Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Myrtle Beach Posers

Believe it or not (my wife doesn't) I accidentally stumbled on th Myrtle Beach Spring Bike Rally on a business trip. I don't know if it is because of the encounter with the deer at 65mph or just being caught of guard, but I am so over this "I am an old tough guy Harley rider scene...

These people seem to be more "Yuppy Redneck" riders than I have ever seen at Daytona.

They are ALL wearing the same Harley Jackets for cryin out loud!!!

I bought my usual Margaritaville biker T Shirt that has a Parrot riding a bike and it says "Take Another Road" after one of Jimmy's songs, and it makes sense to me!

Orange and Black is the new "It Sucks"!!!

What a collection of posers I saw tonight...

It is really quite sad...

I am over it!

Amen bro. All the events are getting that way. Yuppieville. Daytona isn't much better in many places. Laconia is a little better but that place is a vender fest anymore. Haven't been to Sturgis lately maybe that one has gone to he!! yet.

I have only been doing them for a few decades. I don't remember them ever being anything more than posers and vendor fests. When I was younger I got to pose and could drink more cause I was invincible. Now if I posed they would get the old poser posse after me lol. If I drank I would forget where I lived so thats out.

It's amazing how we evolve. For many of my riding years I thought that anyone on anything but a Harley was not a legitimate rider. I have taken almost a 180 degree turn in attitude, and have little patience with the Harley, lemming, wanna-be bad boy group. Of course the in thing with the true yuppies these days are choppers.

My current attitude is like the three bears fairy tale. On one end you have the Harley lemmings, on the other (in my opinion at least) there is the Gold Wing (go out of my way to look like I am on a family picnick while riding a motorycle) nerds, and then there is the "just right" group - the Triumph gang!!

Last night I was behind a middle-aged guy in the supermarket that had a denim jacket with his HOG and Harley patches, and a HOG cap. It's one thing to dress like that when you're on the bike, but around town is silly.

That being said, I try not to judge people too harshly. Especially other riders.

Most of these guys are really OK, and when they see you're riding a Triumph cruiser they're usually interested in talking to you about Triumph.

Well Said!!!

They really are good people, had good conversations, and fun.

Just glad I don't have to wear orange and black all of the time...

Oh yeah, don't get me started on the chopper guys.

I went to a local bike show last weekend. It was a rainy day so I waited for the thunder storms to stop before I rode out to it in a light rain. I would have put my bike in the show but I had my niece’s first communion to go to. Any way I get there and there are only 9 bikes in the show and maybe 15 bikes and about 30 cars. Any way when I go to leave I see 2 guys in boots, chaps and harley jackets get in to one of the cars and drive off.

Is there a support group for families of Wannabe's? Hello, my name is Steve and I've got a problem... MY SON. He's never had his own bike, but HAS to have all the latest Harley gear. Boots, jacket, wallet, if it says HD, he has to have it. He bought his wife a new car - Black, so he can add HD stickers, an orange stripe and HD seatcovers. He just painted the guestroom in HD colors (I won't go inside). Where did I go wrong? I tried. Whenever I bought a new bike, I always offered him the old one, he always declined because "It's not a Harley." I thought it was a yute thing, but he's 33 now for cryin' out loud.

He's actually my stepson, so we've always blamed it on his bio-dad, but now he's corrupting the grand-kids. They both got HD jackets for Christmas. And he's asked me to send him T-shirts from Daytona and Myrtle Beach. Where did I go wrong.

Dont bag on them to hard. Befor there is a big bisk rally or show well sell out of luggage and chrome do dads to people going there. I have sold over 20 full sets of T Bags luggage this week alone. Yes they may be posers but it puts money in my pocket lol.. See it is best not to make fun of them but to make money from them instead. Folks it may sound mean and wrong, but i love RUB's. You can allways spot on as soon as they pull up. Nice new shiney 15K Harley wearing a ton of new leather, and have that hunger in their eyes for more.. And who am I to tell them no? SO in short i love the posers lol,, they feed my kid lol... Oh and for us who ride our bikes more then 2K miles a year, they best time to go to the Myrtle beach rally is the 2nd weekend, most of the want-a-b's are gone and the good stuff is out.

