A spyder parked in a Harley Davidson Dealership...

[nikki.ullis]

My other half is a twos biker and had been hem hawing on buying a new harley for the last few weeks. His 06 road glide custom had started becoming an issue and with him being a mechanic, every little tweaking chrome rattle was driving him crazy.
So, we go down to the smoky mountain harley davidson dealership in maryville, TN and he goes and looks at new bikes while I sit outside watching the numerous bikers inspect my "atrocious" and "fake bike".
(I have a 2014 RSS SE5 with...a...few...pieces of farkle )
My favorite one was the guy with head to toe brand new barely worn HD gear with the sons of anarchy helmet that got off his brand new harley and talking about how my bike was an overpriced princess bike.

So as I am listening to the spyder bashing, some of the sales guys come out and started asking me about my bike, how I like it, checking out the JL audio sound, listening to the two bros exhaust and asking about LEDs and we were talking about custom paint jobs. I go back to sitting on my chair and chilling out and all the sudden....the sons of anarchy helmet wearing guy starts talking about how awesome the spyder sounded and how fast does it go and how does it handle etc etc.

My other half ended up buying a new road glide with a ton of custom work the dealership had already done to it, and I walked out of the dealership with a free lunch (paid by some bikers who wanted to apologize for doubting my bike), a few free drinks (again, paid by some blushing HD bikers), some new farkle ideas, some new HD friends, and a smile on my face.


I catch hell all the time about my bike (especially since im a 27yr old girl riding an "old person fake bike"). Once people really start seeing the cool stuff I got with it, everyone's mind changes =)
I ride my bike because it makes me happy, not anyone else.
I find a lot of people seem to forget that on twos or threes or fours, we are all sharing the same road and it doesn't matter what you ride or drive or what it looks like but that you enjoy the journey.

[SPECTACUALR SPIDERMAN]

That's the way it is supposed to be, bikers of all types looking at each others ride and talking

[Bob Denman]

Companionship.jpg

[PrairieSpyder]

Your hubby got a new Road Glide, you educated some HD riders and got free food and drinks, to boot !! Good on ya!!

[smurfette]

I love hearing stories like this! When my hubby and I first started in the "trike" world, we bought a 2009 HD Tri-Glide,and joined the local HOG. After riding with him, he knew I wanted to be more than a passenger, and I wanted to drive. However, due to being "vertically challenged" (I'm 5'2" tall), I don't fit on the Tri Glide. A friend had an '08 GS, and I asked her a bizillion questions. Turns out, there's a Can Am dealer about 10 miles from my house, and I went there on a vacation. Long story short, Smurfette (my 2010 RT/AC SE-5 in orbital blue) came home a couple days later.
We are still very active with our HOG family, and quite often, Smurfette is parked at the HD dealer. I get many questions about my ryde, and a decent amount of good natured ribbing. They really used to break my "bearings" on rides, but usually changed their attitudes when they'd turn around and find me right on their tailpipe! I've been out on rides with them, and I think it's a funny as anything when they get mad because my bike is getting the "rockstar treatment", while no one is paying attention to theirs!
We all, no matter what make or model of motorcycle we ride, are part of a large family of bikers. We share a common passion for the open road, our bikes, and introducing others to the joy in our hearts we feel when our knees are in the breeze!

The best part: now THREE of our HOG Chapter officers (myself included) drive exclusively Spyders!

[Don in E Texas]

..and sprit. You rock! I'm sure your hubby agrees.

Don

[BikerDoc]

SPYDER acceptance is growing and more Harley guys with bad knees are coming over

[ARtraveler]

Your experience does not get much better than that.

[ChasCS]

Where do those big Kawasaki Ninjas and hd's come from, as seen in Any Spyder showroom? ;-)

Somebody traded up...

Chas

[nikki.ullis]

Richards biggest complaint about the spyder is that no matter where we go everyone asks about the spyder, wants to talk to me, and doesn't look at his custom harley or custom built racing CBR. =)
I keep telling him its probably because its a girl on a bike more than the spyder itself. I hardly ever see other women on twos or threes around here.

