Anyone going up to Maine for BMW RA2024? If nothing gets in the way, I'll probably head up there. August 29 – September 1.
BMW RA2024 Maine
- Thread starter Tor
- Start date
It's tempting Tor, as it's only 700 miles away for me. I am doing the MSTA Fly-By event for 4 nights in Marietta the prior weekend though.
John G.
John G.
Only about 55 miles from me!
However, since non of my gear is color coordinated and neither it nor the bike (trusty ST1300) has the magical letters "BMW" displayed I am afraid I might be looked upon with disfavor..
However, since non of my gear is color coordinated and neither it nor the bike (trusty ST1300) has the magical letters "BMW" displayed I am afraid I might be looked upon with disfavor..
... forgive me for asking; how many Honda ST events have you, your non color coordinated gear, and magical "Honda" lettered bike (trusty ST1300) attended since you joined this illustrious group12 years ago?
If you ever attend one, introduce yourself because I don't think we've met, and I'll buy you a cuppa.
Tom
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@sah48 regularly has coffee over in the coffee thread with the rest of us who've mostly never met each other in person. Some of us did do a virtual meet up once during COVID.
I'd second the thought that I'd think a Honda owner wouldn't attend a Beemer rally, unless they knew some of the folks or used to own a Beemer.
Oddly enough though I'd say the opposite is true of STOC events as you see many owners of non ST's at the events, regardless if they are Honda or another brand.
I'd second the thought that I'd think a Honda owner wouldn't attend a Beemer rally, unless they knew some of the folks or used to own a Beemer.
Oddly enough though I'd say the opposite is true of STOC events as you see many owners of non ST's at the events, regardless if they are Honda or another brand.
No, nothing odd about it. What you actually see at STOC events are many previous ST owners that have moved on to other brands and other Honda models updated in the last decade or so.
What I can't understand is why SToc members who don't ride to SToc events feel the need to post that they wouldn't feel welcome at BMW events that they also wouldn't ride to.
Tom
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@TPadden , @Obo and anyone else who may have felt "misgivings" about my comment
It was said with a very dry sense of humor and for some reason the wise-ass smiley emoji didn't come thru when I hit "post". I meant no ill will towards anyone. Heck, for a short time I even had a FJR1300! A friend at work had a BMW and when pulling into the parking lot one morning had the dreaded transmission disintegration issue so I have to grin at that!
Since I joined 12 years ago I have had a full time job, spent most of my vacation time with my family and a wife that I nursed thru dementia for 7 years before she passed. I only recently retired and now have time to spend on my many hobbies and home improvements. I will be the first to admit I am a sort of home body.
Over the years I did manage to get to a couple of RTC events in northern Maine and RTEs in Vermont and have met a few ST owners, most who seem to have dropped from this site. There are very few STOC events in the New England area and the one or 2 I have seen conflicted with previous commitments. I haven't yet developed the required free spirit to spend 2-3 days on the road to get to the majority of the events in what I call the "middle" of the country although they do sound pretty nice!
Hopefully I will be able to meet many of you before I hang up my helmet...... time will tell.
Scott
It was said with a very dry sense of humor and for some reason the wise-ass smiley emoji didn't come thru when I hit "post". I meant no ill will towards anyone. Heck, for a short time I even had a FJR1300! A friend at work had a BMW and when pulling into the parking lot one morning had the dreaded transmission disintegration issue so I have to grin at that!
Since I joined 12 years ago I have had a full time job, spent most of my vacation time with my family and a wife that I nursed thru dementia for 7 years before she passed. I only recently retired and now have time to spend on my many hobbies and home improvements. I will be the first to admit I am a sort of home body.
Over the years I did manage to get to a couple of RTC events in northern Maine and RTEs in Vermont and have met a few ST owners, most who seem to have dropped from this site. There are very few STOC events in the New England area and the one or 2 I have seen conflicted with previous commitments. I haven't yet developed the required free spirit to spend 2-3 days on the road to get to the majority of the events in what I call the "middle" of the country although they do sound pretty nice!
Hopefully I will be able to meet many of you before I hang up my helmet...... time will tell.
Scott
Scott,
I certainly can relate to misunderstood posted attempts at humor or sarcasm and hope to meet you on the road sometime.
Tom
Sadlsor
Site Supporter
It's been my experience that BMW rallies aren't particularly dismissive toward non-German bikes.
