What is it with Harley and HOG members

What is it with Harley riders and their attiude against other bikes and riders, some members are so up themselfs, a few months ago I pulled up at a cafe in the middle of Woodford for a pie and drink before heading up the ranges, out front of the cafe was about 50 Harlies and their riders, I pulled up on my trusty Norton and parked in the medium strip, I started to walk over to the cafe when this very loud mouth woman dressed in all her Harley gear and asked me when I will be buying a real bike, I slowly walked over to her and said " well if you jump on the back of my 41 year old Norton and take you up through the tight twisties I will show you what a real bike I have, I bet by the time you get back here your panties will be full of shit" then I kept walking, a few of the other Harley riders pissed themselfs laughing, she must have been the loud mouth of the group.

Another time back in the early 90s when I owned a 1200 Sportster I was at a bike crash helping the medic working on a fallen Jap rider, he was in a bad way and they were fling him out, when they were ready to take off I had to stop the traffic when the Hog club pulled up, the leader of the group seen my Harley on the side of the road and asked what happen, his comment was glad it wasn't one of us, to me I got real angry with him and said we are all bike riders and we should look after one another without care what sort of bikes we ride.

The same with my mates who most now own Harlies and most of them rode British motorcycles for a very long time as soon as they own a Harley their attiude changes and every other bike become inferior to their Harlies and they soon forget all the good times they had on old British bike in our younger days.

Ashley

Personally, I think it's in their DNA and they can't help themselves. I suspect the really obnoxious ones were just born with a higher percentage of those ancient Neanderthal genes floating around in their system.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/...s-genetics-migration-africa-eurasian-science/

Its a personality disorder and involves insecure people that need to be in a group to express themselves and exhibit their "superiority"

grandpaul said:

Its a personality disorder and involves insecure people that need to be in a group to express themselves and exhibit their "superiority"

Click to expand...

Like a bunch of junior-high cheerleaders who think their team is best.

One thing I got to say is not all Harley owners have a attiude problem but a majority do, another thing I notice with some Harley riders is the serous look they put on their face, its sort of a tuff look, its like hey I ride a Harley I got to look tuff, I have notice a few on my mates do this when they ride their Harlies, really I have a bit of a laugh about it when I see them on their bike but in real life they are not like that, its like when they hop on their Harlies they turn into a different person.

But really when a Sunday ride is arranged and if its overcasted or any sign of a rain cloud everyone turns up except for the Harley riders, when I ask them what happen they just say they don't want to get wet or their bike dirty but most of the time it don't rain at all and they missed a great day out all because its overcast, thats when I start to stir them up about how tuff they really are.

Ashley

IMHO, some of the hard core HOG types are a real embarrassment! But there are plenty of normal / decent folk who ride Harley's too.

I reckon our attitude of them is probably as biased as theirs is to us!

Fear of being associated with them has been a factor in me deciding not to buy a Harley on several occasions. I now think I was being rather daft, and have probably missed out on some good fun as a result because, despite all the negative talk about them, they are actually fun bikes to ride (in the right context).

I also reckon most 'cliques' suffer the same fate really, sports bike, adventure bike, cruisers, classics et al, all cliques look upon the others as inferior.

Probably goes deep into our tribal psychology or somat like that.

ANYONE who is normally a certain personality type in "real life", but becomes something else on a bike (with the possible exception of a good racer that is not necessarily "changing personalities", but focusing on racing), has the same disorder - sort of schizophrenic, actually.

Maybe it's because they spent a lot of money for what's really a 2-wheel car that handles like crap and , if it falls over, they have to get a tow truck to pick it up.

No doubt the hardcore "harley's only" crowd suffer from some sort of "Herd mentality" where they adopt some of the herd behavior so they can fit in... Mostly, they aren't into bikes as much as they are into "looking like a biker".

.. A story:

When I was younger I used to ride up through harriman state park in New York. It's an incredible place. There's a few stop signs, but mostly it's all twisties and round abouts. A group of my buddies used to go up to the top of Perkins memorial drive on our sunday rides. It's a mountain top in the park where hundreds of bikes would stop on their weekend rides. LONG before the American chopper guy "Big Paul" (the handlebar mustache guy) got his television show, we would see him up there on his harley with his little amaturish modifications. He and his posse would stroll around looking at bikes giggling to each other and glaring at most everyone else. He definately had some attitude, and with the wacky moustache, it was hard to overlook this guy who strutted around, looking at other bikes and clearly expressing his opinions with whispers to his "possee" and the visual expression on his "puss". I never saw him say a nice thing to anyone or smile at anyone other than his little group.

