Funny interactions with motorcycle riders?

[lmgreco]

Hi guys, new Buddy rider and MB member here. I just got my motorcycle license a few days ago. Last night, my wife and I were on our way back from dinner when a grizzled Harley rider pulled up beside us at a stop light. I looked over and he says to us "Give it some vitamins, maybe it'll grow up. "

I replied "Think this is as big as it's going to get. "

"Well, try watering it or something. I dunno. "
I thought he was pretty funny. How often can I expect this to happen? You guys have any good stories?

[Mr Miller]

Pretty often, it is a mixed bag. Some people love it, some people make fun of it:)

My fiancé and I were riding together today, she was riding the Hyosung GT250 motorcycle, I was on my Jack and some dude yells out "you two should race, ha ha". Then he revs his engine a bunch. Yay

And then I get the "shouldn't she be riding that one", or "did you lose the bet?". It can be annoying sometimes...

[dawg onit]

Only time anything like that happened to me was with a crotch rocket and the guy asked me if I could do a wheelie. I said "Sure if you help me lift the front tire"

[JHScoot]

i assume i'll have some run in's of my own. especially being i'm so tall, and weigh in at around 230. and i wonder if i should get a somewhat bigger scoot then a Buddy sized one

that said i really don't feel the Buddy is small. i certainly can't tell when i am riding it. and i haven't bothered to look at my reflection while on it, either. it just has never struck me to do so. on the ground, it looks like a big bike to me

[Kaos]

You'll get it fairly often. Most Motorcycle people don't understand what the appeal of a scooter is... I usually just smile and rocket past them when I get replies like that

[VoodooKitty]

Only time anything like that happened to me was with a crotch rocket and the guy asked me if I could do a wheelie. I said "Sure if you help me lift the front tire"

[Tanuki]

Most of the bikers I've met up have complimented me on the scoot, asked me if I want to race, or been really nice. Maybe because I'm female?

[GrittyTacoman]

Was riding today and came up on a couple in their requisite black leather gear on a Harley. They were in the lane next to me and I ended up getting past them after a light. He made a point to speed past me really loudly to let me know who was boss. Of course I caught up to them at the next light anyway. Then I ended up needing to get in their lane. So we rode along, me right behind them for a few blocks. We probably were a pretty funny parade, them looking like they'd just left a biker bar, me on my shiny St. Tropez. Pretty soon, he decided he wasn't liking the picture, and he switched lanes and raced ahead again. Fortunately for his pride, I had to make my turn after that...

[speedgraphic]

Any motorcyclist who disses a Buddy is seriously ignorant of how awesome Budd(ies?) are. I ride a V-Strom DL1000 and a SYM RV250 and I still get excited whenever the girlfriends lets me ride her Buddy. And if there's heavy traffic on surface streets... forget about it! Scooters win hands down there.

[TVB]

On my recent road trip, my route took me through the outer suburbs of metro Detroit. At one point during evening rush hour I had a stack of several vehicles stuck behind me, and when a bunch of them had a chance to pass me after about a mile, the motorcyclist (with his wife/girlfriend on his back seat) passed me shaking his head like I was some kind of disgrace. Ass.

Miles later that evening, I was scooting through farm and forest land, still at modest speeds. At one turn I was greeted by... picture Hulk Hogan in another 20 years of no real exercise... on his Harley (or similar), and he gave me a fist-pump-into-the-air salute. Dude.

[jasondavis48108]

my experience has been that the younger cycle riders (especially the race bike set) are the ones who tend to make rude comments. Its still a minority of them though so I don't want to diss that group as a whole. On the other hand the old Harley guys are generally confident, have nothing to prove, and are therefore really cool. Lots of them even wave

[BootScootin'FireFighter]

i haven't bothered to look at my reflection while on it, either. it just has never struck me to do so.

you should try it sometime. Every office building I pass offers me a moment to look to the right and remind myself how awesome I am.

