tweety has arrived...

[Mike Peplinski]

Here's how a typical ride in my little town goes. KLR rider goes happily down the road, sees another bike and waves; no wave back from the rider-a Harley. Next bike, KLRista waves enthusiastically-is ignored, again a Harley. Next up, a big guy who is preoccupied with shifting. KLRista waves anyway and biker removes hand from clutch grip to wave-a Goldwing. Next rider-again no wave from this Harley rider. Is there a pattern here or are Goldwing riders just different? Of course the HD riders have an excuse, like they are hanging on too tight for fear of losing their grip, or they are not only deafened but somewhat blinded by their bikes noise and bright chrome or maybe they're just dicks but nah, that couldn't have anything to do with it.

>From: "JRC" >To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com >Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: NKLR: harleys for sale >Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2006 01:41:51 -0000 > >Actually, I know a few Harley oweners, and, by and large, they are no >different than anyone esle on a bike that I have met. They tend to >dress differently than dual sport people, but they still like bikes. >Last summer, I was at a local get together and was the only KLR person >there. I sat with a group of Big Dog chopper owners. I will admit it >was like trying to converse with someone who doesn't speak your >language, but they were nice people once you got to know them, even if >they ride bikes that I wouldn't be interested in. > > >Jim C. > >LC1500 >A13 > > > > > > >Archive Quicksearch at: >http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html >List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com >List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html >Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > >

[Matt Knowles]

Hey Blake, Want to chime in with your Harley wave story?

On Jun 19, 2006, at 8:53 PM, Mike Peplinski wrote: > Here's how a typical ride in my little town goes. KLR rider goes > happily > down the road, sees another bike and waves; no wave back from the > rider-a > Harley. Next bike, KLRista waves enthusiastically-is ignored, again a > Harley. Next up, a big guy who is preoccupied with shifting. KLRista > waves > anyway and biker removes hand from clutch grip to wave-a Goldwing. Next > rider-again no wave from this Harley rider. Is there a pattern here or > are > Goldwing riders just different? Of course the HD riders have an > excuse, like > they are hanging on too tight for fear of losing their grip, or they > are not > only deafened but somewhat blinded by their bikes noise and bright > chrome or > maybe they're just dicks but nah, that couldn't have anything to do > with it. Matt Knowles - Ferndale, CA - http://www.knowlesville.com/matt/motorcycles '99 Sprint ST - for going fast and far (2CZUSA) '01 KLR650 (A15) - for exploring the North Coast backroads '97 KLX300 & '01 Lakota - for playing in the dirt '79 KZ400 - just because it was the first vehicle I ever owned

[Guest]

It's been my experience around Chicago that HD riders as a whole don't mix with other riders, don't respond to other riders, though a small fraction will. It's the image and brand identity HD is identified with - biker gangs (fairly big around Chicago actually) or the mid-life crisis "I got money so look what I can ride" crowd. Part of it is also marketing. You don't see Harley shops carry other brand motorcycles except maybe Indian or Vulcan, whereas the typical Japanese cycle store will carry multiple brands and you get to meet other owners and discuss brand variations. Actually, I find more people react to the appearance of the KLR, as dual-sports are not the typical urban area motorcycle. It has an unusual appearance compared to the most crotch rockets and boulevard cruiser models. And draws a lot of interest even from the Goldwing crowd who are almost as chauvinistic about their rides as the HD crowd. --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Peplinski" wrote:

> > Here's how a typical ride in my little town goes. KLR rider goes

happily

> down the road, sees another bike and waves; no wave back from the

rider-a

> Harley. Next bike, KLRista waves enthusiastically-is ignored, again a > Harley. Next up, a big guy who is preoccupied with shifting. KLRista

waves

> anyway and biker removes hand from clutch grip to wave-a Goldwing. Next > rider-again no wave from this Harley rider. Is there a pattern here

or are

> Goldwing riders just different? Of course the HD riders have an

excuse, like

> they are hanging on too tight for fear of losing their grip, or they

are not

> only deafened but somewhat blinded by their bikes noise and bright

chrome or

> maybe they're just dicks but nah, that couldn't have anything to do

with it.

