Modern Buddy

Anyone here uses them? How did you get them and where? Someone in my family wants to get me a guardian bell. I saw couple of places on the net including Amazon. The more original looking ones were at rudedogleather but I've never bought from them before. Just wondering

what are they?

They are part of biker lore. They are suppose to protect riders against evil road spirits/gremlins The rule is they are more potent when given as a gift vs. bought for oneself. The other rule is you should not ask for it. I did not. Cleverly I told my mom the legend. No brainier: she wants me to have the bell All I have to do is locate reliable on-line shop. Amazon does not have all of he designs I like so I was wondering if anyone got gremlin bell as a gift or bought one as a gift for someone somewhere.

From what I've heard about gremlin bells you don't have to use a bell that was manufactured for that purpose. Any bell will do as long as it's given to you by someone else for that purpose. In New England sleigh bells are a favorite.

You can't buy it. It has to be given to you.

And what did a poor gremlin ever do to you?? Nobody ever lets them hitch a ride. Flower faeries, sure...all day long. They never gotta walk anywhere. Poor lil gremlins.

I have an...arrangement...with my gremlins, and in return, they torment the traffic AROUND me, but leave me alone. It works pretty well.

I think I'd be more likely to buy a gremlin and a box of twinkies. Then I'd bribe the gremlin to attack those pesky cagers who like to shout rude things at me while I'm at stop lights My gremlin! My gremlin! wherever I go he's gonna go!

jijifer wrote:http://www.gremlinbells.com/

The bikers I know who are totally superstitious believe those types of bells, bells made and sold specifically as gremlin bells for a profit, lack the power to keep anything evil spirits away. Hence they give gifts to new riders of bells made for another purpose. One guy has a tea bell that belonged to his friends grandmother, another a bell that was made for a model ship, quite a few have sleigh bells, including my sister. The ones with the sleigh bells feel these have a special power because of the horse/iron horse thing. Like I said, these are particularly superstitious bikers!

I personally don't have a bell; my sister gave me one (a small brass bell she got in South America) but I don't have it on the Buddy yet. I believe that my girl emits her own special gremlin busting power and I'm afraid a bell may counteract that power. I may have to hang the bell on when my sis comes to visit, though. I don't want her to think I'm ungrateful for the thought.

I already have enough problems with evil eyed neighbor. Don't need gremlins on top of that.
I looked at different bells. I like brass kind, New Age style. They have the clearest sound. Not sure those biker gremlin bells will do the job. It they are not made of the right stuff the sound would be dull and they'll be totally useless against pesky gremlins who appear to have musical ears. They do look pretty but it sounds like sound quality is important.

I always thought they were an interesting piece of lore, though I've never actually seen one. I wonder if it was more a "classic" thing thats not done much more.

Well, since the usual stuff has been covered (lore, where to get, how to receive) I'll just stick with what I know best, tongue in cheek advice.

I got a Stebel instead. Mechanical things wear and break down, that I can deal with and prevent with maintenance. Oblivious cagers always prove a more immediate threat. Get a bell you can ring on demand!

On a side note, the lore behind the gremlin bells come from the same culture that's often shunned or mocked by TnG scooterists. I love dichotomy as much as the next person, but let's get the good stuff installed before putting jingly things or shinies on. As an alternate, a breaklight modulator is sure to keep the gremlins (cagers) at bay... or at least off your rear tire.

you guys are mean! somewhere there is a gremlin walkin around without its bells. what's it gonna do now? it feels like half a gremlin.

bigbropgo wrote:you guys are mean! somewhere there is a gremlin walkin around without its bells. what's it gonna do now? it feels like half a gremlin.

Feel free to offer it a ride on your bikes.

Here are pics of the gremlin bells on our motorcycles. I found the one for my wife at the local Down-To-Earth store (a home and garden place). Mine used to belong to one of our cats. And yes, bells need to be gifted. The motorcycle-specific bells are too expensive and, I have found, cheaply made.

We don't have any on the scooters, but probably should.

Unfortunately, the Harley gremlins are stronger than the bell.

http://www.ridebellchain.com/


Where I got one of mine, and sent one to my neighbor.

I do need one for Simon now (hint-hint)

I have one on Roxie and I shudder to think how much worse my electrical gremlins would be without it

Mine was purchased and given to me by someone who loves me. I have an actual gremlin bell with the scary faces and everything. It's attached to that little metal plate under the floorboard. I've often wondered how it's managed to stay attached, but it's still there.

Gremlin Bells - Lore created by farkle salesmen at m/c shows to sell cheap bells for $20 - Added stinger "more effective if you buy it for someone else".

The real deal - Gremlin Bells were created to drive technicians insane - I'm test riding a bike in for service and occasionally I hear a "tinkle-tinkle" coming from underneath. It doesn't sound unlike floating brake pads (broken spring clip) or loose hardware somewhere. Spend an extra 1/2 hour torque-ing everything on the bike to discover a cheap-o chinese bell hanging off the centerstand bracket up in the scooters genital region.

Harley Davidson created a great piece of lore in the 70's claiming that Green bikes were "cursed". Much to the chagrin of Kawasaki dealers at the time. Kawasaki was too busy winning championships to care much....on green bikes.

Green has always been bad luck for race cars

"Harley Davidson created a great piece of lore in the 70's claiming that Green bikes were "cursed".
Now ya telling me, after I got me an Itallia

rajron wrote:Green has always been bad luck for race cars

In 1991, Harry Gant earned the nickname, "Mr. September" for winning four consecutive NASCAR Winston Cup Series races that month
(Darlington Raceway, Richmond International Raceway, Dover Downs and Martinsville Speedway),
all in a white and very green Skoal Bandit Lumina.

He put a hurtin' on that myth.

That was a good WC racing season.

They're only cursed because everyone's chasing them...it's all they can do when they can't pass 'em.

My wife and I got ours at our Basic RiderCourse. They gave them out as rewards for getting 100% on the written test or a perfect score on the riding test. Needless to say we went to a pretty good school.

Now just need a place to put them on the new scooters...

Hello Stormswift,

Forget about silly superstions,
Be wary, ride safe and wear a helmet,
and stay focused in reality.
Much better than any wee bell or paint color.

Cheers.

mr bill wrote: Much better than any wee bell or paint color.

Cheers.

A WeeWee Bell????

Is that why I have to 'go' every time I ride??!!??
Sorry.......

Maybe Pavlov had something there......

My sister gave me one and I need to attach it to my scooter. Any ideas on the best place to tie it on?

pugbuddy wrote:My sister gave me one and I need to attach it to my scooter. Any ideas on the best place to tie it on?

There should be a spot somewhere around the center stand.

I rather sport one of these:



These are big among HD riders. Can be worn or attached to bike.



Vintage-style mudflap. (Your dealer likely has these.)

bigbropgo wrote:you guys are mean! somewhere there is a gremlin walkin around without its bells. what's it gonna do now? it feels like half a gremlin.

Gremlin geldings?

I'm going to start making "Gremlin Balls". Nice jingly testicles you can hang off the back of your bike. Hey might as well kill two birds with one stone, right?

djelliott wrote:I'm going to start making "Gremlin Balls". Nice jingly testicles you can hang off the back of your bike. Hey might as well kill two birds with one stone, right?