" No, YOU are bravo ! "

[normzone]

Lunchtime. A short block to the 163 and south for a few miles to Tajima, where I'm going to have an unlikely bowl of nabayaki soba, a noodles, egg, fish cake, weird fishy bits and a tempura shrimp bowl of soup served boiling hot.

What makes it unlikely is that it's a hot day. Oh well, my stomach thinks that it is part Japanese / Mexican, and I'm not going to argue with it.

Almost to my exit, and the traffic subflows keep me out of my intended exit lane until later than I like. Still plenty of room, but now I'll need to be a bit more assertive.

I work my way up and start moving over. I see a late model BMW up ahead in the right lane, two-up. My aggressive approach is going to make me look like a cop - the white fairing on my bike does that around this area - it's not an exact match but to many it's close enough to influence behavior when seen in the rear view mirror.

To show the rider I'm not LEO (and give him a chance to admire the bike), I step quickly past him, receiving an enthusiastic wave, and merge ahead of him. My exit comes up, and he follows me to the light. I take a side in case he wants to talk.

I can't do the strong accent, but since I'm writing I don't have to. You can imagine it. He's a big guy, clean shaven forty-eight hours ago, with a good looking girl on the back.

" I am Italian, and I grew up with Moto Guzzis" he says, pointing and smiling. I start clapping - " Bravo, bravo, very good ! "

He replies with " No, YOU are bravo ! " and he begins applauding. The light is going to change - he tells me a quick story about a neighbor's Guzzi that he remembers as a kid. I don't quite follow - he describes it as very large but says it was a 125. The light changes and he chunks it into gear, says " You be fun " or something like that, and he rolls off.

Lunch was good. I couldn't identify all the fish cake types, but it was tasty. Back to work.

[Zoom Zoom]

Cool! It always makes you feel good when something like happens. ;-T

John Henry

[biking sailor]

Ah, part of the motorcycling community, where complete strangers are bonded together by past two wheeled experiences.   ;-T

Unlike those actors, dressed as pirates or power rangers, that have never experienced motorcycling beyond image creation.   ;)

[Bill Hagan]

Nice story.

Well, except for the food part.  I do not plan to read any of your posts before breakfast again.  I am still retching.  Mexican cuisine is grand, but I eschew -- as in will not even get near, much less chew  ;) -- any food originating east of Ankara or west of Honolulu.   :D

Seriously (tho the food part really was), experiences such as yours are a large part of the joy of riding.  Thanks for telling it.

Bill

[Unkept]

Cool story Bravo.  ;D I enjoyed it.

-Not So Bravo Joe

[Lannis]

Here in town, our Bravo got away with it yesterday.   

I was waiting in line at a light.   On the other side of the road, a sheriff's deputy was waiting to pull out of a parking lot.     

Also on the other side of the road, waiting at the light in the opposite direction from me, was a guy about my age on a low sport-bike, with a beanie Wehrmacht style helmet and a wife-beater shirt.  He didn't see the cop.

When the light changed, he took off and pulled a wheelstand about 100 feet in front of the cop.   Right in the middle of it, he glanced over and spotted him. 

I never saw a proud and free biker drop the front end and slump down in his seat so fast.   His whole demeanor was that of a dog about to be whipped .... Many of us probably know that feeling ....

The cop was grinning but didn't take out after him.   I suppose he knew that just the SIGHT of him would be the cause of "good behavior" for the rest of the day ....

Lannis

[Guzzistajohn]

Good story, Sunday I was 3 or 4 miles off in the boondocks of Missouri at a place
Called devils well and a olive skinned dark haired dude approached me and said WOW
A moto guzzi! I can't believe I came all the way from Italy out in the middle of nowhere and run into a guy on a itialian motor bike. I told him that's about as strange as running into an itialian dude in the boondocks of missouri!

[Bill Hagan]

Here in town, our Bravo got away with it yesterday.   

I was waiting in line at a light.   On the other side of the road, a sheriff's deputy was waiting to pull out of a parking lot.     

Also on the other side of the road, waiting at the light in the opposite direction from me, was a guy about my age on a low sport-bike, with a beanie Wehrmacht style helmet and a wife-beater shirt.  He didn't see the cop.

When the light changed, he took off and pulled a wheelstand about 100 feet in front of the cop.   Right in the middle of it, he glanced over and spotted him. 

I never saw a proud and free biker drop the front end and slump down in his seat so fast.   His whole demeanor was that of a dog about to be whipped .... Many of us probably know that feeling ....

The cop was grinning but didn't take out after him.   I suppose he knew that just the SIGHT of him would be the cause of "good behavior" for the rest of the day ....

