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

[53driver]

I don't even know what most of those things are, but I'm sure it's delicious

Aye, 'tis.

[53driver]

53 I can't add much to that. It was pretty much spot on for me. I have one guy I ride with most of the time. My brother in law Roger. Its a thing of beauty. We think alike. We ride alike. I'm better looking. Roger rides an Ultra Classic Limited. His skill level is 'advanced'. Best HD rider I've ever seen. We have great rides. Buddy I like your style. If you're ever in MO give me shout. I'll loan you Shay-Shay and I'll crawl on the 9. Me , you , and Roger can take a ride.

I'll be closer to MO soon enough! Deal!
Now I have to check CCW reciprocity...lol!

[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]

The ramblings of experience, love it.

'Willfull Ignorance', my new title for some I work with. I am a bureaucrat, I have rooms full of ignorant people to deal with on a daily basis.

Thanks for the smile Steve. Needed that after the NJ tornado came through.

Do you have a recipe for Veal Parmesan? The best I ever had was from a Jersey Italian displaced to Houston. It was ground like hamburger, shaped into a football, breaded and fried. I miss the NE for the better seafood and great Italian.

Glad you enjoyed my ramblings...I'll check with the Office of Management & Budget and see if she has any Veal Parm concepts.
NJ tornado...lol.

[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.

[53driver]

On time, on target.

Ohh-Rah!

or for you Army types...HuuUAh!

[53driver]

Just a "quick" story about my neighbors across the street. Man and wife who both ride Harley's...one a Sportster, the other an 883 Hugger. The wife never rides with a helmet and the husband wears one of those silly little "beanies" that cost about $10..The other day the wife took off again, straight pipes so damn loud the house shook, as she came by my house I happened to be at the end of the driveway so I shouted, somewhat in jest, where is your helment?..She replied 'It is on the back of the bike in case I need it"!!...Typical answer as she is not wrapped to tight....Ride safe

So...you're saying your neighbor lady is loose?
Address????

[opas ride]

So...you're saying your neighbor lady is loose?
Address????

A real scatter brain for the most part, but in her defense she has a great body for a 50+ woman...Downside is, she is always dressed with "frumpy" looking outfits her husband puts her in...(He buys all her clothes at the Salvation Army Store)...Not kidding...I could go on and on about this couple as someone should write a book about them....But being/trying to be a good neighbor, I will leave well enough alone!!!....Ride safe

[tozco]

Some guys who ride Harley's are actually enthusiasts. When you ride your '95 80", you make up for some of the masses you mention. When I ride my '51 74", I'm pretty competent as well. I ride year round in Spokane, not easy. About the only other guys I see out regularly in the winter are the serious Harley riders, not BMW, not Honda. But the masses of HD riders do seem to be in it for the image only.

[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.