Up to "here" with Harley riders and others (at times)

[53driver]

Soooo..I've been riding Saorla (Heritage) all this week and even today.
Took out Isleen (F6B) tonight.

Saorla is like the Colt .45 revolver of the old west, in the old west. Noisy in operation and in function, mostly reliable, needs special bullets but they can be found everywhere, and of course, everybody has one.
Isleen is like a light saber; she's elegant, sleek, suave and she's the epitome of grace and handling with not necessarily the latest technology, but over-engineered solid technology that doesn't require "unobtanium" or anything special. And there are damn few of us Jedi Knights riding around.

To the painfully few and the obviously proud F6B owners....Slainte!!!

[srt8-in-largo]

The Force is strong with this one.

After Googling what it is and how to pronounce... Slainte to you!

[53driver]

Great write up, and of course drink your tequila straight try Don Julio 1942

I got a bit o' that somewhere. Last night 'twas Cabo Wabo.

[Airborne06]

Love that story.

And now for something completely different....

or or
(pick whatever you like)

I have a Harley.
She's 20 years old this year.
Bought her in 2001 with less than 3000 miles.
Previous owner put in new cams, new intake, better carb, better ignition, whole crap ton of performance stuff.
She's pretty well chromed out - Steve would approve.
She has a Thunderheader exhaust and she's embarrassingly loud at times.
She makes 80 hp with 80 cu in.
Almost 20,000 miles now. (she was 1 of 4 bikes until last year, now she's 1 of 2)

I'm a lifetime HOG member.
I do not play in my local chapter anymore.
I own a lot of stock in HD.
I don't wear Harley gear.
I don't put stickers everywhere. (F6B or Harley)
I wear a big BMG nylon jacket with kevlar or CHP leather jacket and leather chaps for my ATGATT
Plus a full face Shoei helmet.
And the orange or green reflective vest, conditions dictating.
People ask why I dress like a BMW rider and ride a Harley.

Dyed-in-the-wool Harley riders shun me.
They don't understand ATGATT.
Then they don't understand how my 20 year old girl leaves their 2013 Springer in the dust.
Then they don't understand why they can't keep up with me in turns ("Oh, if I went that fast, I'd scrape my precious floorboards...")
No. The answer is you don't know how to properly ride a two wheeled vehicle.

Bottom line: Harley riders, as a congress of riders, are really great, giving people, but, they are about the most average to below average riders I have witnessed.
Hell, some of the HOG Road Captains couldn't pass a BRC2. We took 12 in a special class we setup specifically for them.
I knew most of them when I wrote part of the local HOG Safety Newsletter.
10 showed, the other 2 pontificated prior to the class to the others going that they "couldn't learn anything" from the course so they opted not to show.
6 passed.
2 failed the final practical.
2 didn't complete the course - it was too hard / too hot.

This is why I do not do group rides well. I find "the masses" to be unpredictable and I don't enjoy the ride when I'm watching out for everyone else.
I have to build a trust with anyone I ride with through experience. You can only increase your skill by riding/playing/working/fornicating with people who are better than you are.
They are out there.....I try to find them as often as possible.
Also....
I do not do concerts well. I'm a professional sound engineer and I seldom enjoy a show.
I do not fly as a passenger very well. I'm a professional pilot and I know what the guy in the front seat doesn't know.
I do not suffer poor food and beverage well. My wife is a gourmet chef and we make our own wine. Having written that...Waffle House rocks...
I do not tolerate cruelty to animals but I can kill easily a human who wanted me dead, and sleep peacefully.
Finally, I do not do well with fools. My mother always taught me that "maybe they are doing the best they can" - so they get the initial benefit of the doubt.
However, my one prejudice is "willful ignorance." When a load of facts cleverly disguised as 2x4s keeps beating you about the head and shoulders and you still don't learn?
I have no time for you and really wish you wouldn't bother to reproduce.
EndEx.

PS - i probably shouldn't drink straight tequila and post......

On time, on target.

[53driver]

On time, on target.

Ohh-Rah!

or for you Army types...HuuUAh!

[fxdl2051]

I think a lot of Harley guys think Harley is the only bike there is, is because it's the only bike they've known. As for the safety course drop outs, a lot of guys taught themselves how to ride back in the day, since that day they haven't done anything to improve their skills, then there is the image problem, they don't want to risk their egos by trying something new and potentially looking silly. It's all about the look. Nice thing about Rice bikes, you can wear anything, any color and not feel like you're violating some unspoken biker dress code. One thing I'll say about Harleys, they are easy to ride and pretty forgiving, I think that's why a lot of riders with bad skill sets haven't killed themselves. Once I started really trying to improve my riding skills, I was amazed at what I didn't know, I still don't know how I survived my own lack of knowledge sometimes.

[jm21ddd15]

I think a lot of Harley guys think Harley is the only bike there is, is because it's the only bike they've known. As for the safety course drop outs, a lot of guys taught themselves how to ride back in the day, since that day they haven't done anything to improve their skills, then there is the image problem, they don't want to risk their egos by trying something new and potentially looking silly. It's all about the look. Nice thing about Rice bikes, you can wear anything, any color and not feel like you're violating some unspoken biker dress code. One thing I'll say about Harleys, they are easy to ride and pretty forgiving, I think that's why a lot of riders with bad skill sets haven't killed themselves. Once I started really trying to improve my riding skills, I was amazed at what I didn't know, I still don't know how I survived my own lack of knowledge sometimes.

