Grief about owning a British bike?

[Tiopirata]

I considered a Harley for a few moments when I decided to buy a cruiser, having ridden a few I think they leave a fair bit to be desired as a motorcycle, but the ones i have ridden do cruise along quite nicely. Besides the outright grunt and sheer silliness of a 2.3L bike I bought a Rocket BECAUSE it's British. Being of convict stock deported from Britain I can feel an affiliation...

I can only speak from personal experience with so called 1%ers and have no desire to be associated with them at all and that includes the manufacturer of their predominant choice of bike. While I know there may be the occasional nice bloke in these groups, it is as a group the 1%ers choose to be associated.

Years ago we had a great annual bike show in my local town run by a social club of Harley riders. A member of my family was one of these guys. This show went on annually getting bigger and bigger and well supported and enjoyed by the locals. This was until it became successful enough to draw the attention of a so called "outlaw" MC club. These guys moved in, a few bashings and plenty of theft and intimidation through sheer numbers later and they took over the annual show. Within a few years it all collapsed due to a number of reasons - the main one being it lost the support of the local community as no one wanted to hang out with these scumbags.

Two of the blokes I regularly ride with ride Streetbobs and are top blokes and can ride much better than I can (nothing like seeing two Harleys wheelstand for 100m down the road side by side). I have nothing against Harleys in general but it's a shame the 'image' comes with them. I do understand that within these groups there will be odd good guy, good fellas to bad - oh probably about 1%... I can appreciate the phrase 'take each man as you find him' but I think 'you can judge a man by the company he keeps' has some merit as well.

This is only my opinion derived from my experiences, I'm sure we all have a different one and I like to hear of others like Tiopirata's.

Yours is an open mind, I ask no more than that. I know that our lot have never done such a thing as you describe and am dismayed to be so regarded. Respect to you and to the deserving

 

[3Katz]

Yours is an open mind, I ask no more than that. I know that our lot have never done such a thing as you describe and am dismayed to be so regarded. Respect to you and to the deserving

It's good to see you and I with completely different opinions can respect and appreciate each others point of view. It would be a boring old world if we were all the same.

 

[Sparky59]

I grew up in Chicago, worked with more than a few 1%'s, originally rode a Ducati,and switched to a '75 Gold wing, (around 1980)...would ride to Daytona and Sturgis yearly...never really gave a s*** what bike somebody else rode. A good bike will take you anywhere, ya' just got to find a few riding partners that can ride when you can...a never ending dilema!

 

[barbagris]

You should get a Blue Tit to match the feet too!

But Norm likes the booby not the tit. I would whence go more for "Parus major".

 

[barbagris]

There is of course the other "Triumph" - They're German but Norm will like them too.

 

[Ishrub]

There is of course the other "Triumph" - They're German but Norm will like them too.

Nah mate that an old Aussie brand that went world wide. Just like Berlei and Bonds. We know tits! I have posted some of the crazy Asian / Japanese adverts in the past.

 

[BigNorm]

But Norm likes the booby not the tit. I would whence go more for "Parus major".

Boobies and tots, Boobies and tots. Norm gonna get him some boobies and tits.

 

[BigNorm]

Boobies and tots, Boobies and tots. Norm gonna get him some boobies and tits.

That was supposed to say boobies and tits. I'm not Catholic.

 

[sonny]

I considered a Harley for a few moments when I decided to buy a cruiser, having ridden a few I think they leave a fair bit to be desired as a motorcycle, but the ones i have ridden do cruise along quite nicely. Besides the outright grunt and sheer silliness of a 2.3L bike I bought a Rocket BECAUSE it's British. Being of convict stock deported from Britain I can feel an affiliation...

I can only speak from personal experience with so called 1%ers and have no desire to be associated with them at all and that includes the manufacturer of their predominant choice of bike. While I know there may be the occasional nice bloke in these groups, it is as a group the 1%ers choose to be associated.

Years ago we had a great annual bike show in my local town run by a social club of Harley riders. A member of my family was one of these guys. This show went on annually getting bigger and bigger and well supported and enjoyed by the locals. This was until it became successful enough to draw the attention of a so called "outlaw" MC club. These guys moved in, a few bashings and plenty of theft and intimidation through sheer numbers later and they took over the annual show. Within a few years it all collapsed due to a number of reasons - the main one being it lost the support of the local community as no one wanted to hang out with these scumbags.

Two of the blokes I regularly ride with ride Streetbobs and are top blokes and can ride much better than I can (nothing like seeing two Harleys wheelstand for 100m down the road side by side). I have nothing against Harleys in general but it's a shame the 'image' comes with them. I do understand that within these groups there will be odd good guy, good fellas to bad - oh probably about 1%... I can appreciate the phrase 'take each man as you find him' but I think 'you can judge a man by the company he keeps' has some merit as well.

This is only my opinion derived from my experiences, I'm sure we all have a different one and I like to hear of others like Tiopirata's.

Worked with a few bandido's on a few welding jobs. Never had a problem. One we will call Billy actually became pretty good friends with. On occasions have run into them on the road and have never had a problem actually friendly and very curious about the Rocket. The other MC club here in Oklahoma i stay away from. Nothing but bad news wherever they go. Some clubs seem to go out of there way to cause problems.

 

[sonny]

Probably should have posted my thoughts in a Pm to Tiopirata but since I have the political constructiveness of a bull in a china shop will not. Today went on a toy run in North Tulsa. When I left the house was kind of joking with the wife that I could be the only white guy showing up. Not really white have a Indian card that says different. Well anyhow showed up early at the run. Ran up on some coworker's from the past and we all had a good laugh on how fat we got and grey. Good times. Then a group of about thirty of the low life's flying colors showed up. Bikes loaded with toys. Not cheap toys either. Not maybe the pillars of the community but they did take the time out from their busy schedule of raising hell and illegal activities to help out some kids in need. The bad of the bad but with a heart. A few of them were co workers and of course the greetings were hugs and hand shakes. Take it for what it is worth. I was the only Rocket. By the way had so many toys collected there was not enough boxes and had to lay the toys on the floor in piles.