Commuting entertainment

XJers:

My 40-mile interstate commute can get pretty monotonous at times, but this past summer I had a couple of days made more interesting by fellow motorcyclists...

One morning, as traffic stalled out in the normal location, I happened to end up next to a "hoodlum biker". He was riding some type of sport bike with an exhaust system worth as much as the bike, and had on a variation of the standard hoodlum uniform -- flat black "carbon fiber" helmet with dark visor, Joe Rocket jacket, cute little short pants with draw strings at the knees, and tennis shoes with no socks.

We acknowledged each other and inched ahead. As traffic edged forward, I noticed that he was hanging back, allowing the car in front of him to get a hundred yards or so ahead. I wondered what he was doing, when all of a sudden he pulled it up into a wheelie and came screaming past me.

He brought it in for a landing and looked back at me. I eased past him, and he repeated the performance, looking back at me once again. I don't know if he was waiting for applause, or for me to do the same thing (now THAT would have been entertaining!). At any rate, I guess he grew tired of my non-response, so he whipped onto the shoulder and blasted away into the distance.

A few weeks later, in almost the same location, I happened to come to a stop next to a guy on a Harley, wearing a variation of the standard HD uniform -- black jacket, jeans with black chaps, black leather fingerless gloves, a beanie "helmet", shades, and a look of total disdain on his face. As I pulled up beside him, I acknowledged him with a two-finger lift of my throttle hand and nodded, but he didn't respond. I guess some wierd angle of the sun in his mirrors made him unable to see me 5 feet away.

I noticed him kind of hanging back like my hoodlum friend did a few weeks prior. No wheelie this time, but he did let the car get quite a ways in front of him, then came riding by me with his "cruise control" set, leaning back on his sissy bar with his arms folded in front of him. As traffic started and stopped, he repeated this performance -- "braaap" away from a stop, set the cruise, lean back and fold arms, and about 1.2 seconds later have to lean forward, take the cruise off, and jump on the brakes to keep from rear-ending the car in front of him. I'm not sure if I was supposed to be in awe of his coolness, or the fact that his bike was so logger-headed that it would go in a straight line at low speed with no steering input. But again, I guess I didn't respond appropriately -- it's hard to get off and bow in stop and go traffic -- so he "braaaped" his way off into the traffic ahead.

So guys, for future reference, what do ya'll think is the proper response to these free gifts of entertainment provided by fellow bikers?

Herb

 

I'd say $20...wait...for the wheelie man $5 and for the HD rider...monopoly money.

But really though, I'd think they are both totally stupid for pulling those kinds of stunts in heavy traffic. Mainly the wheelie man though, but both are pretty dumb.

 

If you get those shows often enough, the Troopers will bring the act to a close for Reckless Driving ... or, at least for a License and Papers check.

That can turn into Drama if either isn't prepared to produce such documentation on-demand.

Wheel-stand boys generally wind-up on their sides or lose-it over-backwards.
Try to be out-of-the-way when that show comes to a highway theater near you!

 

your description of the squid popping wheelies made me laugh. is that not the exact behavior of a toddler doing "Look what i can do" and then desperately trying to get you to pay attention to him.

ignoring him is the perfect response. two reasons not to scold him or shake your head in disapproval. 1) that just gives him attention anyways. you think hes doing wheelies because its an acceptable thing to do. 2) you ARE being entertained by it so at least give him that haha. ignoring show offs is the perfect response. gives them nothing.

on a side note as dumb as the squid might be you know whats really sad... at least he acknowledged you and your shard love for two wheels! im getting so sick of harley owners and im getting even more sick of them clogging up craigslist with their laughable 15k price tags. who are you trying to kid? but i gues it all makes sense. if i spent that much money on a "MOTORCYCLE" id be a jerk too.

great story btw.

 

I drive a delivery truck, so I have many such opportunities for "entertainment." Like the squid roaring thru traffic splitting lanes like a bat out of hell, only to be seen a mile or so down the road on the shoulder with a cop behind him! :lol:
Best entertainment I've had in a while, though, was the old gent on an old Beamer who parked next to me in a parking lot and wanted to know everything I could tell him about my "cool old Yamaha." We had quite a time swapping stories about our bikes.

 

Those are the encounters I enjoy the most! The appreciative comments from someone who remembers the bike 'cause his buddy had one; or who had one and now regrets ever getting rid of it.

Just being on the road is cause for getting some admiring glances from the people who "Remember when".

I'm not quite in sync with those people. I can't remember ever being without one.

 

For entertainment, I cut traffic. Alas, it is legal here... As for the Harley drivers... yep, I have noticed that general attitude. Eh, they want to act better than me, no different than a guy driving next to me in his beamer while I am in my jalopie. In my car, I crank some Rob Zombie to give em a heart attack (loud speakers, and not only bass....) On my bike I just ride past them if able or ignore the stuck up suckers like that. Not worth my time, just another "special" person. At least I am unique, dont need an expensive bike to make me feel good, just the rush of the wind roaring past me, that is both relaxing and exhilarating at the same time. Pretty sure the only difference a Harley would have is make me wish I had a Yamaha...

 

^^^I know exactly what you mean. Outlaw bikers want to think of themselves as "1%ers." Once upon a time, maybe, but these days every other yuppie in the office has a Harley in his garage! I say WE are the 1%ers, the ones who live outside the box and make our own way. I don't follow the herd, I am a heard of one!




*Whew* What a rush! 8)

 

I agree we ARE the 1%ers!!

Kinda like being country when it wasnt cool

 

The XJ's will ALWAYS be cool, forget a Harley. J-U-N-K

 

Anyone can buy a Harley...... not everyone can/gets to have nor fix and enjoy an XJ

 

Sounds like the two guys you described will be making some huge contributions to society soon. #1 Donor body parts. #2 Salvage motorcycle parts.
I've come to realize that the Harley riders that won't acknowledge riders on other brands are true losers. People used to ride a Harley to stand out from the crowd, now they just blend in with the crowd.
I would make a bet, that there more early to mid 80's, XJ's still on the road as compared to Harleys of the same era. Those Harleys were pure crap! My buddy has a Harley dealership and he'll tell you the same thing!

 

Out here in California.. The Los Angeles Police Department, the LAPD, has had problems with the motorcyles since they have switched from kawasaki to Harley... True, look it up. I enjoy my reliable ride, and working on it is surely fewer hours and far between.