Tuff Sell

[RTRandy]

I bumped into these guys at a little lunch stop in southern Vermont . They were nice enough to take this photo with me. It's no wonder you can't get crouser guys to consider a european bike. They got the whole persona thing going on here. Their jaw dropped when I told them I was on my way to Nova Scotia.

[Motorman]

Why bother with chaps if you're going to have basically a sleeveless top and no helmet. :doh

[jgr451]

I don't know...they look like regular guys to me!! :kiss

[Belquar]

Dude on the left looks like he needs a bigger vest.

We had dinner with a friend who lives in the area while we were there. He rides a road king. Has been riding since the sixties. We talked a bit about riding and our destinations. I told him the kinds of miles people did to get to the rally and what a "leisure" ride means miles wise to some folks who ride beemers. His remark....I don't ride like that anymore. I asked him how long a local HOG ride lasts....he said anywhere from an afternoon to all day. I guess they don't go very far on the all day ones.

He also remarked about how few group rides he saw going on. Never more than a few bikes together. His HOG rides run 30+ riders at once. Different strokes I guess.

[Callmethebreeze]

There is a Texas expression that seems to fit this picture. It goes "I ain't no cowboy, I just found the hat."

Breeze

[bubbagazoo]

There is a Texas expression that seems to fit this picture. It goes "I ain't no cowboy, I just found the hat."

Breeze

Or as the boys on "Trackside Live" say about Jeff Hammond -- All hat - no cows. :brow

[soffiler]

...He also remarked about how few group rides he saw going on. Never more than a few bikes together. His HOG rides run 30+ riders at once. Different strokes I guess.

Big group rides usually seem to be a cruiser type thing, in my personal observation. "BMW people" seem to like solo to maybe 3-4 tops, mostly.

The closest thing at the rally was probably the GS ride, about 60-80 riders strong. This was far and away the biggest group I've ever ridden with

Actually, we probably *should* have broken up into smaller groups, but, for the most part we didn't. Might have had something to do with the route sheets - with one exception I am aware of, none of us had an enduro-type roll chart. It proved to be a lot easier to just chace the guy in front of you and keep him in your sights (speaking for myself and guessing this was consciously or subconsciously the case for most of us).

[kbasa]

Big group rides usually seem to be a cruiser type thing, in my personal observation. "BMW people" seem to like solo to maybe 3-4 tops, mostly.

The closest thing at the rally was probably the GS ride, about 60-80 riders strong. This was far and away the biggest group I've ever ridden with

Actually, we probably *should* have broken up into smaller groups, but, for the most part we didn't. Might have had something to do with the route sheets - with one exception I am aware of, none of us had an enduro-type roll chart. It proved to be a lot easier to just chace the guy in front of you and keep him in your sights (speaking for myself and guessing this was consciously or subconsciously the case for most of us).

We seem to prefer smaller attack groups more than a full sized flotilla.

:ha

[k100lt]

Which one is you?? :clap

[wuli959]

one of these is not like the others . . .




:brow

[Motorman]

Der Luftwaffe perfected the finger 4 cmbat formation und ze schwarm Ja?

FWIW, I stopped by a chopper shop I had driven past many times and never entered. They gave me the friendliest welcome of any bike shop I've been in in the last couple years. Their story was we don't care what ya ride, just that ya ride. Kinda nice.

[BouncinBob]

/Have you seen pictures of URUP pee'in guys doing the cruiser thing? I think the leather vest looks damned funny over the full gear.

[RTRandy]

This was to be a recurring theme throughout my 6,900 mile trip. I was always out gunned by cruisers at the restaurents or stops along the way. These groups were like a elementary school class out on a field trip following the teacher around. How about the ones that ride bare chested with nothing on their head?

[20774]

What's a crouser? Is that a mix of poser and cruiser??

Kurt in S.A.

[Oldhway]

Geez... at least they're riding somewhere. Imagine what the sport would be without the influence the Harley and cruiser thing has had over the last ten years. My hotel in Bennington had towels for drying bikes and boards for under side stands. 20 years ago I would have gotten strange looks for being on a bike, today I look the same green as everybody else's money. The cruiser craze played a big part in that. Besides the guy on the left looks like an Orthopedic Surgeon I know. By the way, I doubt they posed for the picture so we could make fun... we all ride.

[ironMan]

Dude on the left looks like he needs a bigger vest.

The last time I saw a vest like that there was a brass pole and bad 70s music involved.

[Montana]

The last time I saw a vest like that there was a brass pole and bad 70s music involved.And it was on a chick. And that's all she was wearing.

This reminds me of the time you asked me why I removed the tach and fuel gauge from my motorcycle, Randy, and I explained real bikers don't need no stinkin' tach and fuel gauge. Apparently someone on BMW's design team knows the whole cruiser world would have laughed at us if we rode up on an R1200C and had the typical BMW control panel. And, of course my leather jacket has fringe.

[RTRandy]

By the way, I doubt they posed for the picture so we could make fun... we all ride.

The first photo shows a real contrast of motorcycle culture and these guys fully understood the humor of us posing together. In fact, after talking about my dash mounted GPS, they asked me to get a shot of them from the back showing why they don't believe in GPS. It was all fun and I don't feel above anyone, hence I had engaged them in conversation in the first place. We were all just passing through that day.

[Hodag]

the harley guy at work thinks we look funny dressed in coats and over pants on nice days

to each their own

[SheRidesABeemer]

This was to be a recurring theme throughout my 6,900 mile trip. I was always out gunned by cruisers at the restaurents or stops along the way...

This is the #1 reason I love going to the rally. Fitting in. NO WHERE else do I have so many peers. And despite the differences we have amongst ourselves, I would pay good money any day for a weekend like Burlington, where I can wave to other Beemer riders. Because I know, more or less, they get it - and I won't have to explain a thing. :thumb

[soffiler]

the harley guy at work thinks we look funny dressed in coats and over pants on nice days

to each their own

Funny? I look *hilarious* to the general population in my black 'Stich with all the zippers wide open at 90F and 90% humidity. Everybody seems to think it's a snowmobile suit and that I am way way way off the deep end.

[Emoto]

Funny? I look *hilarious* to the general population in my black 'Stich with all the zippers wide open at 90F and 90% humidity. Everybody seems to think it's a snowmobile suit and that I am way way way off the deep end.

Aren't you? :D

[soffiler]

Aren't you? :D

I have a good friend who says "Everyone is insane; some people just hide it better than others."

(not sure where he stole that from)