Harley owner meets sportbike owner

[Scissors]

Originally Posted by ApexOversteer

You guys will love this...


Few weekends ago, I was just finishing up work on a Thursday evening. Into the parking lot pulls a pair of Mercedes Benz SUVs, each towing a good sized bike trailer.

Out of the MBZs come a group of clean-cut guys in their 30's, bright-eyed and excited to finally be at THE DRAGON. I spun them a few yarns about the road, sprinkling in the important tips about cops, trucks, and staying in ones lane.

They were staying in the motel across the street from my work and once they had bought a few drinks, they pulled their MBZs and trailers over to their rooms.

I finished up work, and headed over to the motel myself, to shoot the shit with a buddy of mine, a nomadic patch stitcher who works The Dragon between sewing at big bike rallies. This guy is the real deal, patch holding member of an outlaw group out west, he makes good corn-squeezin's and he rolls a mean joint.

We're sitting outside his room, discussing the news of the day and here come the MBZ boys out of the motel office to unpack their trailers.

Now up to this point, I had figured the boys for Sporties. Probably Ducatis. They just had that whiff about them. More money than most, metro-sexual level grooming and fashion, noses habitually aimed at a 45degree incline.

Stitch and I sat there and watched them unload 6 Harleys. All Black, all "custom" and all fairly dripping in chrome, as rich-boy Harleys are. These were badass bikes, no doubt, probably $40K each after the paint, wheels and shiney shit.

The Rubs disappeared into their rooms and came out 20 minutes later. Gone were the Old Navy/Hollister/Polo/Ralph Lauren and I swear, if these guys didn't have the Bar and Shield on their speedo briefs I'd be shocked. They were like 6 pages of the Apparel catalog combined and all of it so brand new, with so few miles on it, that their chaps squeaked and their jackets reflected the setting sun.

One of them ran into the motel office and came back out, nodding affirmatively, which was the signal to put up the sign, professionally printed on a bit of vinyl at Kinkos, I'm sure... "SHOW US YOUR..." Seriously, it ended with dot-dot-dot.

Up until now these were your typical weekending squids, with 300mi on their bikes since March, spending their two weeks off from the bank/dentist practice/law office, reaffirming to themselves they are still men and not the pansy-assed city whimps they actually were. Nothing that unusual about them until...

One of them got to looking at his jacket, with the carefully placed Harley patches, and decided it was too new, too clean. So, he threw it down in the dirt and stomped on it. He picked it back up, shook it off and put it on.

The next guy figures hey that's a good idea, so he does it... only, he just kept doing it. Then there was a third one... then a fourth. We sat there, in stunned silence, watching these grown men, throw their $500 Harley Davidson Officially Licensed Product Leather Jackets in the dirt and then scuff them up with their feet. They had no idea we were a level up from them, watching the whole time.

One of them said, "ok, we've got a couple hours to ride and then we can go eat in town." Jackets dirtied, the now traditional 4'X6' flag flying off the back of one of the bikes. What flag you say? Old Glory? POW/MIA? Don't Tread On Me? No... these guys only pray to one god, the Bar and Shield.

They "saddled up" on their "motors", and rode to Cheddars for their dinner. I heard the next day one of them fell over in a parking lot in Pigeon Forge and broke his ankle, so they went home.

I'm sure those bikes won't roll another foot until next summer's Wild Hogs reenactment ride...

Biggest gang of wienies I've ever seen.

Classic!

Originally Posted by VatorMan

Now THAT is a Wild Hog group.

Yea, every group has a stereotype. Why most HD riders choose gay pirate is beyond me.

I try to be a conscientious HD rider. No blipping the throttle. I do give the 2 finger low salute.

I gave up on the wave--too busy looking out for women on cell phones driving SUVs and trying to turn left. I only blip the throttle when it's just us, or once to wake people up because the light's about to go green.

[ZipZap]

[Fastguy]

Originally Posted by ApexOversteer

Love the sweepers. There's a local Knoxville guy, with one of those late model Indians with the round heads on the engine. The bike is white and he's got tassles hanging from EVERYWHERE. Footboards, frame, saddle bags, handlebars, forkbag, seat... everywhere, and all of it white leather. He wears white leathers with the tassle fringe and he's so gay Richard Simmons would tell him to tone it down.

You HAVE to get pics of that.

I don't really fit into any sort of group. I wear a bright yellow armored jacket, black armored overpants with silver reflectors, bright yellow gloves, silver helmet and black boots on an old not-really-a-cruiser-not-really-a- sportbike Yamaha. I must look like some aging Stryper groupie.
To me there is a big difference between wanting to be seen and wanting to be looked at.

[SubZero]

spot on

[WalkerInTN]

Having owned a couple Harleys & seeing some of the tools out there, the vid had me

[Fastguy]

Tassels are only acceptable on the following: Graduation Cap, Fez, Stripper pasties.

