Feelings? What're those?
Naw, I'm just playing devil's advocate. Helpin' the world go to hell one spin of the wrench at a time.
I'm gonna be in the shop gettin' my bike running, then marinating myself in Gojo and havin' a beer. If the planets align tonight, I should have my cylinder head on, have returned the carbs and airbox to their rightful positions, and will hear my baby running once again. It's been two years since I've heard it running, and never heard her running 'right' (on all 4, valves in their right places, etc etc). Money sure does influence bike projects a lot...
Play your cards right, and be in OR and I might buy ya a beer, though.
Returning to the topic: Y'know what's sending the US to hell in a shortbus? Emo kids. "Back in the day" (I'm counting the start of decline being after the '80s) you had the beginning of goths, the creepy, pale kids in black, and you had punk rockers. Sure they were as f*cked up as you could be, but they were *tough*. It was nothing to see a punk kid with a crusty mohawk, bleeding from a rough mosh, calmly lighting a cigarette with one hand and flicking the bird at the world with the other.
'Emo' kids depress the bejezzus out of everyone around them. I can appreciate showing one's emotions (what I'm assuming to be the 'emo' in 'emo'... but to be so white and middle class that you *have* nothing to really worry about, then turn around and be a whiny azz about everything in the world that you can find... It drives me up a wall. Their dads didn't grow up rough and don't work hard hours to have their kids b*tch and complain about how "life isn't fair".
You know what else bothers me? Motorcycle dealerships. If I could find a single one that was in a dirty little shop with greasy old bikers both smoking outside and manning the counters inside, I'd call it my home. No. The Honda dealership (well, honda/suzuki/kawi/yami) is populated by these clean-cut pansies who have never had an oil-fouled gash on their hands from wrenching in their lives. I go in and start looking at bikes and they have no idea what bikes were *like* before the late '90s. If it's not 90% plastic, they don't understand it. I *HATE* that shyt.
Same with the Harley dealership. (I keep saying my ideal bike would have a harley frame and a honda motor. Comfortable as hell and it'd keep working, too) A damn fashion boutique inside. A guy tried to sell me on an 883 sportster. I said "The one I'd eyed awhile ago had a hugger package." he says "Hugger package? What's that?"
..."It was lowered." I say. "We call that a 'low'." he says, giving me the "you don't know #$%*" look.
"No" I advise him, "It was called a 'hugger package' up until two years ago (you ironed and starched waste of meat)." He had no idea.
I'm sure he can sell a name to a lawyer or doctor, though, even if he doesn't know #$%* about the bikes he's peddling.
Forget USA bashing. People let the things they love most go to hell because they don't speak up when big business figures they can change the look of something to make more money. I have never had a biker flip me off before when I said something to them on their bike... it happened the other day when I was telling a guy (with his gf on the back) that his tire was flat. He said "#$%* you" and rode off. His buddies pull up next to me and say "You got a problem? All threatening like. I'm a freakin' 5'5, 120# woman. Am I intimidating?! Am I scary?! Am I *obviously* picking a fight?! I said "Yeah, your friend's tire's flat. And he's an ass."
They go "Oh #$%*!" and ride off after him, catch him just before he leaves the onramp onto the highway. He must've felt it- he was riding on the rim. Things like that just bother the hell out of me. No old biker would be like that, I dont' think.
