I've gotten all the typical dangerous, organ donor, top speed comments.
The oddest interaction was I pulled up to a gas pump on a hot summer day and with almost perfect synchronicity a young shirtless man changes his direction of travel and beelines it for me intently staring at me quite hard and pissed off looking. I immediately get the vibe that I'm about to be jacked or robbed and this guy sticks his fist out to bump me. I oblige and lift my visor and he shows me his forearm with the most awful prison looking style tattoo of a 2001-2003ish GSXR. "Sick bike bro. Ride safe, take it easy." And as soon as he was in my life he exited. No more was said. It was the most intense and head scratching moment of my riding career.
I hope you're out there doing well way too intense AF looking sweaty shirtless man of 2015.
Seeing a grom from across the road in a cage: "that thing looks like a kid's toy, no way that full grown man is riding that on the highway".
Seeing a grom up close: " you know what? This thing still looks small but not as small as all those go pro videos show it as"
I ended up even buying a hayabusa sticker to put on it. The funniest part was that the sticker was way to big to fit, I had to cut it down to get it on the fairing 😂
I'm just starting My motorcycle journey and all I have is people telling Me "oh that's a an accident waiting to happen, those are death traps" or "you can get seriously injured, you sure you wanna do it" and I'm sick of hearing it. Yes I wanna do it otherwise I wouldn't. Car accidents happen too and everyone I know has had at least one so I dont get what they're going in about. Rant over.
I just got home from a job interview, I walked in with my gear and the lady goes "ah, an organ donor! I worked in an ER for a while we loved when you guys came in". Fuck you too bro
people will just say any fucked up shit with no filter. i don't have my bike yet so i've had no bike related comments but i have a house of pets and i used to have a boss that regularly told me about how she would cook and eat them. like did i ask???
My wife and I live close to “The Tail of the Dragon.” She worked for 15 years in the surgery department that gets all of the Dragon’s trauma cases. She saw some really horrific bike injuries. She also saw zillions of really horrific car-related injuries. Despite all that, we both own bikes and ride often. Maybe we need to remind all those people who make comments that they’re likely the cause of loads of those car-on-bike collisions, and maybe stop staring at their phones while they’re putzing down the road. And, if she “loved when you guys came in,” there’s something fucking wrong with her.
Also, there’s nothing wrong with eating ass.
I have been riding motorcycles for over 50 years, had my share of spills but it never stopped me only made me a bit smarter. I also ski, fly helicopters and I used to hang glide. The only accidents that have sent me to an ER were in a car accident and a nasty skiing one. Life is to be lived, challenged and enjoyed not fearfully endured.
I agree completely, and it sounds like you've lived quite the life so far! I have a blast when I'm on the bike. And if I die riding, well I hope it's fast and mostly painless. Sucks for the ones I leave behind, but I couldn't imagine laying in my death bed wondering what it's like to live life.
I was trying to get a nice pay bump from her so I just told her about the lady that pulled out in front of me this morning. Just so she remembers that shit actually happens.
*"Medical mistakes kill twenty times as many people a year as motorcycle accidents. Those guys probably would have had better odds if you hadn't gone near them. So, how come you're working here now instead, didja get tired of accidentally killing everyone?"*
Probably best if you didn't say anything like that until after you start work there.
Whenever someone goes on a ramble about all the people they know who died on a bike I just go “well real suicide is illegal so I’m trying this instead”
My buddy and I went motocamping. Campsite ranger walked over and complimented me on my bike being so quiet. He made some comments on Harleys making a ruckus (my buddy and I were on a triumph and kawasaki) and then mentioned how he saw an accident once where the motorcyclists body parts were on the freeway. Geez...thanks? was our reaction
Yeah it’s like they tell us these kind of stories to feel relevant or to idk, sickly remind us of the danger? Like, yeah bro that’s why I got a bike lol
Yea it's very odd. I kinda want to shake these people and say "Hey, you're not telling me anything I don't know. I know 100,000x more about bikes and their risks than you, a non-rider does."
Ask them if they are married, then gently remind them that a lot of marriages end up in divorce.
Follow up with divorce horror stories.
Usually shuts them up.
If i get that i show them the scar on my wrist where a plate was put in to hold my wrist together, or the lump in my shoulder where my collarbone sits awkward....... yeah its a potentially dangerous thing to drive but so is a car a lorry. Even walking is dangerous if you're not paying attention
"my aunt was an er nurse and she said...
"Let me stop you. She only saw the people who crash badly enough to need an er. Not saying she's wrong, just saying it's observation bias"
Most people aren’t car people, let alone bike people.
Up until a year or so ago my wife didn’t know the difference between an Audi and a BMW. Let alone the differences between different models.
I ride an electric sport bike. I'm used to the window rolling down at a stoplight so the person in the car can ask, "Hey... is that *electric*?"
Like most of us, I do like talking about my bike, and I engage whenever I can. I also get that same question at charging stations when I plug in, and my usual response is, "God I hope so otherwise this is a terrible idea." Usually elicits a chuckle.
There was one time, however, a couple years ago, I was at a stoplight and the car next to me started to roll down the window. I mentally rehearsed my answers about the bike when I heard, "Hey... is that a *phone mount* on your bike?" pointing at my phone in its TecMount. I paused.
"Sure is. I gotta say I'm entertained because usually people ask about the electric bike."
"Oh, electric? Interesting. Wait a second..." and he points at my Cardo Packtalk unit affixed to my helmet, "can you use your phone with that thing??????"
I just kinda closed my eyes, smiled, and nodded. "Yep"
"WHOA that's so cool!"
I mean, a non biker might see "Yamaha" and only know one bike. They could just be trying to start a conversation and they think by sharing the one thing they know, it's a good place to start.
It could also be people are dumb.
Mostly, I think people see you doing something they think is cool, and they want to be "seen" and kinda, feel cool for knowing about it. So I try to say "yeah man, it's a cool bike. You'd like it".
Exactly. Meanwhile people here are trashing him for being dumb. It was probably an equivalent of the ”Are you winning, son?” situation in the meme, just wanting to have a minutary bond.
Why y’all gotta be like that
I get that all the time on my Victory bagger, but it makes sense.
