That "One Guy" Who Picks Your Bike Apart
Have you ever entered your vintage Triumph, BSA, or Norton in a motorcycle show?
Have you ever rode your motorcycle down the street to your local store or bar?
If you have done those two things or perhaps more with your bike you have probably ran into that "one guy" that always seems to pick your motorcycle apart.
What do I mean?
There is always that "one guy" who seems to know more about your motorcycle than you do. He is usually quick to pick apart what is correct and what is not correct. Don't you just despise that guy?
My 1970 Triumph Bonneville is in disguise as a 1966 Triumph Bonneville with a grey seat, orange and white paint scheme, and grey face Smiths gauges - just to name a few mods.
Now keep in mind that I am clearly aware of all the changes that I have done to this bike - some are correct and some are not.
"One spectator happens to walk up to the bike..."
One spectator happens to walk up to the bike. He takes a look at my front brake and says "hey you got the wrong front brake on this bike"!
As I stated before I know exactly what I've done to my motorcycle but this person starts to go on a picking spree telling me what is correct and what is not correct on my Triumph Bonneville.
At this time I'm thinking to myself, "you have some nerve"! If I wanted my motorcycle to be scrutinized I would have entered my motorcycle in a show to be judged.
"where is your motorcycle...?"
After hearing the list from the referee I asked this person "where is your motorcycle?" His answer was "it's still in a basket - I'm doing a full restoration on it". - pathetic.
So here we have a person that's picking apart my motorcycle and potentially doesn't even have a motorcycle or it's still in a basket or in his dreams.
If you haven't experienced this trust me at some point in time it's going to happen to you. That "one guy" could be at a motorcycle show, could be down the street, could be your buddy or it could be that "one guy" trolling on the online forums.
Just be aware that this "one guy" is lurking and when he starts to pick your bike apart just ask him this - "where is your bike?". Chances are he probably doesn't have one..
"Have you ran into that "one guy"...?"
Thanks for reading today's blog post. Have you ran into that "one guy" before? - if so let us know by commenting below. We would really enjoy hearing some of your story's. Cheers
Bryan Greene
I went to a party one night wearing an original Norton tee. THAT GUY said “ So do you actually have a Norton or are you just wearing the shirt? “. I looked around and all the people staring were waiting for for my answer. I said “ There’s alway one guy in the crowd. I have five triumphs and two BSA’s. Does that count? By the way what kind of Norton do you have?”. He clammed up for a second and said “ I have a Harley”. I said “ I feel really sorry for you. He laughed and we talked about bikes and airplanes the rest of the evening. Some time it works out and I made a new friend.
JC
It’s even more fun/revealing when the critic’s response to “What do you ride?” is a model/year that doesn’t even exist anywhere except in the critic’s mind. Similar to the dude/dudette who pipes up, while looking at your bike, with “Back in the day I had a 3-cylinder V-twin Harley twin Commando (or other similar unicorn of a bike) that I rode the wheels off of.” The best response is to just smile and say “That’s interesting” and let them walk on to the next bike. I belong to a Norton club that has displays of owners’ bikes annually at a couple of major local shows, and along with some interesting people with good stories about their former bikes, we always get at least a couple of the above-noted types.
Andrew Rowan
I’ve always thought of putting a sign on the bike “There are 37 incorrect parts on this bike, If you any more feel free to add them below” and watch the pickers try and count em.
Irish Swede
I am that “One Guy,” that’s why I am a judge of British bikes in the Antique Motorcycle Club of America.
HOWEVER, my comments are confined to bikes entered for actual show judging, not for bikes parked outside the judging floor. Those who bring bikes in for judging should expect their bikes to be critiqued.
Believe me when I say that some owners become almost violent when you detail their “baby’s” shortcomings, especially when they have paid big money to have some “professional” do the restoration but has made those mistakes!
I have made small modifications to my own bikes as necessary to correct factory problems, or to make maintenance easier. This often must be done to actually ride and enjoy these bikes. And, isn’t riding and enjoying them what this hobby and sport is supposed to be about?
Paul F
LOL! Too funny! had this experience recently. He had only 2 points of criticism. !) that my fuel lines were too long and they should be black instead of the clear lines I put on. But, shoot! I worked so hard to get the proper crimps on the connections. 2) I had red spark plug wires. Darn! I thought the spark plug wires looked awesome with the red gas tank on my 69 Tiger!
Oh well, can’t please everyone!