Funny things people say about motorcycles

[pontifex]

Alright, I have to share this.

I was at Kimball Farm in Carlisle last night treating myself to some black raspberry ice cream for the stellar job I did installing my tail tidy.

Getting back on the bike with all my gear on, guy walks over and says, "is that your bike?"
me: "umm, yes"
guy: "very nice"
me: "thanks"
guy: "that exhaust is really close to your leg" (he is saying this while looking at the left side of the speed triple. I have the arrow low mount exhaust)
me: "umm, it's not that close" (thinking he is referring to the low boy versus stock high mount exhaust)
guy: "yes, it is" (points to something on the left side of the bike)

I walk around to the left to see what he is pointing at. He is pointing at the frame.

guy: "wish my wife would let me get a bike"

I'm not the most mechanically inclined person but I thought that was a gem. At least it's better than the "I had a friend with a motorcycle. He was run over by a semi"

[Falko]

Mmmmm, black raspberry....

wait, what??

[fromario]

At least it's better than the "I had a friend with a motorcycle. He was run over by a semi"

I love that shit, especially when somebody says it in front of my wife...

Have fun living in your safe little world where nothing can or ever will happen to you

[nhbubba]

Hey, is that the 1000? 650?!? Oh.. First bike?

[Blitz2]

My neighbors moved other the other day, his father was helping - I was prepping for a ride as they were walking back in, I got this line: "Wow! a car and a bike?!? You must be single."

...apparently it's rare, haha.

The other fun one - a girl at work had just taken her license test and wanted to buy a bike. She asked about mine (to which I would of said hell no anyway (YZF1000)), asked what it was and I told her.
"My boyfriend has a cbr 600, is your's a honda? His is insanely fast."
"...uhhh no. It's a Yamaha."
"what size is it?"
"1,000."
"It's just my opinion, but I don't think anyone can handle 1,000."

At that point I just excused myself. No need to debate a squid's girlfriend (she bought him race plastics for a street bike and he rides in tank tops / sandals), or someone who had just passed their test 24hrs prior to said debate. ...my bike is also only 400 odd miles shy of 40k.

[WordTooYoMamma]

I get the "Bikes are dangerous!" story all the time. My response is usually "I have totalled two of them and walked away without a scratch each time." Nothing like a good headscratcher for the ignorant.

[MikeyZ]

My buddy was on his CBR929 in a parking lot and couple kids ran up to him "Duddddde is dat one of dose AHC51's?" ......."Ah No"- Then left

[SRTie4k]

Funny, I was at Kimball Farm in Jaffrey on Saturday getting some ice cream and some guy actually identified my bike correctly...well mostly correct. He got the TL1000 part at least. He was riding a pretty cool BMW cafe racer.

Btw, German Chocolate Fudge > Black Raspberry

[golden chicken]

"You have a motorcycle? What kind?"
"It's a Suzuki SV650."
"So...is that like a crotch rocket?"
"Well, sort of. It doesn't have all the plastic body work that a sport bike has and it has a v-twin instead of a 4."
:blank stare: "So...it's like a Harley?"
"No, it's a crotch rocket."

[hot karl]

My 250 gets mistaken for a larger bike all of the time. Actually, people must automatically assume it's larger, because all those same people are blown away that they make a bike as small as a 250cc. Then they go on to tell me about how I should be learning on something larger, then about how dangerous bikes are. This story never changes and usually happens every time I fuel up.

[MikeyZ]

My 250 gets mistaken for a larger bike all of the time. Actually, people must automatically assume it's larger, because all those same people are blown away that they make a bike as small as a 250cc. Then they go on to tell me about how I should be learning on something larger, then about how dangerous bikes are. This story never changes and usually happens every time I fuel up.

Whenever I fuel up I just leave my helmet on and don't make eye contact with anybody. I dont care for all the remarks

[j4eric]

Hey, one of your light is out........I've got that line about 10x now....I just give them the thumbs up.

[maxim_X]

I never get approached at gas stations. Oddly enough I would love to chat with complete strangers about bikes. But, I don't have a very friendly or approachable appearance.

[01xj]

"You have a motorcycle? What kind?"
"It's a Suzuki SV650."
"So...is that like a crotch rocket?"
"Well, sort of. It doesn't have all the plastic body work that a sport bike has and it has a v-twin instead of a 4."
:blank stare: "So...it's like a Harley?"
"No, it's a crotch rocket."