I've been to one on a Honda (Blackbird, or maybe a 600 F2), and one on a KTM, and I don't recall any injuries as a result. Pretty sure I would remember if I did. I got to eat, too. Real food.
Local BMW club rides are always accepting of others, too. They just want to ride.
I even went to Daytona Bike Week one time (which was enough, but it was on my list of things to see) on a Honda, and the rough- looking American Iron riders were easy to talk to, until they were all liquored up and off- the-walls crazy. They may not have been over-excited about my non-HD bike, but they weren't ugly about it.
What I have found in my life, and not just with riders, is while everyone has biases, and it's natural for humans to stereotype and pre-judge others, ... we are all individual people (well, most humans are people) and many are actually very interesting, when you can talk to them.
It's often worth that effort, I have found.
I've been to one on a Honda (Blackbird, or maybe a 600 F2), and one on a KTM, and I don't recall any injuries as a result. Pretty sure I would remember if I did. I got to eat, too. Real food.
Local BMW club rides are always accepting of others, too. They just want to ride.
I even went to Daytona Bike Week one time (which was enough, but it was on my list of things to see) on a Honda, and the rough- looking American Iron riders were easy to talk to, until they were all liquored up and off- the-walls crazy. They may not have been over-excited about my non-HD bike, but they weren't ugly about it.
What I have found in my life, and not just with riders, is while everyone has biases, and it's natural for humans to stereotype and pre-judge others, ... we are all individual people (well, most humans are people) and many are actually very interesting, when you can talk to them.
It's often worth that effort, I have found.
Andrew Shadow
Site Supporter
It has been my experience that the Harley riders have not been the young rebellious Hells Angel stereo type crowd for many, many years. They are more likely to be older people because the twenty-somethings can't afford a Harley. These older Harley people are just as friendly and accepting of non Harley riders as anyone on any other brand of motorcycle in my experience. Pretty much the same goes for the BMW crowd from what I have seen. I will say that the BMW crowd seem to have more of a superiority complex about their machine and gear than the Harley guys do.
At the end of the day someone looking down their nose at me for no other reason than what I am riding I see as a poor reflection of their character, not of my motorcycle. In those instances I don't think that they are a person that I would choose to spend time with anyway, so I don't consider it to be any great loss for me.
I'm getting confused. Your last comment seems 100% the same reason you fault the BMW crowd for in the first comment. "I will say that the BMW crowd seem to have more of a superiority complex about their machine and gear than the Harley guys do."
I also feel cheated. When I bought my BMW last year, from @Nashcat, he didn't give me any of the fancy riding gear or any advice to me about now being superior riding the BMW. Is that in my BMW manual???
Does this Harley I rode last month make me look old?
Sadlsor
Site Supporter
Another yes.
But maybe it's not JUST the Harley...
But maybe it's not JUST the Harley...
Andrew Shadow
Site Supporter
Not in the least. I am faulting those riders who display such an attitude. The same applies equally to riders of other brands if they have the same predjudice, I only mention BMW as I have made this observation disproportionately more amongst BMW riders than others whom I have encountered.
One is an indictment of an attitude that prejudices based solely on what is being ridden, while the other is an indictment of the character that holds that prejudice, and it has nothing to do with what that character rides.
No, not the Harley.
Yes.I'm getting confused. Your last comment seems 100% the same reason you fault the BMW crowd for in the first comment. "I will say that the BMW crowd seem to have more of a superiority complex about their machine and gear than the Harley guys do."
I also feel cheated. When I bought my BMW last year, from @Nashcat, he didn't give me any of the fancy riding gear or any advice to me about now being superior riding the BMW. Is that in my BMW manual???
Does this Harley I rode last month make me look old?
Ya'll are just jealous. But that could be my riesig BMW ego making me seem superior.
And not one person has said it makes me look fat yet.
I'm thinking of changing it to be my Avatar pic soon..
How to be politically correct and polite is not some thing that comes easy to me. If it ever does.
But here goes, the Harley did not alter your physical robustness.
Phew.
catcher
Site Supporter
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- Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada.
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Scott, you have an opportunity! Google maps says you're just a 6 1/2 hour ride away from WoodSToc - I do want to meet you! Btw, I live 20 minutes from the border crossing at Houlton, so send me a pm and you'll get special treatment! https://www.st-owners.com/forums/threads/woodstoc-2-aug-15-18-2024-mazerolle-settlement-nb.184743/ You'll see I've been tardy about posting on that thread, I have a meeting at the venue tomorrow and there'll be more - much more...