The American Cruiser Brand of Rude

[Vanderwho]

Twisty canyon. Four lane, divided highway. I jump on right behind a fella on one of those American-made cruisers with little-to-no cornering clearance. MC club leather jacket, of course, but also a helmet. He's in the left lane, riding alongside a minivan. I get behind him, and wait. For miles. He must know I'd like to get around him. But he has no intention of doing anything but pacing that minivan. When I do finally manage to get around him, with some drama, he flips me off. What a d!&k. Yeah, I know... It happened to you yesterday. I just needed to vent.

There has got to be some way to repay this kind of rudeness.

 

[Dogdaze]

There has got to be some way to repay this kind of rudeness.

You did! You blew past him ::012::

 

[Vanderwho]

You did! You blew past him ::012::

I was thinking more along the lines of boiling oil, maybe...

 

[shrekonwheels]

I have a couple very good friends who ride those Bikes, for the life of me I cannot understand why you would want to spend money to look like a Drug Dealing Felon.

With that said the attitudes have changed over the years and Hog riders, even those in colors usually wave at me.

I had a jerk on a sportbike continuously stay in the passing lane next to a semi when I was in my pickup truck. I had to really struggle not to follow him into the gas station and teach him some manners.

 

[OldRider]

I have a little button mounted on the left side by the horn button that when pushed, moves them right out of the way. Those LED's are so bright, they can't stand it for very long.

 

[Don in Lodi]

I've often wondered what the deal is with that space next to large vehicles on the freeway. People will be cruising along fine, 10-20 faster than traffic in the right lane, they hit that 'space' and stall. I've seen a dozen or more cars stacked up behind one of those stalls, for miles. Some strange magnetism? A micro black hole? Where do these people's brains go when they hit that space? Ah, hypnotism, the large spinning disc of the front wheel! That must be it. ::008::

 

[Vanderwho]

I have a little button mounted on the left side by the horn button that when pushed, moves them right out of the way. Those LED's are so bright, they can't stand it for very long.

I'm still leaning toward boiling oil...

 

[rotortech71]

I sat at a red light a couple years ago, and noticed a guy that kind of reminded me of Santa Clause, sitting across the intersection from me on a Harley. He was staring at me, like he was trying to figure out what I was riding. This went on for so long, that I finally gave him a nod. He didn't do anything. When the light turned green, I gave him another nod, and a small wave. He made an obvious gesture of shaking his head, in a slow, disgusted way. It struck me funny, and I starting laughing...

But yesterday, the most friendly guy in the world stopped next to me at a light, riding a Harley, and shouted, "Hey! Nice Yamaha! Great day huh? Have a nice ride!" So I'm trying not to let the a**holes ruin my opinion of others.

 

[steve68steve]

It's a different flavor of "rude", but I was parked in a "motorcycle parking" area today, gearing up to leave when an HD comes in and parks 3' away from me. His radio is playing. I nod to him and say, "hi, how're you doing?" or something friendly/ innocuous. He looked right at me, didn't say anything, and turned the radio up while his bike was shut off and he was fiddling with his keys and wallet or whatever.

He had a young girl on the back - maybe 10 years old. What is he teaching her?

 

[Checkswrecks]

It's a different flavor of "rude", but I was parked in a "motorcycle parking" area today, gearing up to leave when an HD comes in and parks 3' away from me. His radio is playing. I nod to him and say, "hi, how're you doing?" or something friendly/ innocuous. He looked right at me, didn't say anything, and turned the radio up while his bike was shut off and he was fiddling with his keys and wallet or whatever.

He had a young girl on the back - maybe 10 years old. What is he teaching her?

To be the next generation when she is looking for a mate?

 

[Checkswrecks]

Twisty canyon. Four lane, divided highway. I jump on right behind a fella on one of those American-made cruisers with little-to-no cornering clearance. MC club leather jacket, of course, but also a helmet. He's in the left lane, riding alongside a minivan. I get behind him, and wait. For miles. He must know I'd like to get around him. But he has no intention of doing anything but pacing that minivan. When I do finally manage to get around him, with some drama, he flips me off. What a d!&k. Yeah, I know... It happened to you yesterday. I just needed to vent.

There has got to be some way to repay this kind of rudeness.

There is and as you are just venting, I'm sure you are aware.


Forget him and enjoy your own life. Darwin will get him.

 

[Langolier]

Have been out riding for well over a month now (average temps in the 40's to 50's here in WI). Usually got the "wave". Now that it finally warmed up it has brought out the weekend warriors. Had a few give the hands down two finger wave then at the last second change it to the proverbial one finger. I could care less if one waves or not but that's immaturity at it's finest. I've ridden all brands thru my 40 yrs of biking, sorry HD guys this just makes you look like idiots.

 

[shrekonwheels]

Have been out riding for well over a month now (average temps in the 40's to 50's here in WI). Usually got the "wave". Now that it finally warmed up it has brought out the weekend warriors. Had a few give the hands down two finger wave then at the last second change it to the proverbial one finger. I could care less if one waves or not but that's immaturity at it's finest. I've ridden all brands thru my 40 yrs of biking, sorry HD guys this just makes you look like idiots.

