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+--- Thread: Stereotypes, pondering and I'm not tough enough (/showthread.php?tid=13529)
Stereotypes, pondering and I'm not tough enough - the Ferret - 04-24-2017
Said it before will say it again..I am not tough enough to ride a HArley..only now I am going to add sport bikes to that quote.
Finished cutting the grass and had some errands to run. Grabbed my mc boots, my Fox Creek leather jacket and gauntlet deer skin gloves and and an HJC 3/4 helmet. I was already wearing a long sleeved t shirt and flannel lined jeans. Hadn't planned to go far and figured this would be enough. It was in the upper 60's but I thought it rather nippy still. I'll be riding the CB.
Rode up and paid for some new gutters we had installed on the house last week, and ran over to the pharmacy to pick up a script for my wife. At the pharmacy I parked the bike next to a full dress Harley in the lot, took off and locked up my helmet, and was walking thru the lot when a clean cut gentleman in a white T, jeans and gym shoes walked past me and said " You meet the nicest people on a Honda". I laughed and said " Why, thank you", and kept walking. At the door I turned to see said fellow throwing a leg over the Harley. No helmet of course. He fired it up and rumbled off. I thought "he doesn't look like a Harley rider to me." Like a Harley rider has to look a certain way. How foolish of me. Stereotypes I laughed.
Anyhow I get the script and head home and come upon a couple on another Harley. Black tees, jeans. No helmets. She was wearing a head band. He was bald and had an earring. Bike had droopy leather saddlebags, life saving pipes, and they were doing 35 in the straights and a little less than 30 thru the curves in a 40 zone. This went on about 3 miles until we came to a stop sign. They turned left (I was going to turn left too but decided to turn right instead). Closer to what I had in my mind for Harley riders. Faith in stereotypes renewed
Another couple miles up the road I come upon a sport bike. Red white and blue Honda CBR. Couldn't tell if it was a 600 or 1000. Undertail with lic plate stuffed up under the rear fender, no turn signals I could see (ends up they were little glowing things inside the tail light) Rider had a silver full face helmet on, grey T shirt (one of those real thin stretchy kinds), cargo shorts, short socks and gym shoes. No gloves. Tattoos on both calves. His left leg had a sun and moon, the right one some Japanese writing. Millenial I think.
Again I thought these guys are tougher than I am. It's kinda chilly and he's wearing the least of everybody. We both turn onto one of my favorite curvy roads, one I know VERY well. Will see what he has. Over the first little rise into a right hander and he's positioned wrong for the next 2 curves and he's going to bounce over some broken pavement (he did which he could have avoid had he hung to the left in the lane which also would have set him up best for the next 2 curves). Hmm he's braking for the left hander and staying in the middle of the road. After the next right is a short straight away followed by more curves. On the straight he gaps me quickly by 100 yards (first time I ever felt the CB lacked power). Thru the curves I reel him back in. This goes on for the next 4 miles. On the straights he's gone, in the curves I catch him. He's staying in the center of the lane, while I'm doing the apex inside out, outside in thing. I figure by lane positioning, he is a fairly new rider. Again, young guy, fast sport bike, undertail and hidden t/s, tattoos in weird places, lack of riding gear... sport bike squid. Stereotypes lol.
Pondering: I wonder what all these people thought when they saw me. Leather Jacket, mc riding boots, gloves, helmet, Japanese UJM, riding too fast and using all the road because that is the most efficient way to go fast. Wonder what stereotype I was fitting into for them. Wonder if they told anyone: "I saw this old guy today, almost bald, white beard, had to be hot, because he was wearing all kinds of gear. Couldn't even hear his bike. He was all over the road. Old guys "
RE: Stereotypes, pondering and I'm not tough enough - Cormanus - 04-24-2017
The squid was in a bar sometime later saying to his mates, "I'm riding along today and there's this old bloke—jacket, boots, gloves, all the gear—riding one of those old in-line 4 Hondas. I'm going like the clappers, but I just can't get away from him. On the straights I'm away and I'm cornering like a dream but he just kept catching me. By the end of the curves he'd be stuck to me like sh*t to a blanket. I wonder who he was."
RE: Stereotypes, pondering and I'm not tough enough - the Ferret - 04-24-2017
probably
RE: Stereotypes, pondering and I'm not tough enough - redbirds_imp - 04-24-2017
I'll bet George's scenario is nearest reality.
RE: Stereotypes, pondering and I'm not tough enough - Rolls_imp - 04-24-2017
+1
(04-24-2017, 08:47 AM)redbirds_imp Wrote: I'll bet George's scenario is nearest reality.
RE: Stereotypes, pondering and I'm not tough enough - jimgl353_imp - 04-25-2017
Cormanus hit the nail on the head. you're describing a squid. not a proper sportbike rider. though i personally don't think sportbikes should be allowed on the public roads unless they are under 400cc's.
RE: Stereotypes, pondering and I'm not tough enough - LongRanger_imp - 04-25-2017
Great thread! +1
RE: Stereotypes, pondering and I'm not tough enough - Nortoon_imp - 04-25-2017
Here if you ride a Harley you must be dressed in black and wear a pudding bowl helmet. Your gear must have a least two Harley patches with orange lettering or an eagle. Boots must be clunky and grubby.
Amazing the number of skinny old guys I meet that ride big Harley dressers. The do talk to me because of my gray hair and old school gear: white Bell open face helmet, brown leather jacket, blue jeans, and bike boots. They are not sure what my CB500X is, but it is matt black and has a tall windscreen so they don't make any rice burner remarks.
The rest of the cruisers are younger generations (weekend warriors) on Harley look-a-likes. They also dress in black, but pudding bowl helmets are not mandatory. They don't talk to me or anyone else but their flock, so I am not offended. Hard core Harley owners frown upon them if they are wearing gear with Harley-Davison prominently displayed on it.
The wanna-be-racers are gaily dressed in gaudily coloured head to toe leather, full-faced helmets, lumpy gloves and boots. They don't talk to anyone other than similarly dressed riders with an aftermarket exhaust system on their bike.
The Beemer riders have no color or gear code, although they usually have a BMW patch. Actually they do tend to display a lot of patches of places they probably never been because they spend more of their time in the parking lots than any of the other bikers. They also don't talk to anyone except their fellow bikers, and always stand in a circle around their bikes like musk oxen protecting their young from predators.
RE: Stereotypes, pondering and I'm not tough enough - The A-man - 04-25-2017
Hey, wait a minute... I've got a white open face helmet, brown leather jacket, jeans, riding boots, and a white beard.... does that make me "old" too??? (at least I have RLETs to make me look "hip"!)
RE: Stereotypes, pondering and I'm not tough enough - Nemo_imp - 04-25-2017
The double takes from other riders in traffic say they don't know in which group to place me... I imagine they must think "the combination of bike, gear and guy fits nowhere. What is it?" That's part of the fun of owning the CB.
Although I would like to think that I don't fit the "squid" moniker, I give faith that keeping up with Ferret, PowerDawg, InHouseBob or RedBirds, is not easy. This I know by experience.
In my best Vader: "I find my lack of riding skill disturbing."