[spyderrock]

Nikki good on you, and its great that at your age your riding a Spyder (it's good to see the younger crowd on thse). Im A bit older than you but here in Alberta where every guy owns a Harley its always interesting when im out for a ride. My best friend and his wife both ride Harley's and when I ride with him we stopped at one of the harley dealers here. I got the same treatment from some yahoo's there as well. I was pretty hot out and I took my hoodie off and my shirt came up and exposed all my tattoo's yes im pretty much covered lol. Anyway this one guy ties in about my girlie bike and I just walked up to him looked him over and said....Nice barb wire tattoo you got there, I thought his buddies were gonna piss them self's laughing. I said my Girlie bike is pushing 110 hp to your what 68 hp. It's all about educating the people lol. Enjoy your Spyder and the freebies you got out of it.

[Chupaca]

sounds like a very productive visit....

[mtdoragary]

I've been riding for 58 years. Started on a Whizzer Pacemaker I bought for $25 and ended on my RT. People will always question what you ride, ESPECIALLY the posers! I bought my Spyder because there are so many texting drivers on the road it's only a matter of time before I get run off the road or rear-ended. We've been hit TWICE by texters in our cars! With the Spyder, I'll end up on top of the Spyder than instead of my Harley ending up on me. So I sold the Road King nd got the Spyder. I like the Spyder better than all but three of my bikes over the last 58 year - my Whizzer because it was my first, my BMW R60US because it was perfect, and my Excelsior Henderson SuperX because it was awesome (AFTER $2000 worth of mods to make it rideable) ! My SuperX embarrassed a Hayabusa at Phil Peterson's Birthday bash to the applause of ALL of the Harley and chopper riders. The 'Busa came expressly to embarass the Harleys! No one makes fun of my Spyder except close friends because of my handicap tag.

[bmccaffrey]

Love your attitude especially at your age
Little offended about the old persons fake bike . Lol

Your only as young as the women you feel

Whoops did i say that. Sorry

[Bob Denman]

Your only as young as the women you feel
Whoops did i say that. Sorry

Can I borrow that one???

[bmccaffrey]

Yep
Better make sure the wife is not looking over your shoulder

[jerpinoy]

My other half is a twos biker and had been hem hawing on buying a new harley for the last few weeks. His 06 road glide custom had started becoming an issue and with him being a mechanic, every little tweaking chrome rattle was driving him crazy.
So, we go down to the smoky mountain harley davidson dealership in maryville, TN and he goes and looks at new bikes while I sit outside watching the numerous bikers inspect my "atrocious" and "fake bike".
(I have a 2014 RSS SE5 with...a...few...pieces of farkle )
My favorite one was the guy with head to toe brand new barely worn HD gear with the sons of anarchy helmet that got off his brand new harley and talking about how my bike was an overpriced princess bike.


So as I am listening to the spyder bashing, some of the sales guys come out and started asking me about my bike, how I like it, checking out the JL audio sound, listening to the two bros exhaust and asking about LEDs and we were talking about custom paint jobs. I go back to sitting on my chair and chilling out and all the sudden....the sons of anarchy helmet wearing guy starts talking about how awesome the spyder sounded and how fast does it go and how does it handle etc etc.

My other half ended up buying a new road glide with a ton of custom work the dealership had already done to it, and I walked out of the dealership with a free lunch (paid by some bikers who wanted to apologize for doubting my bike), a few free drinks (again, paid by some blushing HD bikers), some new farkle ideas, some new HD friends, and a smile on my face.


I catch hell all the time about my bike (especially since im a 27yr old girl riding an "old person fake bike"). Once people really start seeing the cool stuff I got with it, everyone's mind changes =)
I ride my bike because it makes me happy, not anyone else.
I find a lot of people seem to forget that on twos or threes or fours, we are all sharing the same road and it doesn't matter what you ride or drive or what it looks like but that you enjoy the journey.

Very well said, most people get it and soon everyone will. Peace to all

[spacetiger]

Interesting.

You should have pulled out your smart phone and said you'd like to record the HD decked out biker commenting on your Spyder. Tell him you'll post it on youtube so he can go and see what he looks like talking about another bike(r). I'm sure they changed their tune when they realized your other half was going into the dealership to buy a proper bike.

