Wait till you invite them on a 3 day ride.....camping....or staying at a nice resort and having more than the "clothes you rode in on"....or going on a real picnic and sitting on a nice blanket eating homemade food... instead of sitting on your jacket eating a cold cheeseburger......or when you give their kids a spin around the 'hood and the kids tell their parents, and all their friends, how cool YOU are!
Or taking your best buddy with you:
Originally written by welnet on 12/15/2007 4:26 PM<BR><BR>What do you expect from people willing to pay exorbitant prices for an underpowered/unreliable ride?
Sandflea,
Sidecars on Harleys,Indians and other types of bikes have been around for more years than SOME brands of bikes as far as that goes IT was a form of family transportation in the early 1900's there were also other items a motorcyclist could purchase called package trucks and cargo boxes these were used by people that owned a business that delivered their merchandise to the customer.
My first sidecar rig was a 1972 HD shovelhead early 60's HD sidecar I bought the sidecar in 1992 for the purpose of taking my then 2 year old daughter with my wife and I to go on rides,camping or just go down to the store shopping for groceries.
We took that sidecar rig to our first sidecar rally at Cook Forest in 1993 to this day I have never seen the amount of sidecar combination's on all types of motorcycles that were used to haul families,dogs or due to a handicap.
From there we have been to many sidecar rallys to the east traveling to Mass. and to the mid west down to Branson Mo. then up to ST. Joe Mo. for the USCA National Rally in 1998
Locally it has made numerous appearances at "bike nites" where it always seemed to attract just as big of a croud of lookers......many with questions... as the chopper bikes did,and to local bike runs.
Finally after about 15800 miles on the sidecar rig in 2000 I took the plunge and bought my first new bike a 2001 Harley Davidson twin cam road glide(I skipped a complete motor class) although I admit I like the HD sidecars I wanted something to more fit what the bike would be doing.....we don't stay home much in the summer...so knowing that a area dealer had a California sidecar friendship 3 for sale that rig has to date 59000 miles on it going on 7 years this comming April.
Been to Nova Scotia Canada and other numerous family vacations along with more sidecar rallys just reciently in North Carolina for the USCA National rally and ofcourse more bike nites etc. the thing that I find comical is the questions that the Harley and.....metric....riders ask wanting to know what year my "harley" sidecar is I politely explain what brand it is then come more questions LOL of which I try to explain as best as I can also refering them to the world of sidecars on the web.
I guess any where you go you will find some kind of remark from people I have from HD and metric riders alike sometimes I think it is due people that think they have "IT" and may feel that you may be getting their badly needed attention taken from them and their large dollar toy.
If you get to Daytona in March enter it in the sidecar class bike show but just a warning........be prepaired for the questions.
Enjoy your sidecar rig,don't let it get to you and MOST important ENJOY THE RIDE!!
rotten ralph and ditch, you've made me feel better already.....:)
This is a great therapy group isn't it.
During my "Wannabe One Percenter" phase I rode a hardtail panhead chopper. '70s style with the apehangers and tall sissybar, kick only, etc.. Rode that bike for over ten years many times as my only vehicle. Was all about the HD only, back when the Motor Company was struggling. About the time that both HD and my personal fortunes were on an upswing I bought a new FXDWG. Was on the delivery waiting list for quite awhile when I stopped in at the (unnamed) local dealer for a part for the Pan. Parked out front of the leather boutique (hardly any bikes in the show room then, you bought by catalog, just like Sears) and was about to head into the parts counter when Mr. Manager came out, quite resplendid in his Dockers and dress shirt. Didn't want me parking my "junk" in front of his store. Not the "image" the Motor Company wanted to project. Kinda sums the whole thing up. For far too many people out there it's about an image not about riding a motorcycle.
I kinda outgrew the whole my brands best "eff" the rest silliness right then and there. I stopped being a "biker" and became a "motorcyclist."
There was another issue later and I've pretty much ridden Hondas since. My own personal protest against the "Greedy Bastards Motor Company." I don't begrudge anyone who rides and enjoys their HD. I'll probably get that Electra Glide Classic dresser before I die. Or maybe I'll find that low mileage Valkyrie Interstate. I'll be happy either way.
