People that you meet...

[EarthWorm]

Beware judging a book by it's cover, I've come across a few interesting looking types on battered old hacks that looked to have a story to tell who turned out to be right numpties and conversely a few with the full touratwat catalogue on their brand new Africa Twin who were actually decent types that do loads of riding that just happened to have lots of cash
...you never can tell (except for BMW Riders of course)

[Shidosan]

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:

I ride an adventure bike and acknowledge all other riders.... most nod back and those that don't probably cannot be arsed to..... so it's lucky for me I'll probably never know them... or want to....

[Oop North John]

on the funny side of things. Check out this clip

Youtube link didn't show for me until I clicked on the quote button :dry:

[Cone]

I was on a ferry last week with a group of bikers called the valley commandos. A lady went over to them asked for a photo to show her friends. They couldn't have seemed like a nicer bunch of blokes and obliged her

[EarthWorm]

on the funny side of things. Check out this clip

AAAAAAAAAAAHahaha :laugh:
[video][/video]

[almar]

So it's not all HD bashing, earlier this year I came across 3 identical Goldwings along with there owners all dressed identical along with identical cuddly teddy bears on the top boxes, as they were UK registered I parked my measly 650 single next to them in hope of a little bike talk, where I was informed of its not a Goldwing its not a bike of any significance !!.
Last year while doing the weekly shop I parked next to a UK registed scooter, to my shame I no little about scooters but it was 200cc. It belonged to a retired couple from Northampton, they had owned from new it was 30 years old . Spent over an hour in their company. They were on the way to see Thier daughter in Spain !! . No more than 4 hours riding a day no motorway lots of tea and cake , no time limit for there adventure RESPECT

[92kk k100lt 193214]

So it's not all HD bashing, earlier this year I came across 3 identical Goldwings along with there owners all dressed identical along with identical cuddly teddy bears on the top boxes, as they were UK registered I parked my measly 650 single next to them in hope of a little bike talk, where I was informed of its not a Goldwing its not a bike of any significance !!.
Last year while doing the weekly shop I parked next to a UK registed scooter, to my shame I no little about scooters but it was 200cc. It belonged to a retired couple from Northampton, they had owned from new it was 30 years old . Spent over an hour in their company. They were on the way to see Thier daughter in Spain !! . No more than 4 hours riding a day no motorway lots of tea and cake , no time limit for there adventure RESPECT

These are the great stories.

I had one like that coming back from Rosslare to Cork and fell in with what looked a well used but good condition Dutch registered R90S, saluted each other and rode together. Stopped near Cork as we were going separate ways. He had owned the bike since new and travelled all over the place with quite a few hundred thousand kms on it. He was headed to Killarney and the Atlantic coast for the umpteenth time. These are what I call adventures and if you are travelling camping as this guy was you can fall in with someone for a couple of days and just visit and enjoy a few places.

When we took the ferry to France one year a very nice K1200S was loaded on the ferry right behind our 2 K100s. The rider was travelling from Northern Ireland to visit his daughter who was in boarding school in Spain. His pillion was another younger daughter and in a tank bag without a cover but wearing a harness was her chihwuawa wearing doggles. We met them again down at Rennes at a services and thought wow what adventure. They were making a surprise visit. That's fun at its best.

[Twistgrip]

So it's not all HD bashing, earlier this year I came across 3 identical Goldwings along with there owners all dressed identical along with identical cuddly teddy bears on the top boxes, as they were UK registered I parked my measly 650 single next to them in hope of a little bike talk, where I was informed of its not a Goldwing its not a bike of any significance !!.

Ha,I've been a Goldwing owner for 37 years,(yeah,I'm old!) and I've had 'Wing owners ignore me,especially when I pull up next to their 'Wing,which is sat on a trailer,behind their motorhome! To me,all motorcycles are significant,but some owners/riders are just insignificant fuckwits; best ignored!

[zimtim]

Just goes to show
You can always take the bike out of the country
but you cant always take the c[strike]o[/strike]unt[strike]ry[/strike] out of the bike :whistle:

[OB1]

Some of these blokes do make me laugh: all the gear and no idea, born again, living the dream, etc. Many of them seem to be 50+ "had a bike when I was young but got married and had kids" types. They come down to our local bike shop where many bikers meet up every week on their shiny status symbol that only ever comes out on a Sunday... and only then if it's not raining. They have all of the attitude and only talk to their clique, ignoring those on "lesser" bikes. They will then trade them in every couple of years with just a couple of thousand miles on them and move on to the next thing they can pose on. Hmmm...
For me, meeting others on bikes (of any type) and having a chat is what it is all about. Sharing the odd tale of daring do over a bacon buttie whilst admiring the bikes that pass in and out of the car park. I'll be down there all year in all weathers but it's surprising to see how many have come and gone over the years as their mid-life crisis has passed.
I even had a Harley once: back when I was 21, I foolishly bought a brand new 883 Sportster for £4,200 (I was only earning £4,000 p/a at the time) and paid £850 fully comp insurance for the pleasure! When you buy a new one, you automatically get a year's free membership to the HOG (and a patch and a pin badge). It's a bit like buying a Happy Meal and getting a plastic toy with your meal! :whistle:
Nowt against Harley owners as I would buy another Sportster tomorrow as long as I could afford something else more practical as well. Some obviously see it as a ticket to be badass at the weekends (a la Wild Hogs :sick: ).
I like most bikes as they all have their appeal in one way or another and I would ride most too. I recently bought a CB400A so that I could have more fun riding around with my girlfriend on her Z400 bobber. Hooning around on the back roads is so much fun when you get on something smaller once in a while!
It's not what you ride, it is the fact that you ride that makes the difference. (thumbs)