On a positive note... I pulled up next to 2 Black Americas today in Myrtle Beach. One was a 07.

They sure lifted my spirits!

So...where does one cross the line from "poser" or so called "Rub" to being the real article...

controversial topic I think and certainly covered before.

What makes us transition from newbie riders to full scale over the top biker motorcycle enthusiasts? Miles ridden? Perhaps not based on climate. Attitude? Maybe.

In truth it has little to do with what we ride.

I am sure Brent and all the vendors who cater to us appreciate us all .....

I think its just a joy in the ride itself....and riding more than once a week average in good weather.

All the accouterments, leather chrome and bits are of course part of the whole picture but in a greater sense its that feeling of joy the ride itself brings.

Why Harley riders are better:

- YOU WISH YOU HAD AS MUCH MONEY AS ME BECAUSE I CAN AFFORD A HARLEY AND DON'T HAVE TO SETTLE FOR A CHEAP LITTLE METRIC CRUISER FOR HALF THE PRICE AND TWICE THE PERFORMANCE.

- YOU HATE HARLEYS BECAUSE YOUR DAD MOLESTED YOU AND HE WAS A HARLEY OWNER.

- I'VE BEEN TRAILORING HARLEYS TO RALLIES SINCE BEFORE YOU WERE EVEN BORN, SO I'M A BETTER RIDER THAN YOU'LL EVER BE.

- IF YOU LOVED AMERICA AND FREEDOM, YOU WOULD BUY A HARLEY. RICE BURNERS PUT AMERICANS OUT OF WORK AND THE JAPANESE ARE GOING TO COME OVER HERE AND TAKE OUR HARLEYS BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T BUY AN OVER PRICED, 1920'S TECHNOLOGY, IRON HOG LIKE I DID.

- YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND HARLEY'S MODEL DESIGNATIONS, BUT I'VE HAD 26 OF THEM PLUS A SPORTSER WHICH ONLY COUNTS AS A HALF OF A HARLEY.

- YOU JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW ALL OF OUR LIVES WE'VE BEEN SOCIAL RETARDS, AND AS HARLEY OWNERS WE ARE INDIVIDUALS AND REBELS WHO LOVE TO GET TOGETHER, GET DRUNK, AND SEE WHOSE BIKE IS THE LOUDEST. DARE TO BE DIFFERENT AND GET A HARLEY LIKE THE REST OF US, THEN MAYBE YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE A PATRIOTIC AMERICAN REBEL OUTCAST WANNABE INDIVIDUALIST/CONFORMIST BAD$$ DRUNK OBNOXIOUS SELF-ABSORBED FAT STUPID REDNECK LIKE ME.

- HOW DARE YOU QUESTION THE ONLY BRAND AND SOCIAL GROUP THAT I'VE EVER IDENTIFIED WITH

(edited- & complements of Black Echo)

They,meaning H-D themselves,are just getting out of hand imo. I went to one dealer on Saturday looking for a half helmet that won't look like I put a mushroom cap on my head. I had called before going and they said they had a good selection. When I got there and went in and all the helmets had some form of the H-D logo painted on them. I asked the sales lady if they had any without them. She smugly replied where did I think I was and asked what I rode. So I told her. She then walked away back behind her counter. I mean isn't it supposed to be a motocycle store too? Does every little thing have to say H-D? Thats just arrogant that they think they don't even need other peoples business. On the bright side one of the techs was walking by as I got on my bike and said nice bike. Asked if I liked it. Said a buddy of his owns a Triumph shop in Hampton Beach NH and that he had been through Triumph plant and was very impressed.

I must confess, I bought some HD goggles and gloves on a ride down south a month ago...But I know someone who knows someone at the store so I got a good discount. The gloves and goggles are well designed and a good fit but the felt lining around the eye piece of the googles is coming adrift..Its HD, so you got to expect to fix it.

