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Biker attitude

11K views 64 replies 45 participants last post by  stellarpod  
#1 ·
I know this has probably been discussed here before somwhere, but whats up with the attitude a lot of motorcycle riders have toward scooters. I ride my 400 in to work every day and I constantly get ribbed at work about my choice of ride. I don't really care what they say, but I'm just trying to understand why there is this stigma attached to scooters in the eyes of motorcycle riders. There are a few guys at work, who have been brave enough to admit my Burgman is a nice machine, and admire it, but then there are those who seem almost threatened by an "automatic" motorcycle who insist it's not a motorcycle unless you have gears you can shift yourself! Amongst my scooter friends they think my bike is cool and those motorcyclists who are, I guess, more secure in their masculinity, have no problem riding with me and even say they would consider buying one. But there is a diehard segment of the motorcycle community who still see scooters, no matter how big they are, as motorcycle wannabes, and refuse to recognize our existence :roll: ...not that it really matters.
Just a rant... :)
 
#2 ·
I get that on occasion, from all types of rides, I just ignore it. I also get positive feedback from all types of rides.

A few thoughts:

-Some people mature at a slower rate than others.
-Sounds like the mentality of the auto workers during the first energy crises, smashing higher mileage imports. (Jealous ?)
-How long in the season do the naysayers ride?
-Over paid for their ride, just to be in the "club".
-A closed mind is hard to educate.

I told one guy, "see you on the next rainy day" :)
 
#4 ·
Many of us receive the same kind of treatment towards our chosen burgers,but, that does not surprise me in the least...I have been dealing with ignorance all my adult life, especially when I entered the ministry. Many people believe they have the right mind set and the right answers for why they believe what they believe, all I can say is...in the end....the truth will come out.
I have learned over the years when dealing with those that always seem to create problems, just smile and walk away. Let the blind lead the blind.
The only time you can truly have a meaningful conversation with someone is when "THEY" are the ones asking the questions.
Food for thought.
 
#5 ·
You are right Jim, about paying too much just to be in the "club". I can't believe how much these guys pay, first for the bike, then for their insurance, and then for all their "must have" chrome, and then they're scared to ride it in anything but sunny weather! If I'm buying a bike to use, then I'll use it no matter what the weather.
Pastor Ron you hit the nail on the head, anyone who is interested to learn about something will ask questions about it and not tell you about it. Like the saying goes..."You ain't learnin' nothin' when you're talkin."
Steve.
 
#6 ·
plane burger said:
If I'm buying a bike to use, then I'll use it no matter what the weather.
I totally agree with that! I guess those people love the enjoyment of watching the monthly payment just sitting there, all pretty and chromed out. ( Well, I guess you could use the handlebars to hang up clothes out of the drier :lol:) When it's not sunny, a little rain, dusty or overcast. To each his own? :?

Personally, like you, I don't see the logic in that.
 
#7 ·
Hey Plane Burger! I own a 650 and a Goldwing. I ride the 650 as a commuter, and cruise on the 650. I have for a few years now. Guess what? You don't need a PHD to ride a motorcycle! Forget what anyone says. Most likely you ride your Burgman more than most ride their motorcycles. That makes you a BIKER! This topic comes up every once in a while. Ride what YOU like! Be safe!
 
#8 ·
The price of gas has scooter sales booming around here. The motorcyle parking area in my office building has seen a significant uptick in scooters. Many of them are the smaller sized ones, 250 cc or less.
And I'm seeing many more scooters out on the roads than in the past few years. So as the numbers increase, so should their acceptance. Not that I care, I don't have much respect for people who judge themselves or others based on their stuff.
 
#9 ·
I love my ride. It’s so sharp looking, so easy to ride, so comfortable, fast when needed, and so everything else. I get a smile every time this story comes to mind:
One day I parked my Burgy at supermarket and went in shopping. I didn’t notice that another rider has parked his motorcycle short distance away. I spent a little while getting the stuff on my list. Now, it looked like a lot of stuff. and I had no idea the MT rider was eying me and my stuff. Guess what, he followed me outside and watch me loading the Burgy, I heard no word, he just turned around and go.
Is this funny?
I use to like my motorcycle a lot but now there is no going back.

Ted
 
#10 ·
I think some of the taunters are actually jealous of my bike. First because of the money I don't have to spend on my ride, second because I have the cajones to ride a scooter, and they don't..., and third because, well darn it, them scooters look like so much fun to ride and I seem to have too much fun riding it!
 
#13 ·
Hey Plane Berger...!
All I have to say about the biker attitude....is ....most of them still cant pass a gas station...
and the only thing I don't like about the Bergman is ......Im still jamming the right floor board trying to put on the rear brake.....lol....my old Honda rear brake was on the right foot.....other then that I love it ..
have a good one...
Phil
 
#14 ·
I took my usual little ride to kentucky a couple weeks ago this big ole bike pulled up next to me at the store doo rag no helment tatoos,i nodded at him and said nice bike he replied nice scooter
I said thanks then he says i bet thet thang will probably do about sixty I just grinned and said yep and all day too... :wink:
 
#15 ·
I get loads of ribbing (most of it good natured) about my scooter/sidecar rig. The vintage bike riders love it (they like anything with an old world flair, even if it is new), the kids on the crotch rockets immediately see the beer carrying capacity, and the daily commuters (like me) envy the shiftless/no feet down operation on the hills of downtown Seattle. The only nasty ribbing I get is from the "decked out in leather, never smile while riding, I'm the badest man/woman on the road" types. I'm sure everyone here has experience with these weekend warriors. The other day I gave the wave to a young lady (probably early 20's) while she was riding what looked like a 125cc scoot. She was obviously too afraid to take her hands off the bars to wave back, but the ear to ear grin she gave me is the reason why I'll hang with the scooter crowd......
 
