As there seem to be a lot of motorcycle fans on here, a few bike gripes
I've grown up in Derbyshire, near Matlock Bath. So every summer, I'm treated to an immense display of bikes, a lot of which are piloted by utter nobheads who think the road past my house is a racetrack. You can usually here them and spot them, a race-rep plastic coated crotch rocket, wearing a power ranger suit and hanging off the bloody thing at every corner. In the height of summer we are talking a crash every other weekend, often fatal. THEN they wonder why the police, especially in North wales, are getting so pissed off with bikes, and will hassle anyone riding anything with only two wheels and an engine?
Ironically, the best and most considerate riders are the Harley Davidson Patch club types. Which in my eyes deserves far more respect. Also, they are often riding some wonderful pieces of garden shed engineering, which I love to see.

Mind you, the last category brings me onto my second moan-the wanabe outlaw who works in a bank. If you want a custom, you build it yourself, preferably in your kitchen. Buying a bike with factory fitted "custom" options is a bit lame.
Though at least they're not hurting anyone, unlike the former. I have no problem with other peoples hobbies, as long as they don't hurt anyone else.
( Greenbat, Mon 19 Oct 2009, 12:43, 3 replies)

Harley riders...
... are only slow and considerate because they're riding fat lumps of metal that sound shite and barely move.
(MJPerry was crude but clickable at, Mon 19 Oct 2009, 12:58, closed)

Many thanks
I'm a HOG member and I can say that a good many of us take pride in being responsible and respectful. The worst of the bikers make it bad for the rest of us.

I'm not saying I don't ever speed or rev my loud engine, but certainly never through neighborhoods. And a good many fatal crashes could and should have been prevented by not being stupid. That's why we don't call them 'accidents.'

And I'm with you on the beauty of nice, polished Harley...
(jessemoya, Mon 19 Oct 2009, 21:51, closed)

To be honest
Cruisers aren't really my thing, though I appreciate the skill that goes into the weirdest of customs. What I do love is a nice cafe racer. A few weeks back, I posted a pic of me sat on a gorgeous goldie, it really made my day. And I'll spend ages just looking at my CB400/4-who said the 70's lacked style? Old bobbers are nice too, and anything pre-war that looks like it grew rather than got built.
But at the end of the day, as long as it gets ridden I approve.
As for the above comment about harleys being slow, speed isn't everything. And they can sound fantastic-I once heard two joining a motorway, sounded like a merlin engine :D
( Greenbat, Mon 19 Oct 2009, 23:06, closed)