Well, so much for THAT

[murf425]

Right after buying my current bike about a month back, I found an internet message board for our local bike scene. I lurked a bit, saw that they are always organizing rides and bike nights and stuff, and figured, "Sweet...this'll be fun and a good way to find people to ride with."  It was predominantly squiddy, being composed entirely of supersports, all of which were over 600cc (and most of them liter+).  A vast majority were on Gixxers and CBRs with the occasional R6/1 and Ninja mixed in, and a BUNCH of 'Busas.  Not to mention the subforum for "Stunting".  But I figured what the hell...I'll check it out.

Last night was the first bike night I went to at a local sports pub.

I hadn't even made it from my bike to the door before I'd gotten at least five "You ride that!? LMAO! GTFO and come back when you get a real bike."

Needless to say, I just got back on it and left again.

I guess instead of being in the market for an $1,800 commuter, I was supposed to have been shopping for a $10,000+ pee pee extension; who knew?    Of course, this is the same group that had 12 of its members arrested last year for doing 140 down the interstate, so I really shouldn't have been surprised; real intelligent group of winners, this bunch.

Guess I'll just keep riding alone. Boy...how silly of me to think that anyone would still have the "It's not what you ride, just that you ride" mentality anymore.

*ETA*
At least the Patriot Guard Riders annual "Gathering of the Guard" is here in my hometown in 2 weeks. They've been nothing but accomodating ever since I joined up, even though I'm the only sportbike in sight.  

[vtlion]

Any group that reacts to a GS like this is company that you do not want to keep, my friend.

I went through my share of clowns when looking for groups to ride with when I was in college.  I have even turned around mid-ride and gone off on my own when the antics got out of hand.  Keep looking.  There are tons of responsible, respectful riders out there and you will find some pals soon enough.

[murf425]

I know what you mean.  There is a ride scheduled for the 26th that I planned to attend.  It leaves from one interstate exit, and the next one over is mine.  I fully suspected that we'd head out, get to my exit, and everyone would already be at 90+, at which time I'd just hit my exit and head home.  I'm not going to do something stupid trying to exceed my bike's (or my own) capabilities.

Of course, I'm just not going to bother showing up now, so it's a moot point anyway.

*ETA*
Last week, there was a "My Wife Wants a Bike" thread, where the guy was trying to decide between a GS500, a Ninja 250, and the new CBR250.  He settled on the CBR.
Today, he just updated to say that he had bought her a bike...her first bike...ever...hasn't even taken an MSF class yet; he bought her a GSXR600.     She's 5'4" and 100-lbs dripping wet...maybe he's planning to take out a huge insurance policy on her. 

[vtlion]

^  yikes!  I hope that guy knows what he is doing.  I logged 3000 miles on my GS before moving up to an R6 and even now, eight years later, I can remember the sheer terror I felt the first time I rolled into traffic on that rocket.

[steezin_and_wheezin]

the guy i bought my gs from rides with a local group.  he said there's a good handful of goons like you've mentioned in the original post, but there are also some really level headed people in there.  maybe he's warmed the group up to our little ol' gs's 

a couple more months of practice and i might have the confidence/control to go on some longer rides

[scratch]

It still amazes me (not really) that people who have never riden a bike before will buy a bike "because I want something big enough to last a long time".

[murf425]

I knew a guy in college who had never so much as SAT on a bike before buying a brand new shiny R1 and trying to drive it home off the lot.

I specify "trying", because...well...it's wasn't nearly as shiny by the time he got there.  

[PachmanP]

"You ride that!? LMAO! GTFO and come back when you get a real bike."

I think that's how I'm going to greet fellow GS'rs from now on.

[jserio]

A fool and his gold........

[The Buddha]

^  yikes!  I hope that guy knows what he is doing.  I logged 3000 miles on my GS before moving up to an R6 and even now, eight years later, I can remember the sheer terror I felt the first time I rolled into traffic on that rocket.

That is what the common logic is, however it could not be more off the mark. For all its gutlessness a GS is a torquey bike, I mean it has more torque than a 40hp bike should. That makes an R6 and most other outright sport bikes rather revvy and not torquey.
The logical step up from a GS would be the sv suzuki's and er series kawi's, and if you want to get even bigger a vfr and the FJ yammie would be your steps up.
In the old days we used to say the GSXR1100 over the 750. However they both have gone the way of the dodo.
Cool.
Buddha.

[seamax]

"You ride that!? LMAO! GTFO and come back when you get a real bike."

I think that's how I'm going to greet fellow GS'rs from now on.

Man those are fighting words, if I was still in my 20's there could be some words follow by fist exchanges. My GS might be small but I'm not.

OK back to my senses.

[Firewalker]

Just the wrong crowd man...  There are many groups of people to ride with... Some of the best rides I had were just about 5-6 of us hitting some twisties.....Lead a little follow a little.  When I was in Dallas/Ft Worth I rode with a large group of guys who rode very hard, very fast, a lot of stunting for most of them.  The group I always rode with had about 5-10 guys who were my close friends.  They cracked on me for not riding wheelies through the toll booths but it was just some ball busting.  I will admit to riding way too fast at times but I also think a straight run of a 4 lane freeway at 2am is one of the better places to do it if you must.....the stunting in traffic wasn't my style.  I have to worry about supporting my family over what kind of ass I could pull of some groupie for doing a 200' stoppie at 80mph.  Some of those rides were 270-300 bikes in a pack at blistering speeds around the freeway.  Many of the rides I was shocked I made it home.  The same guys who razzed you about your bike are the same ones who will get you killed either in a wreck or by an angry motorist who has had enough of getting buzzed 2 feet away at 160mph.  Being arrested would also be a possibility.  I can't tell you how many friends I lost to motorcycle crashes over that 2 year period.  There were a lot of new riders on way too much bike trying to fit in because of the hype.  IE:  First bike....BUSA......Dumb.  I also don't think enough respect is paid to the "small" sportbikes.  R6, Gixxer, 600RR, 636..........They are all fast as hell...and not very forgiving...  I think I am just rambling so I will shut up now.