I get that ALL the time.
"It's a Yamaha FZ6"
"Oh, is that a crotch rocket?"
"No its kind of more uprig..."
"Oh a cruiser. I have a Harley blah blah"

The best is that when I arrive or leave work and have all my gear with me or on, my chief does not let a day go by without calling me speed racer or asking me if I went over 100 on the way to work. I think they think because I have a full set of gear (helmet jacket boots gloves) that I go whizzing in and out of traffic during an 8am and 5pm commute to and from work.

[obsolete]

Those crotch rockets can go like a bastard but are too light to stop fast.

[golden chicken]

I get that ALL the time.
"It's a Yamaha FZ6"
"Oh, is that a crotch rocket?"
"No its kind of more uprig..."
"Oh a cruiser. I have a Harley blah blah"

The best is that when I arrive or leave work and have all my gear with me or on, my chief does not let a day go by without calling me speed racer or asking me if I went over 100 on the way to work. I think they think because I have a full set of gear (helmet jacket boots gloves) that I go whizzing in and out of traffic during an 8am and 5pm commute to and from work.

A couple of nice ladies on Harleys rode into the shop while I was waiting for chain and sprockets. They were wearing half helmets and fingerless gloves and vests. I saw my bike come out of the shop and so I started gearing up. My new jacket has external hard parts and a race hump and one of the ladies asked, "Do you race?" and the first thing that went through my head was some snide remark about proper protective gear, but I decided to be nice and replied, "No, I just like to pretend."

[carsick]

"I got a bike to save on gas."

[nhbubba]

First time I went to get my V-Strom inspected:
"What is it? Is it street legal?!"

[G21forme]

Hey, one of your light is out........I've got that line about 10x now....I just give them the thumbs up.

I tell people I removed it to save weight.

[Falko]

Those crotch rockets can go like a bastard but are too light to stop fast.

They turn well, but a Harley can take them in a straight line. I'm not worried about performance, I only put $5k of crying chicken accessories on 'cause I was out of things to chrome.

[markbvt]

I must look scary or something. I actually don't remember the last time someone approached me and made a stupid comment.

But if I ride my Bonneville, I nearly always get comments from old guys reminiscing about the Triumph they used to own.

--mark

[KawiSmurf]

Filling up the ZX-10R:
"What kinda mileage that thing get?"
Uh, usually around 32-33.
"That's it? What's the point of owning one?"

Next to a Sportster at a red light:
"You should change that chain to a belt drive, it'll make it faster."

Leaving bike night:
"Wow, that thing looks fast. How fast is it?"
Pretty fast. Puts down about 160 at the wheel.
"Pfft. My truck's got more than that."
...
"Ever go over 200?"
I don't think that's possible.
"I bet I could do it."

Hey, one of your light is out........I've got that line about 10x now....I just give them the thumbs up.

I tell people I removed it to save weight.

Maybe I'll try that next time, I'm tired/bored with trying to explain it.

...crying chicken accessories...

I lol'd.

[KnuckleBallz]

I don't even bother telling people the model unless they ask. Usually goes like this:

"Oh you ride? What type of bike do you have?"
"It's a Suzuki"
"Oh- crotch rocket."
"Sportbike is actually the preferred nomenclature"

This happened the other day. New neighbor moved in. I come home from work and he starts asking about the bike.
"I wanna get a bike soon. What's that?"
"It's a GS500"
"Oh, a 500. All my friends ride 600s."
"yeah, its my first bike. Good to learn on. I'm probably selling it at the end of the summer if you want it."
"Nah, I'd rather start on something nice."
"Excuse me?"
"Yeah I've been wanting one so long. I'm gonna get something big & new."
"Well OK, just keep in mind you're probably gonna crash your first bike so new isn't really a good idea."
"Hmmm, actually yeah both my buddies crashed theirs. I really like cafe racers, do you know about those?"

[csmutty]

Probably the best conversations have been while I was riding my RS50.

While gassing up at the gas station...
"What size is that?"
It's a 50.
"Like a moped?"

"What's the top speed on that?"
60mph going downhill with a good breeze.
"That's it? My bike does double that in first gear!"

I usually have my high vis on while I am riding on the street so most squids won't want to be seen anywhere near me. Might ruin their rep.

[Petorius]

"You have a motorcycle? What kind?"
"It's a Suzuki SV650."
"So...is that like a crotch rocket?"
"Well, sort of. It doesn't have all the plastic body work that a sport bike has and it has a v-twin instead of a 4."
:blank stare: "So...it's like a Harley?"
"No, it's a crotch rocket."

Haha this