Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge The Harley guys only defence.

Have anyone else noticed that it seems like a Harley persons only defense is the "it's not a harley" defense. I was at work today standing next to my bike talking to my friend when the guy who owned the Harley I was parked next to walked up. My friend asked the guy what he thought of the "fine british bike" (his exact words) parked next to his Harley. Not knowing that I was the owner of the Triumph he called it a peice of junk. I'm not one to back down easy so I laughed and asked him how much he paid for his bike, it was a lot more than I paid. So I asked him about his maintenance costs and how he enjoyed tightening everything down every 500 miles, re replied newer Harleys arn't as bad as older harleys. I asked himm if he still had above average maintenance costs and he still had to tighten right? He concided that I was correct. So then I asked him if he wanted to race. He told me that his bike isn't a race bike. I told him that my bike is a cruiser too and if he wanted to talk like that he should put up or shut up, I bumped my challenge by putting up $200. He once again declined my challenge. So I asked him, Your bike is overpriced, you spend WAY more in maintenance and time keeping it running, and it's slower or you'd have no problem running it against mine... how is it that my bike is a peice of junk? His response, "it's not a Harley" then he walked away.

I ride with a Harley, and a BMW ~~ and my bike gets almost all of the comments ~~ all positive. You could buy 4 of my bikes for what the Harley cost and two Americas for what the BMW cost.

I' glad "it's not a Harley".

I use to ride Harleys and now there is way to many of them. Its time for Triumph to set the pace. I love my America and it has never let me down.Had a Harley try and chase me down the mountain on hairpin turns lost him real quick and I'am an old guy.

Pete

First of all welcome Tim!
That's a great story.
I spent 3 summers at Camp Fuller by the Sea, in Wakefield.
We must get together and ride,
Uncle Charlie

He was undoubtedly one of those idiots that trailers his bike to every event, and parks it and/or puts in few obligatory miles trying to play helmetless bad boy. Most of those types don't know $hit about motorcycles, and if you quizzed him about his own motorcycle he probably would know few technical details other than "It's a Harley." BFD!

Way to stick it to him

I write for a living and spend a lot of time at dictionary.com. That site is now saturated by Harley ads. Maybe they use that defense because of their limited vocabulary. Can you spell pretentious?

I like all motorcycles and have friends that have Harleys. That guy sounds like a jerk though, no matter what he was riding. But $200 bucks? Way to shut him down.

Triumph has a heritage as long or longer than Hardley depending how you measure it. Triumph has been kicking Hardleys butt for most of those years pound for pound CC for CC. Tell him you wanted a name that has held multiple land speed records and kicked butt on the flat track not the 2nd place holder like Hardley.

Just another HD sheep Tim, these guys have to brainwash themselves into believeing they made the best choise as a way too keep from feeling like complete fools when they learn they shelled out all that cash for a false image and a name.They want to be cool and different so they buy an overpriced orniment, just like everybody else.

Just wait until he hits you with "you didnt buy a Hardly because you cant afford it".

HD has become nothing more than a status symbol, like a sailboat, (no offnece to any boat owners out there).

Before I bought my speedy, I was shopping around at all the brands (just wanted to make sure I was making the right desicion - And I definitley did). I was looking at the Sportster and asked the salesguy, "Why should I buy th Sporty instead of th Speedmaster?". The only thing he said was, "It's a harley.". I was waiting for him to say more (something about performance, handling, something, anything), but he never did.

Soren

They don't look as good as our bikes, they don't perform as well, are not as reliable (newer bikes excepted), and cost way too much!

And wherever they go, huge numbers of them show up, too. And one is just like another unless sporting a custom paint job. You would rarely see a crowd of Triumphs in one place. Far less common.

to bad people havta talk bad like that. i like all bikes and like learning about all of them. there always hasta be that one where ever you go/are

Frank

Tim, Tim, Tim!!! What?! Nobody's ever explained to you that arguing logic with people ill-prepared to comprehend such concepts is a total waste of time???!!!

Of course, THAT'S never stopped ME from tryin' to talk sense to some people. Heck! EVEN around HERE I often read, "You know, I hate to admit this, but I actually agree with Dwight!".

So, with THAT in mind, I guess I have to admit...Hope DOES INDEED spring eternal sometimes, and a few of those less enlightened poor souls out there might eventually(for want of a better terminology) "Get it" one day in the not too distant future!!!

So, keep pluggin' away, Kid! One day you TOO just might make a difference for the better in this sorry old world!


(no, there's no ego problem here....why do you ask?!)

Frank,
I too like all motorcicles. I love Harley-Davidson, but the "Milwaukee Madness" has turned me against them over the years. I had an '87 Superglide that I cherished , but at 25,000 miles it fell to pieces (yes, i maintained it well). "That one" you refer to is more than one. The woods are full of them. It's not the ride, it's the riders that are so condescending (dictionary.com, please) and make me sick.
I work with a guy who has 3 fairly new Harleys and he went back to the campground when the rest of us rode "The Dragon". But he's got the image so he knows more about motorcycles than I ever will - truth is, he knows nothing other than "it's a Harley". He buys Harley everthing batteries, inner tubes, tires, all have to have that name on it - AND, he always recommends those parts to me. I just tell him, they'll slow my bike down too much. He also has the Ford Truck with HD trinkets and decals. Now, with all that's been said here, I'd love to have a Road Glide, which would probably sit in my carport most of the time. I can't buy one, because I'd be afraid someone would think I'd caught the sickness.

i see what your saying, just trying to give the benifet of the doubt

Frank

Tim over here in UK we too have some mindless morons that have this attitude of 'It isn't a Harley' In fact we have a huge gathering of sports bikes and cruisers at Poole Quay on Tuesday nights(2500 + bikes) and the Harley boys keep themselves very much seperate from the other cruisers. We are not worthy, Bullsh*t Harley riders just enjoy cruising whatever machine you are on. Its the freedom of the roadthat we enjoy. Where cost is concerned Harleys over here cost an arm and a leg a Sportster 1200 will set you back some £8000 ($16000) Tell me where is the joy in THAT

Having a mental duel with an unarmed man is not fair Tim.