> > > >From: "JRC" > >To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > >Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: NKLR: harleys for sale > >Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2006 01:41:51 -0000 > > > >Actually, I know a few Harley oweners, and, by and large, they are no > >different than anyone esle on a bike that I have met. They tend to > >dress differently than dual sport people, but they still like bikes. > >Last summer, I was at a local get together and was the only KLR person > >there. I sat with a group of Big Dog chopper owners. I will admit it > >was like trying to converse with someone who doesn't speak your > >language, but they were nice people once you got to know them, even if > >they ride bikes that I wouldn't be interested in. > > > > > >Jim C. > > > >LC1500 > >A13 > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Archive Quicksearch at: > >http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html > >List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > >List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > >Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 > >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

[Ronald Criswell]

You know I really like motorcycles ....... all motorcycles ............ even the ridiculous ones Jesse James makes or Indian Larry made. I haven't been real crazy about Arlen Ness creations lately but hey they are 2 wheels. I don't particularly like the pompous attitude some riders get when they are on a particular brand (especially when they may have been riding only one or two years or if they seem to outspend any of the rest of us). And I really liked the chopper Fonda rode in Easy Rider (as far as looks goes .......... but I wouldn't want to ride it cross country). The KLR is such a homely beast no one seems to notice what a great bike it is. it will take you almost anywhere cheaply, safely and quickly enough. Doesn't have the charisma of a Harley, an old Triumph/ BSA/ Norton/ or Matchless. And it is not a $15,000 BMW. It doesn't pretend to be. It certainly doesn't represent the high tech Japanese bikes. But ... it is what one of the bike mags called a quiet classic. I am just glad Kawasaki has decided to keep it as it is. Homely, simple and cheap. I don't want a $15,000 high tech KLR. Criswell

On Jun 20, 2006, at 1:36 PM, notanymoore wrote: > It's been my experience around Chicago that HD riders as a whole don't > mix with other riders, don't respond to other riders, though a small > fraction will. It's the image and brand identity HD is identified > with - biker gangs (fairly big around Chicago actually) or the > mid-life crisis "I got money so look what I can ride" crowd. > > Part of it is also marketing. You don't see Harley shops carry other > brand motorcycles except maybe Indian or Vulcan, whereas the typical > Japanese cycle store will carry multiple brands and you get to meet > other owners and discuss brand variations. > > Actually, I find more people react to the appearance of the KLR, as > dual-sports are not the typical urban area motorcycle. It has an > unusual appearance compared to the most crotch rockets and boulevard > cruiser models. And draws a lot of interest even from the Goldwing > crowd who are almost as chauvinistic about their rides as the HD > crowd. > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Peplinski" > wrote: > > > > Here's how a typical ride in my little town goes. KLR rider goes > happily > > down the road, sees another bike and waves; no wave back from the > rider-a > > Harley. Next bike, KLRista waves enthusiastically-is ignored, > again a > > Harley. Next up, a big guy who is preoccupied with shifting. KLRista > waves > > anyway and biker removes hand from clutch grip to wave-a > Goldwing. Next > > rider-again no wave from this Harley rider. Is there a pattern here > or are > > Goldwing riders just different? Of course the HD riders have an > excuse, like > > they are hanging on too tight for fear of losing their grip, or they > are not > > only deafened but somewhat blinded by their bikes noise and bright > chrome or > > maybe they're just dicks but nah, that couldn't have anything to do > with it. > > > > > > >From: "JRC" > > >To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > > >Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: NKLR: harleys for sale > > >Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2006 01:41:51 -0000 > > > > > >Actually, I know a few Harley oweners, and, by and large, they > are no > > >different than anyone esle on a bike that I have met. They tend to > > >dress differently than dual sport people, but they still like > bikes. > > >Last summer, I was at a local get together and was the only KLR > person > > >there. I sat with a group of Big Dog chopper owners. I will > admit it > > >was like trying to converse with someone who doesn't speak your > > >language, but they were nice people once you got to know them, > even if > > >they ride bikes that I wouldn't be interested in. > > > > > > > > >Jim C. > > > > > >LC1500 > > >A13 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Archive Quicksearch at: > > >http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html > > >List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > > >List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > > >Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 > > >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Blake Sobiloff]

On 6/20/06, Matt Knowles wrote:

> Want to chime in with your Harley wave story?

