Other Bikers

[Yazz]

Doesn't matter what you ride, someone is going to diss you. Had it happen on a couple of occasions when riding my HD.

Looking into my crystal ball... I see a group of riders... wearing new HD logo leathers... at least one has paper tags on his bike... picking on a Lady ryder... to make themselves feel... more manly...? ...

[bignose13]

I love this..gonna send to my Harley Friends right now

[Sarge707]

Great Video, Especially when he starts describing the Harley Chicks, near the end!!

[5PYD3R]

To tell the truth when i had my Spyder i loved the crap people ''tried'' to lay on me. More than a few walked away talking to himself after talking to me. Once this guy comes over to me and asking questions, But i could tell by the ''smug'' look on his face where this was going, His parting shot was i think I'll get one of ''these'' ''things'' for my wife, So without hesitation i said you should i took her for a ride the other day and she loved it. He just walked away shaking his head, But i think i planted a seed in his head.

I bet he loved that!

[Tierhog]

I have had more of a positive experience from HDrs than super sport bikes.... In fact, a few Craigslist listings are begging for a trade with cash for our Spyders....
It's envy.. Pure and simple. I'd smoke most Harley's.... And they know it, and although the supersports might hit 200... Giving up 60mph more and gaining comfort and storage....
It's clear envy...
I would have told him he overpaid for that hunk of **** and it obviously bothers him or he wouldn't have made the trip to talk a bunch of smack.

[retread]

The first thing to understand is that there are two types of people with motorcycles. The larger group rides for the joy and relaxation of the ride. The other group needs a social crutch, and generally obnoxious attitude to shore up their self esteem, the word "posers" comes to mind.

john

[michigal]

Unfortunately, we too have encountered some "Harley snobs". Mostly, they berate us because our bikes aren't "American-made". Hubby rides a Honda, which they call a rice burner. BUT, we've both encountered many broken down Harleys on our rides and we always stop to see if we can offer assistance.

Both of my brothers ride Harley's and both LOVE my sypder, but I can't ride with my oldest brothers group because we don't have Harleys. What I find really ironic in all of the "American-made" BS is that NOT ONE ITEM OF HARLEY DAVIDSON CLOTHING, GEAR, ETC. IS MADE IN THE UNITED STATES!! It is for that reason that I refuse to buy any Harley Davidson gear.

Anyway, enjoy your rydes and don't let these narrow-minded fools ruin your fun. Most of the people I encounter think it is really cool...one gal even got out of her car at the light and came up to me to ask where she could buy one...another time, I heard the woman in the passenger seat of the car next to me tell her boyfriend...oh my God, that's a woman on that cool bike. And a lot of times, I get a huge smile and a thumbs up. I smile back, nod and drive on.

[Mr. White]

Living two miles from a huge HD dealership, I have a ball with these guys. I go there a couple of Saturdays a month as they have a hoot, free food, soda, demos, etc. They always come over to BR1 and ask many questions. Most are straight forward about how I like it etc. The usual if you will. I tell them it lets me ride with my bad knee (out of the Korean War). I say "I hate it, I don't like the power steering, it is too precise. The ABS stops so well that my group, the Hill Country Road Riders, make me ride in the back because in a panic stop, the guys in the back would run over me....

I tell them the stability control has saved my bacon twice and works so quickly I can not react...just ride along. I also don't like not having a "beep, beep" when I am in reverse....and my back up light scare folks behind me....and I have broken two belts doing wheelies...

A group of the San Antonio Sport Bike riders crowded around me in Bandera, TX and one asked "What the H... is that?" I told him "I came from Alaska and put wheels on my ski mobile when I came south"....his friends hooted him....Another, with a Kawi ZX10 said "how fast is it?" I said "I can smoke you 0-20!" Another said "Dad, wanta ride with us?" I said "Dad?, how old is your grandfather?" He said 74, I said I am 79 so please call me Granddad.....they fell on the ground laughing.

They got real quite when I hiked my right leg over BR1 and my .357 fell out of my belt on to the ground....I don't know why....(they did not see my backup .380 in my ankle holster.)

