More bikes is a good thing. More bikes = more awareness. Especially with the ridiculous traffic these days and distracted drivers. Smart phones turned people into idiots.

I get the nostalgia though, it pretty much applies to everything not just bikes.

 

I occasionally stop by the shop to visit with a good friend of mine and sometimes, although rarely, I see some real bikers...aka Bandidos...there and more often their support club.

 

So you complain about "them", but that seemed to be you as well. And maybe they were thinking the same thing when they observed you...sitting in the waiting room in Harley gear thinking you are a real biker.


Not sure how doing repairs on the side of the road and fewer bikes on the road translates to "better" days. Always seemed to me that for the most part mechanical failures were due to poor maintenenace practices (or failing to do maintenance), and a lack of skill/knowledge to properly maintain the bike (but thinking they do). Electrical failures were harder to diagnose because of points and condensors, generators and factory wiring that was a maze. But with that came the guys who decided to half bake their wiring system to just get it on the road.

I believe there is a tendancy to look at what is current and to decide that the times before were "better" days. But if MoCo depended on people like me (2 Pans and a Shovel) they would not be in business today. It is exactly because of people who wish to ride modern-day iron with all the added improvements that HD (and the branding that comes with it) exists today.

Take a look at pics and Harely advertising from the 40s, 50s and early 60s (before the media invented the "bad boy " image). Take alook at HD advertising even in the late 70 and early 80s. The folks depicted were your everyday, next door neighbor. The dress code was pretty much standard along each era and in some ways particualr to each era. I am not sure much has really changed.

Next time you are in there and waiting, strike up a conversation with them, ask the about their bikes and such. It may suprise you that you may have more in common with them then you think, even if they are half your age.

 

The good ol days are always better because the older I get, the better I was !

 

I have had conversations with some. This I have found out, they get someone else to do there work that someone told them they need to go fast, sound better, and so one. I still do work on bikes on a part time at my house. I get these guys in all the time who screw up there bikes, I fix them and send them on there way. The ones I like who are the ones who ask questions first and don't go over there head working on there own bikes. I try to do light work these days dont like a bike in my shop for more them a few hours. As far as HD cloths I do have a few shirts thats about it. I am a patch member retired

 

I don't know what a real biker is, but its the wise motorcycle shop manager that has attractive female personnel working there. That, and getting inspection are the real draws to the shop I go to.

 

I have had conversations with some. This I have found out, they get someone else to do there work that someone told them they need to go fast, sound better, and so one. I still do work on bikes on a part time at my house. I get these guys in all the time who screw up there bikes, I fix them and send them on there way. The ones I like who are the ones who ask questions first and don't go over there head working on there own bikes. I try to do light work these days dont like a bike in my shop for more them a few hours. As far as HD cloths I do have a few shirts thats about it. I am a patch member retired. MY bikes are a 58 FLH, 63 FLH, 67 FLH, 15 ultra low. 63 is my is the one I like best, shovel heads,open primary, electric start, 5 speed trans., very fast and fun to ride,

 

This is just my opinion and based on life experiences.
A real biker is someone who owns and rides a motorcycle,it can be any brand too. A real biker finds excuses to ride their bike rather than take the care. A real biker will ride in the rain, maybe not on purpose but they won't go hide somewhere to wait out a little rain. A real biker can and will work on their bike...maybe they can't fix everything but if it breaks down somewhere they have some knowledge of what makes their bike run and makes sure it's in top running condition so that you don't endanger others you might be riding with. A real biker stops and offers help to another biker on the side of the road...regardless of brand. A real biker waves at the little kid that one day hopes to be on a bike too. I know I did when I was a kid. This may not apply to everyone but if you're a real biker at one time or another in your life a motorcycle was your only means of transportation. If you ride to work and all you can think about is the longest route you can take to get home you're a real biker. If you've had vivid dreams of riding down a long winding country road leaning into turns and coming out rolling on throttle hard just to hear your bike you're a real biker. If where you work a large percentage of people own bikes but you are one of the few who rides every day possible you're a real biker. And finally, if your wife has ever said to you " if you looked at me like you look at that bike..." then you're a real biker. Ride till your eyes bleed

 

I kind of know what the OP is saying. And it's hard to put into words.

I went to a local bike evening after work last Thursday. Was held at a local HD dealer. Just down the road from where I work. $1.00 cans of beer. Thought I would go ahead and get my oil clamps inspected and see whats going on. Recall inspection was done, everything OK. They were amazed my engine warranty was void. And that kind of woke the service dept. up. $1.00 beer was good after a long day at work.

But there wasn't a large turn out. Maybe 30 bikes if that. Of the people there it was a good cross section of folks. But you could watch them split up into there own little groups and clicks. The penny loafers over there, the crusty bikers with there well worn quality old gear on. The folks like me that just got off work with the work boots on and daily work cloths. Then the new wave in everything HD right down to the ring, wallet and chain. <<< Clearly the want to look the part bunch. And the dealer loves this crowd because they are the ones that come in once a month and buy a brand new outfit from the rag to new boots and everything in between.

Some of us from the different groups cycled around and greeted others at the beer stand and such. But it was clear,,, there was no unity among all the riders there. None what so ever. The bikes we all rode didn't even provide a avenue of unity.

There were three of us chatting out front drinking a beer and having a cig. And two members of staff walked up and started out with chit chat and small talk. Then asked us what our thoughts were on the event. The bike nights were not packing the folks in. All agree'd sale staff was a joke. They jump on folks as soon as they walk in the dealer. And there all kids, None of them have ridden to Corpas, but you can bet they have flown there. One investment group sold the dealer to another investment group. Old owners did ride, new owners are like ducks out of water and they closed down a popular little restaurant that was in the dealer and expanded the clothing line and added a cash register and sales girls that are not as pretty as they think they are and they attack! Just look around,,, There is only one group of people here that buy the over priced China gear. And everybody here except them would have bought a hamburger to go with there beer. And many of the locals use to come here for lunch or a early dinner. It was good simple to the belly food and priced right. The one thing that was drove home to the staffers was there is no character at all at the dealer. None,,,, it's all corporate snore HD Studio Crap. And everything is way over priced. One of the old crusty regulars told them. Your a joke dealer. Your just now discounting 2016 Dyna's by $1600 ea. You have 4ea. RKS at the front door. I've checked the vin's, you haven't sold one in the month I've checked the vin's. You move them around, but you haven't sold one.

Wasn't long after that conversation myself, a old crusty, a penny loafer and a war torn old gal on her scooter all got together for a ride around town. None of us had never met before. Stopped at a QT got us another beer and chatted about the experience and the chat with the dealer staffers. We came to the conclusion the dealers were segregating the riders. All of us had all been treated different at not only this dealer, but many others we visited. But here we were four different types of people all unified by one thing. The Ride!