#16 ·
I ran into what I thought was a dangers biker attitude last week. I am riding along at about 55-60 MPH on a 55 MPH two lane road last week. I saw three Harleys behind me so I moved over to the right side of the lane. The first one passes me on the left with a vehicle approaching in the opposite lane, he toots his horn a couple times (after he passes me) then gives the single file signal to the other two. Another one passes on the left, then the 3rd passes on the berm to the right. First of all when I moved to the right what if I would have had to swerve for some reason, I wasn't aware they were passing he didn't blow his horn until he was around me. Then the guy that passed on the right startled the hell out of me. None of them had any safety clothing or helmets just the bandanna and no riding gear. I don't know about other areas but here about 90% of the bikes are Harleys and probably less than 10% wear helmets. Usually the only riders I see wearing helmets are the crotch rocket guys, Goldwing and BMW riders. We have been averageing about one fatality every weekend this year in this area of eastern Ohio. On the other side of the river in West Virginia where they have helmet laws I don't recall any fatalities this summer.
 
#17 ·
The Bergman initially caught my attention because it's simply so dam functional. It filled a vacant niche...evolution. Never initially thought much about the scooter vs. motorcycle thing. In the same showroom as the Bergman were some new Triumphs and other bikes that if placed beside their 50 year old predecessors, would be pretty much indistinguishable...other than the sticker price that is. Nostalgia is great, and has it's place and time, but not as everyday transport for me. Kinda' wonder what the automobile would look like if it had paralleled the advancement of the motorcycle over the last 100 years.....

With the advent of the new hybrids this scooter vs. motorcycle thing will hopefully very soon be a thing of the past....

49cc scooter or Gold Wing....all of em' are a hoot

Byron W
 
#18 ·
Sigh....yes this has been on here soooo many times. And I see, as with most threads, here we go with the Harley guys and their lack of gear again.

My thoughts are who cares! I don't understand why it is so important to be recognized and accepted by a group of riders most on here so clearly despise and are jealous of. And there is a difference between biker and motorcyclist, however there is one common denominator shared by the two, as well as "scootering". It's about the ride folks, not what someone thinks, what they ride, what they wear, or if they accept you or not.

Ride Safe.
 
#19 ·
Yeah, it gets old sometimes, I just deal it with the best I can from strangers. My car tends to keep me balanced. The bike being the ultimate practical machine and the Cobra being the ultimate in impractical. :lol: Best of both worlds you see. Guess which one has FAR more miles on it than the other and is almost as much fun? THAT would be the Burgie!

Image
 
#20 ·
the reason such a thread like this keeps on reappearing is because there appears to be no logical reason for it. i think the problem is human nature, peer pressure perhaps. i,ve noticed as i get older that perhaps i have mellowed a bit. personally i,m not into classic scooters but i have made friends with some who are. i can identify with their enthusiasm and their passion for their machines and we can share our travel stories and our near misses with other road users who have no respect for any of us two wheelers. at the moment i have no bike but i still love them. just havent got enough money to ride both. the burgman ticks the most boxes for myself on a budget. if you ride a harley or a pocket rocket, a vespa or a pushbike, to me there may be differences, in power or speed or handling or appearance, but those who ride them are i believe in the mainpart............human!! so in that regard i see no difference. for those of us who really enjoy life and the open road there will be no predjudice, wwe will wave or nod or smile. for those who don,t, or won,t, or can,t, or shan,t, how sad. they are the ones who are losing out. life,s too short is it not. whatever you ride be happy, enjoy and i,ll see you out there one day!! :)
 
#21 ·
I just love to pull up beside some dude on his HollyDavis at the stoplight....I lean over and tell him if he REALLY wants to have fun, get one of these(Burgman). I did have one guy who asked me if you had to have a tag on the Burg. I replied I only put the tag on it to MAKE IT LOOK LEGAL!

We all need to remember many people are quite content in their ignorance.
 
#24 ·
OK, so I have to chime in on this one. When I brought my Burgman 650 to work for the very first time, I took a load of
ribbing from some of the guys (Harley riders). But I took the worst ribbing from a girl in the office!! Of course, she was
a Harley rider too. She even asked me if I was going to 'wear my leathers and pedal my new bike to work on the sidewalk'.

The next day at work I was the one who had the very last laugh. We were all gathered around the coffee pot in the morning
waiting for the pot to boil and up walks the office hottie. She looked me square in the eye and asked 'is that your scooter
outside'? And then exclaimed that 'she just loves how it looks' and then went on to ask all the usual questions. All the Harley
guys and (girl) could do was stand there dumb struck as the office hottie confirmed, without a doubt, that chicks dig scooters!

Cheers,
--Caldron68
 
#25 ·
caldron68 said:
... All the Harley guys and (girl) could do was stand there dumb struck as the office hottie confirmed, without a doubt, that chicks dig scooters!
Clearly you need to offer the office hottie a lunchtime ride. Be sure to borrow a helmet for her from one of the Harley guys or gal. :D

Rod