Darn Posers

Where is my Triumph shirt and Triumph armored mesh jacket, I am going out on my Triumph with the Triumph emblem on the back rest and the Bonneville America stick-on from Eddy. The tank badges and the British flag on my jacket and, and,

Dang posers, I hate em!

There is a difference between branded and a poser. I can't teach you that difference. You know or you don't know.

Hold your ears if you are sensitive. Lots to most of us are very branded and many are very good posers. You don't have to own a Harley to strike a pose.

Well since we are bashing Hardley riders and I'm in a mood to blather.....

Yesterday was a cold morning ride to work,so as expected the only other bike in the lot that morning was that fugly beemer.Later in the day one HD boy tried to bust my stones a little about last weeks vacum cap trouble,following conversation ensued,

HD Boy: "Hey, is that Trumpet still runnin."
Me: "Yeah shes runnin fine, she's ouside now if you want to look at her,cant miss it only one other bike out there, hows that garage queen of yours doing?".
HD boy: says nothing.
Me: "Yeah guess you got to ride it to break it".

Now this it the part that got me.

HD boy says; "If you paid as much for your bike, as I did, you wouldn't ride it as much."

Harley logic?

I know a few of those posers. Friend of the family lives in Myrtle, and her two brothers trailered down their new Harley's for the event from NY.

Two of the biggest Jag offs I've ever had the displeasure of having to spend time with........

You know I really not that branded. The only "triumph" branded or logo stuff I have is 4 dealer Ts that I have visited.
And I agree with LizardKing, I regularly stop at HD dealers we have bunch in NH spaced about45 mins apart. And the main reason I stop is the free food. But I feel bad just eating their food, so I will browse. $50 for a pair of gloves! thats with 20% off, 150 for a helmet? Neither of which are truly high quality products but both are covered with logos. Most of the harely riders I see are totally branded head to toe. Not sure if HD makes underwear yet.

If a guy buys a Harley cause he likes it, drives 20k per year on it, and wears a lot of Harley stuff. Is he a Poser or a biker?

I can't tell a poser to look at him or her. I have to talk to them. Learn from them how much they like biking and what it does for them. Labels are very deceptive sometimes.

Does branding make a person sub-standard? Do they go from there to child molestation? I have a neighbor that drinks a few hundred worth every month. My other neighbor has Harley gloves. The Harley owner is my choice for watching my house when I am gone. My one neighbor only has one Jack Daniels shirt though.

Harley stuff is a funny addiction though. I can't get by the folks that don't own Harleys buying it. Just breaks me up.

Quote:

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Not sure if HD makes underwear yet.

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Of course they do silly!!

You’ll find Harley Davidson pants, shirts, socks, underwear, lingerie, boxers, jackets, gloves and every type of accessory imaginable including belts, ties, scarves, sunglasses, goggles, hats, helmets, jewelry...

Ok guys, I am a reentry rider. Or a new one, he!! I don't know. Well I used to race dirt bikes, quit a few years ago, and now have a BA, and have no idea what a Rub is. What is a RUB and what what qualifies you to be one of the said group? Oh and just last weekend at my local shop a group of crotch rocket boys and their mom went tearing off wearing tank tops, shorts and flip flops. I see alot of that around here and it tears me up. My bro bought a 1200 sporty cuz he wanted a hardley but doesn't want to ride with me down the twisties b/c he says I go to fast on my BA? Is that a RUB?

let's see....
The boys with flip flops on their ricers were squids. It sounds like you brother owns a hardley to be seen, probably spends more time polishing than riding? Yeah, he's probably a poser. Your dentist is probably a RUB- Rich urban biker, bought a full dresser to trailer to daytona. You sound like the real deal.

I'm an MCM.

(Middle-Class Motorcyclist)

I'm also a SINK - Single Income No Kids

Actually I have two incomes but DINK usually applies to married couples...

