Only in the world of motorcycles does one constantly need to be on the defensive. Harley people have garnered a reputation over the years of being snobs. I suppose I never really met any Harley people over the years except my immediate family, so I was not aware the problem even existed!
For some reason, if you ride a motorcycle, you are expected to know every single bearing in each race in the motor. If you have not memorized the torque pattern for the allen bolts on the primary case you are stupid. What strikes me as odd, is that no one expects the same level of commitment from car owners. I suppose that is a consequence of cars being a daily necessity, but still. Most car owners would not know where their oil dipsticks were.
And yet when I realized I didn't know where my bike's drain plug was, I felt stupid.
In other hobbies I have, the idea of two groups has always existed. There are those who are super dedicated, build their own PCs, maintain everything themselves and find cost effective (i.e. bootlegging) ways to own games. They would never take it to a shop nor would they buy a premade computer. That would be silly and is only something stupid people would do.
It's not difficult to spot this same idea over and over again within many subcultures. Something that people often forget is that the larger audience is what allows them to enjoy their hobby. Because a company like Intel makes chips for large, bulk orders that will be sold to a variety of consumers; the hobbyist is able to take advantage of the individual processor sales. Because Asus makes the bulk of its money selling to manufacturers for distribution they can afford to have a niche market that caters to hobbyists who want a top of the line gaming experience.
Often, the hobbyist tends to forget that without the masses also enjoying the product, that the manufacturers might not exist. If a hobbyist only needs the services of a company once every 5 years but the average consumer needs the services every year, who is keeping that company in business? Who is helping them recoup R&D costs? Who is paying their employees?
This whole concept usually revolves around men wanting to feel special in some way. I've seen it time and time again. I suppose it boils down in some ways to insecurity. People want to feel like they have something special and that their skills are unique only to them.
To be sure, the idea of being a special snowflake is not limited to kids on the internet. Many grown men feel they need to be that way. The electric start motorcycle has been around with Harley since 1965. 1965! Yet if you ask someone who rides a kickstarted motorcycle, they will tell you how bad it is and that what they have is unique. Further they will tell you that real bikes are kickstarted and electric is some new idea that is for the casual motorcyclist. What kind of insanity is that? The first hydraulic front end in a Harley was in 1949. Yet, most people who prefer springer front ends on the old bikes will tell you that springs were the best and this hydraulic stuff is for the casuals. They choose to act as if advancements were never made, and technology does not exist. Strangely, these same people seem to prefer modern medicine, grocery stores, phones in their pockets and so on. Technologies of necessity do not make them feel special and therefore do not matter as much.
Wasn't it Henry Ford who said 'If I would have asked my customer what they wanted, they would have said, "a faster horse"'. I'm paraphrasing of course, but the point is clear.
Most of these people weren't even born at the time, yet they discuss these ideas like they are the end all and THEY ALONE are the keepers of the finest technology and skills. They speak from a place of false nostalgia, which can be very dangerous.
What they do not realize is that if there was not a casual audience, if there was not a set of people who disagreed, if there was not a set of people that did not insist that year "X" was the best year ever and the technology should not have changed, then there would be no hardcore market.
For the hobbyist and aftermarket platform to exist at all, the brand must be strong. Companies cannot take on the costs and risks of catering to a demographic who insists that nothing is broken when it sits in pieces. Without its audience, Harley would not have survived at all. If all that everyone bought was one Harley bike every 30 years, they would cease to exist.
I cannot figure out, for the life of me, why these demographics insist on being special. I suppose everyone wants something unique. Everyone wants to feel different. Possibly because I realize I am not unique nor different helps me to sit back and look at the big picture.
Frankly, this whole rant does come from a place of insecurity as well. It would be misleading for me to say that I don't want more knowledge about mechanics. For all I know (which is, surprisingly, a lot), I don't know. I do not possess the confidence to work on my own bike, by myself. I could take it apart and name everything that comes off of it, but I am not confident to put it together again.
If you're still reading, you probably have some questions. "Why is he complaining about this? Who cares? Why are you so upset? Why this rant?". Well, I can try and explain.
As of now, the bike has some issues. None are major but are issues nonetheless. The front cylinder head has a small oil leak around the gasket, the primary case has a small oil leak on the gasket and the front brakes are about done.
I can handle the brakes, I can handle the primary gasket...but I am apprehensive about changing the head gasket myself. There are many things to remove and many steps to account for in the process and I am terrified of making a mistake. Of course, when I mentioned I was going to take the head gasket job to the dealer for service I was met with criticism. "Why bring it there!? You should work on your bike yourself! I wouldn't need to do that! You're not a real rider unless you do all your own work! Just another casual motorcyclist who doesn't want to get his hands dirty!".
But my ignorance and confidence deficit will allow me to pay that dealer for work, who can in turn keep existing to service the needs of riders, which will also pay a good salary to a mechanic. In the long run, people like me who will need to use the dealership will ensure the most extreme hobbyists the security of numerous aftermarket as well as factory parts and modifications. They will ensure the brand stays around in general because really, if no one knows what a Harley is, then you aren't the special snowflake you thought you were. Without recognition, you're just some guy with some bike.
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