HD admirer refuses to acknowledge my Guzzi...

[brider]

We've all seen this, just thought I'd pass along my experience today:

I park at work right next to a Harley who always gets in right before me (it's a very small parking area), and a 1-yr old Suzuki DR200 with 3.8k miles on it driven by a nice woman who just spent $500 on "service" at the dealer where she bought it. I bit my tongue and kept quiet when I wanted to scream "what in the heck service did they do for 5 bills?". That thing is as simple as a 1975 Rupp mini-bike. She has always been very nice to me ever since I left a note on her seat cluing her in to the fact that her front tire was flat. She'd been driving it that way for weeks.

Anyway, as we were talking and as I was admiring the clean lines of her bike (I would actually like one for my kid to learn to ride on), a guy who I know who always parks his 1989-vintage Pontiac mini-van next to the Harley pulled up and began being friendly to the woman, and immediately launched into a "Now you need a Harley like this guy..." monologue. The nice woman replied that they were too big, she liked hers, but the guy wouldn't let up. Harley this, Harley that, and all the while, while I was standing there, he refused to even comment on mine (which has a bicycle rack mounted to it, EVERYBODY asks me about it, and then about the bike...) or acknowledge that there was even a non-Harley parked 3 ft from where the Harley usually is.

Key thing here is that the Harley wasn't even there. The guy didn't ride in today (at 50 deg, must've been too cold for him), there was nothing but oil stains where he usually parks, so the Harley-admirer was gesturing at THIN AIR rather than even make a comment about a real motorcycle in front of his face.

I didn't say a word, but I actually considered it quite rude and funny at the same time.

[Lannis]

I've heard that sort of thing a dozen times no matter what kind of bike I park or ride up on.

"What you really need is a Harley!"

"When are you going to move up to a Harley?"

"Yeah, I got me a Harley RoadGlideKingDynaSo ftClassic, but they said it might rain this week."

"I like your Harley!"  (this when I'm on a 1961 BSA).

I like Harleys myself, but to me, the ride is as much about people as it is the ride, and I don't meet many I can talk to when Harleys are involved.

Lannis

[Kev m]

Meh, myopic people are everywhere and fans of just about everything... I don't give em much more thought than that.

[oldbike54]

 When pushed , my two go to lines have become , "Harley , no I don't ride Japanese motorbikes" , or "Are they still in business?"

 Dusty

[PJPR01]

I think the key words were:  Pontiac Mini-Van...

That seems to be indicate the extent of his taste or knowledge...just hazarding a guess.

[kidsmoke]

I think the key words were:  Pontiac Mini-Van...

that right there is funny

[jlburgess]

Fag!  (SPC) 
The last time I owned a Harley, I sold it right after a guy on a Japanese bike pulled into a bar with Harleys out front.  One guy started to jump all over him unprovoked and was yelling about Pearl Harbor.  Really?  Some people didn't get hugged enough by their mommy so they drag others down.

[Triple Jim]

Did you tell the clown that it sounded like he was the one who needs a Harley-Davidson?

[Lannis]

Meh, myopic people are everywhere and fans of just about everything... I don't give em much more thought than that.

I understand, and believe me, I wish I could take your point of view on board and do it myself.

But for some reason (probably not a good one), I can't and don't.    But when it gets right down to it, that's really a First World Problem of the least important kind ... !

Lannis

[willowstreetguzziguy]

Living in the heart of "Harley Country" (south central Pennsylvania) where Harleys are built and rule in numbers, my experience with Harley riders and their comments has been of respect for the Moto Guzzi. That could change tomorrow, but its been good for the past 3 years of ownership.

[LowRyter]

it's pretty funny seeing the actions and reactions of two men when interacting with one woman.
 

[Lannis]

it's pretty funny seeing the actions and reactions of two men when interacting with one woman.
 

Oh yes.   Lots of revealing "key words" in there ...

"Nice"  "very nice"  "Admiring"   "clean lines"  .....

We all know because we all act like that!

Lannis

[LowRyter]

I agree with that Lannis, whether you're being sarcastic or not.   

[Two Checks]

I have had guys in mini vans chastising me for not having a real bike but when questioned about where their bike was I always get the response, "I dont have one", to which I reply, "So mommy trusted you with her car today or is it yours?".

It never fails to get their goat.

[Kev m]

Living in the heart of "Harley Country" (south central Pennsylvania) where Harleys are built and rule in numbers, my experience with Harley riders and their comments has been of respect for the Moto Guzzi. That could change tomorrow, but its been good for the past 3 years of ownership.

As I've said many times on this board that's pretty much been my experience too... I've had Harley parts guys or salesman come out front to check out my Guzzis. I've had the owner of a local dealership compliment me on it. I've been to the Harley open houses and had Harley staff come over and ask me about it and comment favorably etc. etc.

I dunno... maybe I just look like a guy people don't want to piss off (in person). But I just rarely get any negative comments... and maybe I have selective memory because I just don't value the opinion of someone who would give me a negative one in the first place, but damn I just don't recall any.

Hell, I remember a silly drag race with a Softail where my Jackal literally blew the doors off the guy, in front of 4-5 of his friends. And as we slowed for the next light and he caught up he laughed and said "well, at least it was Italian".

 

[Fuzzy]

When  mention something about my bike, it goes like this, "A Harley? No a Moto Guzzi." blank stare, shrug.
But when I had a Harley I was told, "what you need is a Honda...something."
When I go to a dealer with my Guzzi, I get compliments (even though it is a rat) and questions.
There are a lot of opinions out there without knowledge. With knowledge, you at least get a break now and then.

