whhhaaaaatttt?

[DIGGER]

Gave my Valkyrie a bath and dried it off good and got her looking good.    Drove her to Lowes in Tomball and while checking out I could see a couple older men looking at my bike in the parking lot.    They were walking around it talking with each other....at times squating down to get a better look at it.     As I came up I said "How you men doing?"     One of them said "We were just admiring your bike.  It sure is a pretty thing....what kind of HARLEY is it?".......

I was dumfounded......speechless.....totally caught off guard....ha.
I explained that it was made by Honda and that it was 23 yrs old.   They seemed really impressed with the Valkyrie...sooooo....I got my bag of nichols out of my saddlebag and stood two of them up on the valve cover and put the key in the ignition and fired her up reving the engine up to some pretty good rpm.....they were very impressed....gotta love that bike....

HARLEY......What kind of HARLEY is that?????  Geeeeez...

[f6john]

Certainly not bikers, certainly not Harley guys either. Sometimes we (I) assume men are into vehicles as much as myself. Over the years I’ve been asked the same question a time or two.

[Pluggy]

As the American language evolves, trademark names become common names for many things.

Kleenex = Tissue
Chapstick = Lip Balm
Pop Tart = Toaster pastry
Xerox = Photocopier
Popcicle = Frozen juice on stick
K-Cup = Single serve coffee product
Q-Tip = Cotton swab

Some folks call any large motorcycle a "Harley".  To them, Valkyre = large motorcycle = Harley. I don't take the time to correct people.

[Jess from VA]

You never know if someone calls all (large) motorcycles Harelys (like all instant cameras are Polaroids, or all copy machines are Xerox machines), or if they really think it's a Harley.  Edit: (Pluggy beat me to it)

I suppose a compliment is a compliment.  

Besides having it called a Harley, I've had... man is that a beautiful motorcycle, what kind is it?

I've also had people lift their little kids into the seat for a photo opp (little shoes on the tank), which is poor manners regardless of make.  This principally happened parked in front of my Federal building in DC with tourists.  

Hey lady, why don't you stick them up behind Andy Jackson on his horse over there?

[Pluggy]

Well Jess, there was a time when any small motorbike was called a "Honda".  That's when Honda sold most of those.  That eventually went away. 

[h13man]

Never had anybody in person call it Harley but my VT1100C Spirit had been a couple times. I had a a older than me gentleman almost stumbled and fell off a curb looking at her. Since I changed the seats to post 99', there no Honda logo to help identity. Also mine made Thunder Roads Magazine  a couple years ago at a memorial benefit ride. Photographer made note he don't see them very often.

[old2soon]

       I've mentioned this before but at a fuel/stretch/coffee stop Somewhere here in Missouri a Not Young man was lookin over Phatt Ghurl when I came out with my coffee. He said-I noticed it's a three cylinder! What make is this M/C? Well sir if you'll step around here to the other side there ARE three more cylinders on this side!  He stated-a 6 cylinder M/C! YUP! Done the nickel trick a couple times But NOW I ask the lookeelous to supply the nickels cuz 1 or 2 accused me of cheating some how or another!  Gonna mis Phatt Ghurl But that G W Trike has the wonderful HONDA flat 6 but 4 less carbs!  Sides last I checked gittin out in da wind Is What MATTERS!  RIDE SAFE.

[DragonRdr]

It's happened to me a few times, as f6john commented, they weren't bikers. But they're always impressed by the looks of the Valk. 

[da prez]

  Pre Valk, I came out of a restaurant and an older couple were looking at my black Interstate. I had it pinstriped to minute detail.  On the tank was a sticker " if you value your life as much as I value this bike , don't f### with it.  The old woman started to scratch the decal with car keys.  I grabbed her hand , took the keys and asked what she was doing.  You shouldn't have  cuss words on that thing.  I educated her that I did not stick my head in her car and look around.  The old guy grabbed my arm , which was a loosing battle. I pulled them away and said . don't touch my property. They threatened to call the police. Go ahead I'll wait.  They left.

                                                      da prez
  When I was asked what kind of Harley my Valk was , It is an experimental government prototype.   

[Valkorado]

  Pre Valk, I came out of a restaurant and an older couple were looking at my black Interstate. I had it pinstriped to minute detail.  On the tank was a sticker " if you value your life as much as I value this bike , don't f### with it.  The old woman started to scratch the decal with car keys.  I grabbed her hand , took the keys and asked what she was doing.  You shouldn't have  cuss words on that thing.  I educated her that I did not stick my head in her car and look around.  The old guy grabbed my arm , which was a loosing battle. I pulled them away and said . don't touch my property. They threatened to call the police. Go ahead I'll wait.  They left.

                                                        

Wow.  You handled that better than I would have.

[cookiedough]

guess this is why I have not been too keen on cleaning up my 2 Valks for at least 6 years now, but both are disgusting dirty right now.  When I was more than willing to clean them up spotless that one year,  I had a guy follow me from main hwy. into local gas station in my small town to come up to me and ask me a few questions on the decked out chrome one.  He did not believe me told him was 20 years old at the time 1998 vs. was I believe 2018 some 6 years ago or so.   Cannot even go to a store parking upfront and others hovering around as well. 

At a few older gents drooling over it until they say the HONDA symbol and before got out of the grocery store,  saw them see the HONDA name on it and they quickly walked away.  LOL