| Author | Message | ||
     Buckinfuell |
Over the years, I have come to realize that Harley ‘owners’ and Buell ‘riders’ represent two very different, if not diametrically opposed, cultures. Note my judicious choice of words in the last sentence where I distinguish between owners and riders. Now don’t get me wrong, no doubt Harley owners enjoy the ride, but from my observations the Harley culture is more about status and identity. Buell riders on the other hand, I believe, are a culture inspired by the machine itself and what it can do on the road. I start this thread, not to disparage the Harley crowd, but to elicit an interesting dialogue comparing and contrasting them with us, the Buelligans. Here are some examples to get things started. A few weeks ago, I was on my way to the Lynchburg bike rally when I stopped at a gas station to fill up. There were dozens of Harleys and custom choppers showing off their chrome and sounding their pipes. I pulled up next to a guy and his wife filling their Softail. As I began fueling my XB12S, I heard the guy say to his wife, “Look, there’s one of doze Be-yools. I wouldn’t mind riding one for a few minutes, but I sure wouldn’t want to own one.” Hmmm... I though. I took no offense to the statement, but I did wonder why he would say that. I guess to him, owning a Buell would be giving up his status and identity as a Harley Davidson kind of guy. There is one thing HD has done better than any other manufacturer of any other product I can think of, it was creating an distinct cultural identity and cult-like following of die-hard zealots to perpetuate their sales revenue. I applaud the business and marketing folks at HD headquarters. No doubt HD builds some good bikes, but it is amazing how much more people will pay just to be a member of the First Church of Harely-Davidson. Praise be to the Hog! I live in a fairly well-to-do neighborhood and I find it amazing how many guys, who appear to be in their late 40’s to early 50’s, have a brand-new (or apparently so) Harley that just sits in their garage for weeks on end, looking pretty with nowhere to go. One guy for example, who is extremely meticulous about his lawn, has a second small garage door just for access to his Softail Deluxe, fully accessorized with all the leather bags and fringe. I’ve only seen him ride it once, but he pulls it out just about every weekend to clean and polish the chrome. The one time I did see him ride it, I had to laugh. There he was with his wife all decked out in black studded leather chaps, jackets, and HD do-rags fresh off the rack. I mean, they damn near looked liked the display mannequins at the HD dealership. As a Buell rider, do you ever feel like a second-class citizen when you go the HD dealer? Do you ever get the impression that the sales staff see the Buells as novelties, merely side items of a curious nature? One time a guy at work who owns a Sportster 883, referred to my XB12 as “little bike.” I just shrugged it off. It wasn’t until he heard me start it up with my Drummer growling at him that he asked what size engine it had. He thought it was "like one of doze Neenja 250 jobs." I'm thinking, did you even look at the motor! Anyway, I guess without all the embellishments of a bloated cruiser, he just couldn't get it. He then asked me how much I paid for it, and when I told him he just about flipped. He cried, "Damn! That's more than I paid for my Sportster and it's not even a real Harley!!!" Anyway, I’m just rambling now… as I said, I’m just hoping to start some interesting dialogue on HD ‘owners’ versus Buell ‘riders’. | ||
| Tq_freak |
}There is one thing HD has done better than any other manufacturer of any other product I can think of, it was creating an distinct cultural identity and cult-like following of die-hard zealots to perpetuate their sales revenue. I applaud the business and marketing folks at HD headquarters. No doubt HD builds some good bikes, but it is amazing how much more people will pay just to be a member of the First Church of Harely-Davidson. Praise be to the Hog! I totaly agree with this statement, when was the last time you saw someone with "Maytag" tattooed on there arm. As for the rest of your statements I am also in total agreement, so many times I have been with a group of Harley guys my father included (at first but he is a buell beliver now) and have also gotten the "little" bike comments while there on there 103 cu screaming eagle chrome easter egg's. After one long day of riding with them ( with one hand on my handle bars so that my S handles more like there bikes mind you, this keeps me from getting to bored) I got tired of there comments so I said alright, there is about 2 miles back to the house, mostly straights, lets see how slow my buell is. They took the bait and the light turned green and I was gone. they were trying there hardest and couldn't do it. They dont't pick on my "little" bike anymore. | ||