I kind of thought the leather vest and fake protective gear in general if any, made them look like idiots ::025::

 

[bnschroder]

It's not the brand you ride, but the person you are.
I happen to ride twice a year for a weekend with a large group of guys. It's always the same: Meeting outside of Atlanta, hitting the best twisties in the Country in North GA, TN, NC, passing through the Dragon, and spending the night in Pigeon Forge.
There are all sorts of bikes on the rides, Goldwings, crotch rockets, Harleys, BWWs, Stroms, Teneres, GS - you name it; air-cooled, carb'd 1 cylinders to brand new in-line sixes. We all have a blast, and we all have respect for each other. There are few fast guys leading the pack, and few slower ones bringing in the rear end. Anybody who shows up with a new bike gets full attention and admiration, regardless of country of origin.
Hell - you find great guys riding anything, and a..holes doing the same.
We would all be doing better not throwing all folks riding one brand into the same pot.
Remember - it's not what you ride that matters, it's how you ride it. And it's all about having fun, not getting angry. Amen!

 

[ducwad]

Have been out riding for well over a month now (average temps in the 40's to 50's here in WI). Usually got the "wave". Now that it finally warmed up it has brought out the weekend warriors. Had a few give the hands down two finger wave then at the last second change it to the proverbial one finger. I could care less if one waves or not but that's immaturity at it's finest. I've ridden all brands thru my 40 yrs of biking, sorry HD guys this just makes you look like idiots.

Wow, I would never know if that happened to me. I wave as I go by but I'm not looking at their wave as I'm watching the road. Now I wonder how often those damned HD riders are flipping me off. ::025::

 

[Paul466]

IMHO Harley crowd does not get Us. In their "culture" its all about the look not function of the bike. Thats where the disconnect happens. Our "ugly" bikes dont have enough shiny trinckets to mezmorize a simple mind We ride to destinations that allow us to enjoy beauty of nature. Their destinatios are dive bars. Enough said. I hate to throw a blanket over all harley riders but its the majority that srews it up for the polite and thinking minorty. As far as the no wave or finger from them. Every time i see that a famous quote comes to mind: FAT DRUNK AND STUPID IS NO WAY TO GO THROUGH LIVE

 

[Langolier]

Don't get me wrong I have some riding buddies that ride HD's and will give you the shirt off their back and they put on many more miles (Iron Butt rides) than me. Just ranting about the bad apples. I came to expect it more since I live 50 mi north from "ground zero" HD world. All I can hope for is Darwinism to catch up or a can of V8 juice to hit them on the head. :lamp:

 

[Dogdaze]

It's because we don't look cool. I mean sport bikers ride in skin tight matching leathers looking like a Power Rangers with knee pads hanging off to the side of their legs. H-D riders and custom cruisers ride around with jeans, platform cowboy boots, wife-beater and a sleeveless denim vest with a bandana (ok, not all) looking cool as all hell, to the general public's perception of what bikers should look like!!! ( Every time a see a grouping like that all I hear is that piece of music from 'Any Which Way But Loose' with the 'Black Widows' riding into town), anyway, we, well we just don't look cool do we? We have high density, sometimes Hi-Viz gear, helmets with mikes, sat navs, luggage of some sort strapped, maybe dirty from off roading, yeah, we are just not cool people.

 

[timothy.davis]

I bought my daughter a little 250 Virago and sent her to a basic motorcycle course to get her licenses. Due to storage issues the Virago stays at my house. Due to the high volume of traffic in the collage town I live in the Virago is the preferred urban assault vehicle. Our town has a high populous of what we call Drunk mo-bills or Meth mo-bills, small cc'd motorcycles and scooters that require no license. These are quite popular amongst the individuals who have been unjustly targeted by law enforcement and then have had to face the humility of surrendering their license. These mo-bills scream around town and surrounding roads followed by long trails of delayed traffic. They are more often than not two up and not only helmet less but less than fully clothed. Usually the driver and rider are quite focused on some distant reality and completely oblivious to the honking and screams of outrage from their following. Now imagine the impact a person can have if; they dressed as if they were riding there European motorcycle to Starbucks, were familiar with all the greetings and courtesies of an American motorcycle rider and avidly practicing them, but were riding a little Japanese bike that resembled a mo-bill. The contemptuous are now confronted with their worst night mare, it doesn't look like me, it doesn't sound like me, it sure acts like me, are they making fun of me, ah stress relief.

 

[stomp347]

It's because we don't look cool. I mean sport bikers ride in skin tight matching leathers looking like a Power Rangers with knee pads hanging off to the side of their legs. H-D riders and custom cruisers ride around with jeans, platform cowboy boots, wife-beater and a sleeveless denim vest with a bandana (ok, not all) looking cool as all hell, to the general public's perception of what bikers should look like!!! ( Every time a see a grouping like that all I hear is that piece of music from 'Any Which Way But Loose' with the 'Black Widows' riding into town), anyway, we, well we just don't look cool do we? We have high density, sometimes Hi-Viz gear, helmets with mikes, sat navs, luggage of some sort strapped, maybe dirty from off roading, yeah, we are just not cool people.

Ahhhhhhhhhh, but we are. My son calls us Stormtroopers.......maybe not cool to Hardly riders, but cool to the younger crowd.