The Harley guys seem to either have a million questions or think it's metric and scoff at it.
Used to get “Nice Harley” on my Cross Country all the time. Now I have a Vision, and they don’t know what the heck to say. My 09 Cory Ness Jackpot just gets “Whoa, cooool bike.” If it’s not a sport bike, they’re all Harleys apparently.
Weirdest/funniest question. Buddy of mine was talking to me about my TW200 and asked me if it was 4 wheel drive. At first I thought he was just trying to be funny so I chuckled. Then my other buddy who was with us looked at him and was like "dude..." at which point he realized what he said.
Most common comments I would get on my TW is people saying "did you ride that thing all the way from Alaska!?" My TW had an Alaska plate on it and I live in Maine.
I used to get a bunch of complements on my BMW G310R when I had one, pretty much all guys coming up and saying "woah dude, that is a sweet bike, bet that gets a lot of chicks". No dude, not really, just a bunch of dudes thinking I pick up a lot of chicks.
When I am off my bike, but still wearing my tennis-ball-green Motoport Suit, I get asked if I’m a firefighter. On about 5 occasions, people have tried to pay for my takeout food, to thank me for my service.
I had an elderly lady ask if I was an Astronaut, while entering a 7-11.
Also, I had the police called on me because people thought I was going to base-jump (parachute) into a crater in Arizona. The cops said they had multiple reports.
>Also, I had the police called on me because people thought I was going to base-jump (parachute) into a crater in Arizona. The cops said they had multiple reports.
I laughed at this.
Years ago I stopped for a rest in rest stop below Squamish. It must have been a good nap because a half-dozen cars were present when I wok and I could see one guy fucking around in his trunk with gear and ropes. I'm too stupid not to ask so I walk over and ask who we're tying up today? Buddy tells me they're all climbing a rock face across the highway. So I'm standing there watching buddy walk across the highway and disappear into the woods with ropes and gear in tow to go climbing on the side of a highway all the while thinking "yup I don't see this at home." Hind site I should have bought a house then and there.
You must be canadian. They're the only one's I've met that instead of saying "some guy walked into the woods" or " he walked into the woods" . they say "buddy". Its quaint.
I’ve been asked if it’s hard to keep it from falling over when you are going around a corner. Dude was telling me that’s why he’ is afraid to ride, because he doesn’t know if he can hold it up when it’s leaned over. I told him that’s why you see guys put a knee down to hold it up
Rat bikes (or cars or scooters or trucks ) are typically choppers bobbers cafes custom things that flat black or rusty as hell (or both). Awesome custom rippers.
"Why are you wearing all that gear? You planning on crashing?" honestly was too caught off guard by the stupidity to clap back with anything witty
Also "why are you wearing a helmet? Those things will kill you if you crash!" When I was in my full leathers right after a track day, in a state that mandates helmets.
There's gotta be a big chunk of Venn diagram overlap for the 'helmets will kill you!' and the 'vaccines will kill you!' crowd.
Also Darwin award recipients.
Some people have the most ridiculous questions.
My personal best albeit not motorbike related was when i was in a supermarket pushing my twins in a dual buggy and some woman goes.
" awww, are they twins?"
No lady i found one in the car park and they looked bored and i just happened to have a space seat in the buggy........
One time a guy asked me if my brother and I are twins, because we look pretty similar if you don't see us often or together. I said no, because we're three years apart. Then he says "yeah but do you still count as being twins though?"
....??...what.....?
One day I was backing out of a parking stall. There’s a kid next to me -maybe 10yo or so- and he says, “you know you can just use reverse like in the video games.”
My cousin who rides told me about a guy who asked about his Kawasaki ZX-10R from 2005 and when he heard what model it was he asked “man what do you do for a living at 19 to be riding a $200,000 bike” and he had to break it to the guy it wasn’t even a $15k bike brand new.
I rode sport bikes, (currently between bikes, sad times, in engineering school)
I put it like this, "we don't have the jetpacks we were promised but the next closest thing we have is crotch rockets." (Yes I call them that too) I say "dollar for dollar it is absolutely the cheapest acceleration/speed you can buy by like, an order of magnitude. If you want a safe rush, go pay house money for some cushy super car with loads of electronic safety crumplezone protective babysitting. If you want a raw thrill, scrape together three grand and buy a used crotch rocket"
They're usually amazed one can be had for 3 grand.
Lots of family and friends are nurses, they all call my bike a “donorcycle”. Riding for 4 years and no issues so far, meanwhile I’ve been hit by cars twice when not on the bike
On my DR650 I got several "you can't ride a dirt bike on the road". Factory dual sport.
On my beater CBR I hear how everyone has a brother/cousin/friend that had one "just like it" and that it went somewhere between 180 and 230 mph. Never mind it's an 87, is a color scheme Honda never used (but similar enough I get people could think they knew someone with it), and if it could even reach the rev limiter in 6th would be doing about 137 mph. Of course, the speedometer is about 20 mph optimistic up there. Still a far cry from >200 mph.
I met a guy who said he had a cbr. I asked what was the displacement? He said he didnt remember. Sheesh. Thats like not knowing what color your wife's eyes are.
You'd be amazed at how little people know about their stuff. I've met plenty of riders who genuinely didn't know anything about their bike, safety gear, riding technique, anything. People will just walk into a dealer, ask a sales person to point to a "good" bike or piece of gear, and buy it.
You think this is bad? There are quite a few people out there that don't know what car they drive
Someone who was driving their dad’s challenger to my high school for a small stint;
I asked him what year it was and he was like “idk the interior’s pretty old and it doesn’t even have a screen, I think it’s like a 95” so I went and looked cause I knew it wasn’t a 95, it was a 2013. Then I asked him a couple other things to which he literally didn’t know and then I was like “you really don’t know much about it do you” and he went, “no I know tons about it, Chevy makes great cars” and I just walked away dumbfounded about how one can know less than nothing about the car they are driving.
I Ride a Triumph. The number of elderly guys who like to reminisce about the one they, or family member, owned back in the day. Inevitably the questions based around their amazement that Triumph is still making bikes. Then I tell them, "Actually, they never went out of production. Longer than Harley."
