I have been getting many emails and comments on the Biker Law Blog, from all types of motorcycle riders in response to my articles.
What is truly disturbing to me is that a couple of self described sport bike motorcycle riders have commented on articles, where I have written that unlawful antics by a very few sport motorcycle riders on public roads are bringing heat down on all motorcycle riders by law enforcement, and that all bikers and motorcyclist should put peer pressure on these idiots to stop!
These self described sport motorcycle riders allude to some fictitious so-called rivalry between sport motorcycle riders and cruiser motorcycle riders. Heck one of them even accused me of being biased because I ride a Harley Davidson. What they did not know is that I ride sport motorcycles too.
First off, as a biker lawyer and motorcycle accident lawyer, I represent riders of all types of motorcycles who have been involved in a motorcycle accident here in the State of California. I do not discriminate period. I have many clients who ride cruiser motorcycles, sport motorcycles, and other types of motorcycles.
Now as a biker who happens to be a biker lawyer and motorcycle accident attorney, I ride quite a bit both near and far. The way I see it, on the road, all motorcycle riders seem to give respect to each other with very few exceptions.
I throw out the biker hand salute to riders of all motorcycles, and they throw me the biker hand salute too. The biker hand salute is extending your left hand out and down while riding, with your palm facing forward. This is done to acknowledge another motorcycle rider who is riding past you in the opposite direction.
In the above picture, you can see an actual picture of me throwing the biker salute to a sport motorcycle rider on Mulholland Highway, riding away from the Rock Store. The picture does not show him waving back, but he did! The picture was taken by an ex girlfriend who was following behind me with her friend in a cage.
So what about this so-called rivalry; it is a myth. In my experience on the road a biker is a biker and a motorcyclist is a motorcyclist. Bottom line. Yes there are assholes who ride cruisers, there are assholes that ride sport motorcycles, and there are just assholes! It is the very few assholes that try to make a bad name for all.
The vast majority of bikers and motorcyclist who ride on 2 wheels share a comradery on the road that no cager will ever know. I have ridden in packs where there are sport motorcycles and cruisers. In the end we are all in the same boat as bikers and motorcyclist. We share the same pleasure, and the same potential danger.
So those of you in the motorcycle community, who are trying to justify your illegal street racing and stunt antics on public roads by explaining it away as some kind of cruiser/sport bike rivalry, go suck one. There is no rivalry!
When we stop at places after riding our motorcycles like the Rock Store, Neptune’s Net, the Rock Inn, Cooks Corner, Newcomb’s Ranch, and other motorcycle spots near and far, we all seem to get along just fine no matter what we are riding, except for those very few with some kind of chip on their shoulder. It is those few with a chip on their shoulder that live a miserable existence, and that will never know what being a biker is all about, or experience true happiness in their lives.
By Biker Lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez, © 2008
Welcome, my name is 
Lets see – I ride a Dyna, the usual guys i ride with ride the following:
Kawasaki Ninja
Triumph Speed Triple
V-STAR 1100
Honda Goldwing
BMW 1150
On long trips we all swap bikes every 100 miles or so, to stay refreshed. To people who love to ride bikes there is no rivalry only respect.
Norm: Nice article, I agree with you 100%. It is different strokes for different folks. We do not all prefer the same ride. Each of us has different tastes. We like different looks, prefer different comfort. The first thing we do is take off something stock and put on custom. The biker salute is appreciated by all and returned by most. This is so funny….last year we went for a Harley Dealership party and passed a lady. We gave her the salute…she did not salute back. OK, I was in the dealership and looking at the shirts on the clearance rack and this lady came up to me and said” I did not “wave” back at you because I have to keep both hands on or I will wreck!! I was stunned and said “safety must always be your first concern. What does one say?? Anyway…great article as always.
wow! what an interesting niche you have. Great Job!
Robert and his riding friends are the perfect example of different strokes for different folks. Great comment and again, great article Norm.
Storm, as always you lay it down well. Tha only thing I can’t stand is braggards HD riders who just bought a HD bike and all of the sudden they’re fucking HD encyclodias, trashing metric bikes when they have only been riding one or two years, at max. That really yanks my chain, man. Anyway. i’ll be seeing you soon, bro. And Happy, happy birthday, old man.
Felix
Norm, you are spot on again. I ride a home built V-twin chopper and my best friend rides a Honda sport bike. Two totally different bikes but two best mates riding. That is what it is all about. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for the info on the solute. Seen it happen, but didn’t quiet understand it.