I guess we are dinks, but my income this year hasn't been worth mentioning.
The one that scares me is what Gina posted a while ago. Sitcom; Single income two children oppressive mortgage

I think I've probably mentioned this before around here, but from my 40 years of continual experiences of riding motorcycles I've noticed that, PERCENTAGE-WISE, I seem to be able to carry on much more intelligent conversations about this vast sport and it's history with individuals who ride Triumphs than with those who seem to turn a blind eye to any other brand than their Harley-Davidsons.

Anybody else ever notice that too?

Now, I wouldn't mind owning an old Panhead or even a modern DynaGlide mind you, but I think if I did I'd STILL probably wear my Triumph T-shirt while riding them around, because you see, whenever I see some guy sportin' a Triumph T-shirt, I just naturally assume that he'd probably be a guy worth carrying on a conversation with, as compared to the multitude of those who seem to take so much pride in their Harley fashions.

Just a sociological observation there, folks.

(Of course, on the opposite end of this "spectrum" you've got your Beemer riders. Now, I noticed over the years that THOSE DUDES tend to overdo this here "intelligent conversation" thing just a bit, and THEY'LL put you RIGHT TO SLEEP!!!)

Ok I'm Branded...got my Fast eddy stuff, got my Brent, stuff, got Truimph wings on my Black denim vest, got several Triumph T'shirts, got a bunch of Triumph stickers, from Machines in Motion at the GA rally, Got my BA.com patch (and the rally rockers) on the same vest, even cut the Triumph "swoosh" out of reflective tape and put it on the back of my 3/4 helmet, if I wasn't saving for a new corbin I would own MORE Triumph goodies...(like I need another coffee mug)...and I think I'll draw the line on the undies...I envey...YES I SAID Envey the Harley guys that the HAVE the opportunity to display their brand loyalty in so many ways...not that I WANT Triumph undies...but I wouldn't mind a nice set of Triumph Scotch glasses...so shoot me...point is we (not the Royal we) b!tch about the HD logo stuff then drool over the Triumph logo stuff...there are "poser's" in every market..(just the wealthier one pose next to crome dripping HD's)...here is some more to fan the flames...When (not if) I go to GA next year it will most likely be by cage with a trailer for the BA...does that make me a RUB or a POSER??? I missed out on some fine rides with the group this year because of some choices I made this time...(not that I would do anything different THIS year...but NEXT year...)

and I spent a sh!t load of $$$ to buy shiney chrome bits...you know dammm well it's going to be polished regularly if I didn't want the best shine I could get I would have bought a blacked out motor I like SHINEY chrome..so I spend HOURS polishing it..(which by the way it STILL needs after GA)...does that make me a poser...

I ride in hot, cold (18 degF), SNOW (white out over the top of the mtns), Rain (do I really need to explain),as often as I can when it is practicle to do so...and some times when it's not... yet in the time I have owned the bike (01/23/06) I have only managed 8K miles I love the twisties yet have NEVER scraped anything on this bike...even thru "The Dragon" and I wasn't crawlin 30-45mph...maybe that is crawlin...didn't seem it to me...

Does all this make me a poser??????

To the newby I might look like the poser next year...(perhaps to the vetran this year) but unless you know the whole story you can't judge just because of this or that...

We spend more time "as a colective group" pokin at the HD crowd then they ever would us...

NOW that being said YES there are POSERS that ride Harleys...perhaps more than any other brand, due to the SUPER succsefull Marketing department they employ...

but they do not have the market cornered on Posing...

and yes they are very expensive...but heII people are more than willing to pay for them...

and yes your paying for a look and sound more than the latest in tech...but so what we all bought a look...and as far as sound...nothing sounds like a HD NOTHING and I happen to like that sound...No Jap bike has reproduced it...no Brit bike...and How much did YOU pay for your pipes...don't tell me it was just for the performance improvements it was the SOUND that drew you in...it's what we ALL comment on, when a buch of Trumps are together...