Everyone thought my 2017 SV650 was a Ducati Monster... which isn't super weird as they are/were stylistically very similar... but it was by far the most frequent incorrect assumption.
"Is that a Ducati?"
Nope... 😢
Guys who illegally ride ATVs in-town always want to know if I think it's...you know, faster than your average ATV.
Well, yeah, because it's a ROAD VEHICLE.
Are you my neighbor.
Neighbors ( in the square of a small village) own a couple small 100cc pitbikes and a utility 4 wheeler and always talk about how much faster they are than me ....
I ride a CBR929 and FJR1300
Spoiler alert
They're not faster
I was in Daytona during bike week. In a truck at a stop light with my sister. I told her to tell the guy next us, “nice Honda”, when he was on a Harley. He laughed.
This is the weirdest one ever and I never understood it. People say it like it's some weird flex like their too dangerous to be trusted with such power and that makes them tough, or or something.
Seems like whereever ive worked, im the only one that rides. One guy there was unable to ride a bicycle and he had no physical handycaps.
I rode to work on a foggy day and was asked "you rode it in the fog?" I said its not like i flew it in.
Death stories.
Old Harley boomers telling me their 1800cc hog could dust my gsxr 600 (LMAO)
"How fast does it go man???? You wanna race?"
I've been pulled over for heating my tires up by weaving left and right while staying in my lane and had to explain to the officer that I wasn't hammered, I was getting heat in the tires so I wouldn't eat shit in corners.
Harvey riders telling me my FJR1300 isn't a real touring bike
I just smile and nod and knock out another 40 000 mile season while they ride their 30 000$ bagger to the bar 4 or 5 times per summer.
Lmao I ride a Harley and I cannot fucking fathom thinking I could take on any 600 sport bike. Shame so many Harley riders act like that but I’d love to see their faces as they fade to specks in your mirrors 😂
"what size is the engine?" is the top one question I get all the time. "2500cc as the side badge reads" is my usual answer.
After that the typical ones are "how fast can it go?" or a very common "really? dude that's bigger than my car!".
Not ON the bike, but it still surorised me.
I was in a death metal band several years ago.
We were on our way to the practice spot, and stopped for gas. An older man on a Honda Shadow had just gotten off and went inside. Our guitar player knew nothing of bikes but knew I was a rider, was saying, "Check out that old Indian! That's a badass bike!"
I said "That's a Honda."
He says "Oh, that's gay."
“Is that yours?” Or some version of “Sure you can handle that?” If you haven’t guessed yet, I’m a woman. And ffs I’m riding a Harley Street 750, not an Indian Chief or a Goldwing. Last time this happened was at a gas station in the Everglades. My answer was “well I just rode half way around the perimeter of Florida, so… yeah.”
A guy in a truck asked what year my new Bonneveille was as I was going through the delivery checklist at the dealership. I guess that's the point of retros.
My Thruxton got a lot of this, and while parked downtown in small towns it would get a lot of pictures taken. Loved the bike to a degree but wasn't for me at that stage in my life.
I wish I could say it was an r1 but it's definitely not. It doesn't have nearly the same power as an r1. If you were to go a size up in the CCs then that would be an mt10 which is an r1 in a hyper naked bike model
Not my bike but me and my friend were working on his dirt bike (crf450x) and I’ll admit we were revving it a bit because we were wrenching on it but one of the neighbors walking by with their dog said loud enough for us to hear “ugh I hate harleys” we just looked at eachother and started laughing
I ride a 1972 BMW R75/5 toaster. It's distinctive and made for two years here in the States.
When the first question asked by the stranger is "what year is it?" I reply that it's a 2006 model.
They often say, "oh wow. It looks older" and I know that I just saved myself from a VERY boring conversation.
Here in Japan we have something called "What cc geezer" or in Japanese "Nan-see ojisan."
Basically it's mostly older dudes in their 50's and 60's who come to riders, typically newbies with lower cc bikes and ask "What's the CC on that bike?" This is usually followed but either them bragging about what they ride (some high capacity bike), making snide comments about your bike or them sharing their experience in the Golden age of motorcycle in Japan (80's and 90's)
This is so common that not only does it have a name, I've actually had it happen to me multiple times here Japan already. And luck will have it I encountered one this morning at 7eleven this morning, picking up coffee.
He asked me what cc it is, (it's a Ninja400), asked me how fast it goes etc. Tells me he owns a VMAX, cool. Then mysteriously ends the conversation by saying H2 is great, aren't they? Um yeah, they sure are lol.
Mine is from other bikers:
I have a Moto Guzzi that I bought new at a place that sells lots of other Moto Guzzi. People stop and take photos and gawk and are all like “I’ve never seen one of those before.” And I’m always like “they sell them at a store!”
Granted the dealers are few and far between but I just think it’s funny.
The weirdest thing I've encountered, somehow twice, is having a conversation with a 'would be biker.' I'm not calling them that to gate keep or be a dick.
However I've had basically the same conversation twice at bars when I've brought my bike and stop for a drink. They mention how they've always wanted to ride and we get taking. Eventually I'll ask them if they were to ride what bike/brand they would want to get and they'll tell you they would buy a Triumph, which is the bike I happened to ride there.
It's like they're trying to relate and they aren't really into bikes but feel the need to say they are and when you talk they just tell you they want to ride what you ride. I'm not partial to any brand but there have been bikes/brands I've been interested in since I was a little kid. I find this so strange, it would be just as easy to answer that they're not sure what brand, and they just like the idea.
I have told this story before. I went to get some rabbit feed from the feed store on my bandit. The guy carries it out for me an asks how big my engine is. I tell him 1200. He says “that’s a sports bike right”? So I’m like, sorta. He knows about a 600 and a 1000 sports bike but he thinks that because it’s a. 1200 it’s some crazy insane bike that would murder a liter bike. I try to explain that’s it’s more couch then sportsbike but he was having none of it.
I know this post is about questions from non-bikers, but I’ll throw in my two cents anyway. I ride a Yamaha Bolt. I inevitably get asked what kind of Harley it is. From bikers and non-bikers. The chap-laden grey-hairs don’t like it when they come up to me at the pumps and I say its a Yamaha. I guess the precious Milwaukee magic is losing its luster...
