I just hate Harley people.

Started by K3 Chris Onwiler, August 30, 2003, 05:16:01 PM

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

K3 Chris Onwiler

#24
OK Tom.  Now you've pissed me off.  A minivan has a job to do, and it's well suited for that job.  A Ferrari wouldn't work as well for the job.  Harleys are functionally compromised for the sake of style.  Ride a non-HD cruser or tourer for a minute and that should become pretty obvious.  In my opinion, that makes a Harley a poser among motorcycles.
My Harley people bias is not without history or research.  When I moved to Kankakee, the poverty I saw in parts of town shocked me.  Kids riding bicycles without rubber on the rims or playing football with a rolled up newspaper were new sights to me.  I decided to organize a Christmas toy run.
I would need some help with a project this ambitious.  First stop, the Marines.  "Call us when you get the toys."  Nice.  Next stop, GWRRA. (Wing riders)  "Call us when you get it planned."  Gee, thanks.  HOG.  "Sure, we'll ride.  Will there be beer?"  Lovely.  ABATE and the local patch flying HD clubs.  "What do you need?  How can we help?"  Wow.  These guys are pretty cool.
I got the run organized and approved.  I ran it for four years.  More than a thousand kids per Christmas in my little county were helped.  You can't ask for help without giving in return.  I became an officer in ABATE. (though I never ride without a helmet)  I went on every pig roast, poker run, benifit and charity ride that ABATE and the HD clubs held.  I was quite a sight on my crotch rocket in my 1 piece suit, but through my actions I came to be respected.  I rode at the back, sober and careful.  With my excellent brakes and handling, I was able to avoid the results of drunkin stupidity on numerous occasions.  I was the only rider at the Springfield Freedom Run (A helmet law rally of about 100,000) in full road racing gear and a helmet.  Took a lot of flack for that, but I believe that helmet laws are the only thing that will get most bikers to organize against lawmakers, so you fight where you can.
I drank a million sodas in a thousand biker bars.  I watched guys drink a bottle of Jack Daniels in 2 pulls, then go riding.  I watched them crash, get injured or die.  I went to their benifits and funerals.  I caught a HOG member pissing in my helmet on a poker run.  I beat him nearly to death.  I probably would have been killed by his friends, but my "Bros" busted out of the bar and covered my back.  Before it was over the offending parties had taken up a collection to buy me a new helmet.  After that little incident, I was given a set of colors with the word "Associate" to wear over my racing suit on runs, just so I wouldn't cop $hit any more.  That's respect.
In spite of their lifestyle of drinking, riding and dying, I grew to like and respect these people.  They were genuine.  They took the jobs that can be held by people with long hair, beards and tattoos.  They lived in houses that cost less than their bikes.  Everyone in the family was a biker.  Being a biker was what they did and who they were.  Compare that to the guy who slips out of buisness casual into his Motorclothes and becomes a weekend Sonny Barger.  Effen Posers.  These are the people who really get on my nerves.  Buy a Harley and some clothes, BOOM!  Instant credibility and personality.  I don't think so.
A for-real criminal element biker gang rolled in and decided that the two patch flying clubs in my county were history.  Some resisted.  They were beaten or killed.  The clubs ceased to exist.  After that, everyone pretty much hid out.  One of the casualties was the toy run.  Sad.
Don't say that I haven't been there and done that.  How many sportbike riders have been given colors?  "If you have to ask, you'll never understand."  Understand what?  If a lifestyler wears that shirt, he has credibility.  Anyone else is just trying to steal a true lifestyler's credibility and reputation.  In other words, a poser.  Worst of all, HD as a company has mined the pocketbook of the poser to extremes, thus enhancing the credibility of being a poser!!!  What a paradox.
What I hate about Harley people is that nine out of ten are posers, trying to be percieved as something they're not.  I would be just as offended if the sportbike squids all started putting numbers on their street bikes and trying to pretend they're us racers.  Sorry to have offended anyone on this board, because since we all race, we certianly have all proven that we are true motorcycle people and not posers.
With that apology delivered, I am going to withdraw from this thread.  It all started out as venting over the poor behavior I witnessed in Milwaukee.  what a shame that I dared to speak out.
The frame was snapped, the #3 rod was dangling from a hole in the cases, and what was left had been consumed by fire.  I said, "Hey, we've got all night!"
Read HIGHSIDE! @ http://www.chrisonwiler.com

Tezboogie


pmoravek

#26
I think alot of you guys are missing the point...
Motorcycles are supposed to be about freedom.
Remember, a bunch of our ancestors got in boats and sailed away from guys who were trying to piss all over their party.
If you want to ride a cruiser, you should have that right.
If you want to ride a sportbike, you should have that right.
BUT WITH THOSE RIGHTS COME RESPONSIBILITY!!!

If you ride your cruiser drunk, and dangerously, you should have that right revoked.
If you ride your sportbike at 110moh through a residential district, you should have that right revoked.

You shouldn't give these people grief because of the way they dress or because of the style of bike they ride (although, I think the leather vest with the doo-rag thing has gone a bit far.)
You should embrace them as Motorcycle Brethren.
We all ride bikes because we enjoy the rush.
People in cars that kill us are our enemy.

Wave to everyone.  That's my motto.
Harley, ZX6, Buell, RC51....
It doesn't matter.

Before my racing days, I used to be a Harley Guy and this skinny, one percenter, dude I rode with had a saying...
"Wave to everyone, If you got balls enough to be on two wheels in traffic, you got my respect."

'nuff said?
 ;)

tshort

QuoteOK Tom.  Now you've pissed me off....

Sorry to have offended anyone on this board, because since we all race, we certianly have all proven that we are true motorcycle people and not posers.
With that apology delivered, I am going to withdraw from this thread.  It all started out as venting over the poor behavior I witnessed in Milwaukee.  what a shame that I dared to speak out.

Hey K3 - I object to blanket statements and generalizations that seek condemn an entire category of people/products based on selective examples from a few of those who happen to be in the category.  This is called prejudice.  I think speaking out is fine - so long as you are citing specific examples of stupid behavior, and not trashing everyone who happens to share some commonality with the perps.  As I said in my first post, groups are by their very nature going to have the gamut.  Characterizing everyone in a group based on the behavior of some of its members is, in my view, wrong headed.

We should continue this over a beer this weekend in the paddock (after the racing, I guess) ;).  I'll buy. :D
Tom
ThinkFast Racing
AFM #280 EX
ex-CCS #128

Dawn

QuoteWe should continue this over a beer this weekend in the paddock (after the racing, I guess) ;).  I'll buy. :D

Thank you!

Dawn   ;)

Super_KC124

#29
Did Tom say he was buying the beer this weekend? :D

Thorny

Hey Chris, you ever notice in the movies that when they show an alternative life style bar  (politically correct way to say 'Gay Bar') that all the patrons are dressed like harley riders??   ;D


 PJ

lil_thorny

hey thorny, i thought that you didn't watch movies.
So where exactly are you getting your information.
lil thorny. ;D :o

Thorny

Police Academy for starters!!! I don't watch your kind of movies if you know what I mean, and I think you do you do.  :P