[slusher5]

all the sport and harley riders have been nice to me, but I get lots of crap from wannabe gangster black kids and truck driving white kids cause I'm a skinny kid riding a scooter, but I don't care cause it's who I am

[Kaos]

my experience has been that the younger cycle riders (especially the race bike set) are the ones who tend to make rude comments. Its still a minority of them though so I don't want to diss that group as a whole. On the other hand the old Harley guys are generally confident, have nothing to prove, and are therefore really cool. Lots of them even wave

Thats interesting, as around here its almost exclusively the middle aged cruiser dentist... Err rider...

I get most of the waves and positive comments from street bikers. Though I've had a few negatives from them as well.

[Wheelz]

you should try it sometime. Every office building I pass offers me a moment to look to the right and remind myself how awesome I am.

_________________

Wow, BSFF is channeling Scooterdave now

Seriously, usually I get the high speed clutch dump and rev the engine as they pass, from the people that don't like or understand the scoot. It used to scare the crap outta me. Now, I see em comin and am ready for it.
Mostly though, I get curious questions and shock from other bike riders, that are usually blown away at how fast it really goes or how much gas milage it gets.
My, favorite is, "ON THOSE LITTLE WHEELS!"

[Tony M]

I usually get the high speed clutch dump and rev the engine as they pass me too. I tend to think to my self "Big deal fella, you got a bigger engine than me. Whoop-de-doo for you"
I must ad that I have often waved/nodded to other scooter riders who have ignored me. I also don't get why so many bike riders are so anti-scooter. No-one's asking them to ride one, so what's the big deal. I don't care what anyone thinks of me because I ride a scooter. I've had my share of bikes over the last 34 years & now I ride a 125 scooter by choice, not because I am too inexperienced or scared to ride anything bigger. I could have bought a big bike if I wanted to but I chose an economical small engined scooter. I now love scooters & have no desire to go back to big bikes. If ones like that are so insecure that they have to rely on a high powered bike to boost their ego that's their problem 'cos I simply don't care. As for me, scooters are definitely the way to go.

[agrogod]

So far I have gotten nothing but respect from anyone that's on a seat with two wheels beneath them. (Of course its probably due to the fact that I;m 5'11'' , 260#, and look like I'll chew your head off).
Only passed by 1 MC so far and it was just a standard pass around, no throttling, revving, or looks, just wanted to pass.
Cars are also cautious when it comes too passing, so I just stay to the right side of the rode, if they want to pass the opportunity is there.
Those people that do pass range from 18 to 80, I consider them to be the more confident drivers.

[Milktown]

iv taken the buddy cross country a few times and the people who seem to enjoy it the most on in are the road pirates(harley riders). unusually they poke a bit of fun till i tell them where im headed and its ends up like "your going from where to where one that!??! your F*CKING CRAZY!"

[Tocsik]

I would say reaction from MC'ers is pretty mixed. You won't get near as many "waves" or nods compared to if you were on a MC.

I had a cool one recently:
I was cruising along Quebec Parkway at an indicated 55 or 60 bmph and saw a MC headlight way back in my mirror. I just kept cruising along and he didn't do the usual speed up and blow past the little scooter.

He finally caught up next to me at a stoplight but I still ended up ahead after the light changed, his lane ended and all of the jockeying for position sorted out. He was on one of the bigger Ninjas and it was new; no permanent plate yet.

At the next light, he ended up next to me on my right and I caught him leaning over looking close at my scooter trying to see what the heck it was so I lifted my face shield and said "Pretty fast for a little guy, huh?".

He smiled real big and said "Yeah! I saw you up ahead and thought 'Man, that guy's really hittin' it!'. What is it?"

I said "It's a 150cc rocket!" He said "Really? It sure is fast!"

Little exchanges like this are pretty cool but I think the female riders in our scooter culture get a lot more respect than us guys.

[TVB]

I think the female riders in our scooter culture get a lot more respect than us guys.

I'm not sure that "respect" is quite the right word for it.