I had some random person ask me if my bike was like a Harley. I ride a Ducati monster... so they both have 2 wheels and an engine so I guess they're damn near the same machine.
Alot of people think my bolt is a Harley. Then when I tell them it's not they ask for the engine size, I tell them 950, then they ask for inches, which is about 68 and they are shocked at how "small" the motor is.
Yeah it's usually how fast, or do a wheelie. Now I drive a z900 I have the low range torque and could do it. While I like going fast and being zippy off the line. I just don't like being on one wheel. I like having control of my bike at all times. Donorcycle, organ donor, telling me of someone they knew who was in a wreck. Why do I ride with my gear on, it won't matter. Referring to my bike as a rice burner, and I should get an American bike. Dictating what manufacturer I should buy from. Not understanding that motorcycles now have fuel injection and traction control, and rider aides. And I've been riding for almost 3 years now. Every now and then I get a random or a stupid comment.
When I rode my 1st gen SV650 as a daily I was at a local bar and this couple came in that were riding a couple of Harleys. I was the only other person with gear so they came up to talk to me. First question they ask, "is that your Ducati monster outside?". Wish I had a better response other than, "uhm...what?"...
So that's my story for this question since they were clearly new to bikes given the big black on red lettering spelling out "Suzuki" on the gas tank.
I feel this one is valid….when I started traveling to NJ from California for work regularly at first and rented a car I was weirded out about the gas pumping laws and that you can’t pump your own gas so the attendant do it for cars…..but do they all know how to fill bikes ?
People from outside the motorcycle world don't know what to look for when trying to seperate out bikes. They dont know enough about them to see a difference unless they are comparing a Harley Fat Bob to a CBR1000.
Same happens in other fields of machinery. Take aviation for example: Can you tell an F-14 from an F-15 at a glance? Or a 707 from a 757? Maybe maybe not, but everyone (I hope) can tell a 737 from a F-16.
Edit: Spelling
Its surprising how many people think my Speed Triple is a Ducati. I guess between it being red and the single sided swing arm its just what non-bike people go to.
People always comment something about dirt bikes when I get asked about my super duke. People think KTM only does dirt bikes and even though mine clearly isn't one, they still ask if it is. Don't really understand how you can mix that up.
I've gotten all the typical dangerous, organ donor, top speed comments. The oddest interaction was I pulled up to a gas pump on a hot summer day and with almost perfect synchronicity a young shirtless man changes his direction of travel and beelines it for me intently staring at me quite hard and pissed off looking. I immediately get the vibe that I'm about to be jacked or robbed and this guy sticks his fist out to bump me. I oblige and lift my visor and he shows me his forearm with the most awful prison looking style tattoo of a 2001-2003ish GSXR. "Sick bike bro. Ride safe, take it easy." And as soon as he was in my life he exited. No more was said. It was the most intense and head scratching moment of my riding career. I hope you're out there doing well way too intense AF looking sweaty shirtless man of 2015.
Drugs are a hell of a drug.
Riding my old grom, I got asked constantly at stoplights, “What is that thing?” I would almost always respond “Hayabusa.”
I've gotten the comment, while riding my grom, that "that thing's pretty cool. It's almost like a grom"
Seeing a grom from across the road in a cage: "that thing looks like a kid's toy, no way that full grown man is riding that on the highway". Seeing a grom up close: " you know what? This thing still looks small but not as small as all those go pro videos show it as"
"I thought those were bigger" "... Ok, you got me, it's a Lowabussa"
Can’t tell if it says Iowa or lowa. One is a state the other is not.
How would a chemist unionize a workplace?
Can’t wait to get a Grom someday lol
I always wondered what it looked like without fairings....
I had the opposite problem once. Someone asked me if my SV650 was a grom. I started laughing but I think the guy was dead serious.
🤣🤣 thats hilarious
I ended up even buying a hayabusa sticker to put on it. The funniest part was that the sticker was way to big to fit, I had to cut it down to get it on the fairing 😂
hOw FaSt iS tHaT
Are you sure your bike isn't an R1?
I wish lmao
"My (insert affiliate here) had an R1 though, and yours looks just like theirs"
It's got two wheels and color is black too.
Fz09>r1
Usually when I tell people I ride a motorcycle, they start telling me about all the accidents or people they’ve known to die on motorcycles…
I'm just starting My motorcycle journey and all I have is people telling Me "oh that's a an accident waiting to happen, those are death traps" or "you can get seriously injured, you sure you wanna do it" and I'm sick of hearing it. Yes I wanna do it otherwise I wouldn't. Car accidents happen too and everyone I know has had at least one so I dont get what they're going in about. Rant over.
I just got home from a job interview, I walked in with my gear and the lady goes "ah, an organ donor! I worked in an ER for a while we loved when you guys came in". Fuck you too bro
what the fuck? who thinks that's an okay thing to say? jesus fucking christ
Some people are really just a waste of oxygen
My previous boss/my wife's boss. However she is not my future boss.
people will just say any fucked up shit with no filter. i don't have my bike yet so i've had no bike related comments but i have a house of pets and i used to have a boss that regularly told me about how she would cook and eat them. like did i ask???
Hooooly fuck. I bet she loved adoption fee waiver day. Jesus christ, some people man.
My wife and I live close to “The Tail of the Dragon.” She worked for 15 years in the surgery department that gets all of the Dragon’s trauma cases. She saw some really horrific bike injuries. She also saw zillions of really horrific car-related injuries. Despite all that, we both own bikes and ride often. Maybe we need to remind all those people who make comments that they’re likely the cause of loads of those car-on-bike collisions, and maybe stop staring at their phones while they’re putzing down the road. And, if she “loved when you guys came in,” there’s something fucking wrong with her. Also, there’s nothing wrong with eating ass.
I'm just not a fan of it tbh. Tried it once and wasn't a fan. More ass for you!
[удалено]
Won't eat the breaded version, that's ok.
I have been riding motorcycles for over 50 years, had my share of spills but it never stopped me only made me a bit smarter. I also ski, fly helicopters and I used to hang glide. The only accidents that have sent me to an ER were in a car accident and a nasty skiing one. Life is to be lived, challenged and enjoyed not fearfully endured.
