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Bikers or motorcyclists?

Reservations

After the Rally in Bloomsburg, I travelled to Philly and could not wait to find a cool room. I walked into the lobby and asked about rates. $96.00? I asked the clerk if he could do any better than that. He said if I had a coupon he could. He then directed me to the computer room and showed me where to download the coupon and print it out. $39.95. I like people like that.
 
After the Rally in Bloomsburg, I travelled to Philly and could not wait to find a cool room. I walked into the lobby and asked about rates. $96.00? I asked the clerk if he could do any better than that. He said if I had a coupon he could. He then directed me to the computer room and showed me where to download the coupon and print it out. $39.95. I like people like that.

If I may ask, where did you stay?
 
After the Rally in Bloomsburg, I travelled to Philly and could not wait to find a cool room. I walked into the lobby and asked about rates. $96.00? I asked the clerk if he could do any better than that. He said if I had a coupon he could. He then directed me to the computer room and showed me where to download the coupon and print it out. $39.95. I like people like that.

Over the past 14 years we have covered about 60,000 U.S. miles and we always obtain the coupon books at tourist plazas or Denny's etc and finding rooms for $39.95 is not as rare as it sounds. In our experience and aside from a few unfortunate choices, most are modest yet clean. No really bad experiences with attitude. Mary is great at examining a room before payment and this has helped us avoid a few potentially terrible experiences. Bottom line is that we have often found many excellent hotel/inn/motel opportunities - especially with off-season summer rates south of the Mason-Dixon. - Bob
 
Iconic 17 mile drive in Carmel does not allow motorcycles in the gate, due more than likely to noise complaints. Bummer, because it is a beautiful drive.
 
Biker or Motorcyclist? Be careful with polarizing and trying to set yourself apart. After all, Harley Davidson still has the largest market share in the U.S. and still represents the majority of bikes on the road. They still have the largest number of doctors, lawyers and other affluent people as customers, compensating for mid-life crisis and trying to express a life-style. These people may have a lot of influence in the socio-political arena and may be the ones who carry enough weight to keep riding motorcycles a legal activity in this country.
And by the above description of Bikers and Motorcyclists - what are those with orange, spiky hairdos, earrings and other metal pieces pierced into facial areas who ride plastic-covered two-wheelers and pop wheelies all the time??? What category do they fit in?
Food for thought!
 
I am not sure what's worse: showing up at "bike night" without the leather and eye patch? Or showing up at a BMW rally without a riding suit, gloves, full length boots, and full face helmet... Either place, you will probably get the feeling you aren't part of the group! :whistle

Just sayin'...

Me, I play dress up. No matter where I go, I play along... In the old days, I was an "individual"! Today, I like to blend in... I have a costume for "bike night", a costume for ATTGATT, a costume for dual sport, a costume for my Norton, a costume for my Triumph sidecar, etc...

My girlfriend, on the other hand, is only allowed to wear one costume: tight shirts and tighter jeans! :eat
 
Me, I play dress up. No matter where I go, I play along... ... I have a costume for a costume for a costume for , a costume for a costume for , etc...

I do the same thing. And maybe take it a up a notch: I color-coordinate my jackets and helmets with my bikes....:dance:dance
 
And by the above description of Bikers and Motorcyclists - what are those with orange, spiky hairdos, earrings and other metal pieces pierced into facial areas who ride plastic-covered two-wheelers and pop wheelies all the time??? What category do they fit in?
Food for thought!

Organ donor category, lol
 
I admit to being amused by both sides. I don't ATGATT , nor do I dress like a Pirate.

I wear what {I} choose, mostly depending on weather, and notice some rejection from [both] sides. It amazes me how many from both sides just seem to have an overwhelming need to dictate to others how to dress, and or do it in general their way.

I like a quiet / reasonably quite bike, Yes I might stop for a beer, or a meal, I don't just bar hop , I haven't pillaged in years :p And i try to leave hotel / motel rooms, as I found them. In general I tend to behave and enjoy my travels.

So if I go to bike night [rarely] or to a BMW function and some choose not to speak to me / ignore me.....I'm good with that.

So!...I don't know what the heck i am...I suppose just a guy who has ridden for decades, and enjoyed each & every mile, and most folks that i have met along the way...
 
Iconic 17 mile drive in Carmel does not allow motorcycles in the gate, due more than likely to noise complaints. Bummer, because it is a beautiful drive.

No, it's because some a**holes on dirt bikes did doughnuts on the putting surfaces and did seriously expensive damage :banghead
 
all kidding, playfullness and sterotyping aside think through the op from a hotelier's point of view.

The employee tried to chat up a customer in a friendly manner using, using what she found out, the customer thought an inappropriate sterotyping word. Realizing the offense asked what the difference to learn and not make the same mistake. The check process continued.

The hotelier apparently has had some bad experiences with people using two wheeled conveance as their transportation mode. Rather than avoiding them all together as customers developed a set of rules and told the desk clerks to recite them to all two wheele travelers at checkin.

We have no idea what the desk clerk understood from the op's speech on the difference between bikers and motorcyclist but the hotelier's instructions sunk in and the clerk did her job, the op got a room and the hotelier made a buck.

For every bad experience i have had checking into a hotel when on a bike trip i can think of many more times when hotel management and staff did things that made me and my bike safer, helped with care/repairs and in general made the stay better.

