Does this ever happen to you?

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2005 4:47 am

I had some guy come up to me at the bank and want to know all about my 900F. He said his father has two of them, a silver and a black one. He told his dad about seeing my bike at the drug store and his dad didn't believe it was a 900 because of my custom paint job. I told him about the forum.....maybe he'll show up here.

Then I stopped at the hardware store and another guy about 65 years old was telling me about his son's 1100 that looks just like my 900. He was long winded like he didn't have anything else to do and we talked for a half hour...or I should say that he talked and I listened. Rolling Eyes

Later that day I had a guy aproach me at the gas station on my way to work and ask if I wanted to sell my bike. He said he had one years ago and missed it.

Just thought it was weird having all these people iterested in my bike on the same day. Shocked

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2005 1:12 pm

Every time I go to any type of bike ralley I get the same thing. I think everyone who roda must have either owned one or knos someone who did. It is after all a very popular bike. Especially to all the people down here from South America.

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2005 1:14 pm

Skid wrote:

I had some guy come up to me at the bank and want to know all about my 900F. He said his father has two of them, a silver and a black one. He told his dad about seeing my bike at the drug store and his dad didn't believe it was a 900 because of my custom paint job. I told him about the forum.....maybe he'll show up here.

Then I stopped at the hardware store and another guy about 65 years old was telling me about his son's 1100 that looks just like my 900. He was long winded like he didn't have anything else to do and we talked for a half hour...or I should say that he talked and I listened. Rolling Eyes

Later that day I had a guy aproach me at the gas station on my way to work and ask if I wanted to sell my bike. He said he had one years ago and missed it.

Just thought it was weird having all these people iterested in my bike on the same day. Shocked

That is a good feeling when there is alot of interest in my bikes from unsuspecting peope. I love that kind of stuff.
How about the older woman at the market that says? "My son has a bike just like that, can you make him wear a helmet like that?"

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2005 1:16 pm

Skid wrote:

Just thought it was weird having all these people iterested in my bike on the same day. Shocked

Yep...happens a lot..I like it Smile

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2005 1:28 pm

With me it's usually either someone older who owned one at one time or another, who stops me and wants to talk, or some kid on a crotch rocket who doesn't have a clue and asks what kind of bike I am riding.

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2005 1:55 pm

I seem to be in the land of the HD up here. I have had a few notice my bike and speak up, but I feel guilty that I know absolutly nothing about their HD. I don't even want to learn about them. My eyes glaze when they start explaining the softail, panhead, hardtail, hardhead, softhead, flathead, flatail........Whatever!

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2005 2:08 pm

I constantly have people asking me what year my bike is, then they flip when I tell them it's 25 years old.

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2005 2:22 pm

I've had the same experience--even though the bike is less than beautiful. It's off the road for the season now getting fresh paint, gaskets, seals, exhaust, and TLC before it's too cold to work in the garage. Maybe November... Rolling Eyes

Jim

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2005 4:12 pm

It's not unusual to park the bike and walk away from seeing people stop and look or to come back to it to have someone wanting to talk about it. I've been asked if it's for sale when I'm at a gas station refueling. Cash or certified cheque and you can take it with you!
The same goes for a lot of the "vintage" bikes that are out there nowadays.
It's a great feeling and really rewarding to have appreciation shown for your ride!
Still waiting for the day that potential new owner has the cash, money talks and I'm not hard of hearing! Laughing

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2005 4:35 pm

I like the funny look on the face of the kid at the Honda dealer parts counter when you say 1983, yes 83. And sometimes you get the old guy who has to tell you the story about his F and how he "never should have sold that bike".

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2005 8:08 pm

selectiveamnesia wrote:

I like the funny look on the face of the kid at the Honda dealer parts counter when you say 1983, yes 83. And sometimes you get the old guy who has to tell you the story about his F and how he "never should have sold that bike".

been there & done that...i sold my original 1100 back in 86-87 and it was the worst day of my life
took me another 17 years to finally get another one Very Happy

and now i've got 3 of them

and those looks and questions you always get...try putting the gold wheels on & then watch the passers by stop and look etc...

truckers always stop to admire my bike or get a closer look...they know a real bike when they see one.