[Mr Miller]

my experience has been that the younger cycle riders (especially the race bike set) are the ones who tend to make rude comments. Its still a minority of them though so I don't want to diss that group as a whole. On the other hand the old Harley guys are generally confident, have nothing to prove, and are therefore really cool. Lots of them even wave

+1

I don't hardly ever get waves from other scooterists around here. It is like they are not up on the code or something. But I would say 85% of motorcycles will wave:)

[ericalm]

I have heard it all, good and bad. In fact, I heard almost all of it from one guy, who hit me with a barrage of "Does it have a hemi?", "It's like dating a fat girl", and several other cliché rude comments.

It's funny, though, one older gent on a Harley with a woman on the back asked if it had a hemi, but meant it as a compliment as I was tearing ass just moments before.

my experience has been that the younger cycle riders (especially the race bike set) are the ones who tend to make rude comments. Its still a minority of them though so I don't want to diss that group as a whole. On the other hand the old Harley guys are generally confident, have nothing to prove, and are therefore really cool. Lots of them even wave

+1

I don't hardly ever get waves from other scooterists around here. It is like they are not up on the code or something. But I would say 85% of motorcycles will wave:)

You get a mixed bag. Don't expect respect from others just because they're also on two wheels of any kind. (Honestly, I only wave to scooters anyways unless I get a wave first.)

A lot of people on scooters get them just to ride, for fun, commuting or whatever, and don't know anything about scooter/two-wheel customs, culture, etc. I've no problem with that.

Yesterday, I gave the low wave to a woman on a generic Chinese Honda Joker clone and she responded with a huge grin. That was worth all of the unreturned waves.

[synaps3]

The two-wheel culture around Atlanta seems more united than elsewhere. I wave to everyone I see on two wheels, and seldom am without response.

My best story was on my Honda Reflex, that I used to own before we got our buddies. Me and my fiancee were cruising down Peachtree Rd downtown, on our way back from a date late at night. There's hardly anyone on the road. We stop at a light, and can hear a bunch of motorcycles approaching. They stop next to us, about 10 Suzuki Hayabusas, all in formation, revving to go at the light. It's a long light, so eventually they stopped revving.

I took advantage of the silence, crammed down the brake and gave my scoot a good rev. The scooter produced as vicious of a vroom as it could, which isn't saying much. The whole gang is laughing hysterically, and starts revving like mad. They explode off the line, and go shooting off. I gave my fiancee the "PLEEEEASE???" look. She nodded. We vroomed after them, and after a long acceleration, finally caught up. We stopped at the same time at the next red light.

Now, this couldn't do. They thought it was funny when I was imitating them, but keeping up with them? It was too much. They revved, took off (going way faster than me off the line), but again, my scooter was more agile and I caught back up once we built up speed. After this repeated a few more times, they were laughing hysterically. I had to take a left, so I got in the turn lane and waited for the light. The group collectively gave me a thumbs-up when it changed, and roared off into the distance.

[Tony M]

I pulled in for fuel a couple of weeks ago & there were two leather clad tough men Harley Riders filling up. I said Hi to them as I took my helmet off & just got a "What the hell are you talking to us for you scooter riding wimp" kinda glare. They never said a word. Started up their bikes, revved them really loud as they glared at me with a "we wanna kill you" look to try & intimidate me & rode off. They had gang patches on their backs that said Outlaws. Most MC riders attitudes to scooter riders here in Tasmania seems to be fairly negative

[ScootLemont]

had one today.... I was riding west on main st - about 12 harleys heading east - as they went past one guy pumped his fist in the air & yelled "alright!"

I was amused

[Kaos]

The two-wheel culture around Atlanta seems more united than elsewhere. I wave to everyone I see on two wheels, and seldom am without response.

My best story was on my Honda Reflex, that I used to own before we got our buddies. Me and my fiancee were cruising down Peachtree Rd downtown, on our way back from a date late at night. There's hardly anyone on the road. We stop at a light, and can hear a bunch of motorcycles approaching. They stop next to us, about 10 Suzuki Hayabusas, all in formation, revving to go at the light. It's a long light, so eventually they stopped revving.

