Harley culture

Why don't they stop?
1. It's not about THEM.
2. They bought into the "image", but deep down they can tell a biker from a poser - and we make them uncomfortable.
3. They know they couldn't help - they don't know how many cylinders theirs has...

I don't even speak to them. I DO carry Whitworth tools out on the road for broken-down orphans...

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Went to a Harley dealer open-house last weekend (free food & Beer). After looking at the other bikes for a while, sat in the shade with a couple of obvious old-timers (grey hair, 1000 yrd. stare, permament wrinkles around the eyes from laughin' at themselves, greasy broken fingernails, ect.) and discussed this subject. The general consensus was that it usually takes about 7-10 yrs of riding before they really begin to get it: that in the words of the Bishop of The Church of The Divine Amplitude "We're all in this together! So help your Brother Biker!" (The Congregation answered with shouts of "Haleuja!", and "Turn it up!" and "LOUDER!") Then we discussed road conditions, good travelin' routes and bars. Also the proliferation of Women bikers. It was universally agreed that we liked the trend.
Scary thing: my 54 KH was, by more that twenty years, the oldest bike there. NO other flattys, NO iron head XL's, NO pans, and ONE alt-Shovel. At least it was a rigid. G
P.S. I have known some REALLy good Women mechanics, and some really moronic male ones.

Have to say that riding around on the 45 I've
had people lean out of pick-ups and ask me if
everything is OK even when I did't have a
problem,didn't think I looked that scared..
when I did have a small mechanical glitche
several cagers,a guy on a BMW and a Harley
rider all offered help.Lot of people lean
out of cars and trucks making comments
like "how old is?"..."Had a '48 once" etc
Seems like a lot of non-motorcyclists are
way more friendly towards old bikes.
Feels funny to be seen as quaint and archaic
rather than noisey dirty and undesirable.

Welcome back to the board Linz, I guess you make some folks nervous " some of my best friends are women bikers". I hope you're not put out over it. It's kinda like GB said, riders recognize riders, and posers probably recognize posers as well. I think if the posers don't recognize you or stop, it's probably a good thing, although a Platinum Card and a cell phone might come in handy, thats probably all they had to offer...maybe they think we'll cannibalize their bikes to fix ours....hmmmm there's a thought...jb

Boog, already tried, the only parts that fit are the tires.
Conan, different dealer. A couple of the parts guys and the service manager came out to look and ask inteligent questions, which were gladly answered, and explained the geneology of the XL's. Still didn't buy anything except a quart of oil, though. G

Hildy,
It couldn't have been a brand new EVO. The Company quit makin' em a few years ago. But that's ok, the big fat guy probably thought you were riding a UA. I once bet a know it all biker chick $10 she couldn't start my '78 FXE in under 10 kicks. Easiest 10 spot I ever made. Recommended biker chick read up on SuperGlide 101 before making any more bets. Of course, it could have just as easily been some yuppie Softail guy.

As a shop owner, I am convinced that on the average, lady wrenches are the most competent. They are the most patient, the most thorough, and definitely have the cleanest work habits. They are even most likely to read the manual first, instead of after they break something.

Unfortunately, they have the habit of running off and getting married.

some years back when i was living in colorado i was runnin up i-25 north to wyoming when i saw a sweet black pan on the side of the road. i figured anyone runnin a pan that far up north must be an old timer with balls. so i stop an asked the leather clad gentleman(!!) if he needed a hand. he said it stopped runnin. i asked if he ran out of gas and he saya nope. so i ask em if hes got spark, he says idda know! so i look closer and realize under his 600 doller leather costume hes all cleancut and pretty like. so i askem if i could check the points and he says whats that?? oh boy, i can see weekend worrioir is flusstered. so i show him how to clean the points with my ole ladys emery board that floats around in my bags. gap em an setem i says and for fun do it once qa month as standard procedure. he says he bought the bike to be cooler so he wouldnt be confused with evo ridin yuppies. i laughed and said good luck and have fun. one kick the pan fired up and i was still shaken my head. i cannot foregive total ignorance at least make the effort to learn about your baby. you ask your prospective females what they are all about(not me my 37 and my women are both a handful as is) so why not open your mind to find out about your ride?? idda know, maybe its me,wont wash or wax, rather be tinkerin or modifying or at least gaining new knowledge. my brain hurtz,,,,,

How long do you think it will be before the HD dealerships will start turning away all those old pre twincam evo's? There's allready a lot that won't even work on a shovelhead.

