Hey Poser, Er...Ichabod...er...Tourist, yeah, that's it, you're coming off all snuggly here in this thread (except for the crack about the Gay guy on the BMW), but for all the time I've been on BFC I can only ever remembering you referring to your days with the club with inferrances as to what badasses you were. Which was it? You sort of infer in this thread that you were ascociated with the H.A.s, is that true?
I may get no respect in this thread as I'm not currently riding, but I have over 100K on two wheels and at one point went several years with no automobiles in my life, but as many as five different bikes at a time. With the exception of a BMW K100 I rode for a few months while selling it for a buddy, they were all Japanese bikes. Everything from a Goldwing to 100cc Yamaha two stroke dirt bikes. I even rode a few Harleys, but never could see putting one in my garage. The Harley "Culture" and exclusionary attitude is real. With the real tough guys, it's probably still about the American Made thing and being a real outlaw. But for the accountants and sales managers that show up at the Sunday morning breakfast spot on their $25,000.00 Hog and every piece of clothing and accessory they own says Harley on it, and they all look like clones of each other, it's about the money. Their attitudes seem to be that if you didn't ride up on a Harley, it's probably because you couldn't afford one. Now I am generalizing, and this is Los Angeles, but that's my opinion. The beamer crowd can also be guilty of snobbery on occasion, but are much more likely in my experience to be open minded about other brands and the people who ride them.
Want to really meet some great guys? Get involved in organized AMA Dual Sport rides. Now that's great fun. Going way into the outback and seeing incredible things with 150 of your closest friends, most of whom you've never met before. You can count on crashes and breakdowns, but everybody just chips in together and like the Marines, no one gets left behind.
I'm not riding these days for a few reasons. It started with a nasty accident in Aug of 1996 where I got T-Boned by a Chevy van doing about 50mph. Broken femur, hip, and several other bones meant I couldn't walk for 3.5 months (but was DAMN lucky to be alive), and couldn't walk right for over a year. By the time I had recovered I had been off bikes for over a year, my 1984 VF-1000F Intercepter had been destroyed in teh crash and I was deeply involved with a small company of which I am now the Vice President As a small company, my ongoing participation is important to the company's success and my (and my family's)long term financial well being. My business life is such that if I had a bike, I wouldn't be able to ride often, and lack of practice makes for dangerous riding. I've already been smashed by a truck once, I'd prefer not to do it again. Perhaps someday life will be organized to the point where I can bring motorcycling back into my life, but for now it's on the sidelines.
While the Harley crowd might have the "Bad Boy" image down, I've met some pretty serious tough guys riding some pretty fast rice burners. What you ride does not define who you are or what you're capable of, for better or worse. Put me on a Hog and I'm still not Sonny Barger. Throw me on a fire breating 500CC Grand Prix bike, and I'm certainly not Kenney Roberts either.
I will say though, if I was heading to the bike shop tomorrow, I'd probably come home with something with two large lumps on the sides and a little fairing and plenty of horsepower and creature comforts from Germany. Sort of a "Gentleman's Express". Of course Honda did finally lighten up the VFR and I've always loved those V4s.....Oh wait, I've also heard some guy named Bloor has sunk a few bucks into Triumph and they're making a passable ride these days.....
jmx
Maybe it is the full-face Arai RX7-RR helmet that draws such animosity? 
I have a Signet GT. I really wish Arai hadn't banned internet sales, because their prices have gone through the roof in stores now. 