| Pwnzor |
Check out your local Viet Nam Vets or Legacy Vets Motorcycle Clubs. It will be a quick lesson in the difference between weekend warriors and those who ride HD for the "right" reasons. No mannequins here. No hippies either.  | ||
| Kowpow225 |
 <Buell Rider  <Harley Owner Nah, it's easy to give 'em a hard time cause they're in it for a different experience than we are....it's more of a lifestyle and identity for them. | ||
| Grimel |
The whole Sportsters aren't real Harleys crap is my personal dividing line between Harley owners and Harley riders. The moron owners don't have a clue why the Sportster was released and what it's function happens to be. That said, the real division is owners vs riders period. I know a lot more bike owners than riders. | ||
| Buckinfuell |
Good point. There are certainly Harley 'riders' and I suspect Buell 'owners', but most 'owners' have to own a Harley and nothing else will do. I suppose the biggest posers are those with the big HD decals on the back window of their trucks who don't even own a bike. Again, I never intended for the thread to become a slam on the Harley folks... just a humorous look a the difference between the two. | ||
| Buckinfuell |
As for the comment on not being a real Harley... I'm pretty sure the guy was referring to my Buell. | ||
| Prof_stack |
Good comments. Lifestyle IS a part of many HOG folk. Last month I sold my HD Electra-Glide after 14 years of ownership. It was a good highway machine and took me on some nice tours. So I have great memories but no regrets selling. Before that I rode 6 years on the Evo 883 Sportster. That was more about getting on the Harley bandwagon. So now its just the XB9S and it couldn't be better! I am owner AND a rider. | ||
| Jaimec |
One of my favorite stickers I picked up in Daytona Beach a few years ago says it all: "Bikers are a rare breed. Harley owners are a dime a dozen." | ||
| Glitch |
I know Harley owners. I know Harley riders. I know Buell owners. I know Buell riders. I see no point in this thread. | ||
| Buellshyter |
There's not much point in 90% of the threads but it's fun just the same | ||
| Grimel |
As for the comment on not being a real Harley... I'm pretty sure the guy was referring to my Buell. You'd be wrong. "that's more than I paid for my Sportster and it's not even a real Harley". Sportster == fake Harley/girls bike to the kool-aid drinking H-D owner/posers. | ||
| Diablobrian |
I still like the sticker that says "I own a bike, not just a t-shirt" The old adage with the Harley faithful is that a sportster is "half a harley". If that is the case, and our bikes are "half sportster" are they a quarter of a harley in their eyes? They act like Buells are farther from the family tree than that. | ||
| Djkaplan |
I always say stupid people come in all colors... they ride all kinds of bikes, too. I got bigger things to ponder... | ||
| Pipefittermike |
Funny story- I went up to Julian 3 weeks ago, for those of you not from the southern california area, it's a huge bike hangout on the weekend. You get everything from Ducati, Honda, Harley... etc. The ride up there is a blast, you can take a long slow easy ride or a twisty way that is too much fun. When I finished eating lunch I got back to my bike to find this big fat ass had sat on it and scratched my air box cover. He was the type that cleared out the store before coming up- his leather still made all that noise whenever it moved. He got on his Ultra and as soon as he picked up the kickstand dropped it the other way. It was even better when he went to pick it up and dropped it again. His buddies were helping him, there was no need to go over. After the attitude he gave me when confronted, it gave me a warm feeling inside. I have pulled up behind so many people on those huge machines that have absolutely no business riding them. It's a danger to everyone around them. Much like the people that were in my MSF class that had cleared out the racks, came to class, and bragged about the fatboy waiting in the garage. Most of them talked about this being the first time ever on a bike. That's impressive to me- in one weekend they are skilled enough to move from a 250 lb 125cc bike up to a fatboy.  | ||