Lannis

Another funny story!

Bet the cop is still laughing … and the rider’s orbs haven’t yet returned to the normal carrying location.    P:)

As for the helmet — and I know you chose that “Wehrmacht” label for convenience — that style predates, as you likely know, the Wehrmacht by quite a few years.

In fact, aside from the more-than-passing resemblance to our present issue for U.S. soldiers, the original is still in use by Chile, with interesting historical reasons for that.  See, e.g., these pix.














BTW, I completely agree with your previously stated (here) point that folks who wear those — without regard to the lunacy of their lack of protection, as most are novelty pieces that turn into those in crashes — are cretins who do not know, much less understand, history.  Sad.

Bill

[Lannis]

Another funny story!

Bet the cop is still laughing … and the rider’s orbs haven’t yet returned to the normal carrying location.    P:)

As for the helmet — and I know you chose that “Wehrmacht” label for convenience — that style predates, as you likely know, the Wehrmacht by quite a few years.

I wasn't trying for absolute accuracy, but "Wehrmacht" is generally understood to be the German term for anybody's army ("Britische Wehrmacht"), even though that was only the name of their own army for 10 or 12 years.

I wanted to make sure I wasn't in the crowd that would use "Nazi helmet", since that's what 90% of the people who use them or see them would incorrectly say ...

And I might have used the word "Poser" related to that sort of style, since I've never personally seen a serious motorcyclist with one, but I don't think I said "cretin" .... They could be intelligent, just badly misguided!

Lannis

[Spuddy]

Few things are equalizers between cultures and classes like cards, rugby [actually, sports] bikes...

[normzone]

I figure rather than start a new thread every time I meet a fan, I'll just come here.

Plus, I swung by Marukai on the way back and picked up three Onigiri hand rolls - triangles, actually, rice and stuff wrapped in seaweed.

Ume ( pickled plum), Salmon, and Tarako (cod roe)

But I digress for the benefit of Bill Hagan.

I'm leaving my chiropractor's office, and some construction guys are doing some demolition next door.

The eldest, topped with a white thatch, says " Great bike ". I thank him.

He continues " Best riding bike in the world - none better ". I tell him it's nice to meet a fan.

[Bill Hagan]

I figure rather than start a new thread every time I meet a fan, I'll just come here.

Plus, I swung by Marukai on the way back and picked up three Onigiri hand rolls - triangles, actually, rice and stuff wrapped in seaweed.

Ume ( pickled plum), Salmon, and Tarako (cod roe)

But I digress for the benefit of Bill Hagan.

****

Grazie.  As you intended, I retched on reading that.   

IMO, the great culinary wasteland of the Northern Hemisphere lies just east of Ankara and a bit west of Honolulu.   

On a related note, while perhaps not the most lofty representative of the Western canon and cuisine, I was happy to see that Winchester now has a Roy Rogers.  Finally, a restaurant (yes, fast food) that gets biscuits and white gravy right.  Ain't no seaweed served there, neither.   

Happy Trails to You,

Bill

[Kev m]

First - great story 

Second - you suck, I'm hungry now and looking in the pantry at what I've got from the Asian market.

Third - and I've been chuckling to myself that the last two comments I've gotten on the V7 were, and I shyte you not, "is that a Harley?' 

[jas67]

A couple of years ago, I'm waiting at a traffic light here in the little town of Palmyra, PA on my 2009 V7C.   An elderly Italian gentleman approaches on foot from the side of the road, gesturing enthusiastically as Italians are know to do.    "I a-had a-one just-alike-a that!"    Mine was green and red (V Sport!?!?).   

[segesta]

Ah, part of the motorcycling community, where complete strangers are bonded together by past two wheeled experiences.   ;-T

Unlike those actors, dressed as pirates or power rangers, that have never experienced motorcycling beyond image creation.   ;)

Hey, a very nice gay pirate approached me at a rural interstate gas station last weekend, admiring the California 1400. He even knew it was a Guzzi, despite the lack of any label on the bike.

[Kev m]

Don't feel bad , today it was "Is that a Suzuki?"

  Dusty

I'm more upset about the food. Jenn just got home from the dojo and I got to share a salad with her... I mean for fecks sake a SALAD... THAT'S WHAT FOOD EATS!!!!

[Xlratr]

I wasn't trying for absolute accuracy, but "Wehrmacht" is generally understood to be the German term for anybody's army ("Britische Wehrmacht"), even though that was only the name of their own army for 10 or 12 years.

The word Wehrmacht is NEVER used in Germany as a term for the army of another country. It only EVER refers to the German army of 1935-45, and is frequently used to differentiate from the other land based  force of that time, the Waffen SS. The German word for army is Armee (pronounced Armay).

