Harley Riders Explained

[StrangeC@xxxxxxx]

Saw this and thought it was funny.

First, Harley Davidson does not make motorcycles. They make Harleys, and at
this they are better than all the other manufacturers. Harleys are not meant
to go or stop or handle or be comfortable or anything. They are mobile
pieces of art, complete with the embedded compromises. Their raison d'jtre
is to be looked at, and to make sure they are looked at by as many people as
possible, they are portable. Like a circus. Weight is about that same as a
circus too. Harley could make motorcycles if they wanted to, but they do not
want to. If they did, there wouldn't be Buells, there would be motorcycles
manufactured by Harley. It is really a cleaver marketing ploy. "Your
motorcycle is very slow!" "Its a Harley, if i have to explain it you
wouldn't understand" "Your motorcycle is very heavy!" "Its a Harley, if i
have to explain it you wouldn't understand" "Your motorcycle is very
expensive!" "Its a Harley, if i have to explain it you wouldn't understand"
"Your motorcycle is very uncomfortable!" "Its a Harley, if i have to explain
it you wouldn't understand" etc.=A0 Its a built in excuse masquerading as a
surly attitude. Once we recognize Harleys for what they are, we can
appreciate them for what they are. I will never appreciate a Harley for what
it is not. It is not a motorcycle.

Second we have to define the people who ride Harleys. I believe they fall
into two families (there are sub geneses, but i will save that for the
responses to this email). The two famillies are 1) Motorcyclists who ride
Harleys, and 2) Harley Riders. Motorcyclists who ride Harleys recognize
Harleys for what they are. Rolling Retro influenced art, not motorcycles.
These people appreciate the admiring glances they get when they ride their
bikes, they secretly think of themselves as Lee Marvin, and they like to
look at and improve the appearance of their Harley. It is a work in
progress, and this piece of art becomes their canvas upon which to express
themselves. Motorcyclists who ride Harleys have a reasonable motorcycling
resume, and may own more utilitarian vehicles (Japanese Motorcycles, Jeep
Cherokees etc.) when transportation is required. These people love
motorcycles as much as everyone on this list, but they also like Harleys,
and as already mentioned these are two distinct things.

Harley Riders did not read the previous paragrahs, and mistakenly believe
that Harleys are motorcycles. Unfortunately, these people tend to mistake
Harley ownership for a personality as well, so they are usually way screwed
up. These are non motorcyclists whose whole mental representation of
motorcycles equals Harleys 'cause they once saw a Mickey Rourke film (as i
said before, Way WAY screwed up). These films also offers explanation for
the typical Harley Rider's behavior. Pissed off at the world due to a
lagging film career. As the Harley is used as a personality, and these
people lack the self- concept and are so non ego formed as adults, they feel
they must behave in this stereotypical manner regardless of situation.
Usualy these people have little to no motorcycling experience, and are
attracted to flashy thing in the same manner as crows. Sometimes an avid
motorcyclist becomes a Harley Rider; friends and family can usually identify
the warning signs in hindsight only. Perhaps the biggest transgression these
people make is to "Talk Motorcycles" when they have no experience with them
(they ride Harleys remember). When people talk of rpm levels used to settle
the suspension for a set of twisties, they fall back on "Jap Crap", "Rice
Rocket/Burner" etc. They use anger, insults and surliness to mask their
ignorance. They want to interact, but they don't know how (Mickey Rourke
never spoke nicely to people in any of his movies), they don't have the
vocabulary or social skills. It is really quite tragic.

I believe these definitions help explain one of the longest standing
questions in modern motorcycling. Why don't all Harley guys wave back. It is
simple really. It is a in-group bias sort of thing. Motorcyclists wave at
other Motorcyclists due to the kinship we feel. We see someone riding a
motorcycle and immediately recognize them, as being of superior intellect.
Since they are so smart, the must be a good person to know, so i will wave
and act politely and friendly towards them. Generally, when waved to,
motorcyclists will wave back (provided they are not in the middle of a tank
slapper or something) for the reasons identified above. Here is the
difference. Harley Riders are not motorcyclists (remember, Harleys are not
motorcycles, they are Harley), and therefore do not feel the kinship. They
feel the kinship with other Harley riders only. Why do some people on
Harleys wave? Because they are from the first group, Motorcyclists who ride
Harleys.

The Drunk, Blind, Fat, Ugly, Smelly, Chaps-wearin, GPZ-hittin', Bleeding,
Brain-damaged, Surly, Church swearing, Wedding Vomitting, Pencil-dicked,
Vault-twated, Cell phone riding, Nun melting, Lying bastards with straight
pipes tend to come from the second group


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