Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Is it just me?

Is it me or do others cringe when you see some other riders? For the record I respect all Iron - H D's, BMW's, Honda's etc etc. Not for me but respect, as I like to look and ride on occasion.

My point is best illustrated with an example. I was at a log cabin set on the edge of the woods in the lovely Yorkshire Wolds enjoying a coffee and a slice of home made cake. All very civilized and frequented by many bikers of all shapes and sizes. We all chat, have a bit of banter and generally enjoy the whole environment. On to my point – H D pulls in with Mr & Mrs H D riding in. I kid you not everything you could have branded was branded boots, pants, jackets, neck chiefs, helmets, sun glasses. It was all so immaculately new and thoroughly underutilized. Even the chain hanging from the trousers – matching set of his and hers – was way too new. Again for the record I like the look of some H D’s, not for me but still impressive. Many H D riders carry it off well – they were meant for the bike – if you see what I mean. But this was wrong – false – even pretend and was jaw droppingly stupid. I was sat with another H D rider who simply said that’s not good!

everything is new at first
i just stocked up on oodles of new stuff. i'm not gonna ragtag it just so i don't look new, lol

I like to watch " What Not To Wear " on TLC . Some of these catalog models should be targeted .

Well , they're just havin ' fun and don't know any better . Give 'em time .

WOW that couple must travel a lot,,,I saw them Sunday in Marlborough CT, USA


I really dont understand it. Ok I'm a cheap blastard, I own 2 shirts that say Triumph on um that's it. I did once have a jacket with the triumph wings patch sown on. But paramedics cut that off me.

Every Harley owner I know has a different HD t-shirt for each day of the week.Some are hard core riders some are just weekend posers. But all have the complete uniform.
And then some.

WOW that couple must travel a lot,,,I saw them Sunday in Marlborough CT, USA

They do get around.. I believe they live down the street from my sister in law here in Florida
And they even have a "H-D edition" pickem-up truck.. that they use to trailer the bike around with!



Cheers,
Brad

Funny story, especially the other HD riders reaction
But I think I have to defend these guys a little tiny bit since I just got a new jacket with a giant Triumph stitched on the back, hey I want people to know what just passed them!
HD is a marketing f@#@ing machine. And aren't we all victims of society in some way, even if we think we are 'rebeling' against it? And when you see the walking billboards doesn't it make you just want to jump up and be just like them?

Hey, explain this to me----I have a buddy in Florida that rides a Honda Aero 750. But he always wears Harley shirts whenever he rides. I just got back from a trip to Massachusetts and even brought him back a shirt from a Harley dealer in Farminton----am I enabeling?

Quote:

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And when you see the walking billboards doesn't it make you just want to jump up and be just like them?

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NO!

At least they're not riding in flip-flops, shorts, tank-top, no helmet, and texting(!) as they roll down the road.
I actually saw this one yesterday!
Tragically sad.

My guess is that they were in their mid 40's - early 50's. They may have been avid motorcycle enthusiasts in their younger days, but gave it up when they started making kids. Last brat finally grew up and flew the nest, and they wanted to stop dreaming of the fun days and start living them again. Since go-to-the-office and gardening clothes wouldn't work right and whatever might still be left from 20 - 25 years ago won't fit, they needed all new gear. Since the local hog pen has it all right there, why not make it a one stop shop? Now, if they continue to live their dream and come back in 5 years from now when the pants and shirts are worn out and replaced, the boots are about ready for the bin and the jackets have permanent creases worn into them, will they be different people?

Now, the ones I avoid are the dumb kids who think they should only ride on one wheel or the other and do very stupid things that are sure to eventually result in a crash.

now owning an 05 tba after several harleys,i never did succumb to the masterful corporate cloning that h-d pushes thru mass marketing--but i always would think that here are all these people trying to stand out and be different-but they were all being different in the same way-hence ,just another 'group' of people all being boringly similar!

