tweety has arrived...

[Matt Knowles]

On Jun 20, 2006, at 7:53 PM, Mike Peplinski wrote:

> 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.

BMW did indeed give a directive that their bikes had to have a separate showroom. Cal BMW/Triumph had to separate the bikes to comply. I understand that the Triumphs are sleeping better now that they don't have to stare at those ugly German broads. 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

[stevedyer]

Nearly all riders wave around here. Harley, rice rocket, metric cruiser, dual-sport, whatever. Maybe this is more of a result of geographic location than brand-snobbiness. I read with amusement many of you guys' rabid stereotyping of Harley owners. I am not anything like you describe. Love my '93 FXLR, a lean, low, lighweight 1340cc V-twin - a thoroughly enjoyable motorcycle that has given 20,000 miles of easy starting, solid reliability and low maintenance. It is tons of fun to ride and once you release your prejudices and let the motorcycle do its thing you begin to appreciate its particular cadence and the appeal starts to grow on you. It doesn't come quickly, but it comes, and it sticks. I don't wear black leather, bolt on unnecessary chrome, have tats, do the whips and chains thing, or even hang out with other Harley owners. None of the other Harley owners of my acquaintance do these things either. I even wear a silver full-face Shoei RF-900. After years of FJ1200s, GS1100s, VFR800s and similar bikes I've come to appreciate the ability of the Harley to make riding in the 35mph to 75mph range as much fun as the sportbikes and sport/tourers were in their realm - 75mph and up. The KLR does the same thing but lets you do it on a wider variety of surfaces and in some surprising places. I find interest in most all approaches to motorcycling. I am not a Harley apologist, and I have -no- illusion that my experiences will change anyone's mind regarding their assumptions about these bikes, but I can tell you that at least around here the poseurs are not the majority type of Harley owner. There are characteristics of the marque that many experienced motorcyclists have found attractive once they've been there, done that, on a wide variety of other bikes. Not sure I'd want one as my only bike forever, but in the right setting some of them are quite interesting machines. Steve, in Oklahoma where we wave not 'cause of the bike we're on, but 'cause we're friendly. A13 '93 FXLR

----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Maxwell" To: "Mike Peplinski" Cc: ; DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 20, 2006 7:24 PM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: NKLR: harley fon't have to wave > 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 > > > 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 > > > > > >

[dwdickersonjr]

Some Harley riders will wave back, and some won't. What the heck. Wave, and if the other folks don't, so what? You gave it your best. Don

[Gorm Larsen]

Very well put, Steve. Thank you. Here in Canada there seem to be a more general comraderie amongst riders and it is very seldom that a friendly wave is not returned, at least on the open road. That may be different when you are closer to larger metropolitan centers, but at least where I live and ride, most will return a wave. If they don't want to, it is their loss. I will have sent the greeting: "Hi buddy, I am out here enjoying it and I hope you are too." Well, maybe he is not! Gorm, BC, Canada stevedyer wrote: Nearly all riders wave around here. Harley, rice rocket, metric cruiser, dual-sport, whatever. Maybe this is more of a result of geographic location than brand-snobbiness. I read with amusement many of you guys' rabid stereotyping of Harley owners. I am not anything like you describe. Love my '93 FXLR, a lean, low, lighweight 1340cc V-twin - a thoroughly enjoyable motorcycle that has given 20,000 miles of easy starting, solid reliability and low maintenance. It is tons of fun to ride and once you release your prejudices and let the motorcycle do its thing you begin to appreciate its particular cadence and the appeal starts to grow on you. It doesn't come quickly, but it comes, and it sticks. I don't wear black leather, bolt on unnecessary chrome, have tats, do the whips and chains thing, or even hang out with other Harley owners. None of the other Harley owners of my acquaintance do these things either. I even wear a silver full-face Shoei RF-900. After years of FJ1200s, GS1100s, VFR800s and similar bikes I've come to appreciate the ability of the Harley to make riding in the 35mph to 75mph range as much fun as the sportbikes and sport/tourers were in their realm - 75mph and up. The KLR does the same thing but lets you do it on a wider variety of surfaces and in some surprising places. I find interest in most all approaches to motorcycling. I am not a Harley apologist, and I have -no- illusion that my experiences will change anyone's mind regarding their assumptions about these bikes, but I can tell you that at least around here the poseurs are not the majority type of Harley owner. There are characteristics of the marque that many experienced motorcyclists have found attractive once they've been there, done that, on a wide variety of other bikes. Not sure I'd want one as my only bike forever, but in the right setting some of them are quite interesting machines. Steve, in Oklahoma where we wave not 'cause of the bike we're on, but 'cause we're friendly. A13 '93 FXLR

----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Maxwell" To: "Mike Peplinski" Cc: ; DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 20, 2006 7:24 PM Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: NKLR: harley fon't have to wave > 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 > > > 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 > > > > > > --------------------------------- Talk is cheap. Use Yahoo! Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls. Great rates starting at 1 /min. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[JRC]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Bruce R. Porter" wrote:

> > 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.