The Harley image is a big, important one to those guys. I actually like several of the Harley bikes, but most all the Harley riders in this area, spend as much $$ on their Harley wardrobe, as they do on their bikes. I'm talking jackets shirts hats boots chaps glasses tattoos etc. and they wear it year round even when not on the bikes. I really like my F6, but just don't get the look as being so important. My other ride at the present time is a HondaCRF250L dual sport. No powerhouse, but fun to mess around on the dirt and trails. We have a Harley biker bar in town, I went in there once all full of mud and dirt on my off road gear, and parked the little bike out front amongst the Big Harleys. Nobody said a word to me, when I went in for a soda. Probably thought this 60 year old was a nut case! In any case, I learned to ride cycles of- road, and it is a great way to practice things that aren't possible on the street. Good for the skill set!

[db24]

Nothing wrong with a little rivalry between bike brands. I suspect most of us F6B riders were H-D owners at one time (and many still are.)

Look at it this way-- here in Milwaukee, Harley Davidson will hold an anniversary rally and more than 100,000 bikes will "return home." The Honda Gold Wing "Wing Ding" rallys attract maybe 5,000 or so. So, some of the H-D riders go a little overboard with brand loyalty and like loud pipes. There's nothing wrong with a little passion for your sport/ hobby, and the Harley riders certainly have that!

[shortleg0521]

Love that story.

And now for something completely different....

or or
(pick whatever you like)

I have a Harley.
She's 20 years old this year.
Bought her in 2001 with less than 3000 miles.
Previous owner put in new cams, new intake, better carb, better ignition, whole crap ton of performance stuff.
She's pretty well chromed out - Steve would approve.
She has a Thunderheader exhaust and she's embarrassingly loud at times.
She makes 80 hp with 80 cu in.
Almost 20,000 miles now. (she was 1 of 4 bikes until last year, now she's 1 of 2)

I'm a lifetime HOG member.
I do not play in my local chapter anymore.
I own a lot of stock in HD.
I don't wear Harley gear.
I don't put stickers everywhere. (F6B or Harley)
I wear a big BMG nylon jacket with kevlar or CHP leather jacket and leather chaps for my ATGATT
Plus a full face Shoei helmet.
And the orange or green reflective vest, conditions dictating.
People ask why I dress like a BMW rider and ride a Harley.

Dyed-in-the-wool Harley riders shun me.
They don't understand ATGATT.
Then they don't understand how my 20 year old girl leaves their 2013 Springer in the dust.
Then they don't understand why they can't keep up with me in turns ("Oh, if I went that fast, I'd scrape my precious floorboards...")
No. The answer is you don't know how to properly ride a two wheeled vehicle.

Bottom line: Harley riders, as a congress of riders, are really great, giving people, but, they are about the most average to below average riders I have witnessed.
Hell, some of the HOG Road Captains couldn't pass a BRC2. We took 12 in a special class we setup specifically for them.
I knew most of them when I wrote part of the local HOG Safety Newsletter.
10 showed, the other 2 pontificated prior to the class to the others going that they "couldn't learn anything" from the course so they opted not to show.
6 passed.
2 failed the final practical.
2 didn't complete the course - it was too hard / too hot.

This is why I do not do group rides well. I find "the masses" to be unpredictable and I don't enjoy the ride when I'm watching out for everyone else.
I have to build a trust with anyone I ride with through experience. You can only increase your skill by riding/playing/working/fornicating with people who are better than you are.
They are out there.....I try to find them as often as possible.
Also....
I do not do concerts well. I'm a professional sound engineer and I seldom enjoy a show.
I do not fly as a passenger very well. I'm a professional pilot and I know what the guy in the front seat doesn't know.
I do not suffer poor food and beverage well. My wife is a gourmet chef and we make our own wine. Having written that...Waffle House rocks...
I do not tolerate cruelty to animals but I can kill easily a human who wanted me dead, and sleep peacefully.
Finally, I do not do well with fools. My mother always taught me that "maybe they are doing the best they can" - so they get the initial benefit of the doubt.
However, my one prejudice is "willful ignorance." When a load of facts cleverly disguised as 2x4s keeps beating you about the head and shoulders and you still don't learn?
I have no time for you and really wish you wouldn't bother to reproduce.
EndEx.

PS - i probably shouldn't drink straight tequila and post......

I have to agree with it all.
I was lucky enough to sell my Street Glide to a local Police motor officer that also
taught the safety course. He invited me to take the advanced course.
He also told me to take it on the F6B.. I have to tell you at the end of the course
I felt so much better about slow turns and such. He also was great at getting the
best from everyone of us in the class. Also being able to get us to realize that we did in fact
not know it all.
shortleg

[Retired Army]

It's not politically correct to use Harley and congress in the same sentence.