| Blitzen |
First Bike I bought in 1962 Harley 125 I think it was called a hummer (way ahead of the times) I bought a Fatboy in 90 because it reminded me of my 60 Mustang with the big solid wheel and the lawnmower cushman type motor. owned a handfull of triumphs BSA coulple of dirt bikes had fun in high school with my sportster XLCH over the years I have had a glide another sporty and a Fat Boy. Now two Buells later who gives a *#&% what people think....I even laugh and tell the yups that the fan sound is my seat air conditioning module...the oldtimers and real riders are the first ones to look at My XB12R and say man thats some tricked out bike...they know good enginering when they see it. Besides whos going to argue with a senior citizen with an attitude  | ||
| Metalstorm |
I used to be a Harley "rider" until I got my Buell. Now I'm a Harley "owner" as my Sporty sits untouched in the garage waiting for me to make the time to pretty her up & sell her. I am much happier as a Buell "rider". On a side note, I do miss the looks I used to get while riding my Sporty while sporting a full face helmet & a blue/black Joe Rocket Revolution Jacket. I had the cruiser & sport crowds both confused  | ||
| Tunes |
Most of the people I have met on Harley's are nice and appear to be good, regular folk. It's true as stated and reaffirmed; HD ownership includes the aura/biker type lifestyle that makes you want to feel and become the experience. If you are a biker/motorcyclist, then you can see the posers a mile away, no matter what model HD (sportsters / big-twins) they own/ride. Ya, the Sportster, the so-called step-child of HD... I started my HD life on a '76 XLCH. That's a kick-start only HD. You had to KNOW how to start these bikes. One kick = one cylinder firing... so ya had to get it right for the bike to light off... And if you got a "cough" you were in for some kicking. CH stands for "Competition Hot." For their time, these bike smoked. It would out-run and out-handle the big-twins... and I still caught crap... Half-a-Harley, Girls Bike, Little Bike... etc. And now, years later, I ride a Buell and some of the HD people give me the same crap... (Little bike, Cute bike, can fit in my saddle bags, etc...) some don't know the bike at all, some are interested - as a novelty, and some really are interested. I started riding in '67... a lot has changed in motorcycling since then... and a lot has remained the same. The old-timer HD people are great. They understand motorcycling and the people who ride. I also enjoy going to Harley events... and I don't. Some of these mixed feelings are based on the attraction and repulsion of the HD biker lifestyle... and the degree some people take it. Others are based on my lack of interest in cruisers. I've owned many HD big-twins, but they stopped "doing it" for me when I went Buell. A bike has to turn without dragging parts for me to become interested. That's how my biking life started years ago... bikes that handled, then cruisers, and now I'm back to bikes that handle. Buell - The best of both worlds... a snorton' Sportster engine in a frame that handles... and I can experience the Harley lifestyle on the periphery without getting sucked back in. | ||
| Buckstar |
So this thread has sparked my curiosity, when someone asks about my bike, do i say it is a Buell which is a subsidiary of Harley, a Buell that has a Harley power plant in it, a Harley called a Buell, a Buell, which is only sold at Harley Dealerships... Ah crap, now I'm just confused!?  | ||
| Buckinfuell |
Well said Tunes. You make a good point about the old-timer HD people. Times have changed... | ||
| Teddagreek |
He cried, "Damn! That's more than I paid for my Sportster and it's not even a real Harley!!!" Thank God it's not.. I see a lot of guys jumping off the bandwagon and going with other brands. Triumph Victory BMW If you can afford a big harley you can more than afford to go another route.. Might even end up with a few extra dollars in you pocket too.. | ||
| Crusty |