I thanked them and said I would ride with them another day. They waved and rode off. I did not ride with them because several weeks ago, I was running about 75+ west of San Antonio and this group passed me and I thought my engine had stopped....they run hot....

[Boriken]

As of this time all the "Real Bikers" that I have encountered only had praises and questions about my spyder. First when I had my '09 Phantom and now with my '11 RTS.

There are no local spyder ryders in my area so the majority of my contacts are HD and Honda owners. I even patronize the so called biker bars and never had anything negative said about the spyder, like I mentioned before only questions about handling, safety, gas milege, cost, etc. and praises about the looks of the machine. But as others have mentioned before, just ignore them and enjoy the ryde to the fullest.

[Grandpa Spyder]

Big Red 1, you are my kind of guy. My hat is off to you and I hope I am still riding when I reach your age.
As for all those dummies with the insults, well they just don't know what they are missing. Love

[Jester]

I ride with my fraternity brothers in several different areas of the country. Back in 2010, I was the first to acquire a Spyder. Last weekend, I met 20 of my friends in Lafayette, Louisiana. Lo and behold, we had THREE RTs and only two Harley Trikes. The other fifteen were mostly various Harley conventional bikes. The Spyders garnered all the attention. The fact that most of us are 60 plus probably contributes to their popularity. It seems that we are getting accepted by the mainstream bikes more everyday!

trikes.jpg

[SPYD1]

BR1 for President!!!!

[epiphysis]

my other bike is a Honda....I get a lot of "rice burner"comments from Harley riders...then I ask them how many miles they have on their bikes.....usually not too many.....I have 45,000 (it's an 06)...and it's my first bike.....so, unlike them, I use my bike instead of having it for driveway jewelry! and I plan on doing the same with my Spyder! when I point out that 53%of their "American" bike was made out of the U.S.A....they are usually not sure what to say.....I bet them that they could not find more aftermarket parts made in the U.S.A. in any Harley store than I could find made elsewhere...then I ask them what car they drive.......turns out my ride burner was made in the U.S.A., in Marysville, Oh, and my wife's Honda Ridgeline was also.....and I bet their car was not........when people open their big fat mouths, they should know their facts!!!!

[Mr. White]

Big Red 1, you are my kind of guy. My hat is off to you and I hope I am still riding when I reach your age.
As for all those dummies with the insults, well they just don't know what they are missing. Love

Grandpa, I did not start riding until 1948 and will continue as long as I can get on BR1. I just bought a two step ladder. When I can't pull my gimp right leg over the saddle, I will climb up on my ladder and hop on BR1. My wife of 53 years said "You might fall off of that stupid ladder, I will hike your leg over the saddle. Now all you have to do is find one of your useless riding buddies to help you when you stop to pee." What a gal.

I will ride as long as I have a motorcycle license and feel safe enough not to kill myself or others, and that is going to be a while....

[Farmboy]

I can relate! I sort of ran with The Boozefighter Motorcycle Club (BFMC) in Kansas, and some here in Arkansas. I was pledging to become a member. Got my Spyder last june and has been tormented ever seance. Now I just ride with friends and my wife. Dont let it bother you!! Great support on here, Great bunch of people. I to had to vent on here and I thank you all for it. Here is my post on the subject

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/s...IG-BOY-PANTY-S

YOU ARE NOW A SPYDER LOVER! Do what you want, where you want, how you want!

[Bytemi]

Don't sweat it Bytemi. For every 100 "ooh's and ahh's" you get there will be 1 jealous idiot who never left a middle-school mentality of "if I don't understand it then I must hate it". The best comment I ever got was from a Harley dude that was asking me questions right after I first got my Spyder. I told him I was curious as to how the 2-wheel community would respond to the Spyder. His response? "Riding is riding, man." That little quote stuck with me. And he's right. Anyone else...well, I just feel bad for them. They're small-minded bullies, and I pity them.

Keep enjoying the ride!

--ABQ

Hey thats pretty good, next time I will just say, "Riding is riding" and leave it at that.

[Bob Denman]

Isn't "Brand Myopia" a great thing? Look at the conversations that it can start!

