Had a motorcycling first today

[Enemy Zero]

So I'm going on 20 years of riding. Coming home down a 4 lane road and its pretty much just me. All of a sudden, I see three bikes coming my way. Look like Harleys. I figure I'd throw out the wave. First one ignores me, second one ignores me but the third one raises his hand and throws me the middle finger. I've thrown out a wave and been ignored plenty of times but that was definitely a first for me.

I didn't know what to think of this. I didn't know if I should turn around and go find out what his problem was or to just think to myself "wow, everyone just hates Buells" (I catch a lot of hate on a daily basis for my bike around this way).

don't mean to start another wave thread but it just caught me by surprise today. Anyone else ever get a response like that before over a simple wave?

[DualSportDad]

why are you catching hate? i get compliments all the time when i'm on my bike.

[williegoat]

He probably caught his old lady with a Buell rider last night.
:D

[Enemy Zero]

He probably caught his old lady with a Buell rider last night.
[up]


why are you catching hate? i get compliments all the time when i'm on my bike.

I just feel like I constantly have to defend this bike and the buell line. Lots of people make comments about the awful useless HD motor and the stupid fuel in frame ideas and that front brake. I always hear people bashing it around here even though they've never actually tried it. This is a gixxer town to the core. I even catch crap from friends telling me to sell it because I have to do work on it here and there. The previous owner messed some stuff up and I've been in the process of correcting it but because of this, they deem the bike unreliable and not worth the time.

I personally love this bike and want to own it forever. I even want to add an xt to the stable. Just lots of people that don't get it and like to bash it because its not a Japanese/exotic Italian sportbike.

[go cytocis]

Yea, I've been riding for a couple of decades too. I'm not an avid waver myself (although I'll acknowledge another rider out in the middle of nowhere in inclement weather), but I've definitely noticed much less comradery, indeed more hostility, than there used to be.Â*

Just this past season, I've been screamed at by some douche on a 'Busa, side-buzzed by a squid on a Gixer, and passed in my own lane by a gaggle of Harleys. I can assure you I initiated none of these incidents, nor have I seen anything else like them in my previous 19 years riding.Â*

The sport has exploded in popularity in recent years and that's bound to have attracted a few dickheads.

[rrbuell]

More than a few. But yes any boom will attract them. Thankfully for us we have a reliable motorcycle that demand attention. Jealousy is a bitch

[John422]

I got ignored on my harley today. I think people have just become more and more dicks lately

[Enemy Zero]

I've been ignored thousands of times, never really bothered me. Just made me think they were inconsiderate or not paying attention. It was more just the guy throwing up the middle finger at me for no reason at all. I wonder if he told his friends all about how he "showed that guy on the Jap bike what 'Merica is all about!"

[John422]

Haha bet he did do that. (That's were the keda comes in handy give a little throttle and you'll have them turning around!) and in my defense it was on a straight way so your like aw what come on I know you had time.

[BuellsRuell]

(I catch a lot of hate on a daily basis for my bike around this way).

Where are you located?

I will be sure to stay away from there...:o

[Enemy Zero]

Vegas. I highly recommend staying away from here.

[2004xb12s]

In Pittsburgh when im out on the Buell people treat it like a rare gem. Questions everywhere i go. My buddy met up the other night and parked his bmws1000r next to my xbs with the translucent plastics and his bike didnt get more than a glance. You would have thought I was on 60 minutes with the round of questioning i got. :D

[wolfo68]

Vegas. I highly recommend staying away from here.

Not a chance in hell I'm staying away from Vegas.

[djs2k2]

The guy with the middle finger was flipping the car off behind you. Everyone else that you thought was ignoring you just couldnt see you because of your awesome quick bike, they heard you a few seconds later after you passed though!:D

[pur pony]

I was raised to wave and wave to every bike i pass... i probably get a return wave maybe 3 out of 10
Never been flipped of though. I just think there are alot more a-holes out riding and if got the middle finger, i wouldnt give a crap really. If someone doesnt like my bike, who cares... I LOVE my bike and thats all that matters. Most people who hate and rag on buells have NEVER RIDDEN ONE and just dont get it....its just like the jeep guys say, its a "BUELL" thing... you wouldnt understand.

[FlaXB9R]

I bet he just felt like being an ass and laughed his ass off after doing it. I think its pretty damn funny myself. I doubt it had anything to do with it being a Buell probably thought you were a riceburner. Also was probably just try to get a laugh.


It reminds me of an incident that happened to an old co-worker that was a Honda car guy. He was in his Honda and some young kid gave him the thumbs up and when he knew he had his attention flipped it upside down. I personally thought it was hilarious but he didn't see the amusement in it [confused]

Guess I'm just an asshole though :D

[Fatty SS]

I'd gaurantee it wasn't a Buell thing. He probably thought he was flipping off a Japanese sport bike.

I can't help but think that debacle in New York has given a holes a new reason to hate sport bike riders. I had a guy at work last week saw my xb on the desktop background and asked if I rode with groups like "those ****wads from New York".

[go cytocis]

On a recent trip to Maui, I rented an old Jeep TJ. In just 2 weeks, I was amazed at the number of waves, smiles, nods & conversations it drew from other Jeep owners. It reminded me of how motorcycling used to be...

