| Author | Message | ||
     Wannabe |
Lurker here wanting to jump in. How are you as Buell owners accepted by the Harley crowd at rallys, poker runs, Sturgis, etc. I had a sporty at one time but never really felt comfortable in the black shirt, doo-rag get up, but do like HD events and my friends ride HD so I am looking for a bike that will allow me to "fit in" but be more enjoyable to ride than a hog. The v-rod is ok powerwise, but still a pig compared to a modern sportbike. The only other option I have is maybe to get a 1200R and cafe style it or is Buell the way to go?. Any thoughts? | ||
| Bcordb3 |
One of the reasons I bought my Buell is because I am a free thinker and didn't need any ones acceptance. I wanted the V-twin torque and the sound. The Buell is one best engineered bikes made, the handling is great, the look is pure power. Don't worry about fitting in, worry about the envy the other riders have. They are like cookie cutters, all the same. Dare to be different. | ||
| Aydenxb9 |
People are either going to accept you or they aren't. I've been around those who look down their nose at me for riding a Buell, even had a former employer at a Harley dealership tell me I was riding a "wanna be" bike. Their problem, not yours. If you go Buell, do it because you want a Buell and never look back. After you do, you'll get hooked like the rest of us here and it won't matter to you anyway. While they're polishing their chrome and bragging about their dyno numbers, you'll be out riding with a big ol' stupid grin on your face havin' the time of your life! | ||
| Chainsaw |
I can't say I've ever gotten so much as a sideways glance for having a Buell at Sturgis, or anywhere else for that matter. Maybe it's because I'm such a mean-looking SOB.  It is also my understanding that all the one percenter organizations allow members to ride Buells. I would call that a ringing endorsement from the hard-core MC crowd. | ||
| Darthane |
LOL...if they give you any shit, point out a chopper with a Harley engine in it and tell them to go bitch at that guy. If they refuse, they're [ignorant] bigots. | ||
| Bomber |
my experiences with HD riders run the gamut from, "Nice ride? izzat german?" to "who rode the Jap crap?" and everything in between HD riders mirror society at large -- some will be enthused that you ride at all, some will be intrigued that your bike, so different from theirs, shares so much, and some will act like idjits cuz they are scared of anything they don't recognize immediately -- if fitting in wiht an HDHog crowd is your aim, the Buell will likely not fit the bill for you | ||
| Glitch |
Harley crowd, are Buells accepted? Some times. | ||
| Jlnance |
Wannabe - No one has every given me a problem about my bike, and I've been to events that were 99% Harley. I wouldn't expect anything less, regarless of what I'm riding. If someone wants to hastle me, it's always easy to find someone else to hang out with. I find that "that's a nice bike" is always a great way to begin a conversation. It sets a good tone for the remainder. | ||
| Firebolteric_ma |
i like my buell for the reason it don't fit in w/ the "typical" crowd. dare to be different! i ride a buell cuz i like the torque and there is not many of them around me like the typical cookie cutters/hd chrome bikes. my bike almost always draws a crowd once they find it.(i usually park way in the back..lol). i made my buell the way "I" like it. nekid! and i am more than happy with it. | ||
| Barker |
I find most of harley "riders" are ok, but the harley "owners" are the worst. Most of the people that will give you trouble are the ones that dont know what it is. About half of the times I go to the HD/buell shop parts counter. I say I need a ,,, for a ,,, Buell. Some guy behind me goes "What da hell is a buell?" I explain. Then they will say something like "You should have bought a Honda." Then I get pissed, and go on a rant.  Then find out they dont have my part and it will be 2 weeks, maybe. Some harley guys just dont understand why anyone would want to ride/sell a Buell. FYI: I dont run into any of these problems from any other brand/make riders. No problems out of Jap/euro riders. Except a few snobby BMW riders. | ||
| Pwnzor |
Real bikers won't give you any sh1t over your ride. I've been in more than one biker funeral procession on my XB12R, all alone among 150-200 Harleys and/or custom choppers and bobbers. Never got any flak. Don't worry about it. | ||
| Mike748 |
You should see the Harley crowd when I roll up on a motard bike.  | ||
| Djkaplan |
I occasionally ride with a local group of Harley riders - they don't give a shit. | ||
| Aldaytona |
