Change in Motorcycle Groups?(Gangs)

[Irish]

Yesterday,on the local NH news,they talked about,the sentencing
of a KKK motorcycle gang member!I have ridden with different
motorcycle gangs for over 43yrs.At one time,I was even an enforcer,for some.I would never actually belong to any gang,
because I don't believe in gangs!I guess you could say that I was a" Lone Wolf".I know that things have changed alot,but there was never any color barrier.If you were a biker,you were a biker.
Does anyone know if there is "segregation"now?If so,I will be
terribly dissapointed.I have two,very close,friends in Conn.& one of them IS Black! Irish

[Cheyanne]

Seems like there is always gonna be someone forming a group that is singular to one race, gender...... attitude..... sad to say...............

[PantyFanatic]

In the USA, … in the 21st century, ….. ignorance is a CHOICE, …..no longer a CONDITION!

[Irish]

Unfortunately,everything has changed.In my opinion,the OLD
motorcycle lifestyle is gone.Most are just wannabes&weekend
warriors now.I remember when a so-called motorcycle gang,
beat up,a kid,on a bicycle,about4/5-1 yrs ago.They were
,eventually,told by the nearest H.A.Chapter,that if they did it again,to prepare to get their asses kicked.They were(get this)
"giving motorcycle gangs,a BAD name!"It was once,One for all,
All for one!It's not like that anymore. Irish

[Stillwater]

I don't know, Irish. Don't get too discouraged because a few fools desided to be racists and were also in gangs. It doesn't mean that the whole gang was that way. Certainly Racism still exists in the world today, I won't deny the idea that.. however it's not a flatline, I'm sure some folks hold true to the spirit, even some of these weekend warriors, perhaps.

[m45]

Originally posted by Irish
,the OLD
motorcycle lifestyle is gone.Most are just wannabes&weekend
warriors now.. Irish

THAT IS IT!
I am no biker, however I have known many and worked around many, the wife rode out of West Hell with the HA's for years and she has said the same thing.
We have a bike rally here every year and the real jurks and assholes are NOT the 1%ers, the A-Holes are the want a bes and the damn locals.
Yes everything has changed.

[Irish]

I used to ride with a buddy that went by the nickname of"Bat"
His wife was black!She went by the nickname of"Angel".
Together,they were "Bat&Angel".I think that they would take
exception to the KKK motorcycle club! Irish
P.S.They rode everyplace together.One of his legs was in a
cast.He used to have his crutch strapped to his bike!Diehard?
Irish

[Santiago]

some day when I own a motorcycle (hopefully a Harley wide glide or fat boy) Im gonna ride it because I ENJOY riding on motorcycles. anyone else that ENJOYS riding on motorcycles are free to ride along. i dont care what color skin they have or anything like that. Its all about ENJOYING motorcycles. something that pisses me off is when Harley owners dont like other bikers because they dont have harleys. I like harleys because of the way they look, sound and feel, but im certainly not gonna hate or dislike someone because they prefer Hondas or something. DAMN IT I WANT ONE NOW!

[Sharni]

I agree Santiago...

Well except for the I like Harleys *LOL*....but then i'm one of "other bikes" people

I love my Kawasaki...but like you have no problem with any other breed of bike or person joining me one a ride....afterall we are All Motorcyclists :)

[Lilith]

I crashed this charity biker event ( must have been 2,000 bikes easy) in Lukenbach Tx once. My cousin, hippie jesus freak in appearance tie dye, beard and sandals, his wife who is japanese and beautiful, and me:p There was an entire group of bikers who had on rebel flags and swastikas. They had the nazi helmets etc. My cousin's wife got really nervous and said to me , " oh fuck... dey gon call me gook." I assured her that if they did, they would live to regret it. She was pleasantly surprised though that no one was disrespectful to her. Might have had something to do with her and I playing all sexy and dancing together..lol. I think we distracted them ;) I was glad to see that her assumptions were not valid and if you think about it, that, was a predjudiced fear to begin with.

[Irish]

Sharni&Santiago----I remember,years back,when everyone
made fun of you if you weren't riding a Harley.Now,alot of the
older bikers look at it differently.They think-At least they're
riding & not talking about it.As a former motorcycle shop owner,
I wouldn't own a Harley as a PRIMARY Bike!I have had ,almost,
every make of engine apart & Harley must use a tree branch,
for a feeler guage.They look&sound nice,but are expensive as
Hell.I redid a friends bike one time.He just wanted custom accessories.I couldn't beleive the prices.Of course,I hand-built
everything for my bike!People don't take the time now!
People that don't ride year round,put up their bikes,needing work,
they drink beer&watch TV,all winter&then want to go riding,on the first nice day,in the spring.My phone used to ring constantly,
on the 1st nice day.On the last year,that my shop,was open,I
would tell them that it was 1st come,1st served.They would say-
But I want to go riding now.I would say-Sorry,so do I! Irish
P.S.Pet Peeve of a biker owning a bike shop.A REAL biker would
have their bike ready.I used to ride year round,unless there was
snow on the ground.I remember putting on 80mi on New Years
day.My hands were so cold,that I had to clutch,with the whole
hand,with Barnett Racing Clutch plates.I couldn't bend my fingers,
even wearing gloves!

