Super Tenere Reactions

mcycle-nut

Active Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2018
Messages
91
Location
Victoria, BC CANADA
I have notice some unusual reactions to the my Super Tenere the past few days. I had the bike outside the garage, the rear facing the street, when a guy walked by with a small child on his shoulders. As he passed the driveway, he walked backwards to the beginning of the driveway, stopped, and came down the driveway to talk bikes. Not too unusual, Bikers like to talk bikes. It just looked funny how he walked backwards with kid on shoulders. Another time I was riding it past a bus stop and a guy standing there got a bead on me and followed his eyes on me right past. Later on the same day, I was stopped at a three way stop, long sidewalk to my right. A guy was walking down the sidewalk and when he got beside me, he stopped dead, staring at my bike. Well, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, riding one of the best bikes out there.:cool:
 

cyclemike4

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2016
Messages
815
Location
ky
I was in Dothan Alabama on a divided highway running about 4 to 5 miles per hour over the speed limit. All the traffic around me was running 10 to 15 over. We came over a rise and there was a police car sitting in the median. Of course i saw him look at me and fire the car up and spin it around and run up behind me. I though how in the world was i going to get the ticket when i was the slowest on the road. He rode there a while and then pulled along beside me in the other lane and looked all over the bike and me. Waved and went on. Either he thought i was some bad person or he just wondered what the hell was i riding. haha.
 

Sierra1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2016
Messages
14,819
Location
Joshua TX
I don't think people ride bikes around here, or are even interested in them. I only see 'Wings, and cruisers on the road. . . . and that's only on the highway that bypasses the town. Most wave, some don't. There's one guy at the gym that rides a ten year old Tiger, and one douche bag that rides a big HD, and parks it in the middle of the sidewalk. I don't know if actually has a license. He's not very skilled. I watched him ride across the parking lot with his feet held out like out riggers. The Tiger rider and I talk bikes, but Mr. Cool, won't even acknowledge us.
 

moto.monk

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2019
Messages
1,090
Location
los angeles
I don't think people ride bikes around here, or are even interested in them. I only see 'Wings, and cruisers on the road. . . . and that's only on the highway that bypasses the town. Most wave, some don't. There's one guy at the gym that rides a ten year old Tiger, and one douche bag that rides a big HD, and parks it in the middle of the sidewalk. I don't know if actually has a license. He's not very skilled. I watched him ride across the parking lot with his feet held out like out riggers. The Tiger rider and I talk bikes, but Mr. Cool, won't even acknowledge us.
Did you try offering him bbq?
 

Ronzo

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2020
Messages
234
Location
Ontario, Canada
In Canada we have Tim Hortons.
Every weekend the pirates roll up on their HDs and sit in the parking lot smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee. Some even bring foldable chairs.
We call them Timmie’s Angels.
They probably put as many kms on their hogs in a season as most here ride in a weekend.
 

RCinNC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2014
Messages
2,816
Location
North Carolina
I often have people walk up to me in places like parking lots to make positive comments on the bike. Surprisingly, a lot of them are older than me (I'm in my 50's), and their comments are often followed by a story about how they used to have a bike at one time. You can tell from the look in some of their eyes that they miss it. I often get questions on the map on the sides of my panniers where I've painted in the states I've ridden in.

These encounters happen way more often now than they did when I rode a Road King. Harleys are a dime a dozen around here, but a weird blue bike with big square cases and gas mask carriers strapped to the crash bars gets a lot of attention.

One thing I noticed that's a contrast between my HD riding days and now that might explain the attention the bike gets is that a lot of HD riders don't smile. If you're standing around your bike in a parking lot with a grin on your face, people tend to feel pretty safe walking over to say hello. If you walk around with a perpetual scowl on your face because you feel like you'll ruin your image as a cool biker dude, i think people rend to give you a wider berth. But if you really want to see people gather around a bike, check out the crowd that a Ural with a sidecar can draw. I'm guilty of that myself.
 

Sierra1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2016
Messages
14,819
Location
Joshua TX
Oddly enough, I get more HD riders waving now, than I have on any other bike. Can't figure that one out. Also, I only get "what is it?". Since there aren't a lot of bikes around, they don't know to guess at BMW. They just know that it's not a Harley.
 

elricfate

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2019
Messages
380
Location
Ohio
I get that a lot too.
:D I was asked that recently and when I said, “No. It’s a Yamaha.” The guy looked at me puzzled and said, “I thought only BMW made shaft drives?” o_O

Yeeep, me too. The last bike night I went to had a BUNCH of harley owners, and two guys came walking up to me - "Hey, that's a nice bike, I had a BMW Adventure too" - "Well, that's a Yamaha Super Tenere, not a BMW, but thank you, I love it!" - "Oh wow, not a BMW? Huh. I just thought they'd started making V-twins."
 

Don in Lodi

Well-Known Member
Founding Member
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
Feb 1, 2011
Messages
5,780
Location
Lodi Kalifornia
I have notice some unusual reactions to the my Super Tenere the past few days. I had the bike outside the garage, the rear facing the street, when a guy walked by with a small child on his shoulders. As he passed the driveway, he walked backwards to the beginning of the driveway, stopped, and came down the driveway to talk bikes. Not too unusual, Bikers like to talk bikes. It just looked funny how he walked backwards with kid on shoulders. Another time I was riding it past a bus stop and a guy standing there got a bead on me and followed his eyes on me right past. Later on the same day, I was stopped at a three way stop, long sidewalk to my right. A guy was walking down the sidewalk and when he got beside me, he stopped dead, staring at my bike. Well, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, riding one of the best bikes out there.:cool:
You'll get that kind of reaction every time when you forget your pants... o_O
 

WJBertrand

Ventura Highway
Joined
Jun 20, 2015
Messages
4,516
Location
Ventura, CA
This is the 3rd bike I’ve owned that gets mistaken for a BMW. I had similar questions about both my ST1100 abs ST1300. My favorite was a young ricer Civic pilot at the filling station who looked at my ST1300 and said “nice beemer”. I said thanks but it’s a Honda ST1300, not a BMW. He looks puzzled and utters “Honda makes motorcycles too?”


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

AVGeek

Well-Known Member
Founding Member
2014 Site Supporter
Joined
Sep 5, 2010
Messages
2,780
Location
Boulder City, NV 89005
This is the 3rd bike I’ve owned that gets mistaken for a BMW. I had similar questions about both my ST1100 abs ST1300. My favorite was a young ricer Civic pilot at the filling station who looked at my ST1300 and said “nice beemer”. I said thanks but it’s a Honda ST1300, not a BMW. He looks puzzled and utters “Honda makes motorcycles too?”


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
There's someone who failed history...

The FJR was another recipient of the "nice BMW" comment...had it happen to me when I parked next to an FJ1200 at the Santa Barbara marina...
 

Sierra1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2016
Messages
14,819
Location
Joshua TX
The ST 1300 and the first edition RT 1200 looked similar from straight on, but not an FJR.
 
Top