Heck, Sonya and I have some friends that have succumbed big time to the Harley Hype. They bought a Honda Shadow Sabre in late 02 when I bought my first America. Then in less than a year it was a VTX1800, loved the power but it wasnt a harley. Somewhere just about a year and a half later had a White Road King. Well, the funniest comment they made was about how much all the Harley parifanalia costs that you have to buy to ride the bike. Heck, they cant walk into the local dealer without spending a hundred or so on the latest shirt, jacket, dew rag etc. Now dont get me wrong, I have bought my share of Triumph clothing accessories. But it was more due to the quality of the clothing that they produce, and when I road my Speed Triple, most of my other hardware was from ICON, not Triumph. Cuz I like their quality too. Just makes a person laugh!.
Mark

Its just you

It was real for them, it was right for them. They were having fun, they were together, they were happy and, they were on two wheels instead of 4.

I must admit I own a lot of Harley clothes... boots, jackets, even assless chaps.... but only because they were out of leather pants... <G>
Also, their leather stuff is pretty danged good.
Have you noticed that except for Triumph and BMW and possibly some other smaller marques, that only Harley has clothes with their name on it... to let others know you have a bike?
Yeah, you can get lots of Honda or Kaw or Suz stuff for racing or off road, but not much at all for just street riders. Even the kid that's just bought a Ninja 250 wants to brag a little....
Remember, there's a t shirt or jacket for NASCAR, football, baseball, hockey and every high school or kid's anything team....so why not bikes?
Want a few baseball caps and jackets from the Hawaii Wai'anae Coast Pony League White Sox Mustangs or Orioles Ponys? I got a few extras, even after 12 years...<BG>
But I have seen way too many folks wearing all the gear that should not even be allowed behind the wheel of a cage, let alone a bike. Mostly the guys who rode a little 50cc bike way back when, and got a MC on their drivers licenses when no test was necessary.... Can you say MSF? They obviously can't. the really bad part is that most of them will put their wives on the back without even thinking.....

That's probably overkill. But everyone's proud of their Marque in some way else they wouldn't have bought the bike to begin with. Clothes, accessories, etc... If I could afford the Triumph stuff that's what I would buy. But I'm happy with other stuff to just get me down the road.

I know the "Harley is a lifstyle" BS is a little much, but you have to admit they are one of the most successful companies around at pushing their brand. To have survived the AMF days and get where they are is amazing. In this day of American companies staggering under their own weight, HD actually buys a company in another country. Good for them!

I wonder if all that branded stuff helps them any when stranded on the side of the road... I've seen 3 of those so far near the house in the last 2-3 weeks... the bikes looked new too. I always stop to see if they need help but in 2 cases of those 3 they were on the opposite side.

I have often said that I would own a Harley, but I just can't afford all the clothes and accessories I'd have to buy to go with the bike.

The HD brand has become so ubiquitous that wearing HD clothes no longer sets one apart from the crowd, it actually identifies the wearer as being PART of the crowd. But that's okay; to each their own.

Harley makes more sales from merchandise than from bikes. It's what kept them alive during some lean years. Now even non-bikers wear the stuff. Like was said, marketing machine. It's business, it's money.

That's funny, HD clothes to indicate they own a bike! There are so many T shirts and lic. plates here ownd by clowns who think they are bikers who never owned a bike! You can go to any bar here and find tons of HD wear and no bikes parked outside or at home in their garages.

Judging by comments made to me in another post about exhaust accessories... it doesn't even have to have HD on it for some to feel that it's associated...

Aw, give the bloke and his lady a break - After all, they say "it's a lifestyle"

Reminds me of a Smothers Brothers song, based on "The Streets Of Laredo"..

"I see by your outfit, that you are a cowboy"
"I see by your outfit, that you are one too"
"We see by our outfits that we are both cowboys"
"If you get an outfit, you can be a cowboy too".....

All together now...

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