It is amazing how some of the HD riders behave, as if it is mandatory they put down everyone's ride unless it is a HD. That's why I like the Victory and Indian bikes. They throw the HD riders into a conundrum - they are American made bikes. Not only that, both brands are vastly superior in engineering, performance, and reliability - some might add in looks too. When they stand there all in HD garb, they cannot put down these riders because it would become obvious they are standing behind an image fostered by HD, not a bike.

So it would have only been funnier if you reached into your coat exposing your neck tatoo and pulled out a 45. Then, you say to the biker, you are tired of hearing the BS and pop a few rounds in the his bike... Of course, you have blanks, but he doesn't know that for a few seconds...

Ride safe and be happy with your ride, you picked it.

Jerry

[Vader]

After suffering a TBI (traumatic brain injury) in 2001 and having to learn how to walk and talk and everything else all over again,I am just happy to be around. And now being able to regain a small sense of freedom thanks to my Spyder makes any stones anyone wishes to throw my way just something to laugh about. Or maybe the head nods from all sorts of riders on all types of bikes is because am a him. Or because I'm 6:1". But my one buddy who I ride with, who rides a Harley, and I can't wait for some knucklehead to start so he can say "Yeah..he rides that Spyder. Yeah its got three wheels. It's better than the four wheeler he used to ride. That was a wheelchair. But feel free to insult him to his face. He may just want to have a nice long chat about his "girlie/old fart" ride. But give him some time because he has a bit of a speech issue from his brain injury"
my buddy and I are still waiting..lol. Nikki..I'm sure you know there are a ton of riders who are awesome but just a handful that are idiots. Enjoy you smiles for miles.

[mtdoragary]

After suffering a TBI (traumatic brain injury) in 2001 and having to learn how to walk and talk and everything else all over again,I am just happy to be around. And now being able to regain a small sense of freedom thanks to my Spyder makes any stones anyone wishes to throw my way just something to laugh about. Or maybe the head nods from all sorts of riders on all types of bikes is because am a him. Or because I'm 6:1". But my one buddy who I ride with, who rides a Harley, and I can't wait for some knucklehead to start so he can say "Yeah..he rides that Spyder. Yeah its got three wheels. It's better than the four wheeler he used to ride. That was a wheelchair. But feel free to insult him to his face. He may just want to have a nice long chat about his "girlie/old fart" ride. But give him some time because he has a bit of a speech issue from his brain injury"
my buddy and I are still waiting..lol. Nikki..I'm sure you know there are a ton of riders who are awesome but just a handful that are idiots. Enjoy you smiles for miles.

I get dirty looks when I park in handicap parking spaces with my car or truck, because brain injuries don't show. But not when I ride my Spyder for some reason!

[Yazz]

Funny thing is, I get the most flack from HD riders in new leathers. Yeah, they even wear them in the summer time down here.

Do I intimidate their manliness?

Old leathers ask intelligent questions.

[Bfromla]

I'm in with vader TBI in'11 glad to ride &enjoy every way we canImageUploadedByTapatalk1411454108.821300.jpg. We share the road and one thing i learned and loved most when i first started to ride, 90% other bikers will nod or wave @ya, all friends cuz we all like to ride!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[billrob71]

Great story and if they persist just pull up next to them at a light and blow there fenders off as you fly ahead. Nothing against Harley's just the great then you attitude by some.

[mtdoragary]

I'm in with vader TBI in'11 glad to ride &enjoy every way we canImageUploadedByTapatalk1411454108.821300.jpg. We share the road and one thing i learned and loved most when i first started to ride, 90% other bikers will nod or wave @ya, all friends cuz we all like to ride!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I had a brain stem bleed in 96 and another one a few months ago. But that's not what got me off my Harley. It was texting drivers! WHEN (not if) I next get run off the road by a texter, at least I'll be on TOP of the Spyder rather than UNDERNEATH the Harley!

[CasN]

Well I went to visit the European Bike week in Faak am See, Austria.
Unfortunately the weather was not great but still around 50.000 bikers were there, most Harleys and all other brands.
There was just one Spyder and that was mine.
I can tell you that we were something special there, many pictures and movies were taken

It was very good fun, plan to go again next year, hopefully with good weather