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Harley owners: Born or Made?
- Thread starter jconway607
- Start date
Partial answer to some of the OP's insights.
bandanna's vs helmets. The battle cry was let those who ride decide. Most of the people who don't wear helmets don't like being told what to wear and how to wear it by the oversized and bloated government. Same with seatbelts.
Assless chaps. I still wear em since I've had em for many many years riding full dressers. Better than blue jeans, warmer and I don't know but it seems you are concentrating your attention to the 10 percent of the area where there isn't leather. What about the other 90 percent?
Loud pipes. Most of the older riders I know regret them now and don't run em very loud anymore. Lost too much hearing.
Clip on earrings? Mine was pierced about 50 years ago and how do you know they're clipons?
Forward controls, ape hangers and tassels were never my thing anyway.
Just my thoughts.
bandanna's vs helmets. The battle cry was let those who ride decide. Most of the people who don't wear helmets don't like being told what to wear and how to wear it by the oversized and bloated government. Same with seatbelts.
Assless chaps. I still wear em since I've had em for many many years riding full dressers. Better than blue jeans, warmer and I don't know but it seems you are concentrating your attention to the 10 percent of the area where there isn't leather. What about the other 90 percent?
Loud pipes. Most of the older riders I know regret them now and don't run em very loud anymore. Lost too much hearing.
Clip on earrings? Mine was pierced about 50 years ago and how do you know they're clipons?
Forward controls, ape hangers and tassels were never my thing anyway.
Just my thoughts.
rangerreece
RangerReece
Latest MOA member
Ladies and gentleman I submit Army Specialist Jeremy Riffle. A medic stationed at Fort Rucker Lyster Army Medical Clinic where I met him during my flight physical. He is one of our newest MOA members, (as of two days ago) he rides a Harley Davidson.
He joined because, after I explained to him what our club has to offer all riders, and how inclusive and non-judgmental we are, he immediately felt welcomed and excited to be a part of a National Club like ours. He hopes to ride a BMW one day. He’s a bright young man with a future, I suspect he will be riding high end BMW’s soon.
This is the face (all be it masked) of our club’s future.
Ladies and gentleman I submit Army Specialist Jeremy Riffle. A medic stationed at Fort Rucker Lyster Army Medical Clinic where I met him during my flight physical. He is one of our newest MOA members, (as of two days ago) he rides a Harley Davidson.
He joined because, after I explained to him what our club has to offer all riders, and how inclusive and non-judgmental we are, he immediately felt welcomed and excited to be a part of a National Club like ours. He hopes to ride a BMW one day. He’s a bright young man with a future, I suspect he will be riding high end BMW’s soon.
This is the face (all be it masked) of our club’s future.
What do you think his reaction will be when he finds out you lied to him?
Kidding! Welcome, Mr. Riffle!
A lot of people forget where Harley "image" came from. Much of it has to do with men returning from the front lines from WWII and after dealing the military and risking there lives they were a bit rebellious. Riding gear was nonexistent so what ever leather was available got used. Harley has hung on to that image for years and has marketed the hell out of it.
On the other hand BMW. has promoted Birkenstocks and coffee shops and proper riding gear.
On the other hand BMW. has promoted Birkenstocks and coffee shops and proper riding gear.
But "you meet the NICEST people on a Honda"
pauls1150
MOA #24991, south of Los Angeles
Benjamin Franklin, 1776, but not confirmed that he actually said it.
I ran across another quote, while reading Savage Son by Jack Carr, this from Robert E. Howard (of Conan fame):
"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing."
I ran across another quote, while reading Savage Son by Jack Carr, this from Robert E. Howard (of Conan fame):
"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing."
1074
Active member
The latter. And then they get worse.
Having said that, it only applies to about 97% of them.
Sounds like an identity crisis to me! My daughter has a /5 and a Harley but I think that she knows who she is..
truckerdave
Member
Ok, i suffered through reading this entire thread and being in a position to speak with some authority on the subject, i have something to say relating to BMW's, Harley's and 1%er's. Technically speaking i suppose i qualify as a real bonafide "badass", whatever the definition of that might be, since i am a member of one of the largest 1%er clubs in the world. First of all i'm not a criminal in the least. Anyone who thinks 1% clubs are all criminal enterprises with thugs and uneducated Neanderthals for members has been brainwashed by the media. It just ain't true. All clubs are not created equal though. A small number of them even i care nothing about being around and yes, they are criminals. Those types of clubs are in the extreme minority though. 'Nuff said. I also own a BMW and three Harleys. Several club brothers also own BMW's because we just simply love motorcycles. You just have to own a Harley, you don't have to ride it all the time. Bet some of ya'll didn't know that. All my Harley's are modified for much more power, better handling, better braking and better lighting. Almost everyone in my club wears full face helmets too. As for riding, there is nothing like getting on a big 120HP Harley touring bike and covering some ground in comfort. Harleys are repairable by a mechanically inclined owner unless you get into major engine work. Not so much for my BMW K1300GT. I love it but i will freely acknowledge parts are ridiculously high and maintenance requires some exorbitantly priced special tools. I knew that when i bought it. None of my HD's are loud as i don't like excessive noise. The most obnoxious Harley riders i have seen is the "bike night" crowd with their straight pipes, skull bucket helmets and accent lighting. Those guys provide us "professional bikers" with a constant source of amusement with their antics. These guys would be arrogant *******s if they were driving a minivan. I believe truthfully speaking, the same theory regarding arrogant *******s would apply to some BMW riders as well. What i'm saying is the same as some others pointed out. All riders are not cut from the same mold and there are *******s everywhere, no matter what they ride.
ponch1
Ponch
I don't know what club you belong to, but I don't have a truck with 1%ers per se, but they have too many rules for me. I have enough problems with authority as it is.