I was on my way up to Matt's for the Memorial Day weekend to do some wrenching and riding. Along the way, as I usually do, I wave to oncoming motorcyclists. Towards the end of the trip up I saw a Harley coming my way. A solo rider, decked out in black leather and a black beanie helmet. I shoot him a wave, and he immediately turns his head towards me (totally ignoring the road ahead), sticks out his tongue and flips me the bird until we pass each other! Now, he may have been a closet member of the ADVrider group and was just giving me an insider's wave, but somehow I doubt it. I can't say as I've ever received such courteous attention from another rider before, but somehow the source doesn't surprise me. -- Blake Sobiloff http://sobiloff.typepad.com/> San Jose, CA (USA)

[Don S]

Do you know why Harley ridiers can't ride more than one hour at a day? They spend the other 23 hours primping and preening, putting on their gay little fingerless gloves, beanie soup bowl helmet and frilly little fringes. It takes a lot of time to puff up the image. A woman going out on the town has nothing on the Harley guys. I have/had two harley clowns that live across the street from me. One of them has a bike that won't idle without him standing near the throttle to keep it from stalling. And ... it's a newer bike. Just as well, the greaseball is constantly looking at himself in the mirror putting on his regalia. What a flake. The other joker is brand new to the game. He's probably in his late forties and I think he may have just gotten his bike license. Anyway, he gets a brand new Harley. Not sure what model but it had the ape hanger handle bars, extended forks, lots of chrome and tinsel - the usual Harley crap. I suspect that he didn't have motorcycle certification for the first couple of weeks because he'd never take it out on the street. He'd sit on it for ten to fifteen minutes every odd day and rev the engine pretending he was riding I guess. I only saw the monkey ride it once. It must have been his first ride. He was pretty wobbly and I haven't seen him on the bike since then. That was a couple of weeks ago. As a matter of fact, I haven't seen hide nor hair of the bike for a few weeks now. Instead, he has a brand new fake Hummer, either an H2 or H3 in the yard. I guess he was desperate for the harley image but didn't have the balls to ride a bike and had to settle for the fake Hummer look. So obviously pathetic. What a shallow existence. When I see self indulgent, egotistical fools like that, it gives me greater appreciation for normal folk. Don Ronald Criswell wrote: You know I really like motorcycles ....... all motorcycles ............ even the ridiculous ones Jesse James makes or Indian Larry made. I haven't been real crazy about Arlen Ness creations lately but hey they are 2 wheels. I don't particularly like the pompous attitude some riders get when they are on a particular brand (especially when they may have been riding only one or two years or if they seem to outspend any of the rest of us). And I really liked the chopper Fonda rode in Easy Rider (as far as looks goes .......... but I wouldn't want to ride it cross country). The KLR is such a homely beast no one seems to notice what a great bike it is. it will take you almost anywhere cheaply, safely and quickly enough. Doesn't have the charisma of a Harley, an old Triumph/ BSA/ Norton/ or Matchless. And it is not a $15,000 BMW. It doesn't pretend to be. It certainly doesn't represent the high tech Japanese bikes. But ... it is what one of the bike mags called a quiet classic. I am just glad Kawasaki has decided to keep it as it is. Homely, simple and cheap. I don't want a $15,000 high tech KLR. Criswell

