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Bikers or motorcyclists?

JDOCKERY132445

OldBMWMaster
Our group had a weekend event and worked out some good rates on resort rentals. I was checking in and the woman behind the counter said, "Oh you are part of the biker group." I said, no; we are all motorcyclists. When she asked what the difference was I told her we were all riders and did not; 1. ride in packs blocking traffic, 2. dress like pirates, 3.disturb the peace by removing our mufflers, 4. ride from bar to bar, 5. destroy motel rooms and 6. we all ride with protective gear, including full coverage helmets instead of stupid little brain buckets with moronic decals on them.

Her remark was, "Oh you must not like Harleys." I said I like Harleys as they come from the factory; but I do not like them after morons modify them to become POS noise makers.

During check in she rattled off a list of rules that were clearly aimed at 'bikers". It was like what I had told her did not register.
 
Our group had a weekend event and worked out some good rates on resort rentals. I was checking in and the woman behind the counter said, "Oh you are part of the biker group." I said, no; we are all motorcyclists. When she asked what the difference was I told her we were all riders and did not; 1. ride in packs blocking traffic, 2. dress like pirates, 3.disturb the peace by removing our mufflers, 4. ride from bar to bar, 5. destroy motel rooms and 6. we all ride with protective gear, including full coverage helmets instead of stupid little brain buckets with moronic decals on them.

Her remark was, "Oh you must not like Harleys." I said I like Harleys as they come from the factory; but I do not like them after morons modify them to become POS noise makers.

During check in she rattled off a list of rules that were clearly aimed at 'bikers". It was like what I had told her did not register.

Funny. Reminds me of the time a few years ago that I rolled into a campground (somewhere 'out west' U.S.) and they were going to refuse me entry on my /5 sewing machine 'sound-a-like' for the same noise reason that you describe. As we chatted their maintenance rig came sputtering by at a significant db level. I looked at her and said that her rig made much more noise than I could ever make. Confronted by the absurdity of her argument I was allowed to camp. Maybe they just had too many bad experiences. It was a quiet campground though :laugh .... except for the maintenance guy. - Bob
 
It seems to be human nature to divide people into two groups. Us and them.

Lots of BMW riders also ride Harley's. :bikes
 
They'd rather discriminate anyone on 2 wheels as a whole, rather than saying "no Harley riders in packs and no mufflers or safety gear", because then it gets to be a slippery slope, next thing they have to add on to the sign and it gets to be 10 feet tall in fine print, for example:

NO
* Harley riders in packs and no mufflers or safety gear
*Ricers in cutoff shorts on Hyabusa's or other ricer-type crotch rockets with loud exhaust systems and cute girlfriends.
*Families on Goldwings with sidecars that run back and forth all night to Dennys or IHOP
*Bikes with trailers that look like coffins or haunted houses that scare the little kids who parents belong to Good Sam Club and own Winnebagos or Holiday Ramblers and really support this place.
*That one guy on that black BMW who uses a tent and snores so loud that the alarm goes off on the Johnsons' Holiday Rambler while they were out on an IHOP run (In the Lincoln Towncar they tow behind them) at 2am and we couldn't shut it off til they got back with the "Rootie Tootie Fresh and Fruity" to go.
 
They'd rather discriminate anyone on 2 wheels as a whole, rather than saying "no Harley riders in packs and no mufflers or safety gear", because then it gets to be a slippery slope, next thing they have to add on to the sign and it gets to be 10 feet tall in fine print, for example:

NO
* Harley riders in packs and no mufflers or safety gear
*Ricers in cutoff shorts on Hyabusa's or other ricer-type crotch rockets with loud exhaust systems and cute girlfriends.
*Families on Goldwings with sidecars that run back and forth all night to Dennys or IHOP
*Bikes with trailers that look like coffins or haunted houses that scare the little kids who parents belong to Good Sam Club and own Winnebagos or Holiday Ramblers and really support this place.
*That one guy on that black BMW who uses a tent and snores so loud that the alarm goes off on the Johnsons' Holiday Rambler while they were out on an IHOP run (In the Lincoln Towncar they tow behind them) at 2am and we couldn't shut it off til they got back with the "Rootie Tootie Fresh and Fruity" to go.