I took advantage of the silence, crammed down the brake and gave my scoot a good rev. The scooter produced as vicious of a vroom as it could, which isn't saying much. The whole gang is laughing hysterically, and starts revving like mad. They explode off the line, and go shooting off. I gave my fiancee the "PLEEEEASE???" look. She nodded. We vroomed after them, and after a long acceleration, finally caught up. We stopped at the same time at the next red light.

Now, this couldn't do. They thought it was funny when I was imitating them, but keeping up with them? It was too much. They revved, took off (going way faster than me off the line), but again, my scooter was more agile and I caught back up once we built up speed. After this repeated a few more times, they were laughing hysterically. I had to take a left, so I got in the turn lane and waited for the light. The group collectively gave me a thumbs-up when it changed, and roared off into the distance.

Thats quite like my favorite thing to do while riding fast. Blow past groups of Harleys on the freeway. 99% of the time I get a positive response, followed by them following me to wherever I'm getting off so they can ask me how the hell I'm going that fast on a scooter

[ed85379]

The only comments I've had from motorcyclists is that it sounds nice, like a little Harley. Multiple people have said that. It's the Prima exhaust on the Blackjack that sounds like that. Perhaps they feel less need to make fun of me because I'm a relatively small guy, so perhaps don't look as ridiculous riding it.

I've never waved or had any other scooterist or motorcyclist wave at me. Perhaps that just isn't part of the culture where I am.

[Lendlees]

Most of the bikers I've met up have complimented me on the scoot, asked me if I want to race, or been really nice. Maybe because I'm female?

I would guess it's a Seattle thing. Considering we're the only city that slows down to let folks merge on the freeway and we wait at the corner for a 'walk' sign rather than jaywalk...it doesn't surprise me that the local MC's are polite. Now if only the cars were.

[SailSteph]

When I first started scooting, I used to ride my red Honda 2008 Metropolitan to work out at the YMCA. I bought it thinking I would just ride it like a bike in our suburb. This was in June of 2008 and scooters weren’t that common in Lakewood, Ohio. Gas was getting expensive. One day, I sat at a stop light with a fire truck. They were curious about my scooter. At that time I didn’t wear all the gear like I do now. I had summer clothes on and a half helmet. I got more conversations when I didn’t have all the protection on. One of the firemen asked me the usual question, “Is that a Vespa?” The next question was, “How many miles per gallon do you get?” It was fun to have a conversation with handsome young men. The last thing they said when the light turned green was, “Be careful.”

As far as waving goes....the more time that has gone by, I’ve noticed more people on scooters and MCs waving at me and I wave back. In 2008 it seemed that most scooters waved and most MCs didn’t know how to react to my waving. Now, everybody waves.

[BootScootin'FireFighter]

we wait at the corner for a 'walk' sign rather than jaywalk

I couldn't believe that when I was in Seattle. I felt so out of place with my impatient East Coast mentality.

My story... I have a co-worker (who also rides a Harley Fatboy) who was recently charged with a DUI off duty. While it's under investigation, he still has to come in for limited duty. I ran into this bum on a detail and he was grilling me about how I shouldn't be allowed to have the Truck 4 sticker on my scooter because "it's an embarassment to the crew". I sternly reminded him that my scooter embarassing his crew is the least of his worries, his DUI is an embarassment to our whole department.

[michelle_7728]

I still crack up when I read Kaos' story in this thread...

viewtopic.php?t=12300&highlight=scooter+boy

(I hope you don't mind it being brought up again, Kaos!)

[kneil67@yahoo.com]

some harley guys loved the fact that I was packn a 12 pack of bottled brew on my floorboard they said ditch the helmet it gets in the way while you drink ..

[Kaos]

I still crack up when I read Kaos' story in this thread...

viewtopic.php?t=12300&highlight=scooter+boy

(I hope you don't mind it being brought up again, Kaos!)