[Lannis]

The word Wehrmacht is NEVER used in Germany as a term for the army of another country. It only EVER refers to the German army of 1935-45, and is frequently used to differentiate from the other land based  force of that time, the Waffen SS. The German word for army is Armee (pronounced Armay).

I hear you, and believe that that might be the practice in Germany if you say so.

However, you can search around a bit and find "Wehrmacht" used very often as the term for another country's home defense forces.   You might not consider it to be correct, idiomatic German, but it's certainly in use .....

Lannis

[Lannis]

Here is the burning question , do the Germans say fahrvegnugen , or is that just some shit made up by a Madison Ave firm ?

  Dusty

I looked it up, and it translates to "fine Corinthian leather".    So it's real for sure!

[oldbike54]

I looked it up, and it translates to "fine Corinthian leather".    So it's real for sure!

 Always felt kinda sorry for all of those poor old Corinthians 

  Dusty

[jas67]

Always felt kinda sorry for all of those poor old Corinthians 

  Dusty

Yeah, but, think of all the poor Naugas.

[oldbike54]

Yeah, but, think of all the poor Naugas.

  Careful , we will both end up on someone's pet peeve list 

  Dusty

[Xlratr]

Here is the burning question , do the Germans say fahrvegnugen , or is that just some shit made up by a Madison Ave firm ?

  Dusty

Fahrvergnugen (Driving enjoyment) is a real word. But it's not in common use and is known primarily from the advertising. (There should actually be 2 dots over the "u" but I can't type that here).
In German you can combine several different words to make new nouns, although the really long ones tend to be used mainly in official communication.

"Fahrzeugabgasunters uchungstermin" would be an example of what is possible. One word meaning "appointment for a vehicle exhaust emissions test".

See if you can guess this one!

"Abgasmanipulationss kandal"

😄

John

[jas67]

"Fahrzeugabgasunters uchungstermin" would be an example of what is possible. One word meaning "appointment for a vehicle exhaust emissions test".

See if you can guess this one!

"Abgasmanipulationss kandal"

Too soon!   

[Kev m]

Here is the burning question , do the Germans say fahrvegnugen , or is that just some shit made up by a Madison Ave firm ?

  Dusty

I always preferred the Grateful Dead's interpretation - FukenGrooven. 

[Bill Hagan]

                                                                                 Roy Rogers

                            The one fast food place that was ran out of Oklahoma for having unhealthy food


  Dusty

It distresses me to give you an opportunity to up your 14026 (13.384 per day) count -- at least as of this post -- but your statement requires a call for some authority beyond the assertion.

I may have overlooked it, but I see no mention of an RRR in Oklahoma, much less that the chain was "ran out of Oklahoma for having unhealthy food," on the web via Google and DuckDuckGo.

I do, however, see here, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Rogers_Restaurants, and here, http://www.royrogersrestaurants.com no mention of RRR in Oklahoma.

Even if such did occur, probably was at franchises staffed by Sooners serving Sooners, so what's the harm?   

No, you can't get a Braum's "Mix A Mix" at Roy Rogers, but all of the current ones that I have visited are sparkling clean, with friendly staff, and better-than-average food, especially, IMO, breakfast.

No, it's not northern Italian cuisine, but it will do.  Nicely.

Bill

[oldbike54]

 Mr Bill , we did in fact have Roy Rogers franchises in OK at one time , and yes they were sparkling clean . Guess Okies had more of a problem with some guy from Cincinnati claiming to be the king of the cowboys , when everyone knew that the other famous fella named Rogers was the real king  Sorry Mr Slye , but just like that Mitchum guy from back East , we prefer our cowboys to be more akin to Ben Johnson 

 Rebuttal good sir ?

  Dusty

[jas67]

It distresses me to give you an opportunity to up your 14026 (13.384 per day) count .....

14026?  That's nothing!   Kev M. has over 22,000   

Although, Dusty twice the posts per day.   

[oldbike54]

14026?  That's nothing!   Kev M. has over 22,000   

Although, Dusty twice the posts per day.   

 Yeah , but Kev , like Lannis and Bill, posts entire novels , me , usually one sentence 

  Dusty

[Bill Hagan]

14026?  That's nothing!   Kev M. has over 22,000   

Although, Dusty twice the posts per day.   

Yeah , but Kev , like Lannis and Bill, posts entire novels , me , usually one sentence 

  Dusty

The "usually one sentence" is code for not counting fragments. 

Oh, and I prefer to think mine nonfiction rather than novels, tho it is true that Kathi rolls her eyes when she read some of my posts.

Bill