This is a bullsh*t thread. I know some Harley riders who can outride many Buell riders, and I know some Buell riders who are pure posers. Unless, of course, the intent is to just reinforce stereotypes. In that case, why not add the snooty BMW riders, the 16 year old Jap I-4 squids, the old fart Gold Wingers and the really lame Jap cruiser owning Wannabes? There are buttheads who own any given make. There are also some class acts who own those same makes. I ride with people I like; it doesn't matter what they ride. | ||
| Sokota |
why is this thread so W I D E , it is a pita to read.....  | ||
| Lions |
What's even better is when I pull up in my ZX10R with my Harley Jacket and my Buell cap and watch how both the Harley and the Buell community scratch their heads in disbelief! . The best part is when I leave and hit about 90mph and am still in 1st gear! | ||
| Paint_shaker |
I own and ride a 1990 Harley Softail springer and a 1998 Buell S1W. I don't feel the need to own every H-D accessory or piece of clothing out there. I like the fact that I have a "sportster" motor in my Buell. I enjoy riding either bike. | ||
| Buckinfuell |
and the really lame Jap cruiser owning Wannabes Crusty, I think you missed my point. I was talking about the HD 'owners', not the 'riders'. There are many Jap cruiser 'riders' who chose them simply because they don't buy into the whole modern day Harley culture of show and no go. You know the guys who tow their $20,000 mega-cruiser behind an old 4-banger mini-van to Daytona once a year only so they can park it in front of some bar and drink for an entire week. Of course your statement perpetuates the HD cutural attitude that anything but a Harley excludes you from being part of the in-crowd. As for the snooty BMW riders, and I wholly agree with adjective, but they do tend to be responsible and serious about riding. Goldwings are certainly not my bag, but the riders I know tend to be very disciplined and serious about riding. The teenage gixxer squids, well, what can be said... they are teenagers. Almost all the Buell riders I know, love machines, how they work, and how they perform. It is why I ride a Buell. I think Buell captures the old school HD attitude. | ||
| Molly_hatchet |
i ride from time to time with one of those harley guys that just cleaned out the store all his stuff is sooo new and his bike has like 500 miles on it after 2 years of ownership ...he drags his feet for a half miles when he leaves a stop sign....usually i hate those kind of harley riders....for some reason that brand more than others seems to breed dummies...i cant count how many women ive seen on big hogs tryin to learn to ride.....today i saw something that was worse than any fair weather hog owner...i saw some doofass on a brand new gigantic metric cruiser with his very young son the kid musta been about 5 or 6...both in shorts,tank tops,flip flops, no gloves no armour....i almost pulled his dumb ass over and asked if he had ever been down before.....thank god they had helmets on but thats the law here...my kid rides with me and she was in the car when we saw that....i just looked at her and said that boy is gambling with his kids life and thats why u were a jacket even when its hot and gloves and long pants and boots...ive hit the pavement i know it hurts....im still just fuming...brand new bike and he was most obviously not comfortable on it it was huge.....and a tank top and flip flops...ive never seen anything stupider... | ||
| Jon |
Harley owners have unusually high levels of prententia, a substance known to cause the belief that leather and a beer belly makes one "tough". Buell riders are perfect in every way. | ||
| Vaneo1 |
I was sitting at the rock store today, and I am a firm beleiver that STEREOTYPES are formed because in part or most part they are TRUE! I saw tons a cruisers stop by and all of the old farts looked as if they had to have the biggest one! Some guy showed up on his new BMW clear-the-road model bike and almost knocked over this guys speed triple because he couldnt handle the f**cking thing. Now many will argue with my first sentence so notice I said partly or mostly true, there are always the exception. I lost the rest of my idea so dont have nothin more to say.  | ||
| Buckinfuell |
Hey Glitch, isn't it funny how such a 'pointless' thread can stir such interest? You have to admit, it's more interesting than yet another thread on exhaust mods or sponsor product stroking. |