Fine, don't take my money. Don't take any money from anyone else who likes bikes, like me. With that said, don't bitch when you go out of business. Ill just go camp at the state land public access down the street.

As to the OP, there is a difference between bikers and motorcyclists. As with any stereotype though, there are exceptions.
 
Our group had a weekend event and worked out some good rates on resort rentals. I was checking in and the woman behind the counter said, "Oh you are part of the biker group." I said, no; we are all motorcyclists. When she asked what the difference was I told her we were all riders and did not; 1. ride in packs blocking traffic, 2. dress like pirates, 3.disturb the peace by removing our mufflers, 4. ride from bar to bar, 5. destroy motel rooms and 6. we all ride with protective gear, including full coverage helmets instead of stupid little brain buckets with moronic decals on them.

Her remark was, "Oh you must not like Harleys." I said I like Harleys as they come from the factory; but I do not like them after morons modify them to become POS noise makers.

During check in she rattled off a list of rules that were clearly aimed at 'bikers". It was like what I had told her did not register.

Bravo! :clap
 
It seems to be human nature to divide people into two groups. Us and them.

Lots of BMW riders also ride Harley's. :bikes

But it gets confusing when the bike doesn't fit in either group. People don't seem to know how to react when I ride my Maxi-Scooter. I don't seem to fit in either group. The Harley guys don't want to associate with me after they can't keep up.

There is a group ranging from 3 to 6 that ride almost every week. Except for one interstate we almost never get on, we are "forced" to ride crooked mountain roads. I generally lead the ride since I know the roads best. I always ride at a speed I am comfortable with. When I lead with my R1200CLC, the Harley guys have no complaints. When I lead with my R80RT, the Harley guys complain they have a hard time keeping up with me. When I ride my Burgman, the Harley guys can't keep up.
 
Non-riders are usually the ones who tend to pidgeon hole people into a group. They're discriminating based on a past experience with someone who may have ridden a certain type of motorcycle. Oh well. If they're willing to stick by their prejudices to the point of losing business, I guess that's up to them.

I just consider myself a guy who rides motorcycles, usually as a mode of transportation, but always as someone who really enjoys riding. I've found over the years that I really don't fit into any certain motorcycling "culture".
 
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
 
Years ago when I was crossing back into the US from a ride to Nova Scotia I managed to get the most beautiful customs agent in the US. A tall, slim and stunning young woman with attitude. I don't believe she had ever smiled on the job.

So she's interrogating me like I'm bin Laden's brother. Really tough, sarcastic, and sometimes just plain rude. There was a straight piped HD behind me about 20 feet, and with him blipping the throttle every few seconds I was having a really hard time understanding the Ice Princess.

About the third time I checked the fellow out in my mirror the agent asked if we were riding together. "No, ma'am," I stated emphatically as I took in his half helmet, vest full of pins and badges, full beard and dirty appearance. "He's on a Harley and I ride a Beemer."

She looked puzzled by that, and said, "I thought all riders were brothers." "Yes, ma'am," I replied. "But only some of us bathe!"

For just an instant she smiled, then caught herself and waved me thru.
 
One wet, cold, miserable evening back in '07, I walked into a Holiday Inn and asked for a room. The older woman behind the counter looked at my riding gear, and told me they only rent rooms by reservation. First that I had ever heard of that. She obviously didn't want me there. In hindsight I should have gotten her name and filed a complaint with corporate office, but as I said I was cold and wet and there were other motels across the street.
 
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.


Biker for me - motorcyclist is too hard to say...

It is a mouth full. PotAto Potato  who cares. The real difference is are the onion rings in the bar batter dipped or breaded and what kind of mustard do they serve when you ask.
 
I have owned and ridden many different brands of motorcycles. I have been and will always be a motorcyclist :)



.
 
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.
 
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