Surrounded by bikers (not cyclists)
 

So today I go out on my ride, and decide to to my old favorite Tombstone loop. The weather is pretty nice, about 80 degrees with little wind, so there are a lot of people out driving in convertibles with tops down and lots of motorcycles in packs riding.

I'm on a fairly low-traffic road, and a group passes me by. A few of them give me a thumbs up or wave, which was kind of cool. A bit later down the road, another group comes up behind me and starts slowing down, basically surrounding me.

I'm a decent sized guy (6'4, 185lbs) in pretty good shape with a background in kickboxing, jiu jitsu, and also military hand-to-hand combat....so I can hold my own if it comes down to it. In this case, however, one tired cyclist clipped in isn't going to be able to do much against 10+ bikers.

So I'm thinking to myself...what the hell is going on. Am I going to get my ass beat or run off the road?

It ended up being the opposite. They were quite friendly, said their hellos and moved on except for one who let me draft behind him for a few miles.

Not to mention, but before that happened I picked up a flat. Never in my life has someone stopped to lend me assistance, whether I needed it or not. Usually people just stare and drive by. Today some guy stopped, asked if I needed any help (which I told him I was good), and asked if I needed a ride to the gas station down the rode.

Definetely a good day, other than actually getting another flat.

+1 to the positive experiences with motorcyclists, they're usually pretty cool.

I'm not sure if it's having only 2 wheels or not being in a car, but they have a better record with me too.

A lot of motorcycle riders also ride bicycles - I guess it's a two wheel thing. Bikers and Bikers share a concern about educating clueless cagers.

Since it was cheaper, I had the LBS set up my bicycle so that the right brake lever controls the front brake rather than setting up my motorcycle so that the left lever controlled the front brake. I thought I'd have to explain myself to the mechanics, but they showed me their own bikes, which were also setup the same way for the same reason.

I don't even ride a motorcycle but i've always set up my bikes like this...

Maybe it was me having fun at my other hobby!!:D Harley riders are about the friendliest, down to earth people I've been around. Unless your a wise A**, which means allot of the folks on this forum would get that A** beating you thought you were about to get. Pretty sure from what I have seen here, that there are allot of typewriter tough guys who couldn't run fast enough from a fight!!:roflmao:
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k2...eThunder-1.jpg

Well, if you hadn't gotten that flat, you wouldn't have had that 'good' experience with the guy that stopped to see if you needed help. And you might not have run into those groups of bikers either. hmm.

dude, what happened to your foot?!:D

Distant relative of PCad.

Bikers, in groups, are on the same page as cyclists, they're usually not going anywhere, they're just out enjoying the weather and the ride.

harley guys are the same because they are just as passionate about their bikes as we are about ours. <3

Always fun

Had a motorcyclist roll up and ask if I wanted to draft him. At first I didn't think I heard him right. "Hell yeah," I thought, but said "sure, thanks!"

I was at >31 mph with no effort in no time on this long straightaway where cows graze and poop, so the smell wasn't as bad on that day.

Motorcyclists have always been nice to me.

This story is just wrong.
The threatening outlaw bikers took one look at your tight lycra outfit and decided you not worth the beat-down?
Your not representing us in our Easter egg colored kits.
Next time use those Bruce Lee skills,get off your bike into a kung foo posture while brandishing your "frame bump" like the last cyclist claimed he did.
We are all with you in spirt fellow velo man.

Wow, it's been a long time since I've heard a "frame bump" reference around here. Now it's a complete day and a good one.

In my experience, motorcyclists are the friendliest people on the roads.

There is a biker "gang" in the Bay Area that organizes weekend rides, with tools in their saddlebags, for the sole purpose of helping people they see broken down on the side of the road. Not just bikers, they help car drivers as well.

2 wheels good. 4 wheels bad.

I would have agreed with you in SoCal.. but not here in Hawaii. I am a Harley rider as well.. but this place is full of bad tempered locals who will just as well run you off the road as give you a draft.

SoCal Harley funny, sort of:
http://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.co...ck-n-roll.html

CT funny experience:
Hm I seem to have not posted it yet. Basically a horde of crotch rocket kids (teens, 20s) roll up to me. One guy grins and asks if I want to race. I say, "Sure, but you have to start with both feet on the pegs like me." (I was doing a track stand). He looks at me and does a double take. His buddy says "I think he got you there" and laughs. Buddy smiles sheepishly. Light turns green. All but the "he got you there" kid and one more go blasting off, wheelies and all that. Those two accelerate slowly, watching me. I swing over into their draft. They bring it up to 45 mph, let me draft the whole time. I'm going like crazy, finally blow, sit up, wave them off. "He got you there" waves, pops a wheelie, and rockets off to join his buddies. Ditto his friend.

cdr

When I'm on the MTB, moto riders are really cool, and have better understanding of trail manners (i.e. climber has right of way) than some cyclists. Sometimes they're aloof, but that's just the younger ones.

On the road, folks on bikes are really cool, as long as you're not riding like a punk and riding five abreast in traffic, blowing through stops, etc. they give us plenty of berth and always signal their intentions. Eye contact, short nods or waves on the road, and chatting at stops. They're like us... just happy to be out riding.

I bet it would be tough to control the throttle AND the clutch with the same hand if you moved your motorcycle brake to the left.

Motorcyclists are routinely run off the road and wiped out by idiot motorists almost as much as cyclists. Doesn't shock me that they treated you well.

I've never had a problem with bikers.

On one of my first riders a motorcyclist pulled up next to me stared and i stared back. I was kinda freaked out and than we had small talk and he peaced. Gotta love motorcycles no matter how you slice it.

A++ Good post

I feel left out now :(

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Sign me up.

I rode over Lolo Pass during a rally & later in SD near Custer right before Sturgis once, lots of friendly Harley encounters.