Harley owners: Born or Made?
Both. I've seen a few that might have been hatched.
E.
I don't get it?? They're chicken? Or like a "plan" as in hatch a plan? Or a kind of door pun?? (I opened the hatch and there was a Harley rider below deck??) I mean, when a properly dressed, super-intelligent, civilized, BMW rider says something ...
The usual advice to someone who is annoyed by a thread is "don't go there...don't read it; no one is making you". But this thread is like a train wreck- i just can't turn away!!! OK, I'll try again.
All references to 1% in regards to motorcycle clubs are about being non-law abiding. Bandy it about here on the forum or whatever but that's what it means. One of my oldest friends got into the hd scene and was a parts manager at a number of dealerships in the Bay Area. He had a really nice road King and one time he showed up with a sticker on it that was a hells angel support/friend of the club kind of thing. He told me he rode with them on a toy ride which eventually entailed blasting over the bay bridge from Oakland to SF, like 100s of riders. They tore ass up the emabarcadero and terrorized fishermans wharf riding on the sidewalks and wrong way on the left side of the road. Total anarchy in such a large group there was no chance Leo's were going to go anywhere near them. He thought that was really cool. I reminded him that there was nothing cool about organized crime and the history of the club in the Bay Area included systemic abuse of women and drug dealing. He took the sticker off.
I don't know what club you belong to, but I don't have a truck with 1%ers per se, but they have too many rules for me. I have enough problems with authority as it is.
I have a couple 1% friends. When I got serious about riding again I would run into them at various functions and they kept asking me to join. I finally told them no and it was funny because they got offended and gave me some crap about it. I finally had to tell them that I didn't mean any disrespect to them or their club, but it just wasn't for me. They backed down and all was well again. The way they acted you would have thought I pissed on their colors!
The rules thing probably would have gotten me too. They do the "prospect" deal where for some time you are hazed. You might have a patch member tell you to go buy him a beer and you have to do it. The hazing can be mild to crazy. I have been to parties and seen how they treat prospects. Some of it depended on the prospect. Some handled it well, some fought it. The more you fought it the worse and longer the hazing. A am pretty bull headed and independent. I doubt I would have made it through the hazing.
truckerdave
Member
The different branches of the military all have rules, not much difference there. Same principle applies. If we have to ask someone to join, that's someone we wouldn't want anyway. Sort of like a MC club "catch 22". If a prospect "fought it" in my club he would be gone quickly. I don't mean buried in a shallow grave in a remote wooded area of course, just simply ran off. I'm going to the next BMW rally that isn't cross country for me. Most of the BMW riders i have met in my life came across as well educated "interesting" individuals, as i consider myself to be. That ought to be a hoot.
pglaves
#13338
I think the born or made question is actually quite simple. It becomes a peer group and peer pressure kind of thing. A person buys a bike and might or might not identify with a group of like minded riders. Recently I have read several posts from people saying I have had a BMW for several years and am finally joining the BMW MOA.
"Joiners" enter a peer group and many, over time, adopt the norms for that group. BMW riders most often adopt an ATGATT attitude. Other peer groups have different norms that joiners adopt. Helmet wear when required but take it off at the state line where not required is one such group norm. So are loud pipes. So are leather vests with patches and engineer boots.
Dedicated LD (long distance) rally riders for the most part have adopted norms similar to many BMW riders: not inexpensive textile riding gear, quality helmets, motorcycle riding boots, expensive GPSs, and other similar norms, regardless of the brand of bike they are riding.
Some riders are part of more than one peer group and conform differently depending on which group they are with at that moment.
In many respects it is no different than jocks and nerds in high school. People find and identify with an affinity group and for better or for worse adopt the norms of that group. Guys who are on both the football team and the debate squad are a rare breed.
In the end I am reminded of a letter to the editor of a cruiser style magazine. The letter was written by a BMW rider whose main point was that riders are riders and have many things in common. But he added, "You dress like pirates. We dress like armadillos."
"Joiners" enter a peer group and many, over time, adopt the norms for that group. BMW riders most often adopt an ATGATT attitude. Other peer groups have different norms that joiners adopt. Helmet wear when required but take it off at the state line where not required is one such group norm. So are loud pipes. So are leather vests with patches and engineer boots.
Dedicated LD (long distance) rally riders for the most part have adopted norms similar to many BMW riders: not inexpensive textile riding gear, quality helmets, motorcycle riding boots, expensive GPSs, and other similar norms, regardless of the brand of bike they are riding.
Some riders are part of more than one peer group and conform differently depending on which group they are with at that moment.
In many respects it is no different than jocks and nerds in high school. People find and identify with an affinity group and for better or for worse adopt the norms of that group. Guys who are on both the football team and the debate squad are a rare breed.
In the end I am reminded of a letter to the editor of a cruiser style magazine. The letter was written by a BMW rider whose main point was that riders are riders and have many things in common. But he added, "You dress like pirates. We dress like armadillos."