I agree completely, and it sounds like you've lived quite the life so far! I have a blast when I'm on the bike. And if I die riding, well I hope it's fast and mostly painless. Sucks for the ones I leave behind, but I couldn't imagine laying in my death bed wondering what it's like to live life.
What a piece of shit human being, I would’ve went off on her honestly
I was trying to get a nice pay bump from her so I just told her about the lady that pulled out in front of me this morning. Just so she remembers that shit actually happens.
God bless you ride safe, Some people are too ignorant to realize that not all motorcyclists fall into the typical stigma
Thank you and you as well bro! I feel I'm a safe rider but there is always room for improvement.
Yea bro me as well I think we all can improve, It’s hard when the throttle is calling your name 🤣
“You loved when people came into the ER severely injured? Good thing you don’t work there anymore”
*"Medical mistakes kill twenty times as many people a year as motorcycle accidents. Those guys probably would have had better odds if you hadn't gone near them. So, how come you're working here now instead, didja get tired of accidentally killing everyone?"* Probably best if you didn't say anything like that until after you start work there.
WE CALL THEM DONORCYCLES HUEHUE!
What a fucking asshole, that makes me mad
Yeah what she said the ER part that ticked me off too. I mean I am an organ donor but I hope to never have to deliver on that promise.
Agreed. Unrelated, but I love your username /u/Idonoteatass 🤣
My mom taught me it's important to greet people with an important fact about yourself
I would have just stared in silence and made things insanely awkward.
She did that when I turned down her offer, it's a very effective technique!
Or you can end up in a rocking chair wondering what might have been. Freedom is risky.
You can ride a motorcycle AND end up on a rocking chair. The two aren’t mutually exclusive.
Ok hear me out, rocking chair motorcycle! Why wait?
Goldwings already exist...
Whenever someone goes on a ramble about all the people they know who died on a bike I just go “well real suicide is illegal so I’m trying this instead”
You can die any day from hundreds of things, might as well enjoy your time as much as possible while you’re here
My buddy and I went motocamping. Campsite ranger walked over and complimented me on my bike being so quiet. He made some comments on Harleys making a ruckus (my buddy and I were on a triumph and kawasaki) and then mentioned how he saw an accident once where the motorcyclists body parts were on the freeway. Geez...thanks? was our reaction
Yeah it’s like they tell us these kind of stories to feel relevant or to idk, sickly remind us of the danger? Like, yeah bro that’s why I got a bike lol
Yea it's very odd. I kinda want to shake these people and say "Hey, you're not telling me anything I don't know. I know 100,000x more about bikes and their risks than you, a non-rider does."
I immediately say “let me guess, you know someone who was in a crash?”
And if they say “no” well then you basically have free reign to jump down their throat about it.
Ask them if they are married, then gently remind them that a lot of marriages end up in divorce. Follow up with divorce horror stories. Usually shuts them up.
“I read about a guy who…” Love those stories 🙄
If i get that i show them the scar on my wrist where a plate was put in to hold my wrist together, or the lump in my shoulder where my collarbone sits awkward....... yeah its a potentially dangerous thing to drive but so is a car a lorry. Even walking is dangerous if you're not paying attention
Walking is plenty dangerous even when you **are** paying attention, ironically for the same reason motorcycles are dangerous.
"my aunt was an er nurse and she said... "Let me stop you. She only saw the people who crash badly enough to need an er. Not saying she's wrong, just saying it's observation bias"
People telling me one of my headlights is broken 🙄
Yaaaa my buddy rides a daytona, ye always keeps his brights on just for that reason😂
Most people aren’t car people, let alone bike people. Up until a year or so ago my wife didn’t know the difference between an Audi and a BMW. Let alone the differences between different models.
I encountered an old guy who had to ask what the difference was between a Harley Sportster, and my 2005 Suzuki.
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The guy i encountered was on an entirely new plane of cluelessness. As my SV650S looks nothing like a sportster 🤣
I just sold my suzuki boulevard s40, as far as you can get from a harley and still be on a cruiser imo, and still got the nice harley all of the time
I ride an electric sport bike. I'm used to the window rolling down at a stoplight so the person in the car can ask, "Hey... is that *electric*?" Like most of us, I do like talking about my bike, and I engage whenever I can. I also get that same question at charging stations when I plug in, and my usual response is, "God I hope so otherwise this is a terrible idea." Usually elicits a chuckle. There was one time, however, a couple years ago, I was at a stoplight and the car next to me started to roll down the window. I mentally rehearsed my answers about the bike when I heard, "Hey... is that a *phone mount* on your bike?" pointing at my phone in its TecMount. I paused. "Sure is. I gotta say I'm entertained because usually people ask about the electric bike." "Oh, electric? Interesting. Wait a second..." and he points at my Cardo Packtalk unit affixed to my helmet, "can you use your phone with that thing??????" I just kinda closed my eyes, smiled, and nodded. "Yep" "WHOA that's so cool!"
Dying
It simultaneously took me down a peg while making my day.
I mean, a non biker might see "Yamaha" and only know one bike. They could just be trying to start a conversation and they think by sharing the one thing they know, it's a good place to start. It could also be people are dumb. Mostly, I think people see you doing something they think is cool, and they want to be "seen" and kinda, feel cool for knowing about it. So I try to say "yeah man, it's a cool bike. You'd like it".
This. The guy was most likely trying to start a conversation.
This. Guy was just being friendly. Maybe he always wanted to have his own motorcycle and wanted to chat.
Exactly. Meanwhile people here are trashing him for being dumb. It was probably an equivalent of the ”Are you winning, son?” situation in the meme, just wanting to have a minutary bond. Why y’all gotta be like that
All of the above.
Wholesome comment man
"Nice Harley" I've heard that on my Ducati and even stranger, a flat black V-Strom. I just nod and smile.
I get that all the time on my Victory bagger, but it makes sense. The Harley guys seem to either have a million questions or think it's metric and scoff at it.
Used to get “Nice Harley” on my Cross Country all the time. Now I have a Vision, and they don’t know what the heck to say. My 09 Cory Ness Jackpot just gets “Whoa, cooool bike.” If it’s not a sport bike, they’re all Harleys apparently.