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LIVE HARD...RIDE HARD
DIE FREE
GADGET

I have to throw in my two cents..
My first Harley is a 2000 Electra-Glide, Ultra-Classic..and I rode it to the POW-MIA ralley recently near Frankfurt Germany. There was a fella on the side of the autobahn, kicking the shit out his knuck, trying to get it started. Other bikes, Harley riders and crotch rockets was blasting by and just waived...I stopped to see if I could at least let him use my tools (I do have a complete kit, on hand),altho I am just learning about old iron, I helped him get his bike apart only to find out that his coil was fried. And help him get friends that near that had a pick-up know that he was broke down. and where he was...I don't care what kind of motorcyle that you choose to ride...if I see you on the side..I will stop..and at least check if you might need tools...If I am in my truck, I will stop and if you need it, I'll put your bike in and at least get you to a garage...
P.S. Stopping on the autobahn in Germany between rest stops or gas stations can get one killed..there's NO SPEED LIMIT! And yea, I do keep my cell phone with me when traveling...
George

I was standin' on main street in Datona during bike week back in '96. Iwas watchin' a Hells Angel kickin' on his shouvel for about 20 mins.. When he finally got it started,it roared. It was loud, loud, loud.When he took off, he took off hard.That thing was fast,fast,fast. I was quite impressed. There were two squeeky clean,pasty faced, brandy new leather smellin' yae-hoo's standin' next to me ,and I heard one of'm say to the other "That's the kinda shit that gives us guys a bad name". I just thought that was kinda sad.
And it's getting even worser.

Last weekend I was at a barbecue and one of my bro's ,who rode out from Denver on his mag-knee-to sportster(66),went to leave at 3:00 am 45 degree's out and 70 wt oil.He kicked til he was worn out then I'd take a turn til we finally got the oil warmed up.Nobody ridiculed him.Did have one other guy offer to kick for a while. Declined the offer after finding he had never kicked one before and explained why.But at least he offered.

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LIVE HARD...RIDE HARD
DIE FREE
GADGET

I drove 120+ miles (one way) to Amarillo, Tx., to get some major work done on my 45 mill at Amarillo Cycle and Harley Davidson Restoration, owned by Lyndon Moss. A week later I called him to ask if he would sell me a scavenger pump body and was told, "I don't know, I'll have to think abpout it...I have your (phone)number". Well, about a month goes by and I call him again to check the progress and he tells me he hasn't had a chance to even start on it. He wasn't busy when I took it up there and I told him it was my daily rider... (I found a couple of billeted Darwin Air Pumps now ahead of me. That's where the money is.) Anyhow I went up there and picked my engine up after a big waste of my time and some expense. I thought to my self, boy, I'm really gonna put the word out on this %#*+@^ but when I tried all I got was yeah, I know, he's strange...etc... I guess there are some posers / dabelers even among the flatheads, but we need to weed them out and I won't ever be doing business with that one again.
The silver lining to this fuck story comes when Tom Roop put me in touch with another fellow Texas goin' by the name Mutt. Mutt lives 409 miles east of me (kinda far even by Texas standards), but seeing as how he was having his annual bash we desided to go on down. We had a good time at the party and Sunday Mutt got started on my flywheels. Lacking a part he said he would get it Monday and mail the wheels to me the same day. Great.-Sparkplug

It is always good to hear about someone that does quality work in a timely manner. And to be warned of ones that dont.In this day + age it is becomin more + more difficult to find anyone in any trade let alone restoration of antique rare componants.Thankfully when I was a young fella I had the good fortune to work alongside two fine craftsmen who taught me the automotive trade + to appreciate vintage cars, trucks + motorcycles + even more inportantly they taught me to treat people fairly,to be proud of my work + to honor my word.May they both rest in peace