Although there may have been some guys at that bike night with their heads on straight, I am glad you recognized it wasn't the group for you.

Hope you find a few friends to spin around with, enjoy the sunshine and brotherhood, and a couple plates of good BBQ.

Be safe amigo

Scott




 

[Toogoofy317]

I found myself in that company one day ton of stop lights in Kissimmee they would duck walk them when taking off but then got WOT. I got bored with them after a couple of miles took a side road a somewhat twisty one beat them all to the next light they were like WTF  how did "She" do that! When we got to Old Town Low and behold my knuckle head roomate was there on his gixxer and decided to say that phrase why don't you get a real bike the guys I rode with snapped their head around and I simply said " I will get a 'real' bike when you learn how to ride yours"  coulda heard a pin drop!

Mary

[yamahonkawazuki]

I found myself in that company one day ton of stop lights in Kissimmee they would duck walk them when taking off but then got WOT. I got bored with them after a couple of miles took a side road a somewhat twisty one beat them all to the next light they were like WTF  how did "She" do that! When we got to Old Town Low and behold my knuckle head roomate was there on his gixxer and decided to say that phrase why don't you get a real bike the guys I rode with snapped their head around and I simply said " I will get a 'real' bike when you learn how to ride yours"  coulda heard a pin drop!

Mary

aye. i kept my gs up with the litre bikes at the dragon, id lose in straights or long sweepers, but catch em in the curves.

[murf425]

The same guys who razzed you about your bike are the same ones who will get you killed either in a wreck...

Yeah. That bunch that I mentioned getting arrested last year...one of them just died in a crash about two weeks ago, trying to take a 90*, uphill I-10 on-ramp that was ripped up for resurfacing and had a 40mph posted speed limit...at about 95.  Low-sided into the concrete jersey barrier and slid along it all the way through the curve.

He was a 26-year old airman from the local base with a wife and two kids. I just did his PGR mission ride a couple of days ago.  

[tt_four]

Don't give up that easy. I used to have a 600cc bike, and would ride with people, but I knew when I started riding again and had the GS it wasn't gonna be as easy to find good people to ride with. Ask around the forum and see if anyone is local, there's plenty of other people on non-race bikes who are looking for someone to ride with too. I'm still friends with the kid I used to always ride with 7 years ago, but I don't really ride with him much either because he still rides like we did when we were 20, and well, I'm not 20 anymore. Try some bigger evens with a broader crowd and just start talking to some people with GSs and SVs.

Sad to see the way some people will ride when they've got a wife and kids. I don't have any kids but my riding is still held back a lot from having a wife/house/dogs. I don't even want to think about my dogs sitting at home alone for 24 hours until someone realizes I'm hurt and my dogs are probably getting hungry without me. Last thing I'd be thinking about if I had kids was riding a sportbike the way some people do.

As far as the hard time they gave you, it's not just because you were on a GS, that's just how a lot of people who ride are. The guys on 1000cc bikes give the guys on 600-750s a hard time for having a slow bike, the guys on 355lb bikes pick on the guys on 358lb bikes for having heavy bikes, and the guys on hondas pick on the guys on suzukis. They're just looking to give someone a hard time, for pretty much the same mental deficiencies that lead them to being so stupid on their bike that they all end up in jail or dead anyway. It's all bad self esteem.

[Twism86]

I love my GS and i dont give a crap what anyone else thinks. My one friend used to give me hard time when i was going between a GS or an SV. He said the GS was a toy and the SV is too slow  Well he took my GS on a ride through some twisties last summer  and was grinning ear to ear when the helmet came off. I just told him to to "suck it" and give me my keys back  No judge it till you try it! My dad, a true HD guy rode my bike and said he wants one to fool around on, its nice not have a 850lbs between your legs.

I havent ridden with many groups except for charity rides so everyone is in a good mood anyway.

[Shaddow]

I'd be tempted to kick their bikes over on the way out just to show what I thought of their attitude. That's probably after I would have got myself lynched. shaZam! like that gets my temper up. The car scene is just the same. What you drive that old piece of shaZam! and don't have every upgrade none to man? I always laugh at them when I get to dyno days, with words like oh you spent how much and my 35 year old car which I've built and tune myself just kicked its butt by how much? You drag slip time was how pathetic? Did I just see an MX5 hand you your own arse around that race track?

Must remain calm.

[yamahonkawazuki]

i got back royally at one such douchebag i knew where a cop was sitting about a mile up the road. i called LEO and said this *person* in this particular car is doing about 90, and will be coming by very shortly. well i had said that while i was getting the guy riled up to race lol. was giving my ol cop car hell . i said ok. between this light up here and the ingles. he said fine. i lifted at 120 and passed aforementioned cop at 60, he passed them at 135 ish ( was 4am nobody around 4 lane highway ) i cought up with him next day, i said btw next time carry a radar detector with you, or a scanner or someshit when you wanna do this

[Toogoofy317]

When my BF had his vette ( oh how I loved that car fun to ride in) we were at a red light three lane road. Some kazoo car was sitting next to us revving his engine wanting a race. What he didn't know was FHP was on the other side of us. BF looked at  he nodded his head so BF starts revving the vette. Kazoo car nails it BF just sits there lets  (they have tuned mustangs here) floors it with lights and sirens. We drive by kazoo on the side of the road to add insult to injury BF has an actual kazoo in the car and I was blowing it on the way by so he could see it! Pay back is a beyotch.

Mary