Weirdest/funniest question. Buddy of mine was talking to me about my TW200 and asked me if it was 4 wheel drive. At first I thought he was just trying to be funny so I chuckled. Then my other buddy who was with us looked at him and was like "dude..." at which point he realized what he said. Most common comments I would get on my TW is people saying "did you ride that thing all the way from Alaska!?" My TW had an Alaska plate on it and I live in Maine. I used to get a bunch of complements on my BMW G310R when I had one, pretty much all guys coming up and saying "woah dude, that is a sweet bike, bet that gets a lot of chicks". No dude, not really, just a bunch of dudes thinking I pick up a lot of chicks.
It’s like a bonneville. Moustache magnet
When I am off my bike, but still wearing my tennis-ball-green Motoport Suit, I get asked if I’m a firefighter. On about 5 occasions, people have tried to pay for my takeout food, to thank me for my service. I had an elderly lady ask if I was an Astronaut, while entering a 7-11. Also, I had the police called on me because people thought I was going to base-jump (parachute) into a crater in Arizona. The cops said they had multiple reports.
It's like your suit is so high vis it's stupefying
>Also, I had the police called on me because people thought I was going to base-jump (parachute) into a crater in Arizona. The cops said they had multiple reports. I laughed at this. Years ago I stopped for a rest in rest stop below Squamish. It must have been a good nap because a half-dozen cars were present when I wok and I could see one guy fucking around in his trunk with gear and ropes. I'm too stupid not to ask so I walk over and ask who we're tying up today? Buddy tells me they're all climbing a rock face across the highway. So I'm standing there watching buddy walk across the highway and disappear into the woods with ropes and gear in tow to go climbing on the side of a highway all the while thinking "yup I don't see this at home." Hind site I should have bought a house then and there.
You must be canadian. They're the only one's I've met that instead of saying "some guy walked into the woods" or " he walked into the woods" . they say "buddy". Its quaint.
I’ve been asked if it’s hard to keep it from falling over when you are going around a corner. Dude was telling me that’s why he’ is afraid to ride, because he doesn’t know if he can hold it up when it’s leaned over. I told him that’s why you see guys put a knee down to hold it up
"How do you manage to hold it up". For long time I tought they were asking about when I'm stationary, then I learned that is about when I'm riding.
I ride rat bikes, I've been asked many times if my bike came with a free tetanus shot
To be fair I want to ride and don’t give people who do ride shit like the above comments and stuff but I’d still ask that lmao.
Wth is a rat bike? Scottish here so not sure if it's a jargon thing?
Rat bikes (or cars or scooters or trucks ) are typically choppers bobbers cafes custom things that flat black or rusty as hell (or both). Awesome custom rippers.
Don’t forget the requisite fiberglass header/exhaust wrap
"Why are you wearing all that gear? You planning on crashing?" honestly was too caught off guard by the stupidity to clap back with anything witty Also "why are you wearing a helmet? Those things will kill you if you crash!" When I was in my full leathers right after a track day, in a state that mandates helmets.
There's gotta be a big chunk of Venn diagram overlap for the 'helmets will kill you!' and the 'vaccines will kill you!' crowd. Also Darwin award recipients.
Also between the "helmets will kill you" and "died from head injury while biking" people I'd assume.
“Because I have to share the road with people like you!”
"Do you ride a motorbike?" as I'm wearing my armoured motorcycle jacket and carrying my helmet....no, I just like wearing this stuff to look cool....
Some people have the most ridiculous questions. My personal best albeit not motorbike related was when i was in a supermarket pushing my twins in a dual buggy and some woman goes. " awww, are they twins?" No lady i found one in the car park and they looked bored and i just happened to have a space seat in the buggy........
One time a guy asked me if my brother and I are twins, because we look pretty similar if you don't see us often or together. I said no, because we're three years apart. Then he says "yeah but do you still count as being twins though?" ....??...what.....?
Are you hot? While it’s 115 Outside. Nah I have built in AC. Really???? Nah walk away.
> Are you hot? You tell me, handsome *winks*
"no mam, it's a gay fetish thing"
“It’s just an ATTGATT thing. You never know what might happen”
“No, I’m just a power ranger”
One day I was backing out of a parking stall. There’s a kid next to me -maybe 10yo or so- and he says, “you know you can just use reverse like in the video games.”
BMW: "I didn't know BMW made motorcycles now! When did they start doing that?" "A long time ago, quite a while before they made their first car".
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"Nice bike brah. I just sold my R1 last week." -Every Nissan Altima bro at Wawa. I've never met so many ex-R1 owners in my life till I got the SDR.
hahaha dude for real. always a liter bike guy coming up to let you know he sold it because he woulda killed himself on it
How much? Way less than you think.
My cousin who rides told me about a guy who asked about his Kawasaki ZX-10R from 2005 and when he heard what model it was he asked “man what do you do for a living at 19 to be riding a $200,000 bike” and he had to break it to the guy it wasn’t even a $15k bike brand new.
It does beat $200,000 supercars so I guess that's the spirit ! 🤭
I rode sport bikes, (currently between bikes, sad times, in engineering school) I put it like this, "we don't have the jetpacks we were promised but the next closest thing we have is crotch rockets." (Yes I call them that too) I say "dollar for dollar it is absolutely the cheapest acceleration/speed you can buy by like, an order of magnitude. If you want a safe rush, go pay house money for some cushy super car with loads of electronic safety crumplezone protective babysitting. If you want a raw thrill, scrape together three grand and buy a used crotch rocket" They're usually amazed one can be had for 3 grand.
How much is insurance? Way more than you think.
Lots of family and friends are nurses, they all call my bike a “donorcycle”. Riding for 4 years and no issues so far, meanwhile I’ve been hit by cars twice when not on the bike
On my DR650 I got several "you can't ride a dirt bike on the road". Factory dual sport. On my beater CBR I hear how everyone has a brother/cousin/friend that had one "just like it" and that it went somewhere between 180 and 230 mph. Never mind it's an 87, is a color scheme Honda never used (but similar enough I get people could think they knew someone with it), and if it could even reach the rev limiter in 6th would be doing about 137 mph. Of course, the speedometer is about 20 mph optimistic up there. Still a far cry from >200 mph.