"are those BUBS...D & D, Staintune's, Specialty Spares...those sound...." and are WE willing to pay for sound...PRICED a set of pipes recently YOU BET WE ARE...we are just not willing to spend as much as a Harley costs...

and as far as handling goes...they may not be as agile...or perhaps they just require more work...Tracy (yota's friend) tossed his HD around the mountains of GA just fine from what I saw and heard...better than some of the Trumpets and their riders...so is it that they don't handle as well or we don't handle them as well...????????

Sorry for the windy rant but after a while I get tired of the "they're inferior are'nt we smart" tone these threads start to take...I now return you to your regularly scheduled thread

I generally agree with that Dwight. I ride with some 1%ers though and they are into bikes. They ride Harley and love Harley. Most of them though can tell you about thier Brit bike or 2 they have owned over the years. They also like my old BMW even thought I get ribbed cause it's so quiet. "Is it running?" LOL But any of them can discuss the history of bikes spanning most makes and models. We all , in my group, fall short in knowlege of jap stuff and have no interest in learning about them. We do know some of the key japs though Hinda Dream , Honda 750four , The Suzuki and Kawi trips etc..

Exactly, Ian. Call it what you want, but I've always felt the japanese are somewhat responsible for keeping motorcycling a viable enterprise during those dark days of the 1970s when the british brands and H-D were mired in debt and relied too much on old technology and dreams of past glory.

Wow a Dwight, Rob and Ian co-rant. That is scary.

I guess it comes down to what does the person want out of their bike?
I have friends that ride HD that are really into bikes, have owned many and just enjoy riding. And I have friends that have HDs that just like to point out theirs is a harely, just want to be seen on it.
I have found the easy way to tell difference is what they say about my bike. Those that are really into bikes know about/or owned a few triumphs.
I haven't been riding that long, just cause I haven't been around that long. But I have tried to learn all I can about our bikes and other brands. I haven't been able to put a whole lot miles on cause it snows up here, and I have too many irons in the fire.

Its all really about the riding and how much you enjoy it when you can ride.

Theres times when owning a bike ...any bike I think is like having your own personal roller coaster amusement ride.....

Just add a decent twisty road and a nice warm day and you can add your own thrill on the spur of the moment. The more you ride the more the level of thrill you can add in within limits and the laws of the road and common sense based on road conditions and or the presence of your local LEO.

I liken riding a scooter to dancing. It takes two people for a partner dance and it becomes lots of fun if both partners are somewhat skilled. The scooter is already trained as good as its gonna get....add yourself and fine tune your skills and the dance just gets better and better.

That feeling of pure joy you can get at obscure times when riding is hard to explain....indeed if you have to ask you would not understand.

Thats what makes a real rider in my eyes. That and a willingness to learn about your ride and perhaps do at least some of the standard maintenance on it. That ZEN thing is in here somewheres.

Amen brother

I do quietly roll my eyes at folks who spend more time pimpin' their ride then riding their ride....but at the same time my idea of camping is now a nice room in the mountains with a hot tub......but I jump out of my skin on group rides that go from bar to bar- what a waste of a day-come on people, daylight's burning!.....trailering is not a mortal sin......

Just have to throw this in. Last weekend my dad and I drove 3hrs, mostly interstate, to the triumph dealer so I could get some parts for my bike. While we were up there my dad was looking at trading in his VTX for a Rocket 3. I made a comment about trailering it home so he would not have to drone on the interstate and he told me "there was no way in he11 he was gonna trailer that bike home. Bikes were made for ridin'". And he gave me the stink eye while he said it. I have to admit, that may have been the moment I was most proud of my father. lol But he made me feel like a punk. Oh well, it was a cool moment anyway. He was also the one that got me into the triumph brand. He talks fondly of the old bonnies he's had. I just got back from an 80mi trip and I love my BA too.

I would wear a lot more Triumph-branded gear if they made things for fat a$$es my size. Occasionally I can find t-shirts with Triumph logos and such from aftermarket vendors like MetroRacing.com.

Harley at least understands just how friggin huge their customer base can get...