[gonefirefightin]

I have almost always owned and ridden a Harley since I was 15. I always have one in the stable because it is pure Americana at its best.

but recently I have noticed the major demographic of the modern Harley owner is a guy who got his first bike last year, hasn't put on more than 2000 miles and thinks he is a bad ass and has to wear the most ridiculous amount of gear.

I recently showed up to a BBQ/poker run hosted by our club, I was wearing dickies shorts, skate shoes and a tank top.

some freaking hag around yuppy started to preach to me how stupid I was.

this was my reply to the retard

no seat belt, no airbags, no DOT helmet, splitting lanes in between Asian females driving SUV's on 70 MPH highways and 115 degrees and you think shorts and sneaks are crazy?

your on a motorcycle, road rash will always be the least of your worries.

wearing your 60 pounds of crash gear doesn't make you better than others, its different strokes for different folks.

most people buy a motorcycle to ride it, not to anticipate crashing it

after he mingles around and the crew informs him that I have over 200k miles on the bike I rode in on he ended up taking off his chaps (chaps are gay) leather jacket and all his big money gear and rode the rest of the day in a t shirt, acting like everything was cool.

I know jimmydean can understand this and possibly toshi to an extent

 

[Toshi]

I don't understand why you don't wear gear--road rash and MRSA and skin grafts--but I certainly understand your annoyance with the H-D stereotypical demographic. It's a race to the bottom, I tell ya.

 

[norbar]

I don't understand why you don't wear gear--road rash and MRSA and skin grafts--but I certainly understand your annoyance with the H-D stereotypical demographic. It's a race to the bottom, I tell ya.

He is a harley hipster. It is obvious! Cafe Racers are sooo 2011

 

[gonefirefightin]

I don't understand why you don't wear gear--road rash and MRSA and skin grafts--but I certainly understand your annoyance with the H-D stereotypical demographic. It's a race to the bottom, I tell ya.

when I do my short jaunts I am pretty much off bike casual. when I have some miles to put on I will wear appropriate attire (boots, jeans, non obtrusive armor jacket and a DOT full face) that isn't mad max looking.

besides its the whole point of riding motorcycles, if I was so worried about skin grafts I would be in the truck. after what I have been through I am not to concerned about it. consider a dog with its face out the window.

 

[eric strt6]

so about half the time you dress like a SQUID, on a harley.

what ever floats yer boat

 

[gonefirefightin]

so about half the time you dress like a SQUID, on a harley.

what ever floats yer boat

nah....its a hoodie looking jacket that harley makes, it has a couple plates in it.

and I wear the full face because I only have vision in one eye, other wise I wear wiley X moto glasses

 

[Pesqueeb]

I'm always ATGATT. Am I planning on dumping the bike? No, but I never know when the next brain dead bimbo in daddies car is going to try and knock me off again. I got worked last time for sure, but the helmet saved my life (whats a little TBI between friends?) and the gear saved my skin. Sure its a pain in the ass sometimes. It takes me as long, if not longer, to climb in and out of all that crap as it takes to change out of all my cycling stuff when I peddle to work. To each his own though. Even before I really understood the value of a good helmet, I could not fathom not wearing one even though CO has no helmet law.
I understand the frustration with the scene crowd though (especially the Harley people ). Dipchits on 30 grand bikes with 50 grand in branded leathers and tee-shirts trying to relive their 20's doesn't do the motorcycling community any favors, just like fixie riders blowing stoplights and mowing down pedestrians doesn't do the cycling community any favors.

 

[gonefirefightin]

rep for knowing ATGATT

 

[jimmydean]

I don't get people who own a motorcycle that is more than a year old and have under 2k miles. I put 14k on the FZ1 the first year alone. If I rode less than 8k a year, I would kick my own ass.

As for the gear, I know what you are saying. I love the feeling of wind (hence the naked bike addiction) but feel weird without my jacket and gloves. I do wear skate shoes more than not, but when I had real pegs (the Triumph stock pegs are garbage) I wore my A* boots 90% of the time.

You've been riding long enough to know what you are doing and on something like a Harley based poker run, you won't hit more than 35mph without someone breaking down anyway.

 

[DirtyMike]

I wear boots, jeans, vest and gloves at a minimum...... not because I am worried about road rash.... but grasshoppers, beetles, other bugs hurt at 70 MPH.......

I only have about 28K on the current ride...... But I have probably close to 250K total saddle time......

 

[jonKranked]

Nothing says american like design choices that sacrifice function for aesthetics.

 

[Serial Midget]

My mom and dad have been riding their Harleys since they retired... if it makes you feel any better - in the 70s my dad rode a 1968 Kawasaki 500, my mom rode a white Honda 250 and my sister and I each had Honda Trail 70s.

It's only been since they've retired that they've gone upscale.

edit: they where Trail 70s, 20cc's cooler.

 

[CBJ]

Is this a new trend?

 

[DirtyMike]

You know, this thread reminds me of the DH forum...........