Heh, not at all. That was one of the funniest scooter/motorcycle interactions I've ever had

[santaliqueur]

I was riding to work a few months ago on Leela (red Buddy 125), and a guy in a crotch rocket was approaching, we were each going about 30. As soon as he sees me, he immediately gives me the finger, and directs it towards me the entire time we pass each other.

I couldn't even be offended. It was hilarious.

[GrittyTacoman]

I was riding to work a few months ago on Leela (red Buddy 125), and a guy in a crotch rocket was approaching, we were each going about 30. As soon as he sees me, he immediately gives me the finger, and directs it towards me the entire time we pass each other.

I couldn't even be offended. It was hilarious.

This guy is definitely misunderstanding the motorcycle wave! At least you were able to laugh it off.

[trackpete]

In 4500+ miles across Canada and the US so far I've had nothing but positive interactions with other motorcycle riders. I get crazy grins all the time and pretty much whenever I stop riders will come up to me and start talking. This may be heightened by the massive amount of gear I have stashed all over it though.

The funniest reactions I get are when I'm talking to someone about my trip and I go "Yeah, I have a Yamaha Vmax but I wanted to ride something a little slower." Everyone is boggled by choosing an 8hp scooter over a 143hp rocket!

[TVB]

In 4500+ miles across Canada and the US so far I've had nothing but positive interactions with other motorcycle riders. I get crazy grins all the time and pretty much whenever I stop riders will come up to me and start talking. This may be heightened by the massive amount of gear I have stashed all over it though.

That's the key: with all that gear attached, it looks like you're riding a Harley.

[BootScootin'FireFighter]

In 4500+ miles across Canada and the US so far I've had nothing but positive interactions with other motorcycle riders.

But your facebook post was priceless yesterday...

"Just got my first middle finger after 4500+ miles while doing 47 in a 55 in Montana. Sometimes I am not proud of my country."

That just sums it all up, in all of Canada, through New York City and even Boston, you had to go to Montana to find the d-bag. In the middle of nowhere, as if you were holding them up so much! I usually stir up that kind of emotion within 30 minutes of riding.

[gt1000]

Yep, there are all kinds of people and all kinds of riders. Generally speaking, I divide the moto culture into two large groups: riders and poseurs. While there are a large number of sub-groups within the two larger groups, those sub-groups just tend to confuse things. For example, Outlaw Accountants and Squids, while very much different in pretty much every way, are both poseurs. As such, they'll both see a skilled scooter rider as a threat to their "reputation".

Riders, on the other hand, don't give a hoot about what you're riding as long as you're riding. I've encountered great riders on pretty much every type of machine, including all sorts of scooters, sport bikes, cruisers, adventure bikes, you name it. Riders will be genuinely curious about your ride of choice, especially if you demonstrate a moderate skill level that shows off your bike's capabilities. The Buddy 125/150 is a surprising machine: an alert rider can definitely "embarrass" far larger machines, especially in tight quarters. That can lead to displays of overt vulgarity on the part of poseurs, something the scooter rider might consider as a compliment.

[JSharpPhoto]

One of my favorite burger joints in Dallas is basically a Harley Rally every sunday. I usually stop off there on my way to the scooter bar. I pulled in last weekend and some ass-hat says

"Cute scooter, P_$$!Y"

I turned to look at him, and he had about 5 guys with him. I said....

"Hey guys, ever built your own motor from the ground up?"

I got blank stares. I decided not to get a burger that day, so while they watched, I kickstarted it, and left them in a cloud of blue smoke.

[tbonestone]

I was up in the Central City area of Colorado one time filling up for the ride back to town. A harley dude was talking about pimpin' out a stella with all these exhaust parts from a brand that doesn't know how a two stroke works. BUT Then his "Ol' Lady" comes out and hears her guy being kind of a jack ass... And she whispers to me while he wasn't looking that she'd rather be riding with me on my Stella.

