights as they were fed up having Japanese crap being parked next to their bike! And then said that they only bought the newest bikes because anything else was unreliable to travel on...
I bid them a good eve and left them to their thoughts and headed to bed, saddened that fellow bikers were not fellows at all
Anyone else met any like that?
I laugh at people like that. The all American Harley is now made from parts from all over the globe, including Japan. Only 30% of a Harley is American, 70% is imported.
were they true patched outlaw MCC 1%'s? If so I could imagine a frosty ish reception but to be fair the 1%'s ive met aren't into single brand loyalty and are happy to talk to people.
And then said that they only bought the newest bikes because anything else was unreliable to travel on...
Harleys are that unreliable eh! :whistle:
Some folks are too thick skinned to get through to.There are plenty of good biker folk to talk to just forget you met these wazzaks (thumbs)
AlanHolt wrote:I laugh at people like that. The all American Harley is now made from parts from all over the globe, including Japan. Only 30% of a Harley is American, 70% is imported.
An American mentioned about this the other day and stated they are essentially only built in the US all from foreign parts.
FAT MATT wrote:were they true patched outlaw MCC 1%'s? If so I could imagine a frosty ish reception but to be fair the 1%'s ive met aren't into single brand loyalty and are happy to talk to people.
Nope, they said they belonged to the Harley Davidson owners club, but that was it :whistle:
I'm out on my Harley Davidson every weekend riding around the Yorkshire Dales.
I wear the same HG jacket and trousers I used on my RTW ride.
Its fair to say that the riders who don't wave back at me tend to be riding so called Adventure Bikes or Harley riders dressed in the all " Peter Fondle " gear.
Biking has changed and now a days they are cock wobblers on all brands of bikes (thumbs) :whistle:
FAT MATT wrote:were they true patched outlaw MCC 1%'s? If so I could imagine a frosty ish reception but to be fair the 1%'s ive met aren't into single brand loyalty and are happy to talk to people.
Nope, they said they belonged to the Harley Davidson owners club, but that was it :whistle:
IMO a large % of members of HOG ( Harley Owners Group ) are weekend riders . They are NOT a MC ( 1% ) by any stretch of the imagination
ps you should have told them . If they want a bike thats more American built than their Harley Davidson they should buy a pre 2009 Honda Goldwing
Jesus Christ, I now need to check that my brother and his wife are not in France :laugh:
To be fair my brother although he's into his Harleys big time he would chat to you no matter what bike you were riding (thumbs)
As someone who owned and rode a Harley for eight years I never got into that 1% business, in fact I have to confess that I have no idea what it's all about.
Feck 'em Chris , carry on your way though France and chat to French bikers, they won't give two hoots what you're riding.
Godspeed wrote:I've met some wonderful people over the years, a lot of the truly wonderful stories I've heard have been from lovely old gents who used to ride many many years ago. I got to chat to a lot of them whilst working as a pacemaker physiologist in Weston Super Mare.... the story of the scrotum , the car bonnet and the policeman will haunt me forever....
And then every now and again you meet the most horrendously rude bikers as I just did yesterday at a Harley Davidson rally in France. I had just turned up at the same campsite, travelling through on my Honda XR125 when I saw a couple of British reg's and decided to have a chat. It turns out this couple were from my town in Bristol and had come down for the rally. I wish I hadn't bothered stopping, they told me that because I didn't have a HD then they didn't really want to talk to me!!! They said how could I understand how it feels to be a 1 percenter if I didn't have a Harley and that they had nothing in common with me. They even said that they had stopped going to one of the local bike nights as they were fed up having Japanese crap being parked next to their bike! And then said that they only bought the newest bikes because anything else was unreliable to travel on...
I bid them a good eve and left them to their thoughts and headed to bed, saddened that fellow bikers were not fellows at all
Anyone else met any like that?
I talk to anyone and over many years have met some really interesting people. The badge on their tank or the size of their engine doesn't bother me. Why? Long ago found out the guy who shows up on something older or not exactly mainstream will ALWAYS have a story to tell. Generally doesn't give a toss about what other people think.
The guys on the shiny new machines MAY have a story to tell but it might well be about how they get a new bike every year and couldn't possibly ride anything over 2 years old. The guys on the filthy dirty new machines generally do have a big smile on them and good stories to tell. I have travelled on a 125 and a CD175 and thoroughly enjoyed it and met plenty on similar. Coming back from ABR Ireland with my friend, he was on his Ducati, we picked up a locally registered original 1961 Jawa travelling along with us doing a nice steady 60mph and just increasing the smoke levels on the uphills. Clearly a guy enjoying his bike which was clearly in good order but not a showroom model. I wandered into the middle of a Harley ride out one day and got more waves and nods than one would imagine and compliments on a nice old machine so I am not using a label other than to say some folk no matter what machine you put them on will be an ass.
All you need in France is any kind of bike and a 'bonjour'.
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