Ride what you like and ignore anyone who thinks there is something wrong with it. It's them that are messed up, not any bike.
Like others have said, "it's not what you ride, it's that you ride."
Originally written by Mark in Idaho on 12/15/2007 9:19 PM
Discrimination of any type is an expression of ignorance. Are they really your "Friends"?
Well said, Mark.
Originally written by claude #3563 on 12/15/2007 5:23 PM
Frankly I am tired oif hearing the word 'discrimination'. If someone wants to knock what someone else has that ain't discrimination it is just being a jerk.
I completely agree. When we make this a "Harley rider " issue, we are also practicing discrimination. When we react by slamming Harley's in general, we are furthering the problem. Certainly its OK to think another's ride is silly, inadeqaute, dumb, or otherwise. However, when you verbalize it, particularly to the owner, ...... we;; "jerk" is a very nice description.
Originally written by sandflea on 12/15/2007 1:34 PM
Hubby and I recently purchased a ural sidecar. I sent pics to friends of mine that own Harleys. They laughed. Said it "wasn't a ride". I was totally insulted. Why the discrimination from Harley riders? Have they forgotten what riding is all about? Has anyone every run into this?
Well, you just need some new friends. I have Harleys and I respect all of the other brands, in particular sidecars.
Happy Holidays!
The issue of motorcyclists attacking other's rides in a nasty and dispiriting manner is really silly. There is a story from Greek mythology (Aesop I think) about a father giving his son a pile of sticks and asking him to break them. The sticks together were to hard to break. Then the father asked the son to break them one at a time and, of course, this was done easily. The moral was a political one - i.e. united people cannot be broken and divided they can be easily broken, one by one. When I hear of people bashing other's rides in the manner described in the first post this story comes to mind. We have enemies who are far more threatening and far more ready to create a transportation "final solution" for motorcycles that we don't need to become their unwitting allies.
Everyone has pride in their ride(s) and rationalizes their purchase decision as superior to that of other people with other brands of motorcycles. I don't see having pride in your ride as a problem and a little bit of good natured teasing can be tolerated. But anyone who makes sweeping generalities about entire groups of riders or brands of bikes or outfits in an openly hostile and insulting manner simply betrays their simplistic and puerile world view and in my mind displays an inner sense of insecurity that they mask with insults. Why else is there a need to validate one's own bike/outfit in such a way other than hidden doubts about it.
Considering that the hobby of motorcycling consists of a very small part of the nation's population and that sidecarists are the rarest of the rare it seems doubly stupid when a sidecarist is insults another persons outfit in a mean spirited manner. I would consider a person who did this in a malicious and spirit crushing way to not be worthy of my friendship or regard. So, as other's have said - reconsider your "friendship" with them.
In my own case - I have a quiet confidence that the outfit I drive is made to the highest qualities and it satisfies my needs very well and that's all that matters to me.I hope you feel the same abour your outfits
Dave
P.S. everyone reading this post needs to know that my sidecar is better than yours .... na na na na na
humor aside - have a Christmas and New Years holiday.
I ride a Ural and a Royal Enfield. Guess you know where that puts me! (However, I just got another BMW, so I have returned to Teutonic Superiority!) Anyhow, the abuse I take because of my rides is heavy but it has been in the spirit of fun and sometimes, even a little envy.
There is one story and one observation I would like to pass on. Like the story above about the Pan in front of the dealership, I read a while back on the BMW /5 list of a Wing rider who stopped at a BMW dealership to look at the latest Beemer touring models. Honest to God, a salesman came out and asked him to remove his cycle from the premises! Didn't the bonehead realize his stupid mouth probably just cost him a $18,000 sale?
I have a "thing" about waiving at other cyclists. I wave at Harleys. I wave at sport bikes. I even waive at kids on mopeds. (Heck, where I live, I waive at Amish buggies!) What I have noticed about the Harley riders is that those in the "chrome and fake tattoo" crowd find they are too cool to waive while those that fifteen years ago I was arresting, the Old School as you call them, are happy to acknowledge my presence as a fellow rider. That says a lot.
As personal hero and "icon" over at Sidecar Talk, Red Green, says, "We're all in this together!" Maybe someday the posers will realize that.
