Respect & Courtesy

I think we all agree that there is a hierarchy of respect in bikes, as there used to be between English sports car owners. Always an exchange of courtesies between owners of the same brand & model (2 TR4 owners passing will both wave).
Where there is a difference in "status" (not necessarily price-related), the lower-ranked member will wave, nod, smile, etc. 1st, and will be responded to after a brief delay - time based on the proportionate status.
TR4 wave to Healey 3000: 2 seconds. MG Midget wave to Aston Martin: 15 seconds. Morris Minor wave to Silver Ghost - still waiting for it.
Based on this, I have to admit I have more respect/interest for a nice clean W2 Kawasaki (A10 replica) than for a Fat Boy. I expect people to ignore me on my 1989 Evo Sportster (if you like it, you have no taste - it's a tool, not a fashion statement).
What brands/models do you favor with recognition on the road, and why?

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First off I would say that a wave to any two wheeled rider is standard for me. In the same breath I can not deny that there is a hierarchy that is followed when it comes to recognition of the machine . I would spend 20 seconds waving at a Black Lightning that I encountered on the Alaska Highway. The elapsed time might be reduced to 2 sec for a Crocker being ridden around the Davenport fairground. My point being that it is not so much the ride but how the rider makes use of the ride that racks up points in my book. I've always believed that " the show is on the road ". Some people are content with restoring/building a bike with the idea of using it to make social contact with others and to show a degree of status and wealth by showing it at the show barn. To me the big thumbs up goes to the rider who is just that. The real winners at AMCA meets are the folks who earn the Longest Distance Ridden award.

Absoutely agree - I was limiting my comments to real-world traffic conditions, not 2 parade floats moored side-by-side in a museum.

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All two wheeler's (and trikes) get a wave from me. Most wave back, but if they're too snotty to wave back, F-em. G

I respect any body that rides a bike, I may like one make /model of bike over another but the guy riding it still will still get wet when it rains and will still get hurt if he falls off.
People have their own reasons and level of enthusiasm for riding their bike.
Just because I enjoy restoring and riding American bikes dose not give me any right to criticise any other motorcyclist because of what they ride or how strong their commitment is.
Motorcyclists as a group have enough problems without having to worry about what other motorcyclist might think of them.
I say give all fellow motorcyclists the same respect unless they give you a reason not to.
What they ride should not be a reason.

pete.


[This message has been edited by peter reeves (edited 11 June 2002).]

I'd say that it does not matter what you
ride or even how often you ride,it's
your enthusiam for motorcycling that counts.

I probably have more respect for those who
understand their machines and rather less
for the motorcycle as a fashion accessory
brigade.

I like to see motorcycles ridden and used
as intended,other people see them as an
art form.There is I think room for us all.

That said Greybeards story the other day
about the "two-stroke riceburner v-twin"
did make me chuckle.Bit like the guy I work
with who told me that a Sportster would
be too small for a man,he rides a softail
that has never exceeded 60mph because the
wind is too strong.As they say it takes
all sorts and as I'm without a machine at the
moment,not for much longer,I won't throw
too many rocks. I ALWAYS wave.

I have appreciation for all people who ride, however I only respect riders that build and maintain their own bikes (no matter which brand, however I am partial to old Harleys with side valves). I enjoy the parts hunt, the research on how to do something (on this board),the building, the maintenance, and collecting of tools part of this life as much or more than the riding. My love of bikes is deeper than that of the guy who just took his new Gayboy to the Harley Dealer to have a new chrome accessory installed.

I, like some of you other writers, am old enough to remember when I knew ALL the local riders by sight. We always waved to each other because there were so few of us and we were all considered outlaws by the citizens just because we rode a motorcycle. Heck, we wore leather jackets, always had grease on our jeans[all scoots leaked oil] and clomped around in engineer boots. Some of us even belonged to clubs that were not sanctioned by the AMA. It didn't matter what you rode, American or from the other side of the Atlantic[no Hondas yet]. It was one small exclusive way of life. I like some of you learned to love the freedom of two wheels from my Dad and uncles. They learned it from my Grandfather and great uncles. My son has gotten the bug from me. And so it goes. Times have changed but not the rush I get whenever I'm in the wind. I still wave to everybody up on two wheels. The BMW RT riders are always surprised when the old guy on the FLH grins and waves. But the twincam softail chromed up decked out weekend bad actors always look down their nose at my bug covered ugly duckling and me and rarely return my wave. I got the bugs from riding not from profiling in the parking lot of Alice's Rest. I'll keep waving to everyone but I think only the real riders will be waving back. 'dog

