Quote: I am not so sure why anyone would get put out from a little friendly ribbing.
Back in May, '02, just about a month after I got my bike, I went to my first poker run. It was attended predominantly by Harley dudes (about 100 of them) and I got a TON of friendly ribbing. But there wasn't one jackhole among them. If anyone disapproved of my bike they didn't say anything. That was also my first experience getting hounded with all the usual questions.
My favorite, and ironically the saddest, joke pulled on me was one guy came in the bar where the run was starting and told me my bike was leaking. I figured it was a joke but I ran outside anyway to find a half-dozen tea bags sitting under my bike.
Anyway, I knew I was the FNG so I just took it all in stride. The joking around was mitigated by the complete respect shown for the Triumph brand.
Now, five years later, things have changed significantly, and there are plenty of checkbook bikers running around here with store-bought attitudes. There is NO ribbing from these friggin yuppies because they are too cool to even notice someone else. The guys with the $40k choppers (arse-jewelry) have the worst attitudes yet. The bad attitude must be proportional to the amount they paid.
I'm not generalizing here. I know plenty of great people who ride Harleys. I would love to have a restored old WWII style Harley in my collection someday (only after I have my core collection of five Triumphs ). This is just what I've witnessed.
). This is just what I've witnessed.