I never worry about what others think, that's why I started riding Harleys in the 60s (BTW they weren't popular back then). When some moron started walking towards me (you know the one, you can see it on their face) before they could start with stupid, I just shifted my vest so they could see the butt of my gun and they just went away. Still works today, people might have something to say about my Buell, but just not to me. | ||
| Firebolteric_ma |
if we need to explain it. YOU ALREADY DON'T GET IT!! only the "POSERS" are really worried about what others think. F'EM!! IF THEY DON'T LIKE YOUR BIKE!! | ||
| Sgthigg |
"Lurker here wanting to jump in. How are you as Buell owners accepted by the Harley crowd at rallys, poker runs, Sturgis, etc." Hugh?? Your kidding right? Who gives a sh!* ! Get what YOU like. If your that concernd get a Harley and be done with it. Real riders accept anyting. Thats my experience. | ||
| Tramp |
If you're concerned with acceptance, maybe your motorcycle brand isn't a primary issue in your life at this point... | ||
| M1combat |
Most of the guys who go to HD type rallys do so in part to be black sheep... Why not be a black sheep in a sea of black sheep  . That's the way I look at it. | ||
| Jon |
I have often found that at bike rallys and such, the Harley crowd will actually kick their bikes over out of respect when I ride near. I don't mean that they kick them over as in start, I mean they literally kick their bikes over so that they fall on their sides. Oh yeah, happens all the time... | ||
| Roadrailer |
If your main criteria for bike selection is it's acceptance with the doo-rag crowd, motorcycling may not be for you. My $0.02. | ||
| Diablobrian |
Ride what moves YOU. not what makes other people happy. | ||
| Aldaytona |
It SURE isn't for them.  | ||
| Curtyd |
The HD "faithful" used to just love me on my RD400 in the HD parade to the track on Sun AM for the race at Daytona. I always mixed a little extra oil in the pre-mix. Wish I could find one of the old Italian-made HD 125cc Rapido's, they were HD marques and were also two-strokes. Now that would be even MORE FUN, a Harley that belches two-stroke oil smoke and "ring-a-ding dings". P.S. "I find that "that's a nice bike" is always a great way to begin a conversation. It sets a good tone for the remainder." GREAT TIP, this does work everytime for me. (Message edited by CURTYD on July 11, 2006) | ||
| M1combat |
I ride with one guy on a rigid '66 TR6 chopper. OD green frame with polished engine and a girder front end. Most beautiful Chopper I've ever laid my eyes on. We built it by hand over a summer. Collecting parts and making everything perfect. The other guy rides a rigid '76 Sporty that's a cross between the old school stuff and the new school stuff (mostly old, we built that one from the ground up too). I was riding an '82 CB-750F-SS at the time. I could see the bikers look at the trumpet and smile, look at the sporty and think "There's another one" and then sneer at me. Always made me smile . (Message edited by M1Combat on July 11, 2006) (Message edited by M1Combat on July 11, 2006) | ||
| Buellzebub |
i just smile n wave... real motorcycle riders unerstand, not so sure about this generation of "bikers" (Message edited by Buellzebub on July 11, 2006) | ||
| Swampy |
Does it really matter? The real question is: Do the Buell riders accept the Harley crowd? | ||
| Freeflyer |
My guess is it depends on your harley crowd, I see more HD parked in front of bar than cruising on the road, a weekend ago I left in the morning, past tavern at 11:30 am saw bikes and thought what idiots, on way back around 400pm saw same bikes still parked, if this is the type of crowd your looking at I would say no. in general: Riders will accept you, Posers will diss you because of thier own low self esteem. also many that would diss a buell feel the same about the VRod. Ps if you go for the buell maybe a leather vest and assless chaps with captains hat will help you fit in. | ||
| Aydenxb9 |
The real question is: Do the Buell riders accept the Harley crowd? Oooh, good question! Sometimes it seems we don't. | ||
| Slaughter |
Tribalism is the natural state of mankind. Always was, always will be. (and don't try to sway me with warm, fuzzy crap about how it "ought to be" in an ideal world) If it wasn't bike choice, it'd be beer, athletic team, cigarette, geographic region or any of the other usual prejudices - it's just that it's OK to be tribal when it comes to hardware I suppose. I try to ignore folks who have any issues beyond where we're gonna ride, stop for coffee or stop for lunch. Nothing else is important. If you love chrome and bar-end tassels... cool, shut up and ride. If you love clip-on bars and bar-end mirrors... cool, shut up and ride. If you love Vespa scooters, or have a taste for the Burgman... doesn't matter. (I'm in a reall pissy mood tonight) | ||
| Tramp |
m1combat said: "I ride one guy on a rigid '66 TR6 chopper..." m1, I'll thank you to take your fabulous repartee elsewhere.  (jess bustin balls, m1  ) |