At one point he walked by our bikes and gave his disimssive look of disapproval as he scanned our bikes. Our group of riders was; My commando, a ducatti, a harley FLH, a honda 550, and a KLR dual sport. Needless to say our group was an odd mixture of bikes. None of which interested this guy... It was kind of funny to see him on TV many years later, but after watching a few of those shows I could see that he's fully emersed in the "My shit don't stink" world of V-twin motorcycles...

Oh, and ashley... I find that the biggest deflator of "Biker-ego" is to say: "I ride a bike that I built myself" That shuts a lot of the idiots up. Where I live now, I never get the harley attitude anymore. Most harley guys like nortons. It reminds them of their youth. The dunstall pipes also make wicked sound, and you know how much harley guys like to be loud.

I find I get 2 distinct reactions from people. Either they say, "cool, an old norton", or they look and act completely disinterested. (which is fine) Two days ago some blonde chick comes running over to me at the autoparts store saying, "OMG, a norton! Can I take a picture" She rides a harley, but was in her car at the time...

As Paul McCartney said: "Don't you know that it's the fool who plays it cool, by making this world a little colder..." Don't let these nitwits bother you.

Oh, and ashley... I find that the biggest deflator of "Biker-ego" is to say: "I ride a bike that I built myself" That shuts a lot of the idiots up. Where I live now, I never get the harley attitude anymore. Most harley guys like nortons. It reminds them of their youth. The dunstall pipes also make wicked sound, and you know how much harley guys like to be loud.

I find I get 2 distinct reactions from people. Either they say, "cool, an old norton", or they look and act completely disinterested. (which is fine) Two days ago some blonde chick comes running over to me at the autoparts store saying, "OMG, a norton! Can I take a picture" She rides a harley, but was in her car at the time...

As Paul McCartney said: "Don't you know that it's the fool who plays it cool, by making this world a little colder..." Don't let these nitwits bother you.[/quote]

It don't bother me at all as I have a bit of a laugh about it really, all my mates that own Harlies never put shit on my Norton as they all know that I built it up with my bare hands at a young age and after owning it for 41 years they know the history of it, hot Commando into Featherbed frame way back in the early 80s, when I park my Norton and there are a lot of Harlies parked near it my Norton always draw a crowd, its always dirty looking is well traveled, has scratches and chips on the tank, they all take a liking to it, it shows its age, but its only the best that pick all its hidden secrets, the lightness of it and the simpliaty of it gets them talking and of course they always hang around till I fire it up and take off down the road, its loud when the cam kicks in.

But the best fun I have with the Harley riders is when I catch up to then in the twisties, they think they are so good scraping their foot boards and pegs on every corner till I go racing past them leaning over so much more passing them on the outside, inside where ever there is a openning, half the time they don't even know I am coming up behind them till I past them, scares the living day lights out of them, but thats me I just love the way my Norton handles and having a bit of fun.

I am sure there be others that like to have a bit of fun with the Harley riders out there with a few funny stories to be told, I started this thread for the funny side of things and things we notice with our Harley friends, but I am sure its the same with any make of bikes, but its seems the Harley riders take everything so serous but one sided attiude about their bikes.

Ashley

Without Hog riders and their attitude, it would not be double fun to blast around them in the twisties , only mono-fun.

Back in the dark ages, (the 60's) we would give a hearty wave to fellow Brit bikes, but the Hogs got only a flick of our fingers on the grip .... that way they could not be certain it was a wave, or if we were just beating out a tune on the grip.

I suppose we had an attitude as well, but a different one than theirs.

Slick

o0norton0o said:

No doubt the hardcore "harley's only" crowd suffer from some sort of "Herd mentality" where they adopt some of the herd behavior so they can fit in... Mostly, they aren't into bikes as much as they are into "looking like a biker".

