DLFox
Administrator
Joined: 23 Sep 2002
Posts: 5537
Location: VA, Alexandria
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 Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2005 3:32 pm Post subject: Quiggenbottom: Harley Haters |
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Here's an essay Quigg sent along on August 22. As you'll see when you read on, the Quggenbottom wit shines through once again!
DLF
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Harley Haters
Harley haters come in every shape, size, number of tattoos, and degree of enthusiasm. I know a few that ride Harleys! True haters hate the machine, pure and simple. Maybe that’s because they’ve had a bad experience with one, or it could be they just don’t like its looks. Most haters though, came to be haters because of the attitude shown by a few Harley owners towards anyone riding a different brand, and they have decided to hate the machines along with their unpleasant owners.
This strong emotion toward a machine is a little bizarre, but it is understandable, since H-D seems to promote this elitist attitude among their patrons and sales people. They call it marketing. It may be that the other manufacturers are happy about this marketing strategy, because it keeps their customers at home.
I believe this nasty attitude toward other brands is simply a manifestation of a weak and fevered mind and is a misery affecting only a small portion of the Harley riding community. Perhaps it started out broadly as a “Buy American” campaign when the Japanese invasion began, and I’ll admit I was part of that. It seemed right at the time. Today, though, it’s impossible to “buy American,” so that excuse doesn’t work anymore. Yet the attitude lingers even though a good percentage of present day Harley owners started out on Hondas!
I call this attitude “Harleyism.” It has all the earmarks of religious fanaticism. Once a rider is converted to Harleyism, he becomes a missionary with a duty to convert all other riders to the Harley religion and is not above using verbal terrorist tactics to achieve his ends. They become Radical Harley Fundamentalist Missionaries. Overzealous missionary types represent some fraction of every society, and we just have to suffer their existence.
For want of a better description, they are the asshole of the body human. This fringe element continually stirs up fecal matter that leaves its stench on their innocent, more rational of our brothers and sisters. If you wanted to give the human race an enema, these people represent where you would put the thing.
H-D builds a wonderful, dependable, and beautiful motorcycle. Today’s Harley is a match for any bike on the road. Pricey? Maybe, and it may be hard to justify the extra cost when there are better deals in the metric shop. But if you like the look, feel, and sound of a Harley, there is no other alternative than to dig deeper into the kids’ college fund. How much of that price is image? I don’t know. But until buyers start buying a bike because it’s what they want to ride and not because they want to become part of some exclusive club, I suppose the price will reflect that attitude.
To those haters who have never owned or ridden a Harley, let me say this: Don’t let that small element of mental midgets on motorcycles deny you the chance to see and feel for yourself what all the talk is about. Forget about the Harley image. Forget about the exclusiveness of owning a Harley and the joining of the “Harley religion.” Harley lovers have good reason to love their ride. Just ride the bike, and then decide whether you love it or hate it. If you need to, you can still hate the assholes that have bought into the “attitude” thing. They are the same everywhere, whether they ride American iron or a rice burner, and they deserve to be shunned. They are assholes on Harleys not Harley assholes.
I once said that there was something about the Volusia that attracted nice people. Based on what I know of this group and the old VOL, I believe this to be true. Of the riders I’ve met and associated with in my long years, I can honestly say the same thing about Harley motorcycles. I think I can safely say that about bikes in general -- as far as my experience goes, that is. You meet the nicest people on a motorcycle, any motorcycle, and I’ve never met a bike I didn’t like.
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Resident curmudgeon |
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