Went over to the dark side and rode with the Harleys and then the COGs!

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Ned in Utah

Ned in Utah

Joined
Apr 8, 2017
Messages
178
Location
Utah
Bike
1994 ST1100
Since making the move, I'm always looking for guys to ride with. Rode a poker run a month or so ago with like sixty-five Harleys (and wannabe Harley's). It was for a good cause but riding in a close group like that for 100 miles, with all that noise and fumes, wasn't my cup of tea. Took my Sabre on that one as I thought the V65 would fit in better than the ST with the VTwins. Didn't. No one would park by me or eat with me. Had a really nice ride home (alone) when I left early.
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Then got an e-mail from the Salt Lake COGS (used to have a Concours) inviting me on a day run, and would I like to tag along. So I did. Nine C14's, three Kawasaki sport bikes, a Gold Wing and my ST1100. Really nice group of folks, but man they're good riders and they like to ride FAST! I don't consider myself a slouch as I usually motor along at 5 or so over, but 15 -20 over? All the time?

I'm able to ride at those speeds, but I've never gotten a ticket on a bike and want to keep it that way. Was a little faster than I care to ride, especially on that narrow road with lots of sharp turns and pretty sharp concrete water runoff dips. The guy on the 1800 GW was behind me and I think he spent as much time in the oncoming lane trying to make those corners as he did in his lane.

I'd probably go with them again, if they invited me, but would insist on riding last and not really joining the...race.
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That’s why I will not do group rides. Either too fast or too slow. I stay in my comfort zone by myself! Very few people will I ride with. I’m not a Slow rider when the roads get good. I don’t want to wait on you. But when I’m on the slab I don’t want a ticket. 5 over is Good enough to get me to the roads I might and deserve a ticket on. I’d rather get a ticket doing what I enjoy. That’s what works for me. Maybe not for others. So I prefer to do it my way.
 
Back in the spring, I went to a rally with the COGers over in Idaho. I later went on a ride over the Cascade mountains with another group. In their case, when they were in traffic, they kept the speed down. But in the country with no one else around??? ...they rode like you said, 15-20 mph over the speed limit. I felt like this group was some very mature riders. When the opportunity was there, they rode hard and fast. I did place myself at the tail end of the group. I figured if they did encounter an LEO looking to give out performance awards...I'd get some warning.

But when I went to NEWSTOC, I also found a group of very mature riders. What I find in both groups, are riders who are serious about riding. Not being afraid to take off and put some serious miles behind them. And riders I enjoy being around, both on the bike and when we stop.

Chris
 
Guess I am lucky. I ride mostly by myself except for the mandatory club rides we are required to participate. Most of the member we have ridden together for 30 years so I feel comfortable with them. A few new ones with the big CVO Harleys have to "test them on the open road". My cousin got rid of his Goldwing so now I am the only one with a foreign bike. Lucky me:)
 
Ned in Utah said:
No one would park by me or eat with me
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They probably didn't want to park near you because they were intimidated by your obviously superior bike. And I am sure they were just as shy as regards eating with the rider-- didn't want their own shortcomings magnified in so obvious a fashion.
 
The nicest and most interesting Harley riders that I have meet were not on group rides. Maybe a couple of buddies on vacation... but mostly loners or loner couples. Their bikes were dusty, their leathers faded and there were some rust on their chrome. They were riders... The poker run crowd, in general, tend to be the cultish ones.
 
Jim C-G said:
The nicest and most interesting Harley riders that I have meet were not on group rides. Maybe a couple of buddies on vacation... but mostly loners or loner couples. Their bikes were dusty, their leathers faded and there were some rust on their chrome. They were riders... The poker run crowd, in general, tend to be the cultish ones.
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Please refrain from using the P word on this site.
 
red one said:
Guess I am lucky. I ride mostly by myself except for the mandatory club rides we are required to participate. Most of the member we have ridden together for 30 years so I feel comfortable with them. A few new ones with the big CVO Harleys have to "test them on the open road". My cousin got rid of his Goldwing so now I am the only one with a foreign bike. Lucky me:)
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What club are you in that has mandatory rides?
 
Ned in Utah said:
No one would park by me or eat with me. Had a really nice ride home (alone) when I left early.
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I had to laugh at this, as it has happened once or twice to me as well...until I stopped going to "biker" events. I had one guy, a quite sarcastic , tatted up guy ( wearing a black Hardly T-shirt and leather vest), look at my Aerostich, and ask if I was expecting rain.....It was then that I determined that it was time to avoid those type of events. I was never going to fit in.
 
red one said:
Guess I am lucky. I ride mostly by myself except for the mandatory club rides we are required to participate. Most of the member we have ridden together for 30 years so I feel comfortable with them. A few new ones with the big CVO Harleys have to "test them on the open road". My cousin got rid of his Goldwing so now I am the only one with a foreign bike. Lucky me:)
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Most of the GW's were made in the USA before Honda moved their operations back to Japan a few years ago... You might want to ask some of the Hd riders how much of their bikes were made in China!
 
I was in the local BMW club back in '08 -'10 after I had bought that new R1200RT total lemon . 3 out of 5 rides I was on with them the group got split into 2 because lead bunch just would take off and leave part of their group , never to get joined up again ! The BMWs didn't use CBs like the GoldWingers to keep group connected ; I had a J&M CB on the RT but it takes at least TWO for CBs to work , obviously . but no . - so frustrating when you happen to be in the group that gets left behind , you all end up in some parking lot saying WTH ? and just end up going home.
I quit that group after my new RT's computer trashed the engine at only 6 K miles , not to mention all the other problems it had. + the group ride aggravation that kept happening.
 
Jim C-G said:
Have you ever won that argument/discussion? I haven't.
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Well yes sort of. Not to offend my Harley brethren but they now are blaming the foreign parts that the Harleys now contain. I don't know whats in the Harley kool aid but that stuff should be banned by the FDA.:rofl1:.
 
st11ray said:
What club are you in that has mandatory rides?
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We are a bunch of "old guys now. Members run from 40 to 70 years of age. Most motorcycle clubs I know require mandatory participation in club rides events etc. You can not be a member and do nothing.
 
red one said:
We are a bunch of "old guys now. Members run from 40 to 70 years of age. Most motorcycle clubs I know require mandatory participation in club rides events etc. You can not be a member and do nothing.
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But, what's the name of your club?
 
I was asked to ride along with a group of Harleys, me on my ST1100. All was fine until they kept harping on why my bike was so quiet or at a stop light they would say, "Is that thing running?" Well, at the next scenic stop, I pulled the sound suppressors out of my Staintunes and let them hear what I would compare to a Chevy small-block with cherry-bombs. Anyway, since I was fatigued from the noise from their straight-pipes anyway, I pulled out of line, opened it up and was never asked to join them again. I'm heartbroken to this day... :)
 
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