Compliment, or Insult?...

[nei10]

so i'm getting back on my SS750 in the parking lot at the mall, and a couple of guys walk past me going to their car. one guy stops to tell me "nice job on the Dyna!"

so i told him, "thanks! but it's a Honda, not a Harley." and he goes, "oh, sorry."... and keeps walking to his car.

i thought it was funny as hell... but should i be happy that he mistook my bike for a harley? don't get me wrong, i'm not anti-harley, but i'll take the reliability of our hondas over an HD any day. your thoughts, fellow shadow riders?:glasses2:

[2pwrlftrs4u]

"nice job on the Dyna!"



"i know i saw DYNA in the harley ad, its a part or something..."

[nei10]

crazy, right? i was looking at pictures of harleys... i guess it "kind of" looks like the dyna models.... but not really.

http://z.about.com/d/motorcycles/1/0/V/2/-/-/FXDCDynaSuperGlideCustomAnn.jpg

[ccombs]

I got stopped by the 5-0 last fall and the cop said "thats a clean harley". I just laughed and said "its a Honda". I could tell by the look on his face that he didnt believe me.

[Taco_Lad]

so i'm getting back on my SS750 in the parking lot at the mall, and a couple of guys walk past me going to their car. one guy stops to tell me "nice job on the Dyna!"

so i told him, "thanks! but it's a Honda, not a Harley." and he goes, "oh, sorry."... and keeps walking to his car.

i thought it was funny as hell... but should i be happy that he mistook my bike for a harley? don't get me wrong, i'm not anti-harley, but i'll take the reliability of our hondas over an HD any day. your thoughts, fellow shadow riders?:glasses2:

My standard response to "Nice harley!" is "Honda Shadow, not a Harley... This runs."

[billace]

I just say thanks it's a honda.

[nealdrums]

I just say thanks it's a honda.+1

[fishman35]

I had a guy at the gas pump ask about 3 years ago "what year was my Harley?" I replied "it is a Honda". He smirked and said "well I am a Harley man". So I started looking around his body until he asked "what are you looking at?" I replied "I was looking for the wrench you have to carry with you when you wanna ride". He just laughed it off.

When I first started riding, I had a Honda Rebel 250. One night at a local Mexican restaurant, two young guys on Harleys Fat Boys who had them women with them asked me "if you pour water on that thing, does it turn into a big bike"? I replied "you know they make pills and pumps for your problem fellas. A big bike won't fix it"

Today, I just say "preesh" and move on.

[HitCat44]

I just say "Thanks brother" or when someone says "Nice, what the F is it?" (even though it still has the "shadow" on tank and Honda emblems on side covers, for now) Love to say "Thanks! that there is a Motorcycle"

[firefighter212]

The only true Harley riders that know it`s not a harley are the one`s that wrench on their own bike.The one`s that claim their harley guys but can`t tell the difference between a Honda and a Harley take their bikes in to be serviced or to have the latest and greatest new chrome piece installed that just came out.

[AWTurboSP]

I wouldn't take it as a compliment or insult. If someone doesn't ride cruisers, they just don't know. They look a lot alike and that's what Honda was going for. I have an '87 VT1100 and an '02 Dyna Wide Glide. The VT1100 is a knock off of the Harley and I always get comments on it being a nice Harley. They both have their pros and cons.

[malhavic]

i get that same remark also... I just say thanks and ride on.

[09zkrankin]

yea man, ive had a bunch of people ask me after i got rid of the decals and cut the pipes, but i justtell em its a honda, and thats when the best response comes because they're jaws drop to the ground. i think there is more of a shock factor that comes along with having a custom honda shadow than what there is with a harley or somethin, harley customs are a dime a dozen, but since they're arent alot of parts made for our bikes it takes a hell of alot more time patience and ingenuity to customize one of ours cause we have to make our own instead of just boltin shit on. i workin on doin a custom sporty for a guy right now and it sucks, there isnt much that you can do with it

[Gojo]

+1 to Taco.

[InsaneWizayne]

I get comps on my bike quite often, some from Harley guys some from just biker likers. A lot of them think it's a harley, I tell them it's a shadow and they seem stunned, to me that means I've done my job with making it my own. i like the comps either way because of the blood, sweat and tears I put into it.

[2pwrlftrs4u]

The only true Harley riders that know it`s not a harley are the one`s that wrench on their own bike.The one`s that claim their harley guys but can`t tell the difference between a Honda and a Harley take their bikes in to be serviced or to have the latest and greatest new chrome piece installed that just came out.

^^^^this

[nei10]

^^ haha, very true. i just find it interesting that every time someone see's a nice bike (not trying to brag at all) they assume it's a harley. i'm waiting for someone to tell me "great job on the shadow!" - well, besides all of you guys, of course!

[tntchitwood]

Sometimes I ride with some rough customers, They all have Harleys. The first time I rode with them they were looking at me kind of like "a fuckin honda?" but nobody would say anything. So I broke the ice and told one of them, " nice bike, You know Harley copied the Shadow don't you? Do you need to pick up a quart of oil? I'll try not to run off and leave you." It got big laughs from them and they knew then I did not give a shit who rode what, every body was cool after that. I don't brand bash, two wheels means knees in the breeze, that is all that matters and that makes you my brother.:jamming: Can I get an AMEN?!
Tom

[09zkrankin]

AMEN BROTHA, that is what im sayin, ive rode with quite a few diffrent types of guys, from outlaws to church people and i i catch some shit when i ride with some of the hard core bikers but ya know, they are always bitchin bout how much they have to work on their bikes and how much it costs, when i can just ride on by.

[Canyonrunner]

I de-badge all my bikes and cars as much as I can. If you don’t know what it is, it doesn’t matter.
Among non-motorcycle people Harley has become synonymous[with motorcycles, kinda like Xerox is to copiers or Kodak used to be to cameras. If they were motorcycle people they would know, so if they don’t know it just doesn’t matter. They’re probably just posers. [/font]

[customizer]

I have to agree with Canyonrunner that is a very good observation.
When I get through with my Spirit I will have the cost of some of the HD's in it.
While not all agree this is logical I found the Spirit to be a very nice, well made, handling bike.
It was a bike I could see customizing in my mind.
I am not starting an HD battle here but IMO HD does not make a very forward style bike.
OK the Rocker C is the exception.
No one has to agree, its just my thought.

[Midlife Crisis]

I rode with a bunch of folks day after Thanksiving and had one of the Harley guys comment on how good my bike looked. Even though it is pretty much stock and one of the gals had an Aero that we had to push after every stop.

[slowc10]

i get it all the time, i just say thanks but its a honda

[Big O]

I'd respond.....Thanks, it only looks like an overpriced, oil leaker.....but it's really a reliable Honda!