Silliest motorcycle related thing you've been told?

[Serk]

For some reason while out riding today I remembered an old discussion with an acquaintance of mine that I thought was rather funny. He was absolutely convinced, and was trying to convince me, that Harley made their motors by cutting up old Chevy V8 engine blocks. No amount of logic or reasoning could convince him otherwise.

That got me to thinking (Scary, I know)... What are some of the outlandish, silly, or downright stupid (Stupider even?) things people have tried to convince you of about motorcycles?

(And I'll go ahead and throw one more in there - A motorcycle with a car tire can't corner! )

[BradValk48237]

Don't use the front brakes to hard(or at all)... it will throw you over the handlebars!!!!!

I think it was a Harley rider that told me !!!!

Brad

[Jeff K]

"you got that Jap Crap cuz you couldn't afford a Harley!"

[WayneH]

Liquid cooled motors will overheat on a hot day in traffic (from Harley rider).

[The emperor has no clothes]

Don't use the front brakes to hard(or at all)... it will throw you over the handlebars!!!!!

I think it was a Harley rider that told me !!!!

Brad

There is an amazing amount of riders that are afraid of the front brakes. I can't imagine not using them heavily. Back to the topic- When I first went dark side an aquantince of my wife's was crying and begging her not to ride with me because her husband told her we would be dead soon. Luckily she trusted me more than her knuckle headed friend. It's been 2 years and 45,000 miles, you think we would get some kind of apology or something. Nope not a word.

[..]

Don't use the front brakes to hard(or at all)... it will throw you over the handlebars!!!!!

Brad

+ 1,000,000

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle-Safety/braking-tips.htm

[Valker]

"That counter steering stuff is just crap".

[sandy]

4 guys at a charity run told me that anyone who rides a Honda is a faggot.

[The emperor has no clothes]

4 guys at a charity run told me that anyone who rides a Honda is a faggot.

Those Harley guys are just sweet misunderstood guys who are in denial 

[BradValk48237]

Mmmmmm.....

Matching Boots, Bike, Vest.... and chaps....

Yep.... Denial!

Brad

[signart]

Don't forget the chain driven Harley billfold.

[NiteRiderF6]

That Honda was coming out with an 1800 cc Valkyrie....

[WayneH]

Definitely, when in danger of a collision, lay it down and _slide_ into the wreck.

[John Schmidt]

I've had some people actually tell me I'm well past the age where I should be riding a motorcycle. They're even younger than me. One couple suggested my wife and I go so far as to restrict our driving in the car due to our age. What on earth are they thinking? So just for fun, I set up a couple games that would make some comparisons; one for depth perception, the other was the old hand slap game. The depth perception they both failed miserably, my wife didn't do much better due to a macular hole. I nailed it within a half inch from 25' away. The hand slap....no contest except my wife was just as quick as I was.

Haven't heard from them since. 

[old2soon]

Been told more than once over the years that my rice burning crap would not hold up in the long run. Yeah-I believe em.  Heard bout the front brake non use a time or two over the years.  Had a hard corps H/D rider told me I should spend my money better. Told him while I was getting off my Valkyrie that I spent my money WAY better than he did.  RIDE SAFE.

[hubcapsc]

KTMs are made in Australia...

-Mike

[98 T]

20+ years ago, at bar close one night, I was standing by my  CB1000 Custom waiting for someone. A drunk a-hole asked,  "what's the matter? Can't get your jap crap started?".  I didn't answer but he wouldn't give it a rest. Kept insulting me and telling me his HD could blow my bike away because he put in a stage 1 kit... blah, blah, blah.. then I finally got pissed and challenged him (in his drunk state ) to bring his bike out front and we'd race... then he, er, remembered that it was still in pieces in his garage.  BUT, he yelled back, if it was put together and IF he had it running, he'd kick my ass in a race.  His friend finally got him shoved into a car, apologized to me for his drunk friend, and drove off.  

The moral of the story: Don't insult a guy's bike, challenge him to a race, and THEN remember your bike has been in pieces for months in the garage waiting for new parts!  

[Jess from VA]

That motorcycle riders use bikes as a psychological substitute for a big penis............. hell, I've got a 5lb crank myself.  

Not sure how this theory works out for female riders.    

[Pappy!]

"If I see a car tire on the back of a motorcycle I refuse to ride it"

Statement was posted on another forum just tonight!

[old2soon]

"If I see a car tire on the back of a motorcycle I refuse to ride it"

Statement was posted on another forum just tonight!

He should have been at Inzane!!  RIDE SAFE.

[Swartzy]

Loud pipes saves lives...........huh?...can't hear ya   

[cookiedough]

When did HD start making 6 cylinders? 

[Thunnar]

Loud pipes saves lives...........huh?...can't hear ya   

I believe there is an element of truth to this old wive's tale. 

[Otus]

I don't find the idea of an 1800 valk silly at all, just wishful thinking.

