Do Hardcore Motorcyclists Hate or Look Down Upon the Slingshot for being called a Motorcycle?
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Ive been to a few rally's and even taken part in several poker runs in the SS and never had any negative comments. The Harley riders seem to either ignore it or seem really interested in the SS.
I did have a biker say once "even though he liked the SS he didn't see the point in it" I just looked him in the eye and said, the POINT is the ride and being in the wind... he then smiled and said "that i understand" -
At the Sturgis Rally several years ago my older brother and his son (my Godson) and I found ourselves with mechanical problems on the front lawn of a "clubhouse" in downtown Sturgis . And then one of the muscle head "enforcers" approached us and asked what we were doing on their property uninvited. While my brother and nephew (bikeweek virgins) did their best deer in headlights impersonations I asked the "gentleman" if his clubhouse was raising money during bikeweek by selling alcoholic beverages. Because we sure would like to make a donation... a few seconds later he was fetching us 4 beers (I sure wasn't going to leave him out) and asking if I needed to borrow any tools.
Now granted I was on a custom hardtail chopper not a Slingshot but I think I could have been on a "Big Wheel" and got the same response. We weren't trespassers we were supporters/customers. It's not about what you ride it's about your people skills.. about knowing how to fit in even when you don't.
My godson will never forget that day his 165 lb. godfather turned that "hardcore" biker into a "beer bitch". And every time someone brings up Sturgis that's how he tells the story and I smile from ear to ear.
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Earlier in this thread I mentioned some Harley guys I saw last week, Today I saw one of the guys at the post office. He spent another 15minutes looking over my SS. He kept saying it is to wide, I just don't have the room for one. While he was walking away he was talking about moving stuff in his garage to make room. I may have just sold a Slingshot.
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yep... they turn their noses up, refuse to wave.... they refuse to acknowledge the unknown yet different machine in their presence. I think some of them are just simply jealous or too full of themselves to acknowledge they aren't the ones being stared at when beside a slingshot....
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I have never been snubbed by any riders except CanAms...last year I rode from just outside Nashville to Little Rock with 5 club members...it was nice to have some nonverbal company! When we stopped in Little Rock I even got hugs and be safe "little one"!
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It is a car, you are fooling yourself if you think differently. I could care less what anyone calls it though. In the smokies som redneck in a truck yelled "GET A REAL MOTORCYCLE", so I guess he thought it was a fake one, I yelled "STOP FUCKING YOUR SISTER"
Pretty wise for a pig. Taking notes. Nice.
Saw the pigmanfu voodoo doll at summit. Voodoo doll drove better than I did.
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I have never been snubbed by any riders except CanAms...last year I rode from just outside Nashville to Little Rock with 5 club members...it was nice to have some nonverbal company! When we stopped in Little Rock I even got hugs and be safe "little one"!
most times, they do wave, sometimes im sure they dont wave because they are unaware of what it exactly is unless coming from behind....
Alabama's Southern Hospitality draws the lines at motorcycles vs trikes, vs slingshot.... Some rude comments said in a conversation are said with a smile... and always get returned to them with a smile... Im as nice to others as they are to me... you come at me like a bulldog, I return the favor...
we have a bike stop/ shop not far from us... i mean, hardcore leather wearing in 100 degree heat old school bikers hangout... we stop in there from time to time, and on the goldwing trike, nobody except the store owner would speak to us.. in the slingshot, half of them come over and ask questions and the hardcore 2 wheelers are easy to spot. they dare not glance our way, speak, or acknowledge that something different just pulled in...
its the same greeting from them that we got from taking that same goldwing to a harley davidson store...
talk about uncomfortable! I told Steve when we left he better not EVER pull into a HD store again riding a Goldwing! those boys and girls take that rivalry to heart! We havent never been that way, never worn leather vests or such... and we wave regardless.. its not those bike riders fault that their beloved HD's overheat 
like they do... -
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No small amount of disapproval comes close to the crowds that gather around when gassing up, parking at the local burger joint, or sipping caffeine at Starbucks...not to mention the IPhones glued to Windows of passing vehicles while cruising down the interstate. Beat that Harley's!
....not to mention all the "Can I sit my kids in it for a picture?" -
They just get pissed when I go by without a helmet. I have had them point at their helmet and I just point back and accelerate.
I guess they fail to notice the 4 point harness and the roll hoops.
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I consider myself a "hardcore motorcyclist" ( I own 4 bikes and for the last 17 years commuted 125 miles a day even throughout single digit temps ) and I personally don't consider the Slingshot to be in the bike category. But that wouldn't stop me from waving at one if I'm on a bike.
Having said that, I think pretty much all the bikers out there do drool over the Slingshots and I've seen a lot of their (female) passengers just stare at it as we pass and I can just imagine her saying "Honey, can we get one of those?" lol
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good afternoon..... My girlfriend Vera and I went out to grab a Burger at a place called Biff Burger here in St. Petersburg in the Slingshot.
When we pulled up one of the local wannabe bikers informed me that My sling wasn't a motorcycle and I wasn't a biker. I just agreed and walked on to my table. It don't matter to me if its accepted or not and It don't matter if someone calls it a motorcycle or a airplane. All I know that my insurance calls it a motorcycle and I love the insurance rates....
I have a few miles accumulated over the past 47 years since I got my first motorcycle license. Getting this Slingshot has given me the ability to continue to add miles, HAVE A LOTTA FUN, turn a bunch of heads, and be safer doing it.
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good afternoon..... My girlfriend Vera and I went out to grab a Burger at a place called Biff Burger here in St. Petersburg in the Slingshot.
When we pulled up one of the local wannabe bikers informed me that My sling wasn't a motorcycle and I wasn't a biker. I just agreed and walked on to my table. It don't matter to me if its accepted or not and It don't matter if someone calls it a motorcycle or a airplane. All I know that my insurance calls it a motorcycle and I love the insurance rates....
I have a few miles accumulated over the past 47 years since I got my first motorcycle license. Getting this Slingshot has given me the ability to continue to add miles, HAVE A LOTTA FUN, turn a bunch of heads, and be safer doing it.
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I hate you all... Just kidding. Everyone loves a slingshot.
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Father Time is coming after all the ney sayers no matter what they ride. After 40 years of Harleys I am fortunate enough to buy a Sling and extend my years in the wind for the foreseeable future. Not tryin to slam anyone or anything but we all know Harley riders in general think there is no other motorcycle. Give em time - they have to evolve
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My step day has had a Harley or multiple Harley's since he was 18. Last year he slid and wrecked for the first time in his many many years of riding. Was a real eye opener for him. I don't know why but it scared him to death and I think it realized he ain't 18 anymore. Was scraped up and was sore. He's been in my SS and liked it. My mom said he was looking at a trike or spider.
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Thank you both for your service! Hey Paul, are you out of "pirate" mode yet? Hope you're healing well (& quickly) both from your eye surgery & your hernia surgery - you need to get those new shocks installed!!!
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Was out riding today and decided to swing by the local Harley dealer to look around (at the 883s and new street 750s) just so happens there was some kind of charity ride today sponsored by the Harley dealer. Tons of Harley riders there.
Pretty much like I said before ... They either ignored me or was very interested in the SS.