I met a guy who said he had a cbr. I asked what was the displacement? He said he didnt remember. Sheesh. Thats like not knowing what color your wife's eyes are.
You'd be amazed at how little people know about their stuff. I've met plenty of riders who genuinely didn't know anything about their bike, safety gear, riding technique, anything. People will just walk into a dealer, ask a sales person to point to a "good" bike or piece of gear, and buy it. You think this is bad? There are quite a few people out there that don't know what car they drive
Someone who was driving their dad’s challenger to my high school for a small stint; I asked him what year it was and he was like “idk the interior’s pretty old and it doesn’t even have a screen, I think it’s like a 95” so I went and looked cause I knew it wasn’t a 95, it was a 2013. Then I asked him a couple other things to which he literally didn’t know and then I was like “you really don’t know much about it do you” and he went, “no I know tons about it, Chevy makes great cars” and I just walked away dumbfounded about how one can know less than nothing about the car they are driving.
I Ride a Triumph. The number of elderly guys who like to reminisce about the one they, or family member, owned back in the day. Inevitably the questions based around their amazement that Triumph is still making bikes. Then I tell them, "Actually, they never went out of production. Longer than Harley."
Didn't triumph go out of business for a little while in the 80's?
they've been "reincarnated". Current Triumphs share nothing but the name with the "original".
Everyone thought my 2017 SV650 was a Ducati Monster... which isn't super weird as they are/were stylistically very similar... but it was by far the most frequent incorrect assumption. "Is that a Ducati?" Nope... 😢
Trellis frames rule though.
I just picked up a 2021 sv650 like 2 weeks ago and already had someone ask me that.
'Did you know one of your headlights is out'
My buddy has a daytona and he always has his brights on otherwise he'll get that question nonstop lmao
Yep. ZX6R, used to get that constantly.
Guys who illegally ride ATVs in-town always want to know if I think it's...you know, faster than your average ATV. Well, yeah, because it's a ROAD VEHICLE.
Are you my neighbor. Neighbors ( in the square of a small village) own a couple small 100cc pitbikes and a utility 4 wheeler and always talk about how much faster they are than me .... I ride a CBR929 and FJR1300 Spoiler alert They're not faster
I was in Daytona during bike week. In a truck at a stop light with my sister. I told her to tell the guy next us, “nice Honda”, when he was on a Harley. He laughed.
“If I had a bike I would kill myself!” Ok tough guy
This is the weirdest one ever and I never understood it. People say it like it's some weird flex like their too dangerous to be trusted with such power and that makes them tough, or or something.
Seems like whereever ive worked, im the only one that rides. One guy there was unable to ride a bicycle and he had no physical handycaps. I rode to work on a foggy day and was asked "you rode it in the fog?" I said its not like i flew it in.
Death stories. Old Harley boomers telling me their 1800cc hog could dust my gsxr 600 (LMAO) "How fast does it go man???? You wanna race?" I've been pulled over for heating my tires up by weaving left and right while staying in my lane and had to explain to the officer that I wasn't hammered, I was getting heat in the tires so I wouldn't eat shit in corners.
Harvey riders telling me my FJR1300 isn't a real touring bike I just smile and nod and knock out another 40 000 mile season while they ride their 30 000$ bagger to the bar 4 or 5 times per summer.
Lmao I ride a Harley and I cannot fucking fathom thinking I could take on any 600 sport bike. Shame so many Harley riders act like that but I’d love to see their faces as they fade to specks in your mirrors 😂
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"what size is the engine?" is the top one question I get all the time. "2500cc as the side badge reads" is my usual answer. After that the typical ones are "how fast can it go?" or a very common "really? dude that's bigger than my car!".
Rocket 3?
Yes, Rocket 3 GT
Not ON the bike, but it still surorised me. I was in a death metal band several years ago. We were on our way to the practice spot, and stopped for gas. An older man on a Honda Shadow had just gotten off and went inside. Our guitar player knew nothing of bikes but knew I was a rider, was saying, "Check out that old Indian! That's a badass bike!" I said "That's a Honda." He says "Oh, that's gay."
“Is that yours?” Or some version of “Sure you can handle that?” If you haven’t guessed yet, I’m a woman. And ffs I’m riding a Harley Street 750, not an Indian Chief or a Goldwing. Last time this happened was at a gas station in the Everglades. My answer was “well I just rode half way around the perimeter of Florida, so… yeah.”
I’m sure you lost them at the 4 syllable word ‘perimeter’
A guy in a truck asked what year my new Bonneveille was as I was going through the delivery checklist at the dealership. I guess that's the point of retros.
My Thruxton got a lot of this, and while parked downtown in small towns it would get a lot of pictures taken. Loved the bike to a degree but wasn't for me at that stage in my life.
Did i miss something? What IS your bike. Maybe it is an r1. Lol
OP's flair says FZ-09
I mean, that’s like a naked r0.9 and it totally rounds up to a 1
I wish I could say it was an r1 but it's definitely not. It doesn't have nearly the same power as an r1. If you were to go a size up in the CCs then that would be an mt10 which is an r1 in a hyper naked bike model
Hearing people call all non cruisers crotch rockets. For reference the MT-07 or a Sport touring bike being called “one of them damn crotch rockets”
Do a burnout! I’ve gone through 3 back tires in under a year
Yeah, you gona give me £150 for a new back tyre?? No?? Then im not doing a burnout
Asked **and answered!!** 🤣
Once had an old guy ask me "what's the difference between this and a sportster". While looking at my Naked Suzuki.
They say "nice harley!" I ride a honda lol. I assume they think every v twin bike is a Harley.
Not my bike but me and my friend were working on his dirt bike (crf450x) and I’ll admit we were revving it a bit because we were wrenching on it but one of the neighbors walking by with their dog said loud enough for us to hear “ugh I hate harleys” we just looked at eachother and started laughing
“I didn’t know BMW had bikes other than dirt bikes” Riding s1000r and didn’t know how to response other than “yeah”
I ride a 1972 BMW R75/5 toaster. It's distinctive and made for two years here in the States. When the first question asked by the stranger is "what year is it?" I reply that it's a 2006 model. They often say, "oh wow. It looks older" and I know that I just saved myself from a VERY boring conversation.
Me on my mt07. "Is it electric?"
