Slingshot Prejudice

    I and about 15 other Slingshots and Spyders and T-Rex's went to Boston Harley's Halloween ride today (October 14, 2018) to raise funds for MDA.


    Slingshots and Spyders -- despite arriving early (at least 30 minutes before registration and before almost everyone else) were relegated to park away from everyone else. When it was time to ride, they forced us to wait for the entire ride to go ahead of us (almost an hour), relegating us to the very end of 700+ riders.


    Later we were told that we would always be relegated to the end of this ride as "larger vehicles impede line of sight."


    However, LARGER (higher) Harley Tri-Glides were not required to be relegated to the end of the ride as the rest of us trikes. Later, one person not related to us Slingshots asked why the Harley trikes were not told to park with the rest of us trikes. No answer.


    That says it all.

    Thats because the Spyder's and Slingshots weren't Harleys...Don't get your self in an up-roar, Why would you wan't to go on a ride where your not wanted/excepted...?

    Some times a Cigar is just a Cigar.......

    I'm sure your heart was in the right place, but any ride promoted as "Harley" will never be fair to other brands. Don't let it bother you, but at the same time don't expect any special treatment. Hunter beat me by a minute to make the same point.

    I am a member of GWRRA --- spent 20 years on a Gold Wing --- generally we would always put the GOLD WING trikes at the rear of the group. A lot of the rides I have been on with the Slingshot (70,000 miles) have put the Slingshot at the front of the group together.

    The Harley boys like to play with there own rules.

    To me it makes since to group the trikes. front/back/middle of group.

    Well, this was an all-inclusive ride to raise funds for muscular dystrophy. Every brand "welcome." I would think there would not be any prejudice on behalf of the organizers. But I was naive. I did this ride for a few years when I rode my Harley. Never saw a problem then. Or course not..


    I can understand on a large ride grouping vehicles. But to exclude their own brand.... while saying the rest of us -- even smaller vehicles -- were an obstacle while their brand was not... and shoving us to the end of the ride... sorry but what a bunch of insecure losers.


    I loved my Harley when I had it. But hated the culture, hated the snobbery. And very much hated the Harley promotion of thin, almost naked, tight-assed large boobed "every day' women riders, and fat, bearded, tattooed, gut-busting disgusting men as "every day" riders...


    I would never buy a Harley again. Ever. No big loss to them though.

    Relax and enjoy your ride and support the Charities that you believe in. Or you can support the one I believe in.... Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.
    Peg, have a great week.

    I know you have made a lot of mods and I'm sure you are proud of your Sling, but that venue isn't the best for showing your ride. In a group of Slings we notice those improvements and appreciate them. It's just a different culture on the Harley side. Like I said before, don't let it bother you.

    This is an interesting subject. We all know that our Slingshots are not true motorcycles and we also know that there are people that really seem to get their nuts in a knot when anyone suggests that they are.


    These are just facts and when you want to take part in a "motorcycle" ride or in a "motorcycle" show these people are not going to like it.


    It also seems to be very unpredictable as to who will be accepting and who will not - This weekend the Mongols had their annual meeting here in town tons of them on the road - now you might think this group would be anti slingshot yet everyone I encountered when I was out driving my slingshot gave me friendly nod and either a thumbs up or a wave - - - actually around here the Harley riders and other big bike riders seem to be the most friendly to me in my slingshot and it is the younger kids on their crotch rockets that snub me when I wave


    another group that seems very friendly are people in sports cars - they clearly seem to think I am one of them To be honest I would be much more likely to enter my slingshot in a car show or to partake in our local cruz night for cars than I would be to get involved in something called a "motorcycle" event unless that event specifically had a class for trikes that mentioned slingshots


    Now as to charity rides - if I get involved in one of those it would be for the charity and I would do it with friends and how the other people accepted us would not be important - it would be about the charity and the friends

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    Edited once, last by Edward Neal ().

    It was an all inclusive ride. They included the Slingshots, but you didn't care for where they decided to put them. If I went to a Polaris Slingshot ride, I would expect them to put the Slingshots first. Sounds like this was more of a Harley ride, so I would expect those to be first. Besides, from what I've seen I would prefer to be at the rear of any group rather than the front or center. Too many that may be driving from the other direction tend to stare at the Slingshot and not really pay attention to where they are going while still moving. It happened right beside @av8ingtom in Maggie Valley this year when a pickup rear ended a Cadillac while checking out the Slingshots in our group.


    I don't know where you live, or what your local Harley promotes. We still have two Harleys in the stable. Around here, I've not seen any of the promoting of anything but the products, and they don't use half naked women to do it.


