The term "scooter".....offensive?
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Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 546
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The term "scooter".....offensive?
Just curious, I have used the term "scooter" to refer to bikes of all sizes and manufactuers for a long time. Most people seem to understand that I am not referring to the low displacement 12inch tire variety of 2 wheel transportation when I use the term in relation to their particular bike but I have noticed a few that take offense to it. Case in point, at the local bike night last night I was speaking to a guy riding a Victory something or other and mentioned that his scooter was a nice looking bike. Damn, he got all pissy about it and "kindly" informed me that his bike was the only true american bike in the parking lot since my Harley had more japanese and chinese parts than my Yamaha that my little bro was riding. I laughed and told the clown that I wasn't ridiculing his bike but that I have called all motorcycles scooters for a while. I have an uncle that is a 1% and he used to call his bikes and those of his bro's "scooters" or "putt-putts" I guess that is where I picked the term up as a young kid and it has kinda stuck with me. Anyway, how many Harley riders would get offended if someone called your bike "scooter"?
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2006
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RE: The term "scooter".....offensive?
Scooter???
Theres something derougative about the term Scooter?????
Oh My!!!!!!!!
Theres something derougative about the term Scooter?????
Oh My!!!!!!!!
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,807
Likes: 1
From: North Jersey
RE: The term "scooter".....offensive?
Sounds to me like he is eithernew to motorcycling or just doesn't know what normal lingo is. He also doesn't know Jack S**t about Harleys with the "Japanese Parts" baloney.
I find that most people who are "offended" easily simply want to be. The word offended is over used these days.
I find that most people who are "offended" easily simply want to be. The word offended is over used these days.
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Tourer
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 381
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From: Los Angeles
RE: The term "scooter".....offensive?
Scooter???
Theres something derougative about the term Scooter?????
Oh My!!!!!!!!
Theres something derougative about the term Scooter?????
Oh My!!!!!!!!
NONSENSE - There aint nuthin' derogatory about "Scooter"!!
And I agree - that guy who took offense to the use of term has got a serious case of "Harley envy." (and probably has a really small pee-pee, too)
(oops, did I say that?...my bad.)[8D]
ANYHOO............................I say, get down with your bad self, scooter-callers of the world!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,144
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From: Mass
RE: The term "scooter".....offensive?
Actually brought back some old memories for me..in the pre-Evo days(before 1984), most who rode Harleys pretty much used certain words and phrases alot and many times we referred to our bikes as "scooters", and some called themselves "scooter-trash", but in a proud way to mean they were deep into the biker lifestyle(basically a code word for Outlaw). Now flash-forward 24 years and a lot of that lingo is gone,or means nuthin to the next generation. Things like lacin a Master-Link into your boot laces(what old bastards remember that besides me), or usin Chevy 350 points in the distributor while on the road, in a pinch, are fadin into history. That guy who got "offended" just shows us older riders he's a Newbie....