free website stats program Biker neighbors | Page 5 | Harley Davidson Forums

Biker neighbors

My neighbor has an 08 Streetbob we ride a lot I have helped him lower his and put my old Rush slip ons on for him now he likes the sound LOL
 
One guy a few houses down from me, but we have never rode together. I try to ride with my HOG Chapter every Sunday. I have a few other friends that we ride together every now and again
 
I guess if we expand the definition of "neighborhood" to include riders within 10-15 minutes of me, I have quite a few fellow riders but not too many fellow "bikers", but that doesn't make me want to ride with one group or the other any more or less. I enjoy riding and don't care what the other guy is on, whether it's a Harley, a metric, or whatever. I care more about whether they left their "tude" at home and are ready to have a great time without any negativity.

I have a great, great friend that is a police officer in town here that rode metrics for years until he finally was able to buy his last two Harleys, and we have just as awesome a time riding now as we did when he was on his Virago. He's the same good friend and funny guy, and someone who always will have your back and give you the shirt off his before you have a chance to ask. That's my idea of a real friend and a real biker. He's on the other side of town, but certainly a "neighbor", right?

Another very close friend who works at the jail is also on the other side of town. We ride as often as we can…… and every time we get out it’s a blast! Again….the other side of town, but he sure is a “neighbor”!
Then there are the guys I have met through the forum, like KingHeritage, a few minutes away in the next town but what a super guy, and what a lovely wife he has! (Not to mention an awesome scooter!) We didn’t get too much riding in this past season but I look forward to this Spring and hope we’ll make a lot more time to get together….this past summer was an awfully busy one for me! There are a couple other members I have met as well, all great guys.
If we expand our definitions here, I’m willing to bet we have a lot more “riding neighbors” around than we realize!

(By the way, I know I got outside the scope of this thread a little, but hey, I didn’t de-rail it, just added another direction!)

Now you mentioned the "tudes". The more I ride the more I realize that there are a LOT of folks who don't like riding with Harley-Davidson owners. Long story short from talking to some folk it seems people have the impression that a HD rider will only ride with another HD rider. What narrow thinking that is!
I'm with you I prefer HD but don't give a hoot if a guy rides a metric, and will not be snobby towards him.
 
Randy, I hate to say this, and Guys, feel free to jump right in and disagree if you think I'm wrong, but I think it's Harley riders themselves who have made that belief so pervasive. (That we'll only ride with other Harley owners) I see your point, but still some folk just plain "stereotype", I suppose we all do that to some form of degree. However there is no redeeming quality in ebracing such a scenario. Case in point I have had some folk say to me, ...." you probably would not ride with me because I don't ride a Harley...." and I'm thinking...."why would they think that?, I have never omitted such a vibration!:(
And when my son-in-law bought a used Honda Shadow 1100 I heard folk comment..."why didn't he get a Harley?.." Shucks it's his money he can do what he wants with it.


Harley owners can be quite snobby. Particularly the ones who didn't start riding until they had their "mid-life crisis" and then had the $$$ to head over to the Harley "boutique" (isn't that what they are nowadays??), and buy themselves a brand new 25K scooter, have it loaded up with another 5K of chrome before they take delivery, then pick out their new "biker wardrobe" off the rack at the shop to get changed into while their ecstatic sales-person gleefully writes up all the paperwork.

They ride off towards the garage where that bike will spend 99% of it's life, (when it's not parked out in front of the house where people can see it), and wear all the "biker clothes" when they drive their Range Rover to the mall to shop some more.

THOSE tend to be the guys who say they won't ride with anybody who isn't on a Harley, in my experience, NOT the average working guys who have been riding all their lives, (like me, AND most of you!),*I worked in factories most of my life and we had Harley riders there that shunned metrics, so it is at all levels I assume. and worked their way up from mini-bikes *mini-bike...shucks I would have been happy to have had a Schwinn! to Hondas* When I was a lad I slobbered over the Honda 305 Dream* to BSA's *when I was a lad I slobbered over BSA Hornet*and Triumphs *when I was a lad I slobbered over the Triumph Bonneville 650, but to all of these for this poor boy it was "look" but don't touch:newsmile093:.*to finally getting the bike of their dreams.Now that I do have...no slobbering...just a constant druell. HAW!

THOSE guys are usually happy to ride with ANYBODY, as long as that "tude" we talked about is left at home!
Thanks your counsel is very sage.
 
There are 3 others on my block with bikes; 1 Goldwing, 1 VTX, and 1 Heritage. I've never ridden with any of them, and have only been able to talk with the Heritage guy. He's physically not able to ride right now, but has a great looking bike; custom paint job, custom seat cover, and longhorns on the front. The 'wing is pretty new (~6 months), and we wave to each other but have never actually spoken. The VTX seems to be in the garage all the time. I've seen him ride by a couple of times in the last 2 years, and occasionally hear him go by, but he doesn't seem to interested in acknowledging anyone when they ride by.

I've got a friend that used to live across the street that has a RK. When I was riding a Honda, he never even suggested we might ride together. Since getting a SG, we've discussed riding a few times, and did go to a Toy Run last year.

My wife was actually out riding by herself awhile back when another lady flagged her down and suggested they go riding together sometime.
 
I'm new to this forum thing,but not to my neighborhood..moved in, in '76. I needed the garage to work on bikes.Always bikes in front of the house,as I rode,worked on,built and painted bikes.Neighbors were shy,but liked to look at the bikes.I had one neighbor that rode,...we all rode choppers back then. At a junction in my life I sold my bike and made some lifestyle changes,now I found a deal I couldn't pass on and have a 95 Dyna that is coming around to my way of thinking.
I have several neighbors that ride,some Harleys,some metrics.One I am good friends with,one I'm aquainted with,others on speaking terms...I maybe riding soon, since the wife seems to be getting over her ''mad'' at me for buying the bike. And,she seems to be over my wanting to custom paint again.
 
Randy, I hate to say this, and Guys, feel free to jump right in and disagree if you think I'm wrong, but I think it's Harley riders themselves who have made that belief so pervasive. (That we'll only ride with other Harley owners)
=====================================================
Richard; I have to agree with you, most of the 'tudes are from HD riders. Most other riders are not brand "eliteists". Some of the worst attitudes I've seen are from the "crisis" folks you mentioned in your post. All new gear and absolutely ZERO knowledge of thier ride, beyond brand naming all of thier add ons.
Most sport bike riders can be exempted from my opinion. They have thier own 'tudes which are fueled by excess testerone, of which I have none (extra).
 
Back
Top