.. A story:

When I was younger I used to ride up through harriman state park in New York. It's an incredible place. There's a few stop signs, but mostly it's all twisties and round abouts. A group of my buddies used to go up to the top of Perkins memorial drive on our sunday rides. It's a mountain top in the park where hundreds of bikes would stop on their weekend rides. LONG before the American chopper guy "Big Paul" (the handlebar mustache guy) got his television show, we would see him up there on his harley with his little amaturish modifications. He and his posse would stroll around looking at bikes giggling to each other and glaring at most everyone else. He definately had some attitude, and with the wacky moustache, it was hard to overlook this guy who strutted around, looking at other bikes and clearly expressing his opinions with whispers to his "possee" and the visual expression on his "puss". I never saw him say a nice thing to anyone or smile at anyone other than his little group.

At one point he walked by our bikes and gave his disimssive look of disapproval as he scanned our bikes. Our group of riders was; My commando, a ducatti, a harley FLH, a honda 550, and a KLR dual sport. Needless to say our group was an odd mixture of bikes. None of which interested this guy... It was kind of funny to see him on TV many years later, but after watching a few of those shows I could see that he's fully emersed in the "My shit don't stink" world of V-twin motorcycles...

Oh, and ashley... I find that the biggest deflator of "Biker-ego" is to say: "I ride a bike that I built myself" That shuts a lot of the idiots up. Where I live now, I never get the harley attitude anymore. Most harley guys like nortons. It reminds them of their youth. The dunstall pipes also make wicked sound, and you know how much harley guys like to be loud.

I find I get 2 distinct reactions from people. Either they say, "cool, an old norton", or they look and act completely disinterested. (which is fine) Two days ago some blonde chick comes running over to me at the autoparts store saying, "OMG, a norton! Can I take a picture" She rides a harley, but was in her car at the time...

As Paul McCartney said: "Don't you know that it's the fool who plays it cool, by making this world a little colder..." Don't let these nitwits bother you.

Click to expand...

I always thought that guy on the chopper programme was a dick head, now you've proved my impression.

sam

trident sam said:

o0norton0o said:

No doubt the hardcore "harley's only" crowd suffer from some sort of "Herd mentality" where they adopt some of the herd behavior so they can fit in... Mostly, they aren't into bikes as much as they are into "looking like a biker".

.. A story:

When I was younger I used to ride up through harriman state park in New York. It's an incredible place. There's a few stop signs, but mostly it's all twisties and round abouts. A group of my buddies used to go up to the top of Perkins memorial drive on our sunday rides. It's a mountain top in the park where hundreds of bikes would stop on their weekend rides. LONG before the American chopper guy "Big Paul" (the handlebar mustache guy) got his television show, we would see him up there on his harley with his little amaturish modifications. He and his posse would stroll around looking at bikes giggling to each other and glaring at most everyone else. He definately had some attitude, and with the wacky moustache, it was hard to overlook this guy who strutted around, looking at other bikes and clearly expressing his opinions with whispers to his "possee" and the visual expression on his "puss". I never saw him say a nice thing to anyone or smile at anyone other than his little group.

At one point he walked by our bikes and gave his disimssive look of disapproval as he scanned our bikes. Our group of riders was; My commando, a ducatti, a harley FLH, a honda 550, and a KLR dual sport. Needless to say our group was an odd mixture of bikes. None of which interested this guy... It was kind of funny to see him on TV many years later, but after watching a few of those shows I could see that he's fully emersed in the "My shit don't stink" world of V-twin motorcycles...

Oh, and ashley... I find that the biggest deflator of "Biker-ego" is to say: "I ride a bike that I built myself" That shuts a lot of the idiots up. Where I live now, I never get the harley attitude anymore. Most harley guys like nortons. It reminds them of their youth. The dunstall pipes also make wicked sound, and you know how much harley guys like to be loud.

I find I get 2 distinct reactions from people. Either they say, "cool, an old norton", or they look and act completely disinterested. (which is fine) Two days ago some blonde chick comes running over to me at the autoparts store saying, "OMG, a norton! Can I take a picture" She rides a harley, but was in her car at the time...

As Paul McCartney said: "Don't you know that it's the fool who plays it cool, by making this world a little colder..." Don't let these nitwits bother you.

Click to expand...

I always thought that guy on the chopper programme was a dick head, now you've proved my impression.

sam

Click to expand...

I met him once in a hotel bar in Stuttgart, Germany. He was sat by himself and the guy I was with insisted on going up to speak to him, I didn't want to as I thought he must get tired of such unwarranted attention.

He seemed like a nice enough chap, and we spoke for a bit. We asked if he wanted to join us for dinner but he said he'd already eaten. We asked if he wanted to join us for a drink but he said he didn't drink.