+1
 
I've been called a 'biker' on many occasions. I never take offence since I've known many 'bikers' in my life. Most bikers I've known were very nice people who happened to prefer wearing black.
Instead of lecturing the uninitiated, I usually answer, 'I prefer biker trash from hell, if you don't mind.' I then leave quickly before than can figure out if I'm joking.
I was once getting fitted for a tux, and the tailor, noticing my leathers and helmet asked if he should call me a biker or a motorcyclist. I told him I prefer being called Denis.
 
Biker? Motorcyclists?

I'm a 'rider'...always have used that term....as opposed to an 'owner'. (comes from my dirt bike days...)
 
I know what I'm about to say, sounds all group huggy & all and I really don't mean it that way but!

With all the attitude about & sometimes against us from those who do not ride. Why in the world do we Pigeon whole each other so profoundly, and argue amongst ourselves about silly crap?

Chrome, no chrome, leather , textile, full-face, shorty, heated clothes, layering, windshield,fairing,naked, loud quiet....on & on

Again I know it sounds Rodney King [ish] but damn...

We all have the common bond of two wheels....isn't that sufficient? To stick together ? And wish each other well?

Personally , I don't care what you ride, what you wear, how much chrome it has, our how much noise it makes. I only hope you all enjoy yours as much as I do mine. And hope you are able to get out and enjoy it as much as you can,...safely !

There's an old Irish proverb that says...

May the road rise to greet you , the wind be always at your back, the sun shine softly on your face, and the rain fall gently on your fields.
And until we meet again my friend, may God hold you in the palm of his hand...
 
Thanks for that!

Worth Repeating:

These are just my Opinions and observations.

Well to me all knitting needles are the same. I am sure to someone whom has an interest they could set you down for an hour and espouse many valid differences. But for the most part people whom don't ride see it as all one category. That is just the nature of humans and there is not much we can do about that. As a group we will regularly be judged inclusively.

I like all bikes for a given time. Even ludicrous bikes for a moment will put a smile on my face. Bikes are great.

Sometimes the people whom ride them are a different story. The traditional "biker" definition of Loud, obnoxious, abusive, abrasive, disrespectful, violent, with tendency toward vandalism. In my opinion has gone down in number. Traditionally this was associated with the Harley or cruiser type of rider. Twenty years gone and they have gone down in number and replaced with a caricature of the same image but it mostly comes across as circus sideshow or carnival like. A star-track convention or comic book fan convention will show people about the same. it is just a different setting and motif.

Similarly odd are bikers whom get in their space suits of gear (ATGATT) with heated layers and strap bags and bags of only the required gear on the back and ride off for thousands of miles in the dead of winter. That is weird, particularly to non riders, they really don't know why we don't take a car. I by the way am one of these weird people (save for the winter bit)

There are lots of groups of people out there with all of there interests I say there is room for lots of people in the world.

but then.... there is that difference.

The difference is when the group of people (their group, our group, my group, your group, any group) has no consideration for their common man (no offense girls it is just a phrase born before me but it includes you.) Or more to the point what they consider about the common man is below a certain point which is gauged by the culture and society you live in and come from, given your point of view. This is of course Common Decency but what sets me off is not an issue of the group in question not "having it" rather not applying it as in "consideration for their common man" if their is no consideration then it doesn't mater what the value of common decency is.

Loud pipes (cruiser or sport) obnoxious behavior, rudeness, lewdness, arrogance, etc. that's the difference and it is a difference I can't stand. I can get loud at times and my language can get colorful but in the right circles. Not at the park or public campground with the family (or any group that I don't know, how do I know what would be offensive to them just because they do, or do not, have kids) in the next site. I speak quietly, only as loudly as need. I had a relatively loud bike and when leaving in the early hours of the morning have been known to push it away from other campers, request sites where I could coast it down a hill to get away from others. all of these things are "consideration for others" and "common decency" related, regardless to the fact that at the time I was on a Harley and in black leather. I guess that I am saying blame the human not the bike.

However I should point out that I see more and more bad behavior without consideration of bikes. The Yabbo's are every ware. On bikes, cars, trucks, horses, bicycles, on foot and you know what, I don't like them. So long as people are not Yabbo's (or any related species) then I can usually accept and to some degree appreciate them for what ever they are just fine.

Boy that sort of went a slightly different rout. I tend to use Motorcyclist but maybe that is because "biker" makes me think of either that older definition that I gave or the newer one . Neither of which I want to be a part of.

Dwayne
 
Another good viewpoint

+1:

i know what i'm about to say, sounds all group huggy & all and i really don't mean it that way but!

With all the attitude about & sometimes against us from those who do not ride. Why in the world do we pigeon whole each other so profoundly, and argue amongst ourselves about silly crap?

Chrome, no chrome, leather , textile, full-face, shorty, heated clothes, layering, windshield,fairing,naked, loud quiet....on & on

again i know it sounds rodney king [ish] but damn...

We all have the common bond of two wheels....isn't that sufficient? To stick together ? And wish each other well?

Personally , i don't care what you ride, what you wear, how much chrome it has, our how much noise it makes. I only hope you all enjoy yours as much as i do mine. And hope you are able to get out and enjoy it as much as you can,...safely !

There's an old irish proverb that says...

May the road rise to greet you , the wind be always at your back, the sun shine softly on your face, and the rain fall gently on your fields.
And until we meet again my friend, may god hold you in the palm of his hand...
 
I was refused a motel room once with the "reservations needed" remark and calmly said "OK" as I walked outside. There, I called the motel 800 number, which was the corporate office in some other city and made a reservation. After eating in their restaurant, I went back to the check-in counter and got a room with my reservation. She didn't seem to be very happy but, oh well.

Well done!

:thumb
 
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