Yes I ride a motorcycle

I think there are some that assume this but not all. I have had a few ask me what bikes I have owned prior to getting the SS. I am convinced the majority of the non-MC riding world has no clue the SS is even registered (and at least in my state still) requires an MC endorsement to legally operate.

There's always a few "wanna be hard core" riders that try to get under my skin when we are in the Sling. But I usually can't hear their smart ass comments over the noisy crowd that gathers around our new toy.
And of course I usually inform them I still have a "real" (kick start only) Harley.

Disclaimer: '59 Duo-Glide Police Special

Yes I too have gotten the question...did you own a "real" bike before you purchased this. Some days I want to ignore these folks

Considering I started riding dirt bikes when I was 7...and have owned 4 other motorcycles in my time...I usually ask them if they would let me show them how to ride their bike properly and they usually walk off mad.

Quote from Moto864

I participated in two motorcycle rides that were great. Both for good causes over last weekend. I did find myself explaining to lookers and askers that yes I have ridden motorcycles for 30+ years and continue to ride street, dirt, and have been an MSF instructor for 7 years (this being my last year).
It seems people assume since you are in this new, car, trike, motorcycle that you have never been on a bike or have no experience. It doesn't bother me when they try to explain to me how fun a bike is, sometime I will play along and let them finish. Just wondering if anyone else runs into this sort of assumptions by riders who see you in your SS.

Hey what's up Ed! A couple times Harley riders have asked if I ever had a bike. Just told them yes and been riding for about 40 years! Then tell them why I love the Sling.

I've had a couple people ask. When I tell them that both my wife and I sold our bikes around the time the first kid was born, because every rider goes down eventually (and I've been down once already), and we wanted to stay out of the hospital while they're young, AND they're still young....everyone so far has nodded their head and agreed.

"Why would you ever give up your motorcycle for this thing? It ain't even a real motorcycle!!" That's the one that gets under my skin!! I have about ten good answers to that one particular question. All of which would either start a small war, or get me permanently banned from public speaking!! Most of the time, I just tell them "My maturity level got the better of me, and I decided to grow up!" Even though I know it's a smart-ass answer, I just want to see how deep I can get under THEIR skin.

I had one guy tell me you have not ridden till you ride a Harley!! Then he explained how the sportster rode, why it was great to ride two wheels. I let him go a while and then said.
"I prefer the ultra classic so the wind does not blow my cigar out. When I ride the Harley it is different. "

He said OH

Quote from SlingRider

I had one guy tell me you have not ridden till you ride a Harley!! Then he explained how the sportster rode, why it was great to ride two wheels. I let him go a while and then said.
"I prefer the ultra classic so the wind does not blow my cigar out. When I ride the Harley it is different. "

He said OH

Riding a Harley has proven over time to have major health benefits. Most riders learn to walk home, to the nearest gas station, or dealer when they break down. I came across one interesting fact I didn't know about Harleys. 96% of the Harley's sold since 2000 are still on the road today. Does that mean the other 4% made it home without breaking down?

Quote from funinthesun

Riding a Harley has proven over time to have major health benefits. Most riders learn to walk home, to the nearest gas station, or dealer when they break down. I came across one interesting fact I didn't know about Harleys. 96% of the Harley's sold since 2000 are still on the road today. Does that mean the other 4% made it home without breaking down?

Would be interesting to know what the average mileage was for all of those Harley's. I bought 2013 Softail and put 20,000 miles on it in one year and could not ride it for 2 of those months. I have been riding since 1964 and back in the seventy's when I was doing a lot vacation riding you saw very few Harley's on the road. Mostly you only seen them around the towns. My buddy just bought a 2006 Harley less than 6,000 miles, looked like it just came off the dealers floor. People are buying them but are not riding them.

Yep - specially from and MSF instructor....who's first words were that's not a motorcycle! We were at a social event. He asked us if we rode we said yes and then we told him we bought a slingshot today given our natural excitement basically as a sidenote.(this was a few weeks ago ). He said that's not a motorcycle… His question was do you ride? - yes we do -a conversation then continued where we explain we bought a slingshot. Never did we say a slingshot was a motorcycle but whether it is or isn't doesn't negate the fact that yes we ride motorcycles and trikes and sidecars as well as the slingshot! Wth?

I can't give up my bike. I still ride it to work and back. it's just that my back doesn't agree with long rides anymore. and this old Honda is like an old pair of shoes.

Got passed by a Sons of Anarchy wannabe and he was shaking his head no. Glad to know the Slingshot cannot be ignored.

Quote from Slunglow

There's always a few "wanna be hard core" riders that try to get under my skin when we are in the Sling. But I usually can't hear their smart ass comments over the noisy crowd that gathers around our new toy.
And of course I usually inform them I still have a "real" (kick start only) Harley.

Disclaimer: '59 Duo-Glide Police Special

I tell my old Harley buddies you cavemen will evolve someday - meanwhile tell me how my tail lights look when I'm leavin your ass in the dust. Had to do it couple times and no more crap

I bought a Ultra Classic in 2011. I had it till I bought my slingshot last July. I put 5000 mile on the Harley in 4 years. I turned 9000 on the sling on my way to Maggie Valley. If that doesn't tell you which if more fun to ride, you need to go back to school.

Was gassing up my Goldwing trike when a fellow in a Camaro pulled in for fuel. He asked if I had ever rode a bike. I asked him to clarify, "You mean before I had the conversion installed, or since." He mumbled something indiscernible and was still talking when I said "State law requires us to wear helmets" as we were putting them on.

Most of the time when somebody asks that question they are usually newbies that I have ran the oil in my old Harleys longer than they been riding.

Quote from Red

Got passed by a Sons of Anarchy wannabe and he was shaking his head no. Glad to know the Slingshot cannot be ignored.

I don't get the whole disrespect thing either. When I ride two wheels, I wave at everybody on less than four wheels. The great majority wave back. sometimes "hard core" Harley guys don't' but that's fine.
In the Singshot, I get very few waves. If I don't initiate the wave I get nothing. I did get a wave from some guy in a Corvette, I know they have a wave ritual also. I went to a biker friendly bar last weekend, and while the slingshot drew a lot of attention, most of the remarks were disparaging. I had one guy come up and say "that's no fun!" I asked him if he test drove one, and he said he wouldn't waste his time.
My state even dissed me, I recently got my permanent license plates, and I got an Auto Cycle plate.
In the end, I'm not trying to impress anyone with my Slingshot. I'm not trying to "win them over" to buying one. Nor do I feel the need to offer that I have a motorcycle that I currently ride.
ll I know is when I give my Grand Kids , or my wife, or co workers a ride, they get this silly grin on their face, and I swear, some of them drool a little, They can't help but smile at riding in the coolest thing on three wheels.