Another great column by Mark Barnes June 2022 BMW Owners News

[k75s]

Just finished reading Mark Barnes latest column, and although I have read similar commentary on this subject, Mark's observations, experiences and opinions were very entertaining and familiar. And written in Marks explicit detail.

Related to his column's subject, an experience I am sure other's have had, is being at a function, party, or whatever gathering, with what we believe are all non-motorcyclists, and hiding your motorcycle passion background.

So for years I went to my high school reunions (which are in another city that we no longer live in) and meeting up with past high school friends. Then, at one of the BMW rallies I attended, I see someone that looks familiar, and yes, it is one of the same high school friends that I usually talk to at the high school reunion. "I didn't know you rode a motorcycle", I say to him. And he repeats the same to me. And then the even smaller chance of occurring, we both belong to MOA and ride BMW's. Which led to coordinating a few motorcycle trips together.

I continue to be at what I believe are gatherings of non-motorcyclists, and motorcycling never comes up for a topic by others, and for some of the reasons that Mark Barnes mentions, I fear to ever mention it to anyone there. Unfortunately, there may be other incognito motorcyclists in the crowd.

The other experience is that if you are at what you believe is a non-motorcyclist gathering, and you do discover another motorcyclist in the crowd, but after a few details are released by both of you, you realize that their motorcycle environment is so different from yours, you are ready to change the conversation subject to something other than motorcycles!

 

[r0ckrat]

Haven't read it yet, but I don't drive a car if I can help it, so most events I show up to in moto boots, and people see me arrive in day-glo yellow and black...

 

[Visian]

Funny, my lived experience is the exact opposite. Even though I rarely advertise my involvement in motorcycling, most people I talk to are fascinated to hear about it when it comes up in conversation. Interestingly, when I gave up golf to ride more, I thought it was really going to hurt me in business (C-level execs think you're far more credible if you carry a low handicap)... but surprisingly, there is no longer a negative perception associated with our passion. Of course, I am careful not to dump on HD, since many execs are pirates these days.

When asked "what kind of bike do you ride?" my go-to is "adventure bikes, mainly BMWs"... and when they ask "where have you ridden?" the answer is "I've been everywhere, man!." These answers not only imbue me with massive cred in most peoples' eyes, it also spurs additional conversation.

Another observation... the *desire* to ride a motorcycle in general is much stronger these days, but it is not translating into an actual decision to purchase and ride a motorcycle.

Ian

 

[k75s]

Funny, my lived experience is the exact opposite... ...These answers not only imbue me with massive cred in most peoples' eyes, it also spurs additional conversation...

I think one difference is what goes through people's minds before retirement vs. in retirement.

Before retirement: motorcyclist? not dedicated to your job and family, are you.

In retirement: motorcyclist and traveling all over? wow, that is great you get to do that now


And maybe the environment that I lived and worked in created this neurosis that I have.

 

[Visian]

I think one difference is what goes through people's minds before retirement vs. in retirement.

 

[Rick del Monte]

The article really hit home. I was at a Memorial Day gathering of some good friends when the mother of the hosts (maybe 85 to 90 years old) hears that I ride a motorcycle. She turns to me and in a voice dripping with disdain asks "you ride a motorcycle?!" It clearly fit Marks comment that 'you must be much less educated, less intelligent, and less responsible than I initially thought'.

 

[radiofun1]

Insightful article. My experience has been a mixed bag: some folks obviously have a bad impression about motorcyclists while others are truly fascinated. Even for the latter though, the conversation is usually pretty one sided since they don't even know what questions to ask. I've found that most of the time the best course of action is to keep it simple and then usually move on to a mutual topic of interest. I usually say something like Ian does, 'I ride road bikes, usually BMWs'.