    I'm a bit fat, goatee'd, tattooed. Not sure about gut busting or disgusting, opinions vary... but I think most that know me would say I'm a pretty good guy. Of the guys I see in the Harley shop around here, that described about at least half or more of them to look similar to me. We are the everyday riders, and that's part of what Harley's sales slump is due to. They aren't bringing in the younger riders as well as they once did.

    Be glad you got out alive...

    Just thinking out loud here.... Why would anyone want to take a non-motorcycle to a motorcycle ride...
    How does the saying go.....Like taking a knife to a gun fight...
    Yea, Sure i know its registered as a Motorcycle , But since when do you believe what some pin head in charge of making DMV regulations says it is.....??

    Some times a Cigar is just a Cigar.......

    I sat back and read all the post on this thread. Told myself I was going to hold my opinion. I was actually waiting for someone to state the obvious. The Slingshot has a superior braking system, when compared to a motorcycle!! In other words, we can stop and steer out of most dangers with ease. Can you imagine a Harley, or any motorcycle behind a Sling , trying to stop and stay upright in the same distance we use to come to a screeching halt!?!?!
    Relegated to the rear? Sometimes it's the safest place in a ride. Think about it! (End Rant)

    Quote from hunter

    Just thinking out loud here.... Why would anyone want to take a non-motorcycle to a motorcycle ride...
    How does the saying go.....Like taking a knife to a gun fight...
    Yea, Sure i know its registered as a Motorcycle , But since when do you believe what some pin head in charge of making DMV regulations says it is.....??

    Well, let's see here now, Polaris markets the SlingShot as a motorcycle, most states register it as a motorcycle, most owners consider it a motorcycle, it appears that you are one of the few that isn't a pinhead, hunter? ^^


    Bill

    Quote from wjfyfe

    Polaris markets the SlingShot as a motorcycle, most states register it as a motorcycle, most owners consider it a motorcycle,

    Really??? ?( If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck,.. OK, you get it! Does a sling look like a bike, drive like a bike, anything to resemble a bike,.. hell no,.. the only reason Polaris classified it the way they did was to save money,.. period! Then again, I don't care what they call it, I'm having fun. :thumbsup:

    Just thinking out loud here...


    Polaris built the Slingshot from the ground up to be a three wheeled motorcycle...
    They pushed to market the Slingshot as a motorcycle...
    They met the Federal guidelines to be a motorcycle...
    When released, the requirements to operate were the same as a motorcycle...
    Helmets, motorcycle operators license, and tag.


    And due to the Slingshot and other vehicles of this nature, the laws have changed...


    The reality of all of this...
    The thinking of people, in general has changed...


    Consider a VW Trike with bench seat if it came to market today...


    I consider the Slingshot to be a sport trike...


    Argue the point any way you like.


    If you advertise a ride open to all motorcycles...
    And you have a problem with the one I show up with...
    Best let me know up front.
    Cause I came out to ride...
    But it doesn't have to be with you.

    Slingshot Flyer! Well, of course it's red... :REDSS:

    ...............and just for some added fun where for grins and giggles we have tried to enter the SlingShot into a couple of car shows and were told that we didn't qualify because we were riding a motorcycle! No offense was taken because they were technically correct! :P


    Oh, on our ride to the coast this weekend every oncoming motorcycle gave us a wave, even the Harleys! :D


    Bill

    Quote from wjfyfe

    No offense was taken because they were technically correct!

    No offense here, I'm good with whatever it's classified as,.. here it's an autocycle, (motorcycle) plate and all,.. hell, give me a boat reg and i'd still drive it, well on the road anyways :D don't think it will float very well ;(

    I guess i struck a cord here....... This reminds me of when the Spyder first came out [2008]....A lot of new owners filled the Spyder forums with we don't get no respect 'Especially from the Harley bikers and by saying that they wanted to be considered real big boy bikers , Or elevate Harley riders to Big boy status...I guess they were fighting monsters in their own heads.[Inferiority Complex]..Now as they matured they get together and form their own groups...

    Some times a Cigar is just a Cigar.......

    Quote from hunter

    I guess i struck a cord here....... This reminds me of when the Spyder first came out [2008]....A lot of new owners filled the Spyder forums with we don't get no respect 'Especially from the Harley bikers and by saying that they wanted to be considered real big boy bikers , Or elevate Harley riders to Big boy status...I guess they were fighting monsters in their own heads.[Inferiority Complex]..Now as they matured they get together and form their own groups...

    Oh, I get it now, we all should know better and everybody should keep segregated to their own kind, right? :/


    ^^


    Bill