I can't tell you how many times I've had friends and acquaintances, not to mention random riders ask me... When are you gonna buy a REAL motorcycle? Like a Harley. Or a... *insert whatever larger displacement bike here*.
I mean, I get it, but the RD isn't a real bike? Ok, so you can't commute across the country on one and expect to enjoy yourself. But, why do so many people look down on the fun little ripper bikes? :whatever:
I disassociate from them pretty quickly.
don't have any friends like that. :patriot:
on occasion i get the 'why the small bike thing' or 'thats cute' comments. If im feeling really belligerent i say 'som of us dont feel the need to compensate'.
@ bike nights, previously my ex wife rode, and now, angie rides with me. last time we went we were on the r5, her choice. so i dont get the 'chicks dig (insert x make of bike here) comments too often. :dawg:
way back, when i would get that, my reply would be 'if you need a motorcycle to attract women, you have other issues'.
I agree, if they don't like my bikes too bad. Actually these days, many people like my bikes but they are too young to know about them. Recently a young clerk in a store looked out the window at my KH400 and said "Is that a CB?"
Quote from: Striker1423 on June 15, 2020, 10:16:11 PM
I can't tell you how many times I've had friends and acquaintances, not to mention random riders ask me... When are you gonna buy a REAL motorcycle? Like a Harley. Or a... *insert whatever larger displacement bike here*.
I mean, I get it, but the RD isn't a real bike? Ok, so you can't commute across the country on one and expect to enjoy yourself. But, why do so many people look down on the fun little ripper bikes? :whatever:
What amused me about this post is that in Europe folks say exactly the same.........................to Harley owners ;D
Tell 'em when they're paying my bills their opinion might matter. Until then STFU.
I generally get more oohs and aughs, or is that a two stroke when I am on the RD. For the others well they probably really aren't riders or they would appreciate the fact you are riding an antique bike. I also have a Yamaha Stratoliner and I don't know how many times I have heard someone say they are not a very nimble bike which tells me they don't really know how to ride (there is a design flaw on the Stratoliner, the floorboards too low 8)). My suggestion is just ignore them, anyone who really knows bikes wont be dogging you about riding an RD.
to be honest, usually surprises them when i can hang with them the whole time. this was Sundays ride, very eclectic group. a month ago it was led by a guy on a p200. :metal:
My ex mother in law forced my ex father inlaw into getting a harley after their church friends gave them grief for riding a 1st: concours then 2nd: vtx1100. they were in their early 60s at this point
I told her 'you guys need better friends'. I don't miss her at all. :busey:
People love to see my bike (when it's on the road). Esp older guys (oops! my age...) But tbh if I had a garage, I'd love to have a 650 for the longer hauls.
Maybe time to trade them "Friends" in on another model. :whistle:
I usually get comments that there must be something wrong with my bike as it sounds weird, or to get it fixed as it is smoking. Most people dont have a clue what it actually is though.
Consider the source-- alot of the people making comments like that are not people who have a history with motorcycles. Like many I rode a mini bike at an early age, Tecumseh engine, yamaha jt1 mini enduro, cr125, rd,etc. True riders like em all current stable includes RD350, KZ1000 Z1-R, KZ1100A, Z900RS. Riding older bikes also speaks to your ability to keep it on the road :vroom: how hard is it to keep a new on going :umm:
I've had comments both ways for sure. While on my old RD I had a Harley guy laugh at me at a gas station and say " well, at least you're riding".. And other times while riding my RZ I've had numerous guys on sport bikes go out of their way to get up next to me and yell things like "that two stroke is awesome, I want one so bad.." People who don't know and appreciate all types of motorcycles are just that.. people who don't know.
I haven't gotten any disparaging comments while out on my RD350. It consistently draws attention at gas stations, grocery stores and on the road.
I have a few old bikes and a 2006 road king. If were going for the weekend we usually take the Harley. Anything around town is on the DS7, R5,RZ, or one of the old Interceptors. What really gets them talking is when I roll in on the mostly original CL-77. Just about any one with gray hair has tails to tell about it. I have been living and breathing motorcycles since I was 10 years old(1967) . Once in a while I run into a younger person who knows whats up! I usually tell him to thank his father.................................D
There's no reason for gate keeping in the motorcycle community. Poking fun with each other is absolutely fine. At the end of the day, one's masculinity (or other quality a person might try to achieve) isn't even remotely tied to the motorcycle you ride. For those who think their masculinity is in fact tied to their motorcycle, well I'm sorry. For those who enjoy motorcycles for the many reasons there are to enjoy them, it's a great way to enrich your life. That said, sometimes you have to let those who are ignorant (no hate or judgement intended here) continue to learn and grow. So it might just be best to move on.
Here it's the 300lb+ guys on huge bagger Harleys who often have something to say. Usually it's "That thing is too small fer me" somewhat derisively. ...Yeah it probably is.
But I can hardly hear them over 'Sweet Home Alabama' on their stereo.
Smoky Mountain Harley Davidson complex is just down the road from me so there's a lot of them around.
IR8D8R
I can't say I ever got that with my 400. People usually think it's really cool. My mom calls it my "little bike" though. :dawg:
We're in an age now where small bike popularity is up and cruiser popularity is on the decline.
Back in the 80's when my dad first parked the 400, he did so because he got one of those low slung KZ900 LTDs. He did refer to that as an upgrade back then. It was more comfortable and smooth. He's a short guy so it was easier for him to ride too. He's on his tip toes when straddling the RD.