Great comment, Bruce. As a person who has been riding for 33 years (you have me beat by a couple of years) I have noticed it's always the new riders who are more concerned with what others ride and whether they waved. They always seem to be able able to read the mind and discern the personality of others simply by what they ride and if they waved. Jim C. A13 '01 LC1500

[Ronald Criswell]

That is what I have found. Some will some won't. Frankly it is somewhat dangerous to wave sometimes (on a bumpy curve for instance or in a crowded traffic situation). Criswell

On Jun 20, 2006, at 11:51 PM, dwdickersonjr wrote: > Some Harley riders will wave back, and some won't. What the heck. > Wave, and if the other folks don't, so what? You gave it your best. > > Don > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Tengai Mark Van Horn]

At 9:17 AM -0700 6/21/06, Gorm Larsen wrote:

> Here in Canada there seem to be a more general comraderie amongst >riders and it is very seldom that a friendly wave is not returned, >at least on the open road. That may be different when you are closer >to larger metropolitan centers, but at least where I live and ride, >most will return a wave.

I just got back from Gaspesie and the Maritimes. During 13 days and 3,500 miles of travel, I saw 3 other KLRs, one Strom, a Tiger, two 1150GSs, a few Connies & Sts, a few dozen sport bikes, and the rest were fat cruisers and full dressers. On the open highway, it seemed all I saw were Harleys, especially in Quebec and only around 10% would wave. However, I met a Harley rider (who really puts on the miles) in New Brunswick at Dooley's (a chain of bars/billiard halls). He bought me a couple beers, and provided me with free tent space in his yard, a shower and breakfast. Metro folks didn't seem to care that I wasn't on a Harley. In the 45 minutes I spent at the pub & club row on Rue Laurier in downtown Quebec City from 2:30-3:15AM, my parked KLR and I were swarmed by curious college-age drunks. My, "Je ne parle pas Francais" helped to thin the crowd of those asking me questions. Mark

[Mike Peplinski]

And of course everyone is entitled to their opinion. Its just that those who don't agree with me are wrong. Have fun and ride.

>From: "dwdickersonjr" >To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com >Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Re: NKLR: harley fon't have to wave >Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2006 04:51:21 -0000 > >Some Harley riders will wave back, and some won't. What the heck. >Wave, and if the other folks don't, so what? You gave it your best. > >Don > > > > > > >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 > > > > > >

[James W. Flower]

Hello all- Pulled my KLR over on Highway 80 near Sacramento CA last week for a Harley rider standing forlornly next to his bike. His battery had blown up, blew the top right off and split the side. Bad voltage regulator maybe. Anyway, he was very friendly, appreciated my pulling over but he was local and a buddy was already on the way. I told him I was disappointed it wasn't a Harley battery, because I was hoping to tease him about how crappy Harley stuff is. He laughed like he meant it. I'd wave to him anytime. I wave to all two-wheelers, heck with 'em if they don't wave back. I admit the biggest group of non-wavers are on cruiser-looking bikes (I can't tell a Harley from a Road Star or Vulcan or Victory or whatever from the front while passing). If they ever turn around and chase me when I wave I'll consider quitting. Meanwhile, I have more fun waving than they have ignoring me. JW Flower

[Arden Kysely]

In my SoCal locale near a popular weekend biker hangout the Harley guys frequently return a wave when I'm on my KLR or DR-Z (especially if I have saddlebags on the bike), not so often on my VFR. BFD. As long as the riderhood sticks together enough to flash the 'slow down' sign for a cop ahead, I'm happy. A couple friends have Harley's, but also ride Suzuki's and Yamaha's, both street and dirt. Putting all Harley owners in the same group is like saying all KLR owners are whiners because they can't stand not being waved at. I'm wondering if all this recent Harley bashing isn't just a little insecurity on the part of some listers. Or have we just run out of things to talk about? __Arden

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "stevedyer" wrote: > > > Nearly all riders wave around here. Harley, rice rocket, metric cruiser, > dual-sport, whatever. Maybe this is more of a result of geographic > location than brand-snobbiness. > > I read with amusement many of you guys' rabid stereotyping of Harley owners. > I am not anything like you describe. Love my '93 FXLR, a lean, low, > lighweight 1340cc V-twin - a thoroughly enjoyable motorcycle that has given > 20,000 miles of easy starting, solid reliability and low maintenance. It > is tons of fun to ride and once you release your prejudices and let the > motorcycle do its thing you begin to appreciate its particular cadence and > the appeal starts to grow on you. It doesn't come quickly, but it comes, > and it sticks. I don't wear black leather, bolt on unnecessary chrome, > have tats, do the whips and chains thing, or even hang out with other Harley > owners. None of the other Harley owners of my acquaintance do these things > either. I even wear a silver full-face Shoei RF-900. After years of > FJ1200s, GS1100s, VFR800s and similar bikes I've come to appreciate the > ability of the Harley to make riding in the 35mph to 75mph range as much fun > as the sportbikes and sport/tourers were in their realm - 75mph and up. The > KLR does the same thing but lets you do it on a wider variety of surfaces > and in some surprising places. I find interest in most all approaches to > motorcycling. I am not a Harley apologist, and I have -no- illusion that my > experiences will change anyone's mind regarding their assumptions about > these bikes, but I can tell you that at least around here the poseurs are > not the majority type of Harley owner. There are characteristics of the > marque that many experienced motorcyclists have found attractive once > they've been there, done that, on a wide variety of other bikes. Not sure > I'd want one as my only bike forever, but in the right setting some of them > are quite interesting machines. > > Steve, in Oklahoma where we wave not 'cause of the bike we're on, but 'cause > we're friendly. > A13 > '93 FXLR > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jim Maxwell" > To: "Mike Peplinski" > Cc: ; DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Tuesday, June 20, 2006 7:24 PM > Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: NKLR: harley fon't have to wave > > > > 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 > > > > > > 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 > > > > > > > > > > > > >