I ride alone too. I bought my bike to commute to work and back, and that's about all I do with it. I might cruise around a little on the weekend every now and then. I don't care to go out and ride in a huge group of people I don't know. I have tattoos, but not because I have a motorcycle. I've only been back to the dealership twice, once to buy an accessory, where I walked in, got my thing and walked out. The second time I went was for its 1,000 mile service. I waited there for my bike to be done. There happened to be a BBQ that weekend, and I was uncomfortable around the huge group of people, although I did enjoy walking around and looking at everyone else's bikes. Independent is the way for me!

 

I am basically a new rider too. One thing I noticed about HD events is that everyone seems to have their own clique. Most of the time, I feel out of place because of this. It's like everyone knows someone, but me. I have been always active in the tuning scene (import cars) since my teen years (I am in my late 30s now) and have always been known as a social person. There are several lone wolves like me at certain meets and events, they are the ones who I get to do small talk with.

But since I am fairly new to the bike scene I take everything in stride for now.

 

The only time I really enjoyed being around a group of other riders was a few years ago when about 20 sportster guys and gals showed up at the Iron Horse Lodge for a weekend. Sportster guys ARE different, they are not your typical harley guy.

We took off in 2 different groups for riding. Would pull over occasionally to shoot the **** and smoke

 

I ride alone almost exclusively. I only have one buddy that rides and he works at the dealership so he works nights and weekends non stop. I think I'd be more well suited to the British ace cafe/triumph type moto scene, which from afar seems friendlier and more sophisticated. No tough guy bravado to have to maintain to fit in. But I'm a liberal punk rocker that got into bikes, not a lynard skynard lovin good ole boy that seems to make up the bulk of the Harley scene.

 

I've only ridden in a group once, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Imagined I was part of a motorcycle race the entire time. It was a ride around Austin, so it was a little twisty and hilly, which made it a blast. Some of the guys I rode with looked pretty intimidating, but we're super nice guys. We came from totally different backgrounds but shared a love for motorcycles and being able to make them our own, so we had common interests. After the ride I watched 21 days under the sky, which made me want to do a group ride on the Lincoln highway from ny to Cali lol

 

I'm a new rider and find myself enjoying riding alone more. I can go the speed I want and don't have to worrying about asking someone where they want to stop and eat.

To be completely honest if Harley didn't make the Sportster, I probably wouldn't own a Harley. The other models just feel too big for me.

 

I ride solo because I like the solitude and going where I want, when I want without trying to coordinate it with other people.

I enjoy riding with my brother from time to time. We usually head to a particular bar, have a beer, make a long loop around nowhere to another place, have another beer then split up and go our separate ways.

I am not into big groups, they usually have that "captain" like cvaria talked about, that makes the trip unenjoyable.

But I do like being around large groups (like the weekly bike night scene), grabbing a cold one and mainly just scoot scoping, people watching and enjoying the atmosphere without actually getting *** deep in it.

No tattoos and I refuse to by all the HD logo ****. I've bought two things from the dealership; intake manifold gaskets and exhaust manifold gaskets. Total spent: $15 +/-. And I only bought them there because my indy was closed early for a bike event.

Be yourself, enjoy what you enjoy. But don't be afraid to try new things. Also (as this thread shows) there are a lot of other people in those groups who feel the same way you do.

 

I relate to this. Except the hipsters that dig the Ace stuff are a pretty judgemental crew too. I had a vintage Honda prior to my sportster and I didn't like the vibe I got from those guys. Ironically, they're building the first official Ace Cafe in the USA 3 miles from my house.

But, yeah. I ride solo. Have 2 friends that ride. Ridden with 1 of them a handful of times (he's on a sporty too), the other is on a sport bike. I'm not opposed to riding with them. I just ride WAY more than them.

I don't wear HD gear, and won't drink and ride - I wear a full face helmet, Rev'It riding jeans (with armor), jacket (with armor), gloves, and boots basically ATGATT... the other Harley guys at work maybe wear sunglasses and that's it. One of them currently in the hospital all messed up from drunken solo fall with no gear. Bike totaled too. Pretty cool.

ps. you can like punk and Skynard too. Funny how the older I get the more open minded (arguably more punk?) I get with my musical tastes.

 

I like the sportster almost more because its almost as 'un-harley' as you can get. I always liked the 'naked' bikes, didnt realize those were the sportsers and like. Never liked the giant fairings and 2 up seats with backrests and arms rests and 6x9 speakers in the grill- Ill take a Cafe over that anyday. I like to ride with people, just people i know. my BIL has a SV650 and my FIL a 88 sportster 883. but I wouldnt mind getting to know some new HD people either.
I had to take off all the HD Live To Ride add ons the previous owner installed on the bike, so much happier now its almost blacked out.

 

I love to ride solo. Solitude is key to me while riding. That said I do enjoy group rides as well, especially long trips because then you're not talking to yourself about that a-hole that cut you off or had a empty case of beer fly out of his truck and land dead center of your front tire in a turn (I was pissed). In my opinion though, new riders should be nowhere near a large group ride. That is a big risk to take because a minor mistake when riding with another person out even a couple others, could spell out disaster and possibly death when in a large group. Take it from a tattooed, non helmet wearing, sunglasses and bandanna wearing Harley guy who actually wants to see everyone get home safe regardless of what you ride or wear. I've been riding fit 6+ years and still learn new stuff every day. It took me 4 years to be comfortable with myself to ride in a group and being able to hold my lane no matter what. At 70mph and a guy riding next to you in a curve, there is no room for error. I ride solo after group rides to decompress lol