[69camfrk]

Apex, I would say your story astounds me, but not so much. I bet the dude with the busted ankle never rides (if that's what you want to call it) again. I feel sure they've never so much as changed the oil on their bikes.

[ApexOversteer]

Originally Posted by 69camfrk

Apex, I would say your story astounds me, but not so much. I bet the dude with the busted ankle never rides (if that's what you want to call it) again. I feel sure they've never so much as changed the oil on their bikes.

I much prefer talking to the guys that live on the flip side of that coin.

Had a solo guy in on a heavily patina'd '53 Panhead a week or so back, freighted down. He'd started in Portland Oregon on Memorial Day and was hoping to be back in Portland by Labor Day. He'd been to Sturgis, Four Corners, The Grand Canyon, Vegas, Gulf Coast Texas, The Arch, The Amish, Niagra Falls, New England, New York, DC and had spent the previous days winding down through the Appalachians. He was on his way to the Keys for a weeks rest and fishing before making a bee-line for the PNW.

The Pan asked for a kicker spring in Texas, tires in Boston and and a tune up in Virginia.

He bitched about the quality of gas in the west, the quality of the LEOS in the North and the quality of the general population of DC.

4,800 miles down, 3,500+ to go.

When he left, I turned to the boss man and said; "Got two words for that: Hard. Core."

[Giraffe (He/Him)]

Apex, THAT is a great story. And yeah, I have seen many like it.

One of them got to looking at his jacket, with the carefully placed Harley patches, and decided it was too new, too clean. So, he threw it down in the dirt and stomped on it. He picked it back up, shook it off and put it on.

I read a book several years ago called "No Angel" The author was a federal agent who infiltrated the Big Red Machine and makes the claim he was a full patch. (Barger says no way)

Anyway, when the agent got his new cut, he figured it was too new, too clean, so he poured beer on it and drove over it with his truck a few dozen times.

[69camfrk]

Originally Posted by Thomas

Apex, THAT is a great story. And yeah, I have seen many like it.


I read a book several years ago called "No Angel" The author was a federal agent who infiltrated the Big Red Machine and makes the claim he was a full patch. (Barger says no way)

Anyway, when the agent got his new cut, he figured it was too new, too clean, so he poured beer on it and drove over it with his truck a few dozen times.

Dude's name is Jay (bird) Dobyns. I predict that one day, they will find him face down sucking mud. The victim of a terrible accident. I'm not a big fan of narcs.

[GEODON]

[Giraffe (He/Him)]

Jay (bird) Dobyns. Thats the guy.

[SnikPlosskin]

[MYSCZ06]

hahaha very funny

[MattW]

Dying here.

"Wild Hogs" was a cheap popcorn movie... right up until the end, when Peter Fonda showed up and said "Son... I think you need to remember why you ride again" or similar.

[pappytinker]

Originally Posted by ApexOversteer

You guys will love this...


Few weekends ago, I was just finishing up work on a Thursday evening. Into the parking lot pulls a pair of Mercedes Benz SUVs, each towing a good sized bike trailer.

We call them WHOREs (We Haul Our Rides Everywhere)

[Scissors]

Originally Posted by ApexOversteer

I much prefer talking to the guys that live on the flip side of that coin.

Had a solo guy in on a heavily patina'd '53 Panhead a week or so back, freighted down. He'd started in Portland Oregon on Memorial Day and was hoping to be back in Portland by Labor Day. He'd been to Sturgis, Four Corners, The Grand Canyon, Vegas, Gulf Coast Texas, The Arch, The Amish, Niagra Falls, New England, New York, DC and had spent the previous days winding down through the Appalachians. He was on his way to the Keys for a weeks rest and fishing before making a bee-line for the PNW.

The Pan asked for a kicker spring in Texas, tires in Boston and and a tune up in Virginia.

He bitched about the quality of gas in the west, the quality of the LEOS in the North and the quality of the general population of DC.

4,800 miles down, 3,500+ to go.

When he left, I turned to the boss man and said; "Got two words for that: Hard. Core."

That's awesome.

In my chapter there are only two guys who ride pretty much no matter what--one out of necessity (no car) and the other because he wants to (me.)

Of course, the day I rode home on I-95 with a 1/4" of snow covering the surface wasn't exactly smart, but I survived it. That time.

[VatorMan]

Originally Posted by pappytinker

We call them WHOREs (We Haul Our Rides Everywhere)

That's good-I'll have to use that one.

[Fastguy]

Originally Posted by Scissors

Classic!



I gave up on the wave--too busy looking out for women on cell phones driving SUVs and trying to turn left. I only blip the throttle when it's just us, or once to wake people up because the light's about to go green.

Pretty much, I raise my hand off the grip but I am not taking my hand off and pointing "two down low".

[Scissors]

Originally Posted by Fastguy

Pretty much, I raise my hand off the grip but I am not taking my hand off and pointing "two down low".

When it's safe, I might give them the sign of the devil or the shocker.