[yogidozer]

I have a few bikes, 2 Guzzis, one HD. That "wave" thing works both ways. Wave or not, ain't gonna ruin my day

[Air-Cooled]

I parked my Guzzi amongst some Harleys and a couple of the bikers were asking questions about it. Then they said:  you need a Harley. I replied I have two Harleys and Guzzis have a lot in common with HD:  both air-cooled V-twins with lots of metal. They just looked confused. Too funny!

[Triple Jim]

... I've had Harley parts guys or salesman come out front to check out my Guzzis. I've had the owner of a local dealership compliment me on it. I've been to the Harley open houses and had Harley staff come over and ask me about it and comment favorably etc...

My local dealer sells Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, KTM motorcycles, and various ATV brands, but no one in there has ever expressed the slightest interest in looking at any motorcycle I rode there on, including my 1972 Kawasaki H2, My Mille GT, and my Ninja 250.  The sales staff has never been busy when I've gone there in hopes of buying parts, but they just stay at their desks goofing off when I walk in.  When I rode the Mille there and asked if they could duplicate my set of keys, they said they couldn't help, and didn't even glance through the huge window to see the bike.  Even stranger, when I took  the Kawasaki 250 there for the same reason, they still couldn't help, telling me they don't deal with keys, and that I should go to a hardware store.

I guess when you're the only dealer in town, you don't have to go out of your way to help anyone.

[brider]

I think the key words were:  Pontiac Mini-Van...

You got it! I added that bit of info to illustrate the persona of the person making the comments.

I am positive there is a huge percentage of Harley riders out there who do not worship their brand to the exclusion of all others and are genuinely interested in overall moto-discussions, but I have not met that person yet. I am immediately reminded of another co-worker who I've tried to talk motorcycles with who is a Harley rider. Even if I steer the conversation to "I fixed this thing on my Guzzi this weekend, it was making this funny noise...", I have never gotten anything but Harley-talk in return, NEVER a follow-up question about my bike. I think he's intimidated because he truly doesn't know how to turn a wrench, but I have to believe there are a lot of Guzzi riders out there who can't turn a wrench, either.

Just an observation about HD riders, same way I complain to my wife about all New Jersey drivers!

[Kev m]

same way I complain to my wife about all New Jersey drivers!

HOLY CRAP - where do you come from?

I was born and raised in NY (Manhattan and the Island)

I moved to PA when I was 17 and spent nearly 30 years there.

I moved to South Jersey just 2 years go and was immediately struck by a notion.

The Jersey drivers around here are generally exceedingly polite.

I mean, they respond to emergency vehicles way better than anything I observed in NY and PA.

They yield, they wave people on, they do things I only remembered we were taught to do.

I'm still trying to figure it out, but I enjoy it.

In contrast we summered in Cape Cod a lot and the MA drivers were horrible.

I also lived so close to DE for a long time I started to wonder if any people in DE actually had a job because they never got anywhere near the speed limit.

<shrugs>

I'm sure there's bias in my observations, I'm just not sure where.

[Triple Jim]

Kev, I'm sure you've noticed by now that southern NJ and northern NJ might as well be two different states.   :)   Southern NJ is one of my favorite places in the country.

[Guzzistajohn]

I just agree with them and go on about my buisness, not worth my time or energy to even discuss. I'm running low on both at my age

[JBBenson]

My V11 Sport often gets a thumbs-up from both the HD and Ducati crowd.....my Aprilia, not so much.

[Rich A]

Kev M wrote: "In contrast we summered in Cape Cod a lot and the MA drivers were horrible."

I knew a guy from MA who said that when approaching a crowded traffic circle he would sometimes open and close his door--the other drivers would then slow down and let him in. Another guy from MA told me that his strategy was to never let other drivers make eye contact, as in "don't let them know that you've seen them."

Rich A

[arveno]

....why do you even care ?

It would have not bothered me at all.... i just don't care............... .

[Air-Cooled]

I moved to South Jersey just 2 years go and was immediately struck by a notion.

The Jersey drivers around here are generally exceedingly polite.

I mean, they respond to emergency vehicles way better than anything I observed in NY and PA.

They yield, they wave people on, they do things I only remembered we were taught to do.

I'm still trying to figure it out, but I enjoy it.

In contrast we summered in Cape Cod a lot and the MA drivers were horrible.

I also lived so close to DE for a long time I started to wonder if any people in DE actually had a job because they never got anywhere near the speed limit.

<shrugs>

I'm sure there's bias in my observations, I'm just not sure where.

Hey Kev,

It sounds like things may have changed since I drove last in New Jersey. I drove the Garden State Pike many times in the 1980s and it was a nightmare. First thing I noticed was that a lot of cars had all four corners dented in. When I drove the Pike, cars would suddenly change lanes without blinkers coming very close to the car in the next lane. And although this is just one anecdote, a car did just this to me and clipped my front left corner...now I too had a corner dented in. But all in all I've found Jersey people delightful to be with.

Dave

[Kev m]

Well, Triple Jim is probably correct, that might have something to do with it.

North Jersey is basically a suburb of NY. It probably never bothered me driving there because I drove in Manhattan-Mode. 

[Ncdan]

When pushed , my two go to lines have become , "Harley , no I don't ride Japanese motorbikes" , or "Are they still in business?"

 Dusty

lol, I like the punch " you like that as good as you would a motorcycle "

[oldbike54]

I just agree with them and go on about my buisness, not worth my time or energy to even discuss. I'm running low on both at my age

 Ya gotta make the "Ape Hanger" motion before dismissing them or it doesn't count 

 Dusty