[Santiago]

Irish, my dad gets a magazine called American Iron or something like that. Anyway, in it are alot of custom bikes that are amazing. hopefully someday i'll be able to have the knowledge to put together a bike of my own like that.

hey, this is my 200th post, go me!

[Irish]

Santiago---I used to get ALL of the custom motorcycle
magazines and must say,don't get your hopes up.One of the
reasons that I closed my shop,was that, moneywise,it's hard for a small independant shop,to compete with the "Big Boys"Times have changed.I don't consider mechanics NOW to really be
mechanics.It used to be ,Remove&Repair,NOW it's,Remove&
Replace!You don't have to figure things out anymore.You just
replace things.That means that unless you're registered with the
state&have aTax #,the parts companys won't give you a special
price.I used to keep customers phone #s,on their work order,and
would call them before ordering the parts.Congratulations on your posts. Irish

[dm383]

What's the problem with riding in snow, Irish? I used to have to do that to get to work a few years ago, when my bike was the ONLY form of transport I had! Public transport (i.e. buses) didn't start running til 7 in the morning, and I had to be at work by then!! Not saying it was pleasant mind you; it most definitely was NOT, but possible all the same! I remember one night coming over "The Mountain", on the Isle of Man, in a blizzard... cranked my visor open about a ½ inch (cos the snow was blowing every which way!) and trickled over all the way in 1st gear!!
In the summer, I could "do" the 15 miles Ramsey-Douglas in a shade over 7 minutes..... that night took over an hour! And yeh, I couldn't bend my fingers either, when I stopped.... my mate had to take my helmet & gloves off for me!!!

Another thing (of the many!) I don't like about todays bikers is... years ago, if you saw another biker you would acknowledge each other, either by a wave, flash of headlight, whatever - and it didn't matter if it was a Harley, scooter, moped..... EVERYONE was considered part of the "2-wheeler" brotherhood...; now, though, it seems folks just acknowledge their own "branch" of biking.... I mean, most sports-bike riders won't even admit that a scooter/Harley/ trike rider is a biker too! I find that very sad...

Aahh..... those were the days!! :)

DM

[BlueSwede]

Lilith, I sure wouldn't go so far as to say that your assumptions were a prejudiced fear to begin with. Afterall, most people who wear swastikas don't do so just because they like the design or wear the letters KKK because they think "K" is a "cool" letter. The only part of what you mentioned that I would agree could be taken as a prejudiced fear MIGHT be in regard to someone wearing a Confederate flag. For me, it's like seeing a swastika and scares the shit out of me, but I understand that its use does not signify the same thing to all who display it. :confused: :eek: :bite:

[Irish]

dm383---To awnser your question,the only problem,with riding
in the snow,was traction.I built all of my motorcycles.I tried
to find the best combination,of speed,looks,and some practacality
in all of my bikes.All of my money was in ONE bike.In 1973,my
650cc street chopper,turned 12.2 at the drag strip.That was my
STREET bike.I spocked a Harley Speedgrip tire,on a Harley custom
rim,to a Triumph hub.I ran 1 tooth difference in the engine counter
sproket,for quicker windup in the 1/4 mi.,a .010 cleanup bore&
many carb.mods.It had a 8" extension,hardtail frame & many hand
built parts.It was painted Cadilac(sp?)Cinnamon Firemist,with custom Gold sponge paint,& said "Bad Company"on the peanut
tank.Even the oil tank was custom.I had trouble getting traction
on a "DRY"road.That isn't that fast now,but it was in 1973.They made me run in B stock.I should,probably,have been in C modified.The tracks owners son(NE Dragway)also had a bike.He
always won stock eliminator.(Think it was fixed)I used to take my
bike to the track,in my father-in-laws pickup,in case I "broke"
something.By the way-Now people won't wave to someone with
an identically the same bike.I had a 100MPH patch from the strip,
in 1973.(One of my proudest possessions) Irish
P.S.The tire was a 5.10by16"Now they run huge back wheels!
P.S.Six days working,Sun.&Wend.night racing,doesn't leave alot of
family time!