"I hate my bike...but I wouldn't ride another make"

[Rashika]

geez... no point in riding something that they dislike so much.
Cant figure that one out. Guess maybe it is just "the lifestyle"
Maybe they should change to the dark side....


....and get a Buell... tehehehe
Same awesome sound but a fkn heap a fun to go with it!
I know i go on....but just cant help it


you haven't riden my bike yet have you Biff boy?

[Ixion]

poseurs...

Not necessarily. I grumble about my bikes all the time. Too slow, handling's shit, parts are too expensive and/or unobtainable, blurdy STUPID design faults, don't handle well enough on gravel/at speed/in the wet. Not enough weather protection, too much plastic, too noisy, not noisy enough, fuel consumption much too high,tyres don't last long enough, chains wear out too fast, too slow, always breaking down, always needing something oiled, adjusted, tinkered, moan moan moan.

What I want of course is the perfect bike. 150hp, 300kph top speed , 40 km per litre fuel consumption, full fairing, but no plastic to get busted in a tumble, nice and comfortable , heaps of luggage space, not more than 120kg weight, really good on gravel, superb handling at high speed, nimble and nifty in traffic,50000km from the tyres, no chains, never breaks down, needs no maintainence etc. Until I get one I'm jolly well going to keep on grumbling.

Still glad I've got 'em but, and they certainly get ridden . Mind you, I'd never say I'd refuse to run any sort of bike. It's all a new experience after all.

[Blackbird]

Tut, tut Rhod

Whilst a Harley doesn't do anything for me, we all have our prejudices whether we voice them out loud or not. For example, take the sledging that Honda riders inevitably take from Gixxer pilots (and we know how much sense that makes )

It's similar to my mental perception of South island riders looking like something out of Deliverance and their ideal machine being a small trail bike to visit the rellies in the hills for weekend fun. Oops..... did I actually say that? I'm coming to the south island on tour next March so best slip in quietly methinks

[Big Dave]

I wear a leather vest and love Harleys - your loss biohazzard.

These dicks just aren't riding it right or it needs a tune up.

[sunhuntin]

Not at all...

Just 'cos you don't see the value in an item does not mean the item has no value. As someone said, 'He who hears not the music, thinks the dancers mad'. I don't hear the music HD make but I sure hear it with the Guzzi and the triumph...

damn, what a great way to put it!! im the opposite....i hear the music harleys and other loud, grunty vehicles make [chevy trucks get me too!] but i fail to hear the song even my own bike sings....yet i can hear it in other gn250s. strange. i cant hear it sportsbikes either....unless they are racing, like paeroa and cemetary circuit.

in saying that...my complaints about the gn are the same as theirs.... cant overtake very well, gutless, parts are impossible [at least thats what the dealer tells me! 5 weeks for a speedo....grrrrr] and damned expensive.
but i love my bike, she does me well and carries all i want and then some! shes cheap transport. i feel sorry for all the cagers with their fogged up windows... shes given me a new feeling of freedom, which is awesome. there aint nowhere she wouldnt go, and i wouldnt take her.

[Lazy7]

I bought my bike with a passion for the brand and look - nothing else. was a completely emotional decision and i will do it again.

Would defend my bike to the ends of the earth cause its my bike and its what I ride.

I wont have anybody tell me its too heavy. cause its not. its perfect.
I wont have anybody tell me its too slow. cause its not. its perfect.
I wont have anybody tell me it wont go around corners, cause it does. its perfect.
I wont have anybody tell me its too retro. cause its not. its perfect.
and i definitely will not let anybody tell me the colour is not right.

because guess what

its perfect.

[Paul in NZ]

damn, what a great way to put it!! im the opposite....i hear the music harleys and other loud, grunty vehicles make [chevy trucks get me too!] but i fail to hear the song even my own bike sings....yet i can hear it in other gn250s. strange. i cant hear it sportsbikes either....unless they are racing, like paeroa and cemetary circuit.