Oh, BR1...Please secure the .357 in the holster; you don't want it hitting the ground at an inopportune moment!

[tompen]

As a guy who crosses cultures, I can say with some confidence that it isn't the kind of bike they ride. Some people are just a$$es. They are just showing off for thier "buddies". Don't let it bother you. They do the same thing to sport bike riders. They think they are Hells Angels, or they think you will think they are. I would apologise for my brothers, but they are not my brothers.
They are the minority. I ride with the local HOG club and if someone did that to another rider, they would not be invited on the next ride.
Lots of room on the road for all of us. Enjoy your ride.

[TuckMiddle]

I'm still a HOG and I ride my Spyder with them all the time. Never a real negative vibe from anyone. As a matter of fact, going to let one of them ride my Spyder today at 11. Several of the other HOGS and people with questions want to know how I like it. How does it steer? I just tell em "it's just like my Prius, the computers are made by Bosch, including the electric steering. As a matter of fact I'm thinking about getting a steering wheel with a big steering knob, it's so much more practical." The looks I get are funny - most people are horrified that I'd say that. What is it the "Stallion" that has a steering wheel and a 4 cyl Ford engine, with all the goodies?

Rode with my old Goldwing group at Christmas in an evening parade. Not one bad word from anyone, but the guy with the new GW trike didn't say much when his wife sat on mine and really liked it.

A guy came up to me at Staples yesterday and said, I've been thinking about one of these. I asked him if he rode and he said yes, but not much anymore, got a lot of arthritis. I handed him my helmet and told him to ride it around. Oh, no, no. He wouldn't, but I told him where to go for a demo and he said he might do that - you never know!
Ignore the ignorant comments and smile and say "have a nice day." Be sure to back up a little and wave when you leave.

Tuck

[Mr. White]

Isn't "Brand Myopia" a great thing? Look at the conversations that it can start!

Oh, BR1...Please secure the .357 in the holster; you don't want it hitting the ground at an inopportune moment!

Not to worry Bob. It is a Ruger SP101 and very rugged. It has only gone off two times when I have dropped it before. Ha ha

[Bob Denman]

It has only gone off two times when I have dropped it before. Ha ha

[scooterexpress]

bytemi, i've had 4 scooters 50,150,250,600cc before buying my first sypder in nov/2011rts. my last bike being a honda silverwing 600 so you could of imagine all the flack i got for being on a scooter but when i got the last bike and i was getting criticized about it being a scooter and total automatic all i told them was lets race a mile and i'll show you what a scooter could do the "fastest i went was 115" and none of them would ever take me up on that i even went to the harley dealerships for there fun days parking lot loaded wth harleys and every kind of bikes except you would not see a scooter there but as soon as i parked the bike the people came a running over to check it out and when they asked how fast can it go i would tell them faster than yours of course they would laugh at me about that but i would say com'on lets go they just walk away i say chicken..lol really..and after talking to alot of riders and them looking at my bike all they would really say "keep the 2 wheels on the ground and ride like you stole it"..what more could you ask for. and none of my friends would never say we don't want you riding with us because you were on a scooter they were jealous when we stopped because people were coming over to my bike and not theres i was lovin it. next time just tell them idiots your just jealous and you walk away or drive off maybe even do a burn out.

[Rayelljay]

One evening last year I was playing at a local biker bar and because my equipment was in the band SUV, I rolled up at the gig on my (then) new RS. Needless to say there were a few sneers but there was general acceptance of something wierd in the parking lot.
Anyway, the "head biker" and his lady wanted to have a better look, so we went outside and I removed the left cover so they could see the engine. She was quite impressed and expressed a desire for me to take her for a quick blast.
Long story short...two weeks later I went to the same bar and outside was a brand new RS.......lady had sold her HD and bought her own ryde....!!

[Bob Denman]

[gbouten]

I just tell them this is what I sold my HD to buy. If you have ever been riding with HD or Goldwing trikes on curvey mountain roads the difference is stunning. They will meet up with you at the next rest stop and tell you to slow down so they can keep up.