[rockraines]

Cagers are usually worse than other bikers. I could be going 45 down a residential street here in chicago and they will be trying to pass me the whole time.

[ericalm]

These interactions aren't funny.

[TVB]

These interactions aren't funny.

OK, so a scooter, a motorcycle, and a moped park in front of a bar...

[pugbuddy]

iv taken the buddy cross country a few times and the people who seem to enjoy it the most on in are the road pirates(harley riders). unusually they poke a bit of fun till i tell them where im headed and its ends up like "your going from where to where one that!??! your F*CKING CRAZY!"

Yeah, I've found most people in town very courteous and when I'm out on the road, everyone is pretty awesome! I think they're usually a bit surprised to find me zipping along state highways in the middle of nowhere on a Buddy 125!

[TVB]

(Not funny, but I smiled, so .)

Tonight as I was driving my cage home from an out-of-town social event, I noticed a single headlight slowly approaching from behind. This was rural interstate undergoing economic-stimulus (re)construction, and unusually busy for 11pm on a Saturday night. The road was a bit dodgy even in a cage, and I tried to imagine riding it, surrounded by hostile cagers in the dark. Thinking he might appreciate knowing he had a friend on the road, I held the two-finger salute up against the window as his Harley pulled alongside my Hyundai. I wasn't sure if he'd see it, or what he'd think of this pretender behind the wheel, but as he pulled ahead of me, he flashed two fingers back over his shoulder.

[malakai]

Well, today someone followed me and when I stopped asked me about the “cool bike”. Needless to say I gave him all the information I could... He had been looking at the Vino but did not know where to see the Buddy. He looked thrilled and about to buy one the same day. Hope he does, I need riding partners.

[Wheelz]

The other day I was at work and a guy pulled up on a harley, it was just starting to rain, I told him he could pull his bike under the awning next to mine if he wanted to, he said "Hey thanks, but that little bugger looks mean, you sure it ain't gonna try and bite mine?"
I laughed and said, "well if it does it will only be in the ankles"
He laughed and said "Kinda like a real pissed off chihuahua."
I said, "that's pretty much sums her up."
he parked next to mine and enjoyed his lunch while the rain passed.

[k1dude]

my experience has been that the younger cycle riders (especially the race bike set) are the ones who tend to make rude comments. Its still a minority of them though so I don't want to diss that group as a whole. On the other hand the old Harley guys are generally confident, have nothing to prove, and are therefore really cool. Lots of them even wave

Thats interesting, as around here its almost exclusively the middle aged cruiser dentist... Err rider...

I get most of the waves and positive comments from street bikers. Though I've had a few negatives from them as well.

+1

That's how it is in my neck of the woods.

Most of the Harley riders are dentists and lawyers who think they're too damn cool to wave. Or they're big fat 30 or 40 something blue collar types that think they're badasses and badasses don't wave to nobody. The old grizzled REAL badasses from the 60's are the friendly ones on Harley's. They were true tough guys and have nothing to prove to anyone. So they like scooters and think they're cool.

The younger guys on sport bikes always seem to be nicer and wave. I get fist pumps from many sport bike riders. Some are jerks though.

[BootScootin'FireFighter]

http://www.ironandsteelnyctoarlington.o ... _Page.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhNBpxMj ... re=related

Aug 28, a section of World Trade Center steel is being escorted by motorcycle from NY to Arlington to be presented to the County in honor of the victims and responders to the Pentagon. The motorcade will be made up of police and firefighters on motorcycles, with state and local police escorts. I don't do interstates, but will try to merge into the procession somewhere on the DC side of the river and ride across for the last few miles. I'm not trying to make a statement or anything, I just want to be part of the event (hundreds of motorcycles) that is being hosted by my fire department. The flyer states no attitudes, but I'm sure there will be plenty of comments being on the only scooter out of hundreds of hogs. I'm not the least bit intimidated, but ready for the comments and one-liners. I hope they prove me wrong in my assumptions.