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2005 9:00 pm

I had a lady call me over to her car while I was parked at a local icecream stand the other day. Her husband was sitting in the passenger's seat and she asked me a couple of questions about the bike on his behalf. Seems he had owned one at some point and really missed it.

About the time I wondered why he wasn't asking me himself, I realized he had had a stroke - I could see the frustration in his eyes at not being able to 'talk bike' with me. I did my best to answer questions he probably wanted to ask and then said my goodbyes. I walked away with a better appreciation for my own good health.

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2005 3:05 am

pontiacstogo wrote:

I had a lady call me over to her car while I was parked at a local icecream stand the other day. Her husband was sitting in the passenger's seat and she asked me a couple of questions about the bike on his behalf. Seems he had owned one at some point and really missed it.

About the time I wondered why he wasn't asking me himself, I realized he had had a stroke - I could see the frustration in his eyes at not being able to 'talk bike' with me. I did my best to answer questions he probably wanted to ask and then said my goodbyes. I walked away with a better appreciation for my own good health.

God bless ya, Pontiacs. I can't think of a worse fate. I want to die before I can't lift a bike or a woman.
Took a little 70-or-so mile ride today. Still waiting for my rear tire, so was on the moped (450). Pulled into a campground for a cigarette, & here's 4 cruisers parked. Okay, I get to hear about my minibike from the Harley riders (& they're right, for once). Turned out they were all Japanese V-twins. I got to hear some good stories about bad sales & service by H-D. The most old-style-outlaw-biker-looking of them started talking to me about his 454LTD Kowalski. You just never know.
For what it's worth, I know all about the years they made the flathead, knucklehead, panhead, the year they introduced the shovelhead; about the curved (early) versus straight (late) panhead, etc. It's burned into my brain from my younger days. I'm trying to shove it out, but as Bucky Fuller said, "You can't learn less". TB

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2005 3:36 am

Just today I bumped into a guy on a 86 Honda Interceptor 500cc. It was in sweet shape.

Looked like a four cylinder V type engine. interesting to look at up close.

He saw my 900 and said that it was the Sh1t. He said real cool like. "You got an F. Mines an F too."

It was pretty cool. Then he fired it up and it sound pretty weak against the 900. He got a good deal on it though 800 bucks 14k miles.

Once, a guy litterally ran across the parking lot to come see my bike before I rode off. Turned out that he raced a 900 when he was young.

So whats the deal???? Are CB-F's the 67 1/2 mustang of the motorcycle world....yet???

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2005 3:37 am

There's nothing better than to be sitting at a stoplight and have a car full of kids pull up next to you when one of them asks about your bike. Then sit through a green light answering them.
Last summer I was riding back from a camping trip and stopped to drain the sump. Some young kid pulled up on a brand new Yamaha and parked next to my bike while I was in the woods. As I walked back I saw him circle my bike a couple times and when I got close enough he said " man, your bike is really retro". I took that as a compliment. We talked naked bikes for 15 minutes and went our separate ways.
This kind of stuff happens all the time. I've had people drive next to me on the freeway and keep looking over..... usually guys in pickup trucks. People approach me at gas stations and in parking lots wanting to know about my bike or tell a story about theirs. It's a great boost for the ego when a leather vested bald headed Harley dude asks what kind of paint you used on your bike. He must know the bikes pretty well to realize the paint on mine isn't original.

Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2005 10:38 am

Happens quite a bit to me, and it keeps me off of the newwer bikes. I like the fact I ride somthing different. To tell you the truth my poor F is looking pretty shabby right now. But I still get complements, and even get stuck into conversations. I wouldn't have it any other way. Cool