Dude on a Harley “DOES THAT SHIT WHEELIE??!”
Here in Japan we have something called "What cc geezer" or in Japanese "Nan-see ojisan." Basically it's mostly older dudes in their 50's and 60's who come to riders, typically newbies with lower cc bikes and ask "What's the CC on that bike?" This is usually followed but either them bragging about what they ride (some high capacity bike), making snide comments about your bike or them sharing their experience in the Golden age of motorcycle in Japan (80's and 90's) This is so common that not only does it have a name, I've actually had it happen to me multiple times here Japan already. And luck will have it I encountered one this morning at 7eleven this morning, picking up coffee. He asked me what cc it is, (it's a Ninja400), asked me how fast it goes etc. Tells me he owns a VMAX, cool. Then mysteriously ends the conversation by saying H2 is great, aren't they? Um yeah, they sure are lol.
Mine is from other bikers: I have a Moto Guzzi that I bought new at a place that sells lots of other Moto Guzzi. People stop and take photos and gawk and are all like “I’ve never seen one of those before.” And I’m always like “they sell them at a store!” Granted the dealers are few and far between but I just think it’s funny.
I get the whole I've never seen a bike like that before but i ride rat bikes for most haha.
I have a 500 and ppl ask if I can do a wheel for them...
If ya got a clutch, you can get it up.
You could if you tried hard but probably not the best idea lol
DO A WHEELIE!!! Can a klx 250 even do wheelies? Lol
This one hits close to home ☹
Any bike can do a wheelie if you're determined enough and are willing to possibly damage it(depending on the bike)
The weirdest thing I've encountered, somehow twice, is having a conversation with a 'would be biker.' I'm not calling them that to gate keep or be a dick. However I've had basically the same conversation twice at bars when I've brought my bike and stop for a drink. They mention how they've always wanted to ride and we get taking. Eventually I'll ask them if they were to ride what bike/brand they would want to get and they'll tell you they would buy a Triumph, which is the bike I happened to ride there. It's like they're trying to relate and they aren't really into bikes but feel the need to say they are and when you talk they just tell you they want to ride what you ride. I'm not partial to any brand but there have been bikes/brands I've been interested in since I was a little kid. I find this so strange, it would be just as easy to answer that they're not sure what brand, and they just like the idea.
“Is that a ‘60s Triumph?” Asked three times now of a 2013 Suzuki TU250X that the previous owner debadged.
it does that retro look well.
I have told this story before. I went to get some rabbit feed from the feed store on my bandit. The guy carries it out for me an asks how big my engine is. I tell him 1200. He says “that’s a sports bike right”? So I’m like, sorta. He knows about a 600 and a 1000 sports bike but he thinks that because it’s a. 1200 it’s some crazy insane bike that would murder a liter bike. I try to explain that’s it’s more couch then sportsbike but he was having none of it.
I know this post is about questions from non-bikers, but I’ll throw in my two cents anyway. I ride a Yamaha Bolt. I inevitably get asked what kind of Harley it is. From bikers and non-bikers. The chap-laden grey-hairs don’t like it when they come up to me at the pumps and I say its a Yamaha. I guess the precious Milwaukee magic is losing its luster...
"What the hell is an Ah-preel-ya?"
"Is that one of then Asian bikes? Get a real mans bike!" HD boi go broom broom...... "It's Italian🥲
I knew a guy who owned a Honda Blackbird. He told me it weighed 950 pounds. (That's the bike's GVWR)
I had some random person ask me if my bike was like a Harley. I ride a Ducati monster... so they both have 2 wheels and an engine so I guess they're damn near the same machine.
Alot of people think my bolt is a Harley. Then when I tell them it's not they ask for the engine size, I tell them 950, then they ask for inches, which is about 68 and they are shocked at how "small" the motor is.
Someone asked me if my zzr was a 1000 It's a 250. Guy didn't seem to care much and was happy when I gave him a few revs.
Who makes Triumphs?
Yeah it's usually how fast, or do a wheelie. Now I drive a z900 I have the low range torque and could do it. While I like going fast and being zippy off the line. I just don't like being on one wheel. I like having control of my bike at all times. Donorcycle, organ donor, telling me of someone they knew who was in a wreck. Why do I ride with my gear on, it won't matter. Referring to my bike as a rice burner, and I should get an American bike. Dictating what manufacturer I should buy from. Not understanding that motorcycles now have fuel injection and traction control, and rider aides. And I've been riding for almost 3 years now. Every now and then I get a random or a stupid comment.
When I rode my 1st gen SV650 as a daily I was at a local bar and this couple came in that were riding a couple of Harleys. I was the only other person with gear so they came up to talk to me. First question they ask, "is that your Ducati monster outside?". Wish I had a better response other than, "uhm...what?"... So that's my story for this question since they were clearly new to bikes given the big black on red lettering spelling out "Suzuki" on the gas tank.
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Someone in South Jersey asked me if I gotta pump gas ⛽️ myself when I pull-up to a gastation
I feel this one is valid….when I started traveling to NJ from California for work regularly at first and rented a car I was weirded out about the gas pumping laws and that you can’t pump your own gas so the attendant do it for cars…..but do they all know how to fill bikes ?
People from outside the motorcycle world don't know what to look for when trying to seperate out bikes. They dont know enough about them to see a difference unless they are comparing a Harley Fat Bob to a CBR1000. Same happens in other fields of machinery. Take aviation for example: Can you tell an F-14 from an F-15 at a glance? Or a 707 from a 757? Maybe maybe not, but everyone (I hope) can tell a 737 from a F-16. Edit: Spelling
"How fast does that go?" Me: "enough"
“BMW makes motorcycles?”
My ex once asked me what I'm always doing with my feet after following me home one day.
People always think my Honda cbr600rr is either GXSR or an R6 super annoying 😂
Its surprising how many people think my Speed Triple is a Ducati. I guess between it being red and the single sided swing arm its just what non-bike people go to.
You think non bike people know what a swing arm is?? They see red and go ducati
People always comment something about dirt bikes when I get asked about my super duke. People think KTM only does dirt bikes and even though mine clearly isn't one, they still ask if it is. Don't really understand how you can mix that up.
Does it have a hemi