In the previous chapter, we met Mr. Harley who has spent over 20000 on his bike but who rides it less than 400 miles per year.
He is a nice guy, a fellow IT professional, a fellow two wheel enthusiast. He calls himself a biker. I do not use that moniker for myself.
I am decending the stairwell after work, already suited up in what my coworkers affectionately call the "Super Suit" -- mesh pants and jacket.
"All dressed to go fall offa motorcycle, I see," he said smiling.
I took it as the typical biker slam against the rider. The biker wears no gear -- except leather jacket in cooler weather - and makes snarky comments about riders in their ATGATT.
"I'm not planning on falling of the motorcycle," I replied, flatly.
"Oh, I know," he said, attempting to be conciliatory, "expect the unexpected, I get it."
Telling this tale to my wife later, she added what would have been the perfect comeback. When he says, "All dressed to fall off a motorcycle, I see", the correct response is, "All dressed for a trip to the emergency room, I see..."
I have to hand it to her. She may bleed orange and black, but she has the heart of a rider. In fact, my wife has in her very nature a need to not conform. When she gets her Harley, she'll be among the 1% who wear ATGATT. I said ride your own ride, babe, don't let anyone tell you anything different.
I love that girl.
I get the same response where I work. My coworkers make fun of my gear. I wear leather jacket, chaps, leather gauntlets, good calf-high boots, kerchief and a full face. I stopped at a Harley shop somewhere on the road a
ReplyDeletecouple of years ago ... needed oil. Got a couple of laughs from the counter jockeys.
However, having been knocked off my bike a couple of times, not to mention cigarette butts and other paraphernalia thrown out windows to name a few - I can put up with a bit of jeering. I still have all my skin.
I must admit there are a couple of the girls there who think it is quite sexy.
As for a bike should only be ridden for fun ... every ride is fun.
My coworkers started calling it a super suit, inspired by the Disney/Pixar film, "The Incredibles". (We all have small children so Disney movies are known to all of us...)
ReplyDeleteQuoting the movie:
"Honey, where's my supersuit?"
* "Where's my super suit!" Frozone rummages through his dresser drawers looking for his Superhero costume.
"Why do you need to know?"
"I need it!"
"Uh uh, no way, I've been planning this dinner for two months."
"But the public is in danger!"
Scenes of pandemonium outside the window as the villain wreaks havoc on the city.
"My evening is in danger" says the wife.
"We're talking about the greater good..." says the superhero.
"I am your wife! I am the greatest good you ever gonna get!"
Somebody said, "They make fun of all your gear, or just the chaps?"
ReplyDeleteReminds me of a conversation with my friend Patricia, who provided crash space for me and fellow-magna rider Bob when we rode through Nashville last May.
"Wow, Bob, you've got a bike now. Are you gonna go to Sturgis?" she asked.
"No," Bob replied, deadpan. "This ain't about assless chaps, it's about riding."
I spit out my sweet tea, LMFAO.
There's a very simple response to gear chiding --
ReplyDelete"There's no such thing as a fender bender on a motorcycle."
A friend of mine got the comment "you must be really bad about riding if you need that suit." He didn't know the response, "you must be really bad at driving if you need a metal cage around you."