So then I realised how wrong I was, the guy was sat in a public bar by himself, didn't want anything to eat, or drink... the only reason I can think of him wanting to be there was PRECISELY so he could attract such unwarranted attention!!

Motorcyclists, who should be like minded, are some of the most discriminating and prejudging people as a group as you'll find anywhere. BMW riders think they're more intelligent and ride superior machines than everyone else. Goldwing riders are all fat, have fat women, know where to get the best pie, and have nasty stuffed animals tied onto their bikes. Harley riders are mean and nasty, dress like pirates, know where to get the most beer, all have loud pipes and loud mouths. Those sportbike kids all think they're indestructible , ride too reckless and too fast, and we would've never done that when we were young. Black riders all have loud Jap bikes with extended swingarms, and they sit on their bikes wrong. The folks that buy exotic bikes just have too much money and just want to show off, not ride. Lady bikers all "name" their motorcycles and always refer to the bike as "she", and probably shouldn't be allowed to have their own bikes. REAL men don't wear riding gear, that's for sissies. And we all know, none of these people know as much as we do, can ride as well as we can, or have bikes as good as ours.
If you name any group of motorcyclists, other motorcyclists will have a box that those riders fit into. Who hasn't heard all this crap and more? As a rider of all types of motorcycles, I recognize this all the time. Even on "ACCESS NORTON" believe it or not.
If your skin is so thin that you can't laugh at yourself with others, or if you're unable to throw a zinger back their way in fun, maybe you shouldn't go where those mean ol' bikers congregate.
I've got a full time job. We have winter with cold and snow where I live. That all cuts down on riding time. For those who stereotype Harley Davidson riders I can say my 2013 Road Glide has 36000 miles on it. To me interstate travel is for tractor trailer rigs, I wear off my chicken strips on hilly curvy roads and I'm no slouch. I don't ride it like it's a Harley. I ride it like it's a MOTORCYCLE. I've got nine other bikes that I put the miles on too. It doesn't matter what you ride as long as you ride hard and have fun. When I ride the HD, someone, somewhere, maybe on an island with very few roads, is gonna think he's more of a rider than me.
I've got a Norvin. The Vincent folks are always wanting to help me "get a proper chassis together". The Norton people all say "what a waste of a featherbed".
I waited for years to get my 961 Commando and the people that ride Triumph's think I've lost my mind.
I've got a couple of Ducati's. Ducatiste can't believe I'd put those machines in the same garage with that other JUNK. It's always a real treat to ride some other bike to the Ducati shop to get parts for the Ducati, and listen to the comments from the elite clientele. I've got a BSA and some bikes that come from Asia. I belong to the Harley Owners Group, Vincent Owners Club, Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club, etc. etc..I worked hard to get what I've got and I didn't get these bikes for you. I can remember all the bikes I've had, and just like everyone else, I've got a lifetime of riding stories I could share, but who cares. They're all bikes that I picked out for me.
I hate getting old. I'll be 63 years old soon. I started riding at 12 years old. I'm still practicing all the time. People say "when did you learn to ride" and I always tell them I'm learning more every day. I compete all the time, to do better. My competition is just me against me. Stereotype me as that little old wrinkly assed white haired dude who still thinks he can burn up the road. Go ahead, make fun, give it your best shot, I can take it.
For those who think it makes you look better, to make someone else look bad, you're sadly mistaken.
Don't worry about what other riders think or say. Enjoy your ride, and keep your opinions to yourself about everyone else's.