[raven]

I wave to everyone, if they wave back fine,if they don't. so what thats on them.If you want to make someone's day wave to a kid on a scooter.The funniest one was last year,out for a ride in the country and came to a intersection were I was turning, five or six wannabe outlaws were parked in a empty lot.The Drummer got looking as I rolled up.One guy gives me a half nod,one gives me the finger,the others just pretend I'am not there and all the girls are waving, so I just had to wave back.

[Fatty SS]

Gotta love it when a dude is scowling at you and his girl gives you a wink. ;)

My wife and I have been making fun of the Harley Scowl recently. People used to look like they enjoyed riding their bikes, but now ever leather best wearing douche on the road is scowling behind his handlebars. It's gotten so bad, I saw an ad for the new Indians recently, every man in the ad was scowling, every woman was smiling. It's gotten comical.

[Enemy Zero]

Yeah. I had a 2005 LJ for a few years. Jeep people are pretty kick ass as a group. Always felt that same kind of comradeship like motorcycles with them. Lots of waves and smiles. Especially when you take the top and doors off.

I had to sell it last year unfortunately due to the cost of gas and us having another baby but I will get into another one when the newest one gets a little older.

looking back on it all from my ride yesterday, the whole scenario was kind of funny. It just caught me by surprise.

[go cytocis]

I was raised to wave and wave to every bike i pass... i probably get a return wave maybe 3 out of 10 I was also taught to wave, and for many years, I did so religiously. I love everything on 2-wheels, and I'll pull over to help any other biker in trouble, but I stopped habitual waving for several reasons:
- There are now simply too many bikes on the road to wave at all of them
- The sense of novelty seeing another bike on the road has been lost
- As my skills have developed over the years, I'm a more technical & focussed rider than I used to be. My hands & attention frankly have better things to do than wave.

Having said that, I'd never give an unprovoked finger to another biker either![confused]

[squidbuellie]

It's funny...I don't wave to anybody unless I know them......I always thought of it as the new model car syndrome..... But I've been called a ass too.

http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/8854_20131101181022_L.jpg

And maybe he was mad that you broke his weekend warrior, biker concentration. It's hard for some guys to turn.

[XLXB]

I also wave at everyone on a bike, but usually I only get waves back from metric cruisers or conventional bikes. It seems the sportbike riders and Harly riders have no idea what a Buell is. I have noticed that Harley do wave if they are sitting still and can hear the exhaust note. They just give me a stupid look like umm... That sounds familiar, but it doesn't like like a Harley???
:D

Some of the other families are good, jeep, hummers, convertibles, sport-bikes, Harley's, etc...:) But the Buell family is the best. The other day I was riding down the road and there was a long line of traffic that I couldn't get around. About half way up there was a truck with a Buell Racing decal in the back window. I looked a couple of times and then he spotted me, he rolled down his threw his hand in the air and waved me around. As I come around he slowed so I could get in, and of course waved with a big :D . Then I was able to get past the traffic and enjoy the rest of my ride. That was a real eye opener for me of how good the Buell family is along with this site of course.

[thrstrmech]

Jealousy is a bitch

^^^this

moved from SoCal to AZ over the summer and it's dominated by HD followers, it's a mixed bag of reactions when other riders see that it's a Buell, heck, even the guys on the crotch rockets throw out a wave here and there too

Jealousy will get you nowhere:D

[bwylie_99]

Everywhere I go on the vrod everyone waves back, the xb 50ish percent, the cr very rarely

[dsmbill]

i always wave no matter what. there is no reason for someone to flip you the bird. but it is just a lack of common courtesy as well. I drive tractor trailer and common courtesy is dead there to. barely any drivers flash there lights when it is clear to come over or return a flush of there 4 ways or marker lights to say thanks if u flash ur lights.

[Crimson04]

The adv riders/ all weather riders always seem to be happy and acknowledge all riders. What is obvious is that on sunny summer days the Harley (not all) posers are in full force with the bananas and **** crap attitude. I don't get what they are so mad about, local bar run out of beer?
I love riding and I enjoy anything on 2 wheels. I would go way out of my way to help a fellow rider and I don't feel that way about many I see on the road.

It is possible the guy has been watching SOA too often and he had mistaken you for a Mayan member ?!:p

[MustangGuy]

A-holes! Riders are a bit more friendly here in this part of So Cal. Most everyone waves back at me when I'm riding the 'bolt. I know most of the time they have no idea what it is - LOL. If I'm on the Ninja, I always get waves from other sport bike riders and about 1/2 the time from the Harley dudes. I wave at everyone... I don't care. We're all living the two-wheel dream and dodging cagers!

[ROOK]

He probably thought he was flipping off a Japanese sport bike.

I've gotten a few "F You" smirks and then just before they pass a look down on the "Buell" on my tank. I'm thinking that my bike and SHOEI helmet make it seem like a little crotchrocket until they get closer...

[DrogeN Omen]

never wave to a cruiser rider. all Harley riders hate Buell's unless they actually own one.

all Ricer Burner Jap bike riders hate Buell's unless they own one.

really dont understand what their deal is.

i get sh*t for my bike all the time from the Jap guys, calling it a Tractor, Air compressor, oversized lawn mower...

even pics and specs i have posted for the EBR 1190 RX they said "once a Hardley always a Hardley" or "a tractor by any other name is still a tractor"...

lol