On Jun 20, 2006, at 1:36 PM, notanymoore wrote: > It's been my experience around Chicago that HD riders as a whole don't > mix with other riders, don't respond to other riders, though a small > fraction will. It's the image and brand identity HD is identified > with - biker gangs (fairly big around Chicago actually) or the > mid-life crisis "I got money so look what I can ride" crowd. > > Part of it is also marketing. You don't see Harley shops carry other > brand motorcycles except maybe Indian or Vulcan, whereas the typical > Japanese cycle store will carry multiple brands and you get to meet > other owners and discuss brand variations. > > Actually, I find more people react to the appearance of the KLR, as > dual-sports are not the typical urban area motorcycle. It has an > unusual appearance compared to the most crotch rockets and boulevard > cruiser models. And draws a lot of interest even from the Goldwing > crowd who are almost as chauvinistic about their rides as the HD > crowd. > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Peplinski" > wrote: > > > > Here's how a typical ride in my little town goes. KLR rider goes > happily > > down the road, sees another bike and waves; no wave back from the > rider-a > > Harley. Next bike, KLRista waves enthusiastically-is ignored, > again a > > Harley. Next up, a big guy who is preoccupied with shifting. KLRista > waves > > anyway and biker removes hand from clutch grip to wave-a > Goldwing. Next > > rider-again no wave from this Harley rider. Is there a pattern here > or are > > Goldwing riders just different? Of course the HD riders have an > excuse, like > > they are hanging on too tight for fear of losing their grip, or they > are not > > only deafened but somewhat blinded by their bikes noise and bright > chrome or > > maybe they're just dicks but nah, that couldn't have anything to do > with it. > > > > > > >From: "JRC" > > >To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > > >Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: NKLR: harleys for sale > > >Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2006 01:41:51 -0000 > > > > > >Actually, I know a few Harley oweners, and, by and large, they > are no > > >different than anyone esle on a bike that I have met. They tend to > > >dress differently than dual sport people, but they still like > bikes. > > >Last summer, I was at a local get together and was the only KLR > person > > >there. I sat with a group of Big Dog chopper owners. I will > admit it > > >was like trying to converse with someone who doesn't speak your > > >language, but they were nice people once you got to know them, > even if > > >they ride bikes that I wouldn't be interested in. > > > > > > > > >Jim C. > > > > > >LC1500 > > >A13 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Archive Quicksearch at: > > >http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html > > >List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > > >List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > > >Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 > > >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Don S]

Should have hung out one of your boots under his tongue to give him a chance to lick it. Maybe that's all he wanted was to lick your boots. Just didn't know how to communicate it. On the other hand, he may have been feeling particularly arrogant because his piece of shti was actually running. Forgive them. They know not what they do. Don Blake Sobiloff wrote:

On 6/20/06, Matt Knowles wrote: > Want to chime in with your Harley wave story? I was on my way up to Matt's for the Memorial Day weekend to do some wrenching and riding. Along the way, as I usually do, I wave to oncoming motorcyclists. Towards the end of the trip up I saw a Harley coming my way. A solo rider, decked out in black leather and a black beanie helmet. I shoot him a wave, and he immediately turns his head towards me (totally ignoring the road ahead), sticks out his tongue and flips me the bird until we pass each other! Now, he may have been a closet member of the ADVrider group and was just giving me an insider's wave, but somehow I doubt it. I can't say as I've ever received such courteous attention from another rider before, but somehow the source doesn't surprise me. -- Blake Sobiloff http://sobiloff.typepad.com/> San Jose, CA (USA) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Bruce R. Porter]

I thought this was a KLR forum, what's with all the "everyone who doesn't own the same bike as me is an idiot" bashing. As one who has owned a few different brands of bike over the 35+ years I've ridden I've always tried to wave to ALL other riders. Some wave back, some don't. I don't have enough years left to waste time creating the stereotypes some of you seem to need to fabricate as to why they did or didn't wave. Some of you need to read what you're writing, it would be hard to find any more closed minded comments than some of what's on here. Bruce

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Don S wrote: > > Should have hung out one of your boots under his tongue to give him a chance to lick it. Maybe that's all he wanted was to lick your boots. Just didn't know how to communicate it. On the other hand, he may have been feeling particularly arrogant because his piece of shti was actually running. > > Forgive them. They know not what they do. > > Don > > > > Blake Sobiloff wrote: > On 6/20/06, Matt Knowles wrote: > > Want to chime in with your Harley wave story? > > I was on my way up to Matt's for the Memorial Day weekend to do some > wrenching and riding. Along the way, as I usually do, I wave to > oncoming motorcyclists. Towards the end of the trip up I saw a Harley > coming my way. A solo rider, decked out in black leather and a black > beanie helmet. I shoot him a wave, and he immediately turns his head > towards me (totally ignoring the road ahead), sticks out his tongue > and flips me the bird until we pass each other! > > Now, he may have been a closet member of the ADVrider group and was > just giving me an insider's wave, but somehow I doubt it. > > I can't say as I've ever received such courteous attention from > another rider before, but somehow the source doesn't surprise me. > -- > Blake Sobiloff > http://sobiloff.typepad.com/> > San Jose, CA (USA) > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