Don't get so serous, I have a love of all motorcycles and have owned many in the 46 years of riding, as you say if we can't poke fun at each other then you should think of something else to do, here in Australia Harlies are taking over they are everywhere and on a Sunday ride there be more of them than other bikes, but most of the time they be stopped at a cafe or lined up out side of a country pub and if they are riding they only do short runs with stops more than others, I think most of them just like to stand around telling each other how good their Harlies are instead of putting on the miles.
When my mates and myself go for our Sunday rides we ride all day, we meet up at 6am in summer and 7 am in winter, we have a chat for about 30 minutes before we get going then hit the roads we stop somewhere about 9am for a big breaky at some quite out of the way cafe then hit the road again and ride till about 3pm before we split up and head home our own ways.
My mates that ride Harlies don't like our Sunday rides as they say we start to early, we go to fast, they hate all the twisty and mountain road we take, we don't stop enough and we ride to long, usually 1 1/2 to 2 tanks of fuel we put a lot of miles on, yes a few of us ride hard but we always wait for the slow ones to catch up before turning down another road, we keep off the major highways as to many fun police and the roads are to straight and boring.
I am still riding with mates that we have been riding together for over 40 years and a lot of them are now Harley owners, we like to put shit on each other because thats the way we are when where all together, have a bit of fun, joke around, but we are all good friends, but like I have said all along my Harlie mates take everything so seriously when they are on their hogs.
One of my closest friend has been on and off motorcycles for as long as I have known him since we were kids after a very long break from motorcycles he brought a big Harley second hand about the sametime I brought my new Triumph Thruxton 900 4 years ago, every time we ride together he always tries to drag me off at every light or he is always racing me and it got to the point I just let him go, one night we were drinking up in my shed one Friday night with 2 other close friends when I finaly asked him why he always want to race me all the time, I was shocked by what he said, he told me he hates that I always want to be in front all the time, I told him its got nothing to do with wanting to be in front all time at all, I am a very hard rider, I push my own bike to the limits and I push myself its just the way I am I have done so on every bike I have owned since I was 15 years old, I ride to my own ability or style nothing more, a lot of my bike riding mates have more powerfull bikes that handle better than my Triumph as they are on sports bikes, so now my mate now understands it not a race its the way I ride, well where still best mates and we still put shit on each other.
By the way in the 4 years that my good friend has had his Harley and myself with the Thruxton I have just clocked over 40k and my mate on his Harley has done less than 10k and I also ride my Norton regularly, just throught I throw that one in hehe.

Ashley

cehenard said:

I've got a Norvin. The Vincent folks are always wanting to help me "get a proper chassis together". The Norton people all say "what a waste of a featherbed".

Click to expand...

And they're both wrong of course... You need an Egli chassis...!

And another thing (in defence of Ash)...

In this sterile modern world of uber political correctness, let's NOT lose the joy of banter and good old fashioned piss taking in the motorbike world.

Taking the piss out of others is half the fun.

Why d'ya think I call my Commando "Trident Hunter"...?

Just wait for Sam's response and you'll see...

Ashley, Pretty sure we're on the same page for the most part. As far as group rides: too fast, too slow, not enough stops, too many stops, twisty roads, straight roads, whine whine whine... My favorite sized group is ONE. I never complain about me.
Eddie, If you've got an Egli frame sitting around collecting dust I'll get it out of your way.
Charlie

Fast Eddie said:

And another thing (in defence of Ash)...

In this sterile modern world of uber political correctness, let's NOT lose the joy of banter and good old fashioned piss taking in the motorbike world.

Taking the piss out of others is half the fun.

Why d'ya think I call my Commando "Trident Hunter"...?

Just wait for Sam's response and you'll see...

Click to expand...

You couldn't spell Z1 Hunter ? :wink:

cehenard said:

Ashley, Pretty sure we're on the same page for the most part. As far as group rides: too fast, too slow, not enough stops, too many stops, twisty roads, straight roads, whine whine whine... My favorite sized group is ONE. I never complain about me.
Eddie, If you've got an Egli frame sitting around collecting dust I'll get it out of your way.
Charlie

Click to expand...

Charlie its all in good fun, my Sunday rides with my mates that I have been riding with over 40 years don't happen every Sunday usually once a month or every 3 weeks, most of the time I get out on my own or another good friend on his big bore Harley, I also do a lot of traveling on my Thruxton as I am now retired, I don't mind my own company, I stop when I want to or go as long as I can if its a very long trip, my Norton was a everyday ride for over 37 years and now its semi retired just like me and the Thruxton is now my everyday rider, but I still like taking the Norton out as much as I can, its a fun bike to ride very light and very fast it handles better than the Thruxton and a bit quicker but I like both bikes and I did own a Harley once but it just didn't suite me, I like going around corners fast and being on a lighter bike, British bikes are in my blood and I can't change that, but a lot of my Harley mates just don't like to go far on their rides, get up to late get home to early and most of the time they only use a 1/2 a tank of fuel, to me thats not a ride but a short trip to the shops and where all the same age of 58 years old.
But hey if thats all they want to do on their big hogs then all fine by me but I will stir them up about it, I can't help myself its the Aussie way, shit stirring, putting shit on each other, joking around and having the best fun we can, life is to short not to have some fun without being too serouse in what we do.

Ashley