Hey All, In my case, Beach hit it on the head, A story my granfather told me camping How he owned Indian scout, in the 30s, about riding then ect.. That was it for me. much to my mothers horror, she , like lot people hated the thought of riding, any kind of bike. I was kid late 70s, put 100 down on old iron head, Ma gave me the boot LOL. lost the money and the bike. couple things i never forgot, I always wanted Harley, couldnt afford big one, so bought 74 350 harley sprint $400 rode the snot right out her, got snickered at by both, harley riders and overseas, christ, wannabes on sidewalk yelling shit like get real bike. never bothered me, i was riding.( still got bike in cellar) Couple years ago, heading to Laconia, mixed bunch of riders, all good friends, ask me if id be embarrassed to ride with em, cause i ride harleys, I said hell no, just dont ask me to wave to ya LOL . Any way, I know one thing, worked lotta years to pick up my 49 WL, I think every time im on her, Im waving to my grandfather.

I always wave to other bikers and always get waved back.I always got more looks on the servi than on the yamasomething but speed may have been a factor there.times got tight and had to sell the servi and am riding "other"untill I get my hands on some other old iron.maybe someone has an old bike they want to get rid of,maybe just needs a carb or something.just kidding!!!!!!I got a hell of alot more respect for anyone that does their own repair maint or custom work than the weekenders that take them into the local harley dealer cause there is a drop of oil on their garage floor but untill someone gives me attitude for what i ride I will show them the same respect I feel I deserve myself.

Hmmmmmmm,,,,,I was at the Americade ride in last weekend in Lake Gorge NY. Mostly, Hondas,Yammys,Valkrie,etc. etc. Harleys were all around, but the dam shame of it all is,,,I was getting more waves,and giving waves back to the above mentioned,(hardly any Harley riders)especially on my 47 servi,and ahem,yeah i brought my winter project customed Road King !Seemed to me i had the best of both worlds (bikes) Almost all the Hondas, Yammy etc. riders seemed more interested in the 47, than any of the supposedly hard core Harley riders.I dunno, seems to me everyone needs to take a step back, and consider the other peoples rights that it dosnt really matter what you ride,its the person that makes the dam thing ride to begin with!And bt the way,,Laconia Bike week is here, just down the road from me as soon as i got back sunday night,i drove down on my Road King,same deal there,,the hardly hard cores didnt give a shit what you are or was riding, they were all so drunk they just assumed you were infringing on there turf,,,what a shame! as usal, my 2 cents for what it worth!,,,,,,Yankee,,,,,LIVE FREE OR DIE ! and i almost forgot ,,i got my first trophy at the Americade for show (trikes)id say they were unbiased to what you were riding,, or restoring !! Laconia staff told me two weeks ago that there were no more entries allowed,,yeahhhh righttttt!!!!!

I can relate to Beachdog, we all waved back then, cause the other guy might be driving a pickup the day that front tire on your bike gave out! Back then you helped each other, you might give each other a ration of shit about what they were riding, but you didn't pass em up if they had trouble.

New riders are why I can hardly stand to work on bikes anymore, for the most part arrogant assholes with some bullshit posers thrown in. I still wave, even if they don't have a pickup...jb

Did I mention that I hate sportsters?

A time back...we're all sitting around the garage and Robbie pulls up on his brand new honda CBX. Man did we poke fun at that rediculis looking machine. Robbie got all mad at us, called us all kinds of names, vowed never to come back cause of us not liking him. "But whoa Robbie, We love ya man, we just don't like your bike"

Later he put a turbo on it that had a Bendix carb.....justa hint closer in the HD direction.


He's got lottsa HD's now.

HOOT

Whether I wave or not depends on what the voices say! Right now they say to stay home and clean the guns.
Dusty Dave

Cotten......Do you have an old sporty that you need to clear out of your horde?

Did I mention that I love Sportsters and ride the hell out my 1988 dirt track looking one when everything else has broke down?
Eric

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Eric :: Knk45
www.beautyofspeed.com
A state of the art power quest

How can I not put some input into this subject? As a Britisher, (Englander for the less informed) I have riden just about everything on the road, starting with my dads vincent when I when 10 year old. I have ridden bikes you probably haven,t even heard of...Garelli...Velocette...Atlas and others in places your wouldn't believe... Across the Sahara for instance!!!. My take is respect and help everyone on 2 and sometimes 3 wheels....we are a breed apart... if they don't return a wave.....screw em.... I have been helped to repair (on the side of the road) a kawa triple by a harley rider and a harley by a honda rider. Its attitude not bike that makes the difference.
SirLose

don't matter what they ride it's the how & why that's important! respect the men who don't buy it ready made & all the yuppieglide bullshit! respect those who've done the hard miles & the good times! They're the ones who you can see eye to eye with, who know why you're crazy risking life & limb, harrassment, the cold & the rain. cause they do too!you can't buy that!

later
harrison
(O.K. double respect for those who ride & maintain old american iron! there I said it!)