Interactions while riding

GoldenMotor.com

knightscape

Member
Jul 29, 2013
340
1
16
Maine
Yesterday I was cruising into work on my John Deere tribute build, stop at a light and a lady pulls up in the next lane over: "OHHH MYY GAAAWD!! That's awesome! What year is it? Is it vintage? It's vintage, right?" So yeah, I was in a pretty good mood after that.

Couple weeks ago cruising down a back road, there was an elderly guy out raking his driveway. He saw me coming and took off his hat started waving in in the air, giving thumbs up, smiling, and hooting.

I love stuff like that, it's cool to be able to put a smile on someone's face. So what have folks said to you out and about?
 

Davezilla

New Member
Mar 15, 2014
2,705
10
0
San Antonio Texas
I get a lot of attention with my bikes by leaving the build in progress in my office where customers can see them in whatever stage of completion they may be in. I get a lot of questions on how fast they are as well as if I can build them one and what they cost to build. One of the most common questions I get is "how far can it go on that tank of gas?"
I enjoy answering all their questions and letting them look at the bikes, some even take pictures with their phones...
What's really cool tho is when out riding I get a lot of people waving or giving me a thumbs up, and I've even had a few follow me to the shop or pull into the resturaunt I go to in the mornings to get a closer look... It's a lot of fun
 

racie35

Active Member
Nov 17, 2012
1,702
5
38
usa
My whizzer grabs people's attention easy. Usually the first two questions are how many mpg does it get and how fast will it go...then price and .."what is it again?"
You can't go to the gas station and not answer those.
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
63
Littleton, Colorado
I was on a recent road trip, coming home from Illinois with the Norton bike on the rack on the back of my pickup. I had stopped for fuel and a restroom break. When I came out there were two guys with their ladies on real Norton Commandos looking at my bike.
They thought it was a classic/vintage Norton motorbike. They said they didn't know Norton made them.

At first I kidded them into believing it was called a 'Norton Cadet', then told them the truth and explained it was just a motorized bicycle. They enjoyed it. Me too.

Actually this has happened a lot. People see the tank decals and think the bike is a real British classic.

Tom
 

woogie_man

New Member
Aug 9, 2013
223
0
0
Fargo, ND
I typically enjoy the people that stop and ask about my bike. My local bicycle shop enjoys it, and have been telling people about it.

Those typical questions are asked and answered.

The most fun are the older people that ask if I know what it is I built. Then we talk about the original wizzers and other bicycles. Really fun to see their faces and hear the stories.
 

Rudz

New Member
Jun 24, 2014
454
1
0
Tyler TX
I've had people take pictures of my bike and ask about building it. I'm rather proud that I built it myself
 

Tony01

Well-Known Member
Nov 28, 2012
1,729
1,721
113
sf bay area
Yeah, I've had people waiting for me to come out of liquor stores to ask questions and take pictures. The best people though, are fellow builders that spend 5 minutes looking at the chain clearances and small stuff, then say "took a lot of work huh".

The ladies sure do give more attention...both on the street and when you walk into a supermarket with all your gear still on, smelling of gasoline :D
 

Tony01

Well-Known Member
Nov 28, 2012
1,729
1,721
113
sf bay area
Also... Once you're on an MB... You're now part of the MC brotherhood... All the riders wave and stuff... And the cops give ya a nod... Small stuff like that I never noticed in a car or bicycle.
 

Davezilla

New Member
Mar 15, 2014
2,705
10
0
San Antonio Texas
Yup... It's pretty cool that you can get the same respect from the guys on motorcycles on these, if it was a moped or scooter most the motorcyclists won't even wave, but on these they wave and give thumbs up etc...
If you really want to be the center of attention tho, take one of these to a biker rally and put around on the grounds with it, but be ready for a lot of questions and to get you and your bike's picture taken a lot
 

16v4nrbrgr

Active Member
Mar 17, 2012
1,728
4
38
North Bay
I had a girl undress in front of me in the middle of the street to go swimming in the creek while I was out riding my chopper one time. I stuck around for a hot minute mind blown before leaving that intersection, not without regret, but she looked young...
 

Tony01

Well-Known Member
Nov 28, 2012
1,729
1,721
113
sf bay area
I had a girl undress in front of me in the middle of the street to go swimming in the creek while I was out riding my chopper one time. I stuck around for a hot minute mind blown before leaving that intersection, not without regret, but she looked young...
Did you major in creative writing in college? ;)
 

48ccFury

New Member
Apr 19, 2015
10
0
0
NY
In my neighborhood, I can get away with riding in the streets because the speed limit is 30 throughout town. There are a lot of heads turned and blank stares.. but the bike gets some love, occasionally.

Once a week, seemingly without fail, there is always some wanker following too close while I go up a narrow two-lane hill. Sometimes I get passed, yelled at, told to "get off the road!" or "get a car!" and those times are always fun..

Interactions while stopped are almost always positive. The question I personally get asked the most is "do you need a license for that?" to which I answer, "yes.. but as long as you ride safe on the shoulder, have lights, and wear a helmet, you probably won't be bothered."

People love when I tell them how cheap this mode of transportation is!
 

knightscape

Member
Jul 29, 2013
340
1
16
Maine
Just now coming into work: "Sweet ride!'' ... (stops, does double take) "No s***?!"

Totally cracks me up when people realize what they are looking at.
 

TheWizardVillage

New Member
Jul 29, 2015
30
0
0
Tennessee
I experienced my first motor bicycle this past week and even though it was my friends I felt proud to ride such an attention getting unique piece of ingenuity. Older people really enjoyed looking and talking about the bike!
 

Easy Rider

Santa Cruz Scooter Works
Jan 15, 2008
2,145
7
38
Nor*Cal
I use to get stopped all the time and almost ran guys over tying to stop me. Now that I'm on my ebike, it's always too late because I'm usually past them by the time they notice me.
 

xseler

Well-Known Member
Apr 14, 2013
2,886
151
63
OKC, OK
My favorite one is when you're riding past a young kid and you see their jaw drop half way to their belly button! You know that their Dad is in for a fair amount of 'pestering' that day............
 

Davezilla

New Member
Mar 15, 2014
2,705
10
0
San Antonio Texas
Haha... I get that just by keeping a bike parked in my office at the shop... then it's usually the dad noticing it, asking me the questions, then calling the son in and trying to get him interested in it as well... we all know the truth there... it's usually no problem buying it for the kids, but taking it over after they do a few rides and go back to the x boxes... but going home to tell the wife "it want to buy one of these to cruise around on" usually isn't as easy as the "honey, this would really be nice for junior to get to school or work and back on"...
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
63
Littleton, Colorado
The most popular question I get is: "Did you build that yourself?" Ha! I guess mine don't look like a pro built it....
I think the most common question I get is "Is that a Whizzer?" Especially older guys will ask and then tell me about the Whizzer they, or someone they knew, used to own.

Of course after I tell them it isn't a Whizzer and that I motorized it the common questions start. "How much did it cost?" "How fast will it go? "Do you need to register it?
"How many miles to the gallon?" Etc, etc, etc.

Tom