The biggest mistake Harley ever made.....

[ReconLdr]

I finally got out for a good long ride today. It was great to put 100miles on my bike.... On the way home, I decided to stop at the local Cycle Gear store and look at some bluetooth helmets. While I was talking to the salesman, I noticed 3 guys pull up on Harleys (2 Sportsters and a Fat Boy) and they were hanging around my bike after getting off theirs. I finished up my business inside and made my way to the lot and I heard:

HD Guy1 - ...I can't believe they ever..

HD Guy2 - It was the worst mistake they ever made

Me - Mistake, are you freaking kidding me??? Just because you guys don't like these bikes, doesn't mean they are a fucking mistake. For not liking my bike, you guys sure spent an awful long time staring at it...

HD Guy3 - Whoa, dude chill out...

Me - You chill out... I don't understand why people talk shit on other bikes.

HD Guy1 - We weren't trashing your bike...

Me - I heard you say "I can't believe they ever..." and him say "...biggest mistake..."

HD Guy3 - you must not have heard the whole conversation. They were ADMIRING your bike and commenting on how sad it was they closed Buell... Hell, I started out on Blast 2 years ago.

Me - My bad... I guess I'm so used to Harley guys trashing my bike I assumed...

HD Guy2 - I guess it's partially true what they say, when you "ASSUME" You just made an ASS out of yourself...

Me - I guess so... You guys have a nice day...

 

[mjp5318]

first I was like [mad] then towards the middle I was then at the end I was [smirk] [up][cool]

 

[Junkbone]

Good one! I ride with a bunch of 'bagger" types. They all have Ultra classics, super glides,etc. Most of em have a small fortune in accesories and chrome. $4o,ooo dollar bikes some of em, What I love is at every stop they all come and hang out around my bike and talk Buell. We'll be standing there and someone will walk up (right past the 15-20 Harley's) and start Gawkin at my Buell! Not bad for a fraction of the cost and the black sheep.

 

[GOduc]

ive dealt with hd poeple who dawg on them all day long, but then again, a handful of my dads friends in his harley owners group also have buells to go with their cruisers, ive talked to people from both sides, either love em or hate em

 

[Oakes_86]

Most of my friends ride Harley's, which I have a softail as well. But anytime I've had my lightning at a bike night I've had die hard lookin harley guys come up and ask about it and compliment the bike and the sound of it (d n d ) that's cool tho that those guys you talked to feel the same way we all do.

 

[gtp3800]

its funny I noticed that when I come across a group of Harley riders they give me bad looks and talk behind my back. But when its only 1 or 2 Harley guys they admire it and talk to me about it. I think the hate towards buells is just a negative group mentality. They need to seem tough in their buddies eyes.

 

[vaxb12r]

I was at a gas station one time and a guy on a sportster pulled up to the pump next to mine got off his bike and yelled "get that jap shit away from my harley!" I just pointed to the american sportbike tag on the airbox and said "you don't recognize that twin? Must be a weekend warrior."

 

[squidbuellie]

Guess what your a ja--a-s.... I have never had anyone bad mouth my Buell except friends bad mouthing it out of envy.
I've been on toy runs...club events sh-t even h.o.g events. The only comment that some people have said that is not even really negative but is that the bike is small.
Now I ride a "S" so most people don't see the association with a Japanese sport bike.

 

[neomac3444]

Recon I think thats put foot in mouth isnt it?

I have had people bash and love my bike.

 

[Lesley]

In my experiences on the Buell I have found that the sportbike group are far worse around here in Tulsa about bashing Buells. For the most part HD/Crusier guys usually stick to the themselves and never say much at all. The local sportbike group has never relented in my 6 years of owning a Buell from bashing these bikes. Never in my life have I met such immature pompous spoiled little kids. And forget about the fact they all ride like their on a track somewhere.
About 1 month into owning this Buell I relaized I just needed to ride and not worry about what others are saying or doing. I ride solo. Besides isn't thats what its about anyway? [up]

 

[Junkbone]

[up] got that right! Same here in Knoxvegas. You can spend an hour talking about all the cool engineering on our bikes and all they can say is "Uhh,cool. Mine redlines at 13g ... I'm polishing my frame."

 

[ct1200]

It normally takes a mature mc enthusiast to appreciate a Buell and what it has to offer.
There are alot of people that bought a bike just to keep up with someone else and really have no idea what they are actually riding or even why, they just bought it to keep up with the Joneses.

 

[motomind]

I had my X1 parked in front of my house on the street. when I walked outside one of the landscaping guys had turned on the water sprinklers and my bike was getting soaked. I chalked it up to stupidity, walked over to move it. The fat f@#k then comments "I figured if I watered it, it would grow into a Harley.I gained composure walked over to his truck and fired him. Cant wait to run into him and his friends at the rock shop. oh well good luck catching me.

 

[aaronbuell]

I gained composure walked over to his truck and fired him. Cant wait to run into him and his friends at the rock shop. oh well good luck catching me.

[up]

 

[vtech007]

In your story, when you first started it, I thought you were going tell how they were saying that HD getting rid of Buell was the biggest mistake they ever made.

My take is that HD decided that what they are about is not research, developement, high technology and innovation. They are about tradition, convention and ritual and preserving the old technology - the whole "biker" deal. Which if that's the mold you want to fit into and your gig, go for it.

 

[CBi]

I've seen/heard a lot of shit like above in the years of owning my XB.

Typical sport bike riders, I can understand why they don't like our bikes, I get it. But more than anything, I think it's embarrassing as hell for a "H-D" rider to not know anything about Buells in general.

I secretly look forward to the day when I can pwn some typical RUB, when he talks trash about my "jap" bike and I can kindly show him the H-D logos on the cylinder jugs.

Hey I'm grabbing a beer. You want one to wash down that crow you're eating?

 

[vtech007]

In your story, when you first started it, I thought you were going tell how they were saying that HD getting rid of Buell was the biggest mistake they ever made.

My take is that HD decided that what they are about is not research, developement, high technology and innovation. They are about tradition, convention and ritual and preserving the old technology - the whole "biker" deal. Which if that's the mold you want to fit into and your gig, go for it.

I have owned a lot of different styles of bike in my nearly four decades of riding. My favorite is sport bikes. I love motorcycle racing of every kind. I started off in the dirt, so motocross naturally. MotoGP. LOVE! drag racing. So love sport bikes. And I love EVERYTHING about Buell. Their character. The life work of the man. Admired Buells ever since they first came out and always wanted one. Finally made that happen 6 months ago. I am a Bueller for life.

 

[Mike88Recovery]

I had a similar experience when I was out cruising around town. I was doing about 40 when a random R6 blew by me doing around 70, all I could think was "what an asshole" then he slowed down next to me, and after checkin out my bike gave me a thumbs up and sped off again. It feels good to own a buell [up]

 

[CrazyTexan]

Its a great feeling to walk in both worlds. i pulled up to my friend on his CBR1000 at a gas station, the clerk and the dude on the other side of the pump both walked over to see out bikes, he started his, it hummed like a cell phone on vibrate. I asked him if his was even turned on, then fired mine up and under the gas station cover caught the perfect echo (running a drummer). It was game over on that show and tale contest for him.

 

[steedes]

Well said crazy texan! Great to walk in both worlds. Most of my buds are on big twins touring bikes - mainly HD, but I've got a few riding Jap sport bikes. I'll do evening afterwork rides with the sport bike guys and longer road trips with the touring guys - and all seem to get a kick out of my weird ass 1997 S1. Buelligan for life.