With HD's, the music has a full orchestra of clothing, clubs, social activities and a sense of belonging... Some people need that, some people don't. It's not for me, not because i don't approve but because I'm a bit odd and kinda like my own company and thats what i like about the Moto Guzzi crowd. They are madder about their bikes than any HD owner I ever met yet they only ever meet up once a year for a pretty low key event and then after a couple of days, they have all pretty well said whats needed to be said, so they all bugger off seperately again.... Wierd....

[Karma]

I wont have anybody tell me its too heavy. cause its not. its perfect.
I wont have anybody tell me its too slow. cause its not. its perfect.
I wont have anybody tell me it wont go around corners, cause it does. its perfect.
I wont have anybody tell me its too retro. cause its not. its perfect.
and i definitely will not let anybody tell me the colour is not right.

because guess what

its perfect.

I'll let you off on the colour, but I nearly pissed coke outta my nose on the rest of them...

[madboy]

Bikes are inherently an emotional decision. Very few riders can assess their habit by any logical standards. Sure, riders some prioritise some features over others, but at the end of the day motorcycling in general is inherently illogical when you look at the alternatives (such a nice warm, well protected, quiet, spacious and effortlessly driven cages).

So why do we do it? 'Cos we like it.

[sunhuntin]

With HD's, the music has a full orchestra of clothing, clubs, social activities and a sense of belonging... Some people need that, some people don't. It's not for me, not because i don't approve but because I'm a bit odd and kinda like my own company and thats what i like about the Moto Guzzi crowd. They are madder about their bikes than any HD owner I ever met yet they only ever meet up once a year for a pretty low key event and then after a couple of days, they have all pretty well said whats needed to be said, so they all bugger off seperately again.... Wierd....

im the same...i do about 99% of my riding solo, but do enjoy riding with even one other....i got overtaken by a bike the other day...i managed to stay on his tail [normally im eating dust!] and enjoyed the "companionship" for a change. tooted and left him at the lights. looked an older bike, so wasnt overly fast. looked 'zuki but sounded harley. never got a look at the tank, so couldnt see what name was on it. numbers 81 on the license.
i tend to save groups rides for a coupla times a year...charity runs with ulysses or triumph, usually both though. i prefer the feeling of a sense of belonging, thats one of the main reasons i got into biking....the whole family attitude. but i can get that riding with any make or model....i dont differentiate in those situations.

[Dazza]

.... Wierd....

I really enjoyed the Guzzi rallies I've been to,bugger that must mean I'm wierd too,oh well I'm over it.

[Rashika]

I really enjoyed the Guzzi rallies I've been to,bugger that must mean I'm wierd too,oh well I'm over it.

yup I enjoyed the last one too... damn fun turning up and winning best Non Iti bike, do it again anyday!

[Biff]

poseurs...

Bling........

you haven't riden my bike yet have you Biff boy?

Nope - one of these days though. And if you eat some more spinach and put on 50 Kilos I'll give you a go on the mighty Biffbird.

Tut, tut Rhod

Whilst a Harley doesn't do anything for me, we all have our prejudices whether we voice them out loud or not.

No prejudices here Geoff. I quite fancy a V-Rod and I can see the attraction of 'some' other Harley's as well (not that I daren't mention them by name in my original post, save being accussed of brand bashing). So I'm most defo not Harley bashing. But to own and ride a machine, and a relatively expensive one at that, yet moan so much about it?

Life's too short and there's too much choice out there to compromise IMO. So I'm with Pixie - Poseurs/ brand bitches.

Oh - and all Gixxer rider's are ghey. Their bikes are way cool though.

[The_Dover]

Now leather hot pants are a differant topic all together..

You like dudes in leather hotpants? Must be a honda riders thing.

Have you met Maurice?

[buellbabe]

WOW! I have never heard an HD owner say they hate their bike! I have only heard some pussies whinging cos they are too scared to ride it hard like it was meant to be ridden.
Theres an old saying... about bad workmen blaming their tools...
POSERS
Go hard or go home.