I don't see it as an upgrade. I see them as two way different bikes for different purposes. Now he likes to show off what I've done to the 400. The KZ900 is long gone and the RD went to his son. If that means anything.
Hello everyone!
Years ago on a Friday night I'm heading home from work on my CT70. I had a gentleman pull beside me on his 600 sportbike! He looked down at me, laughed and then left me behind. After getting cleaned up I rolled my stretched, lowered and turbo'd KZ1000 out of the garage and headed uptown hoping I'd run into him!
Just so happened I was able to roll up beside him, at a main stoplight. He looked down at me with his jaw hanging open! I asked him if he remembered me, and just told him "You shouldn't make fun of somebody because of what they ride! Because they might just have something like this at home!"
I kept my eye on the light and left him sitting there all alone!
Sometimes when I am introduced to people they usually say, "Dave rides and works on motorcycles." I ask what they ride and they mostly respond with some Harley model I don't know. Them riding a Harley is not an issue with me. It's just that they have no idea about motorcycles and usually can't even do their own oil change. I tell my wife, "We both ride motorcycles, but literally nothing else in common about bikes."
Myself, I haven't had any problems with Harley riders. Maybe it's because I have a Dyna too. Most of the older bikers I've met seem to appreciate my rides. In fact, a local HD club is doing a spaghetti feed fund raiser soon and I plan on riding there on a RD.
I do try to avoid conversation with the KTM crowd though. I think they stay up all night remembering the specs on their bikes so they can recite them to anyone on 2 wheels.
Quote from: jradnich on July 13, 2020, 03:39:32 PM
Myself, I haven't had any problems with Harley riders. Maybe it's because I have a Dyna too. Most of the older bikers I've met seem to appreciate my rides. In fact, a local HD club is doing a spaghetti feed fund raiser soon and I plan on riding there on a RD.
I do try to avoid conversation with the KTM crowd though. I think they stay up all night remembering the specs on their bikes so they can recite them to anyone on 2 wheels.
You can add BMW (2 or 4 wheel) owners to that :hifive:
QuoteYou can add BMW (2 or 4 wheel) owners to that :hifive:
I was thinking the exact same thing :dawg:
Quote from: jradnich on July 13, 2020, 03:39:32 PM
Myself, I haven't had any problems with Harley riders. Maybe it's because I have a Dyna too. Most of the older bikers I've met seem to appreciate my rides. In fact, a local HD club is doing a spaghetti feed fund raiser soon and I plan on riding there on a RD.
I do try to avoid conversation with the KTM crowd though. I think they stay up all night remembering the specs on their bikes so they can recite them to anyone on 2 wheels.
It's funny to me that this is now the image of Harley riders today and is in fact mostly accurate. I worked at an old school shop through college that worked on mostly older Harleys that the dealerships wouldn't work on. Guys that ride Pre Evo Harley's all came in very knowledgeable about their bikes (partially as they had to, insert the Harleys only stop leaking when they are out of oil joke)
I do have to say that the negative attention has been scarce for me, the Harley crew has usually been good to me on different style bikes. I sill run a winter ride for that shop every year and have done it on all kinds of bikes, there are usually over 100 Harleys and I am one of only a handful of different bikes. Usually the old ones like my RD or KZ400 get more attention than the $30K+ Harleys.
Quote from: jradnich on July 13, 2020, 03:39:32 PM
Myself, I haven't had any problems with Harley riders. Maybe it's because I have a Dyna too. Most of the older bikers I've met seem to appreciate my rides. In fact, a local HD club is doing a spaghetti feed fund raiser soon and I plan on riding there on a RD.
I do try to avoid conversation with the KTM crowd though. I think they stay up all night remembering the specs on their bikes so they can recite them to anyone on 2 wheels.
Ha,ha well I suppose you can count me in with that lot as I just got me a new to me 2016 1290 Superduke GT. Got her because she's "the beast"....I was sold on the 100 ft. lbs. of torque and handlebars and hardbags. Really it's just a whole different bike to ride. Funny thing is after riding the katoom I will get on either my rd250 or my k61k and they both seem very small and have a completely different feel regarding the gearboxes and brakes. I owned the gsxr1000 long before the RD but immediately feel in love with the RD's stock bolt upright riding position. Thus inspiration for the katoom sport tourer which truly is a bench setting state of the art bike. Ironically I love the look of Harleys but that katoom will eat them alive for breakfast, lunch and dinner and have me feeling fresh like daisy every day.
Quote from: Striker1423 on June 15, 2020, 10:16:11 PM
When are you gonna buy a REAL motorcycle? Like a Harley. Or a... *insert whatever larger displacement bike here*.
Tell em your compensating for your manhood just like everybody else.
I ride a DT50 in town a lot because of the ticket factor and its really fun railing turn without slowing much
it was a lot worse 15+ years ago. I get odd looks on the grom, even before the 2 stroke swap. i mean whatever, they have their opinions.
My rz350 has been down for almost 10 years (and will hopefully be up and running within a couple of months).
The funny thing is that when I was on the road with it, 9 times out of 10 the guys who would flag me down
were riding Harleys... The conversation usually started off with something along the lines of "Hey, I had one of
those when I was a kid". Never had any derision or condescension (and this is in SoCal to boot...). Maybe I've been
fortunate but the people on motorcycles I've encountered while on my dinosaur have been pretty good folks. Hearts
definitely in the right place.
I mostly get guys with fond memories, sometimes pretty inflated memories. One of my favorites was the guy who after following me through an s-curve said,"if I was on my old RD I would've dragged my knee through there..." I laughed, thinking to myself in any semblance of decent posture you'd be going 110mph to drag a knee.