One of the distressing aspects of the HD world is the way it has changed over the years. I was one of the guys who might have said something stupid like, "It's a Harley." That, however, was before the yuppie invasion by people like my dentist who crashed his sparkling new Harley as he tried to negotiate his driveway on the way home from the dealership.

Back then, the Harley owner was a true enthusiast who often wrenched his own bike, and had no particular issue with leaks, etc. Most were really great riders, and many of them used their bikes exclusively as transportation.

Then, the yuppie invasion came. If you would have told me around 1995 that my butt would ever be on anything but a Harley, I would have told you that you were nuts, and I would have invited you to share with me whatever you were smoking.

Then, I had a life changing experience. The Honda Valkyrie came out in 1997. I just couldn't resist a bike that was not another Harley wannabe. I bought one, tricked it out, and so enjoyed blowing away my friends with stroker Harleys. I sold, BTW, a 1993 Springer Softail on which I had installed over 13 kbucks worth of add-ons including Edelbrock heads, hot Andrews cam, modified S&S carb, hot ignition, etc., etc. After all of that, my Valk would have blown that bike away!

I have gone straight ever since, and am now thoroughly enjoying the world of Triumph!

Unfortunately, I have gone the other way in which I am so tired of the typical Harley, wannabe bad boy, riding the same boring bikes. Obviously, there are some great folks who still ride Harleys, but they, unfortunately, are a small minority from what I can observe.

Oh, and one other thing. I do surprisingly notice that Harley riders actually wave to me. I'm not sure if they are simply confused or actually acknowledge non rice burners. I know in the days when I accepted nothing but a Harley as a legitimate motorcycle, there were some guys who had Triumph choppers that would ride with us, and we actually acknowledged them as true riders on true bikes.

Well I went on a group ride last weekend with 7 other riders including three Harley Glides. They didn't actually put any of the other riders "down" but you could tell they thought the rest of us weren't in the same league. The best part of the ride was where the cat on the Yamaha 400cc scooter blew them away in the twisties going up Racoon Mountain in Chattanooga. Unfortunately, I was behind them bringing up the rear because I had the loudest pipes. Man, do those 2007s ever shake when they're at a traffic light. They could have made fantastic milkshakes at every stop. And, finally when the guy with the prettiest Ultra Glide (and it was very pretty) asked me why I chose my Triumph over a Harley I said, "Handling and the joy of riding" he had nothing to say...

Welcome, Tim!
What dealership did you pick up your Speedmaster at? I'll add it to my list of destinations.
I love RI riding....Foster/Glouchester....I've camped/ridden out in Chepachet, Pascoag....The coast is so pretty.

Nice pushback against the guy's ignorance.

I'm finding that for every dope who "doesn't get it", there are folks to whom our bikes bring a way big happy. I was out last night with a friend, we stopped for coffee- a guy came out of Dunkin' Donuts with his coffee, came over to us, big s**t eating grin on his face, told me his Triumph and BSA stories, went over my bike with a fine tooth comb, recalling his own ride.

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ALSO know that a CHEVY PICKUP with a TRIUMPH DECAL in the back window is not only "cooler", but is also a much wiser investment!!!

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I've thought about contacting Chevy and suggesting a real motorcycle as a theme for a custom Chevy.

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what's your problem with this there "condescension thing" anyway???

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God bless me, maybe I've developed a complex from days of trying to make my Harleys run like a motorcicle. I guess it violates my leftover Harley religiosity and I feel sorry for the Harley gods.
Inside, I'm laughing, but I really do pity them.
They do give me much to laugh about. They throw their leg over the HD embossed saddle, and all the blood runs out of their brain. It's a phenomenon, just a symptom of Milwaukee madness.

I love GoldWings, I respect them, I want one!!! But when I hear GW riders complain about others not waving, I love to tell them, "If you'd stop dressing like you're going to a square dance, people will wave at you."
But my problem is really not HD, it's their new wave boutique shopping riders.

You nailed it Tim.
He could have said anything BUT "piece of junk" but he's been assimilated like most of the armchair Harley riders. My take is that they just don't know any better and never will with that kind of attitude.
I bought my America from a die-hard Harley guy who bought it from ANOTHER die hard Harley guy. They are both the first to compliment a Triumph even though they've gone back to Harleys.
Some people learn. The others?? Ignore them and they'll go away. Or more to the point, you go away leaving them in your dust!!
Nice job.

OK

From an old SNL skit: "I don't mean to sound condescending.........you do know what I mean by condescending, don't you?"

Not sure where that fits in with this conversation, but I think it should fit somehow..

Ok, back to work for me now.

I just love bikes. If I had the money and the space, I'd have a fleet and there would probably be a Harley in there.

I've said this here before though, when Harley guys give me guff I either say, "Nice bike. My accountant has one just like it." I don't bother to tell them I don't have an accountant.

Or, "Yeah, nice bike. Wasn't cool enough for Steve McQueen or Marlon Brando, but if it's cool enough for you..."

Gotta stay good natured though.

nice one, Tim.

People that like bikes, like bikes.

People that are asshats, are asshats.

There's nothing you need to do about one and nothing you can do about the other.