Harley Bug Factor

Catapult · Post by **Catapult** » Sat May 26, 2007 9:11 pm

I must be missing something, I see all these Harley Guys riding around with no face protection. When I get back from my Saturday run I have bogs all over my face shield .. what gives.. are these guys just stupid or what?

Post by **OU812** » Sat May 26, 2007 9:16 pm

They only ride 20 miles at a time.

Then wash their face off.

frbank6 · Post by **frbank6** » Sat May 26, 2007 10:09 pm

You don't get too many bugs when you drag your bike to your 'ride' on a trailer with your Dodge Ram, then 'ride' it 10 miles to the local dealers' parking lot to chat.

Post by **challey** » Sat May 26, 2007 10:50 pm

Maybe the loud pipes keep the bugs away?

Post by **Daryl_stamp** » Sun May 27, 2007 8:01 am

The foot dragging has something to do with it too (feet off the pegs at anything less than 30 mph), ready to stand up and swat at them with two hands.

Am I cynical or is foot dragging a hallmark of being unbalanced?

FWIW, I have to clean my faceshield every time I stop this time of year. One of the nice things about cold weather riding is fewer bugs.

DLS

Byrdguy · Post by **Byrdguy** » Sun May 27, 2007 9:27 am

They don't ride fast enough to kill any bugs. I live in FL. and very few of them even wear helmets. To each his own though. They are enjoying their rides as much as we do on our RRs.

tor1150r · Post by **tor1150r** » Sun May 27, 2007 9:34 am

I suspect you don't hit many bugs during the 4 hour chrome polishing session. And you don't hit any on the 15 minute ride through the city to the local Starbucks either!

The Velvet Monkey · Post by **The Velvet Monkey** » Sun May 27, 2007 10:31 am

Their aura of coolness repels all bugs.

Post by **OU812** » Sun May 27, 2007 10:40 am

Not all Harley riders go w/o helmets. I rode with a gal last weekend that had 73K on a 2000 model. She wore a helmet.

All of the time with us, but she admits, not all the time.

leoquattro · Post by **leoquattro** » Sun May 27, 2007 3:37 pm

Here in Italy usually they wear only funny looking black bowls over the top of their heads, and we believe they have no problem with bugs because they drive so slow that bugs flying in their same direction are faster than they are, while those flying against them have plenty of time to manouver and avoid them.
ciao
Leoquattro

1150929 · Post by **1150929** » Sun May 27, 2007 7:50 pm

Here in Italy usually they wear only funny looking black bowls over the top of their heads, and we believe they have no problem with bugs because they drive so slow that bugs flying in their same direction are faster than they are, while those flying against them have plenty of time to manouver and avoid them.
ciao
Leoquattro

Their aura of coolness repels all bugs.
The Velvet Monkey

Maybe the loud pipes keep the bugs away?
challey

R4R&R · Post by **R4R&R** » Mon May 28, 2007 12:02 am

Those are all good responses. I think most of those guys have some sort of wind protection, which probably deflects most of the bugs.

gunga din · Post by **gunga din** » Mon May 28, 2007 10:19 pm

leoquattro wrote:Here in Italy usually they wear only funny looking black bowls over the top of their heads, and we believe they have no problem with bugs because they drive so slow that bugs flying in their same direction are faster than they are, while those flying against them have plenty of time to manouver and avoid them.
ciao
Leoquattro

As much as I appreciate your sentiments leo, isn't true that Ducati riders say the same things about us?

Gunga Din
Hari Om

Post by **yjleesvrr** » Mon May 28, 2007 10:37 pm

Hari - I was in India a month ago. I rode a Royal Enfield without a helmet. It seems that more than half the people who ride there forego a helmet. I have to say the Enfield was a lot of fun. I was in Chennai and Coimbatore, as well as Mahabalipuram. I rode in Coimbatore. Even though I only got up to about 45 mph max, it was thrilling given the traffic and wind in the hair. It got me thinking about buying a Royal Enfield here in the U.S.

I ride with a full face all the time on all my bikes. Can't say I like a lot of fellow Harley riders given their neglect of proper attire and sometimes lack of riding skills given their novice status (Baby Boomer finally fulfills his dreams of being Peter Fonda now that he can afford a motorcycle that costs as much as a car). Funny thing is, Harleys are very stable bikes - a lot easier to creep along at 1 mph than our Beemers.

gunga din · Post by **gunga din** » Tue May 29, 2007 1:11 am

yjleesvrr

In India anything goes, sandals pass off as suitable footwear, an inverted icecream container strapped on with elastic masquarades as a lid in cities where you are fined for not waering a helmet, but when I ended up having head-on with a jeep I was glad I was wearing a full face, boots, and leather jacket.

Gunga Din
All well that's ends well

leoquattro · Post by **leoquattro** » Tue May 29, 2007 5:05 am

Well Gunga Din, I should say that Ducatisti are well respected by us beemers and I believe is also true the other way around, at least here in Italy. Of course they consider themselves more of the sporty type while we are "the classic gentlemen who can afford an expensive yet good looking bike".
Ciao
Leoquattro

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