[Mike Peplinski]

I've not seen that among Wing riders but I'll believe you. As far as the mixed brands in the dealership, thats HD marketing. Back when they went away from AMF part of their identity was to set the image for their dealers by giving them an ultimatum; build a showroom to company specs or lose the line. Some of the dealerships were little more than greasy garages with one or two new bikes. For the most part that meant getting rid of all the other brands. Now you see every HD dealership is a grand icon to the mark. Local (Milwaukee) dealerships have dropped the Buell line because it wasn't generating the revenue they needed to keep up the payments on the building. They filled the floor space with more $30000 cruiser/barges. BMW must have done the same thing because 2 major dealers in Wisconsin built a new building for their beemers. At one dealership, one building houses Honda, Kawasaki, and Triumph and the other just BMW. Do you think there is a fat margin on the beemers? How about HD's? REgarding the wave thing. I like to wave. It makes me feel good but its getting to be that the warm fuzzy doesn't make up for the hot flair I get at the stuck up riders who don't wave.

>From: "notanymoore" >To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com >Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: NKLR: harley fon't have to wave >Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2006 18:36:15 -0000 > >It's been my experience around Chicago that HD riders as a whole don't >mix with other riders, don't respond to other riders, though a small >fraction will. It's the image and brand identity HD is identified >with - biker gangs (fairly big around Chicago actually) or the >mid-life crisis "I got money so look what I can ride" crowd. > >Part of it is also marketing. You don't see Harley shops carry other >brand motorcycles except maybe Indian or Vulcan, whereas the typical >Japanese cycle store will carry multiple brands and you get to meet >other owners and discuss brand variations. > >Actually, I find more people react to the appearance of the KLR, as >dual-sports are not the typical urban area motorcycle. It has an >unusual appearance compared to the most crotch rockets and boulevard >cruiser models. And draws a lot of interest even from the Goldwing >crowd who are almost as chauvinistic about their rides as the HD crowd. > > > >--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Peplinski" >wrote: > > > > Here's how a typical ride in my little town goes. KLR rider goes >happily > > down the road, sees another bike and waves; no wave back from the >rider-a > > Harley. Next bike, KLRista waves enthusiastically-is ignored, again a > > Harley. Next up, a big guy who is preoccupied with shifting. KLRista >waves > > anyway and biker removes hand from clutch grip to wave-a Goldwing. Next > > rider-again no wave from this Harley rider. Is there a pattern here >or are > > Goldwing riders just different? Of course the HD riders have an >excuse, like > > they are hanging on too tight for fear of losing their grip, or they >are not > > only deafened but somewhat blinded by their bikes noise and bright >chrome or > > maybe they're just dicks but nah, that couldn't have anything to do >with it. > > > > > > >From: "JRC" > > >To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com > > >Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: NKLR: harleys for sale > > >Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2006 01:41:51 -0000 > > > > > >Actually, I know a few Harley oweners, and, by and large, they are no > > >different than anyone esle on a bike that I have met. They tend to > > >dress differently than dual sport people, but they still like bikes. > > >Last summer, I was at a local get together and was the only KLR person > > >there. I sat with a group of Big Dog chopper owners. I will admit it > > >was like trying to converse with someone who doesn't speak your > > >language, but they were nice people once you got to know them, even if > > >they ride bikes that I wouldn't be interested in. > > > > > > > > >Jim C. > > > > > >LC1500 > > >A13 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Archive Quicksearch at: > > >http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html > > >List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > > >List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > > >Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 > > >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Archive Quicksearch at: >http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html >List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com >List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html >Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > >

[Jim Maxwell]

As I was riding around this past motorcycle week I noticed that Harley riders don't wave to anybody. They don't discriminate against the KLR in specific. I only wave to dual sports. Not as much rejection that way. Jim in NH