A few weeks ago, I decided to see if I could find a few like minded people to ride with. I'm probably not the typical motorcycle rider. Rather, I'm not the typical motorcyclist that most of the magazines seem to think is the norm.
To sum it up, I like old, cheap, fun bikes.
I was sure there were other people like me that would be interested in meeting up and riding. So, I put this out on Craigslist:
"I have an old motorcycle. It won't do 160 mph or 0-60 in 2.8 seconds, but that's ok with me. It's not covered with $10,000 worth of chrome, but that's cool, too. It's not pretty, but it's mine and I love riding.
I wanted to see if there are any other like minded people that would like to meet up once in a while, stand around, look at bikes, talk old bikes and then maybe go for a ride somewhere.
No brand bias (if you have to wear the logo of your bike on your shirt or jacket, that's ok, we won't hold it against you....but it isn't a requirement)
No engine size bias ( smaller bikes are cooler, anyway)
No age bias ( just be ready to tell cool stories of the time you and your buddy __________ if you're older than me, ok?)
Heck, I guess we shouldn't really have an age bias on your bike either so even if you have a brand new bike, that's ok.
This is my second post about this and I've gotten some interest, some cool bikes, not too much chrome on them but still very cool bikes.
So if you're interested, send an email and we can all meet up some time soon. "
Several people have responded favorably to the post, so I decided that I needed to spruce up the blog, focus it a bit more on the Nighthawk and give me a place to post stuff pertaining to the idea.
Soirt of like what I did a couple of years ago with scooters, but with a bit more horsepower...
7 comments:
I shall be watching with interest!
Watching? You ought to join :) You'll win longest distance travelled, everytime!
I stumbled onto your blog while on Craigslist and thought I would add a comment or two…
After reading your entries about old, cheap, and fun bikes I came to a different sum than you. You’re biased, cheap, jealous and not cool.
First you start out informing others that you ride an old ugly bike that won’t do the speeds you’re afraid of doing anyway. Then you insinuate that others that choose to spend money on chrome, logo shirts and other accessories are not cool but would be welcome to ride in your group of old ugly bikes. Then you bring up brand. This seems to insinuate you’re embarrassed of the brand you’re riding. Last you bring up size. Smaller bikes are cooler. Hmm…
Most of the groups I’ve ridden with have new shiny bikes as well as old bikes. One even had a mo-ped with a supped-up Briggs and Station that could stay up with all us un-cool big bikes. But I can assure you that if you load up and go on a trip and you’re on a small bike that can’t carry your over nights your abyss will soon die out. Especially when you see someone (on an a big un-cool bike) easily carry all their goods as well as the spouse on a nice 300+ mile trip comfortably.
I’ve never rode in any group that people were ragging someone because of what they were riding unless in fun. I know it happens, heck you’re doing it now. You need to stop worrying about what others think and stop judging others because of what they’re riding and just ride with them. If they want to ride at speeds you’re not comfortable with find another group.
Just because you can’t afford a bigger, newer bike and go with a lot of accessories, don’t cut others that can…and do.
You're right, I am scared of doing 150 mph on two wheels.
Personally, I don't think it's cool to spend thousands of dollars for shiny stuff. Or loud pipes. But, that's just me personally. I don't care what anyone else thinks.
I brought up brand because a lot of people are brand particular. As I said, I don't care what brand you ride. Not quite sure how 'No brand bias' means I'm embarrassed of my bike, which is a Honda, by the way.
Small bikes are cooler, especially since I don't equate the CC of my bike to have anything to do with my manliness.
Not quite sure what you meant by 'your abyss will die'.
Then you say I need to stop worrying about what others ride....where in my post on my site did I exclude anyone or any bike? I must have missed that part.
But it's cool. Many people got it. We have a guy on a Trike coming, a guy on a Ducati, several Hondas, a 74 dual sport and a guy on a 71 CL70. Oh, and a guy on a 1400cc V4 cruiser. And the guy on the 72 panhead whose bike 'marks its spot' sounds pretty cool, too.
I think that's a pretty cool group and it looks like we'll have fun. You are more than welcome to join us, just don't forget to remember to bring your sense of humor.
I think that's a pretty cool g
I know your scared of doing a 150 two wheels and should be on 4. Weather you think it’s cool to spend money on shiny stuff or not the fact that you bring it up suggests you judge others for doing so. You don’t care what others think but you talk about other people’s bikes (theirs is big not cool, theirs is loud not cool, they’ve got a lot of chrome not cool, their engine is to big not cool) as well as yours in a negative way. The only positive you bring up are small bikes. You are entitled to your opinion but you should keep the negative to yourself. When you post it for others to read you had just as well walk up to a man or a woman and tell them you think they are stupid, crazy, un-cool, or whatever for owning and then spending money on such crap. There are many different types of bikes because of the different taste people have. One may be ugly to you but beautiful to another.
On this blog you act like a kid at school trying to find somebody to listen to you while you cut someone. Once getting an audience thus your feeling of power.
Hey Al, obviously you don't like my sense of humor and that's ok.
You can make judgements about me and that's ok, too. I'll stop trying to defend myself since there is nothing to defend and it doesn't matter anyway.
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