I am obviously a GSXR rider. I live in Tallahassee, Florida. I generally wave, sometimes people get tied up watching a particular possible problem, like a distracted cager on a cellphone, and can’t wave or can’t wave till it’s too late.
I have observed bikers from all types look directly at me and not wave. And some have not seen me until too late. It happens.
What was up with the last comment,which was deleted?? Norman
forwarding
sent…I have his ip address too. It was in the email. Why am I visitor and a memberin this same topic??? The End.
I only use this computer. but ok.
Someone definely deleted it.
I don’t get how you can ride without safety gear on. That’s not even a DOT approved helmet is it? I was in an accident on PCH three weeks ago. A car turned left in front of me on Memorial day. I flew over the hood & landed on the pavement, but thanks to my armored pants and leather jacket I walked away with minimal injuries.
Its the same all over the world… Those who think they are bad ass (and usually on a the cruiser and mainly HD’s) don’t wave and or ride with others… but it is the few that give the bad name for all…
We have our suids and boy racers on suped up sports and the outlaw cruiser rider that is apparently above every one…
I ride a Ducati ST4s our group ranges in harly’s, ducati’s, hondas, yamaha, we have one Hyosung, and few triumphs both sports and cruisers), the range in size and cc rating every so often a couple on couple of vespas show up for the ride.
We all don’t care what people ride (though yes there is that general ribbing we give) but at the end of the day we are all bikers and the common bond is there…
Nighthawk
Thanks for your comments Robert and Sandie.
Norm
Brian I would not call what I do a niche, I call it a lifestyle that blends well with my profession.
Some lawyers and marketers try to market to the biker and motorcycle community calling it a niche market. Most bikers and motorcyclist can see right through the fact that they are dealing with a lawyer that knows nothing about bikers or motorcycle accidents. They are what I call poser motorcycle accident lawyers and they are all over the place.
Thanks for the comments,
Norm
Good to see your comment brother Grumpy. You have ridden with me for many years haven’t you? You have seen me riding on metrics and Harley’s, and we have ridden in packs with sport motorcycles and cruisers. You know I am not bullshitting when I write what I do!
I myself would never trash another man’s choice of ride, you know why? Because it would mean that I myself am insecure. Bottom line, either you are riding or you are not. I know idiots who trash metric bikes and that have no motorcycles, say they would never ride anything but a Harley. Hell here is a guy with no motorcycle trashing someone else’s motorcycle.
Go figure!
Give me a call Grumpy, we have some stuff to discuss!
Norm
Thanks Stephen. I am not right about all things, but I do speak my mind. What prompted this article was a couple of comments from a few sport bike motorcycle riders with a chip on their shoulders. They want to say that there is a rivalry because people are sick of their bs antics on public streets, but there is no rivalry. We all ride on the same streets and sometimes together.
You and your best friend are good examples!
Norm
Same here, sometimes you cannot waive. Thanks for your comment.
Norm
Which comment? I do see one from you on this thread. I do not delete comments!
Norm
Are you telling me that someone sent that BS to you by email on this system? If so could you forward the email to norman@norman-law.com. I would greatly appreciate it.
I do have a few Internet stalkers and whack jobs that pop up from time to time.
As far as my service, I was in the Air Force. You can read a little bit about it here on this article
https://bikerlawblog.com/index.php/wind/2008/06/20/ramblings_from_a_simple_biker_lawyer_on_
Norm
Thanks. This guy has already been warned. I will probably have no choice but to file a lawsuit against this guy. I have his IP address.
Thanks,
Norm
My expert Ed says that it is probably because you used two different computers? His Ip address matches what you sent me.
I greatly appreciate your assistance with this. I warned this guy to quit harassing me over the Internet, I guess at this point I have no choice but to file suit.
We are taking action now to prevent guys like this from disturbing our members.
Thanks man!
Norm
Ken that picture was taken in 2001. I have since changed my ways. I wear a full face modular helmet and a jacket most of the time now.
I have not yet switched to armor.
Norm
There may not be a rivalry in your area, but I lived in Dallas, TX and there was a rivalry there. Guys on sport bikes would rid around doing stunts in traffic and what not while the cruisers did their thing. There were a couple of bars where both groups hung out and they wouldn’t talk to each other at all.
Mike to some extent we have the same issues here. I represent many sport bike riders, and cruiser riders. In the end we all need to get along!
Norm
Great Blog. Thanks 🙂