Harley Bashers and their motives

[Redfish-Joe]

I love to wave at kids while I'm riding. It always seems to get their motors going and puts a smile on their face, me too.

If I am parked somewhere and see a kid eyeballing the bike I ask the parents if they mind if the kid sits on the bike. Talk about a smile on the kids face!!

 

[masher]

I get a kick out of the folks that have never touched a bike, let alone a Harley and sit in the back and bash us as if we got an undeserved promotion.

I tell them all....either you get it...or you dont. We ride, we ride Harleys. Other than the constant grin on our faces, the blown back hair and the sunburn, we are still the same people. Like most of us here ( I perceive), we wave and throttle up for the kids, we help those in need without question and we can gather by the thousands if there is a call to do so.

Whether its an inferiority complex, jealousy, or the lack of having a life, people will bash the unknown. As we walk out of a social gathering, or a park, they sit, they whisper......some drool. Jealous of the obvious bond or friendships made? who knows.

I quit sweatin the small stuff a long time ago.......keeps me young :small3d023:

Very well stated. If I had to guess, based solely on my own observations of such people, I would say most of them are jealous of the friendship, the brotherhood and the freedom. These days, most people don't want to get involved, but Harley riders do, whether it's getting involved in helping kids with a toy run, helping a fellow rider stuck on the side of the road, or getting involved in life.

Whatever their reasons or motivations, I am just glad that I am on this side.

 

[Mongo1958]

If I am parked somewhere and see a kid eyeballing the bike I ask the parents if they mind if the kid sits on the bike. Talk about a smile on the kids face!!

Now that's what I'm talking about. A big Harley smile of a future Harley rider. That little boy or girl will remember that the rest of his/her life.

 

[Mainah]

Couple of comments hit home. Riding behind my buddies Honda VTX and waiting for him to manually cancel his directional. The fact that he can't start his bike with the kickstand down, what's whit that? I always figured anyone coordinated enough to ride a bike would be able to tell if the stand was down before they took off.

For some though it always was the initial cost of getting the Harley, especially when they were going for more than MSRP everywhere. They just couldn't grasp the concept that at trade in time they were also worth a lot while the metrics were just about worthless after two or three years.

There are a lot of really great bikes out there like the new BMWs and Wings, but nothing rings my bell like my Road Glide!

 

[Weeg]

I do not concern myself with whether or not someone else rides a motorcycle. If they ride, I do not bash their choice of bike and expect the same respect and courtesy in return.

When I first got my Road King I had a rather heated discussion with a lady at work who was bashing HD. She asked why I bought a HD and I replied that I bought a Road King. I further tried to explain that I wanted a RK and wasn’t necessarily buying the brand. I said if (insert manufacturer Here) made a RK then I would have bought that ‘brand’.

 

[lorne]

this is all i have to say..


Harley Commercial - YouTube

 

[Amish Hawg]

lorne, you nailed it.

nuff said.:newsmile034:

 

[NEWHD74FAN]

Bashing Harley's is based on preconceived notions rather than extending an open mind and hand. Have to say in the beginning it was the extending hand of an MMI H-D riding club that introduced me to the world of Harley hospitality. Yeah there are positives and negatives with any motorcycle community. Just have to keep your spirit of positive thought and mutual respect for the choice to ride...we all are after all 2%ers (of all motor vehicles on public roads)...ha-ha!

 

[TLWiz]

Bashing somebody else's bike is usually just due to some insecurity and ignorance and says more about the basher than it does about any particular bike.

 

[sjr56]

I love when someone says "if I could afford a Harley I would have one but I only have 5 grand in my metric). When I wanted a Harley, no one was gonna stop me. I started accumulating parts, and built one.
Most of the bashers will never know how it feels to roll thru a town side by side with 30 or 40 brothers and watch the whole town stop to look......Thats what I'm talkin bout. And if they don't like it (EDIT) em, more H-D's for me..

Please read this...

A Friendly Reminder - Harley Davidson Community