[DIGGER]

about 10 yrs ago I was at a store by the house and a guy drove up on a brand new HD Sportster of some kind........As he was getting off I said "Why looky there, Harley has started making a motorcycle just like that Suzuki Intruder...........manoman....he got pissed.....thought I was gonna have to fight my way out of there.....ha

[bagelboy]

"Loud pipes save lives", one of my favorites. How about "loud pipes just annoy everyone"

[Atl-Jerry]

Occasionally I get asked "Why didn't you buy a Harley" and my answer is usually "Well, I tried, but they wouldn't sell me one because I couldn't pass the good-character and moral turpitude test.  I took it three times at the dealership then I went to Milwaukee for the weekend crash course but I couldn't make the grade.  I'll keep trying, but until I pass it, I'll just practicing on this thing."

Then I tell them that Honda and Harley are in merger talks and they plan to name the new company Honda-Davidson, maybe then I'll be grandfathered in and I can buy one.

[solo1]

Besides the "loud pipes save lives' and 'Don't use the front brake it'll throw you over the handlebars' sayings, I'll never forget this one.

I was working the production line at Magnavox and stopped to talk to a nice lady who I knew had a boyfriend with a Harley. She was all enthused about going to Daytona on the Harley (It was a bagger). She was worried about where to pack her clothes.  I mentioned that the Harley had two saddlebags.

With a straight face, she said that the bags were already full.  I asked "Wow! your boyfriend must pack a lot of clothes."  She said no.  One bag was for the tools and the other was for the beer.



...........................Come to think of it, I think that she was the same one who was asked "Have you ever watched someone milk a snake?"  She replied, "Hell, i didn't even know that they had boobies!"

No, I'm not making this up!

[JimmyG]

Well, since I first began wanting and riding a motorcycle in my early teens, I was told," those motorcycles will kill you".  You all have probably heard that, kinda like a gun can kill you.  I must have a defective motorcycle, it just sits there and never makes a move or a sound. 

[Spirited-6]

All the bolts on Honda Motorcycles are "HOLLOW"   ???

[Patrick]

Like most things, there are quite a few old wives tales that just seem to keep hanging on. Many of them relate to motorcycle history, I've heard more than I can or care to relate. Did you know that Harley invented the first air-cooled engine and that they also invented the first V-twin as well as most of the other worlds famous inventions.

[Momz]

My brother-in-law insists that HD invented motorcycles and all others are copies or inferior designs that will not last more than a few years. And that Victory's are not made in the US, only assembled here.

[Jack]

Scary to know stupid seems to be universal.

[Momz]

For some reason while out riding today I remembered an old discussion with an acquaintance of mine that I thought was rather funny. He was absolutely convinced, and was trying to convince me, that Harley made their motors by cutting up old Chevy V8 engine blocks. No amount of logic or reasoning could convince him otherwise.

That got me to thinking (Scary, I know)... What are some of the outlandish, silly, or downright stupid (Stupider even?) things people have tried to convince you of about motorcycles?

(And I'll go ahead and throw one more in there - A motorcycle with a car tire can't corner! )

There was a company that used HD parts and a motor that used Chevy 350 rods, pistons, pushrods, lifters, rockers, and valves. That company went out of business years ago. The company was called SUPERVEE.  

[Serk]

For some reason while out riding today I remembered an old discussion with an acquaintance of mine that I thought was rather funny. He was absolutely convinced, and was trying to convince me, that Harley made their motors by cutting up old Chevy V8 engine blocks. No amount of logic or reasoning could convince him otherwise.

That got me to thinking (Scary, I know)... What are some of the outlandish, silly, or downright stupid (Stupider even?) things people have tried to convince you of about motorcycles?

(And I'll go ahead and throw one more in there - A motorcycle with a car tire can't corner! )

There was a company that used HD parts and a motor that used Chevy 350 rods, pistons, pushrods, lifters, rockers, and valves. That company went out of business years ago. The company was called SUPERVEE.  

Oh, I'm sure there's been some cross pollination and even cannibalism but this guy was convinced that all Harley's were made by cross cutting Chevy V8's into 4 V twins... As in a single Chevy V8 engine would be converted into 4 Harley V2 engines...

[R J]

Back when I 1st got MGM,  I was getting gas in Utah.

A gentleman and his young son in the next pump over, asked how hard was it to put that Honda Accord engine in that frame and what was the original intent for that frame?

Looked him dead in the eye and said it was originally for a HD flat tracker.

Hung up my hose and drove off.....

[John Schmidt]

Wayne, you should have told her they milk snakes but the biggest problem is finding a milk stool short enough. 

[Patrick]

We can turn this into our own little contest !  Which of these/those tales is :
1. stupid
2. stupider
3. stupidest

[FLAVALK]

I've been told that black Valks are the fastest       

[specialdose]

Just came out of Wally World the other day, getting ready to mount my beautiful 98, fast black, tourer FAT GURL when I hear," nice har , thats not a harley. Nope." By this time he is checking the motor out fairly close with the tank emblems in his face." What is it? A Valkyrie. Who makes it, yamaha? Nope, Honda. You ride? YEAH I have a bla-bla- bla glide. Nice bike. This ole girl was my retirement gift to myself. Oh I can,t retire, mine cost $32,000,I have to work to pay for it. Oh, well see you around, ride safe." I,m thinking, $32,000, look down at my $6100 baby and bust out laughing thinking oh heck no. Hit the highway, twist the right hand, get the ear to ear grin and say out loud, " thank you Joe Boyd"
$32,000 for a harley, that is SILLY!!!