 

[Westy]

A friend once offered to let me ride his Harley but I couldn't as I wasn't wearing a Harley T-shirt, Harley jacket, Harley boots or helmet.

 

[MMike]

FAGS!!

 

[sanjuro]

Being a helmet nazi on the bicycle and ATGATT on the moto, I know the chances of crashing are near zero. Actually I am very envious of riders who wear nothing.

You know what will happen when you do lay it out. It might not be a 100mph blaze of glory, but an unexpected move by some dumbass driver at street speeds.

Good luck.

 

[Pesqueeb]

FAGS!!

Says the Canadian.

 

[Da Peach]

Yeah, harleys should really stay understated. It's what they're all about.

I hate when people take it too far. It offends my whole aesthetic.

 

[Ciaran]

I would love to see noise limits imposed on harleys. There is no reason I should hear your penis extender miles away.

 

[MMike]

I would love to see noise limits imposed on harleys. There is no reason I should hear your penis extender miles away.

you just don't GET IT maaaaaannnnn

 

[stevew]

I would love to see noise limits imposed on harleys. There is no reason I should hear your penis extender miles away.

penis extender not required.....

 

[w00dy]

Loud pipes save reputations!

 

[Pesqueeb]

I would love to see noise limits imposed on harleys. There is no reason I should hear your penis extender miles away.

Loud pipes save......... something or another.

*sniped by woody

 

[MMike]

penis extender not required.....

that's racist!!

 

[Icantdrive65]

The thing that always bugged me was building an entire culture around opening the exhaust valves too early.

And why can't they get those things to idle? Always have to keep revving them at stoplights.

 

[Westy]

The thing that always bugged me was building an entire culture around opening the exhaust valves too early.

And why can't they get those things to idle? Always have to keep revving them at stoplights.

They can idle just fine. A 45 degree V is naturally unbalanced and vibrates a lot. Think prostate stimulation.

 

[HardtailHack]

I always have one in the stable because it is pure Americana at its best.

Fat slow and useless?

I always wondered why the cops had such crap bikes over there but the other day I saw that you can actully negotiate those ****ers around some seriously tight turns, I was impressed.
Cop bike

 

[DirtyMike]

I would love to see noise limits imposed on harleys. There is no reason I should hear your penis extender miles away.

There is actually.... its on all bikes.... Cops just dont care enough about noise unless you piss them off first

 

[stevew]

Fat slow and useless?

 

[pZyteX]

nah....its a hoodie looking jacket that harley makes, it has a couple plates in it.

and I wear the full face because I only have vision in one eye, other wise I wear wiley X moto glasses

How is that unobtrusive? That just screams dentist with a midlife crisis.

I usually wear all the gear, but I don't give a crap what other people do. The only people I hate are the one's who take their girlfriend on the back who's just wearing a tanktop and shorts. As a rider you might know the risks, but often your passengers don't.

As far as fat slow and useless goes, that's just B.S. If you follow that logic you should only own the latest sportbike.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

but recently I have noticed the major demographic of the modern Harley owner is a guy who got his first bike last year, hasn't put on more than 2000 miles and thinks he is a bad ass and has to wear the most ridiculous amount of gear.

You're just now noticing this?

 

[mandown]

Enjoy being a statistic, a very cool statistic.

 

[DirtyMike]

Enjoy being a statistic, a very cool statistic.

This man knows from experience!!!

 

[mantispf2000]

So I've been meaning to ask--

If I was lucky enough to finally purchase a Harley, and had a full-face helmet painted pink with the phrase "3 daughters, any questions??" on it, would that label me a dork???

 

[Da Peach]

You're just now noticing this?

Judas Priest? Gay? Naaahhhhhh....

 

[sanjuro]

How is that unobtrusive? That just screams dentist with a midlife crisis.

I usually wear all the gear, but I don't give a crap what other people do. The only people I hate are the one's who take their girlfriend on the back who's just wearing a tanktop and shorts. As a rider you might know the risks, but often your passengers don't.

As far as fat slow and useless goes, that's just B.S. If you follow that logic you should only own the latest sportbike.

I only have one response to people scoff at helmets or the gear: it is my problem because my taxes pay for your emergency care. And if it is a rider in my party, there I am most likely the one to assist in a medical situation.

 

[pZyteX]

I only have one response to people scoff at helmets or the gear: it is my problem because my taxes pay for your emergency care. And if it is a rider in my party, there I am most likely the one to assist in a medical situation.

That is a slippery slope, a car drivers taxes also pay for hurt motorcyclists. And motorcyclists are far more likely to need emergency care after a wreck.
So where do you draw the line, I mean there is no real reason to be riding a motorcycle.

 

[stevew]

And why can't they get those things to idle? Always have to keep revving them at stoplights.

i guess you have never been around sport bike riders with their cool fart can exhausts.....

 

[sanjuro]

That is a slippery slope, a car drivers taxes also pay for hurt motorcyclists. And motorcyclists are far more likely to need emergency care after a wreck.
So where do you draw the line, I mean there is no real reason to be riding a motorcycle.

Ah, but there many more car accidents than motorcycle accidents.