Sarge
I had a similar experience a few years ago. When I pulled the Dnepr off of the Valkyrie and replaced it with with the Ural I thought I'd build something for my daughter with the old car. I stopped by the dealership in Rice Lake and was met half way to the door by a salesman who pointed at my Valk and said he wanted to make sure I understood that they don't take that "off-brand crap" in trade. I got on my off brand crap and left.
Originally written by Sarge on 12/22/2007 8:01 PM
I ride a Ural and a Royal Enfield. Guess you know where that puts me! (However, I just got another BMW, so I have returned to Teutonic Superiority!) Anyhow, the abuse I take because of my rides is heavy but it has been in the spirit of fun and sometimes, even a little envy.
There is one story and one observation I would like to pass on. Like the story above about the Pan in front of the dealership, I read a while back on the BMW /5 list of a Wing rider who stopped at a BMW dealership to look at the latest Beemer touring models. Honest to God, a salesman came out and asked him to remove his cycle from the premises! Didn't the bonehead realize his stupid mouth probably just cost him a $18,000 sale?
I have a "thing" about waiving at other cyclists. I wave at Harleys. I wave at sport bikes. I even waive at kids on mopeds. (Heck, where I live, I waive at Amish buggies!) What I have noticed about the Harley riders is that those in the "chrome and fake tattoo" crowd find they are too cool to waive while those that fifteen years ago I was arresting, the Old School as you call them, are happy to acknowledge my presence as a fellow rider. That says a lot.
As personal hero and "icon" over at Sidecar Talk, Red Green, says, "We're all in this together!" Maybe someday the posers will realize that.
Sarge
I am also a Harley owner, been called everything, I love my Harley with them training wheels..
but then they see her and soften up since I am able to ride and theirs is in storage until spring. The guys who assmbled the cozy on my sporty relaized their manhood was sill intact after many funloving test rides so much I had to beg to get my bike back! My Harley dealer where I purchased are intriqued uses me for reference..
so it is just ignorance, times are changing...
Hey, you can ride all year carry the picnic basket and.....have fun!
Liz
Originally written by emnerrn on 12/22/2007 7:56 PM
I am also a Harley owner, been called everything, I love my Harley with them training wheels..
but then they see her and soften up since I am able to ride and theirs is in storage until spring. The guys who assmbled the cozy on my sporty relaized their manhood was sill intact after many funloving test rides so much I had to beg to get my bike back! My Harley dealer where I purchased are intriqued uses me for reference..
so it is just ignorance, times are changing...
Hey, you can ride all year carry the picnic basket and.....have fun!
Liz
My complinents for a nice-looking rig. I wish more ladies would take up motorcycling and sidecars. One of the greatest sidecar riders that there ever was, Dot Robinson, is now in the AMA Hall of Fame. She rode and won her class numerous times in the Jack Pine enduro when it was the 500 Mile two-day National with a male friend in the tub. Her ride was a 1940's Harley Knucklehead with a Goulding sidecar. She was also one of the founders of the Motor Maids club. So you are upholding a tradition.
Here's a link.
http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/hofbiopage.asp?id=78
Gaylord,
Thank you for the info on Dot. I very much enjoy tradition and being part of a family who definately thinks outside of the box. 1940 hd comfort? probably not as compared to the seats of today..she also had to jump start, today we are spoilt...what a woman! i'll be sharing her bio with my daughter..Happy healthy many carefree rides New Year!.L
Geez – I just got back on the forum and I guess my crack about HD’s (meant in jest) triggered some thin skin responses. Come on folks, look at my icon, I drive a scooter with a sidecar, how much ribbing do you think I get? I just take it all in fun. The one I particularly enjoy is the rider who starts the motorcycle wave, then sees that it’s a scooter and quickly pulls back the wave 🙂 Actually, if my knees/ankles still worked like they used to (and I had the money) I would love to have a Harley hack (and a BMW hack and a Honda hack, and a Ural hack, and a ....)
Bill,
no offense taken your comment is not unusual and we Harley Hack owners do have a sense of humor.
But th e reality is that there are many opinionated idiots that don't know
when to eat the chewy bar instead of speaking, nuff said.
your scooter is cute.... hey its wheels and you are riding how bad can that be?
Happy Healthy many carefree rides New Year!
Liz
