Originally Posted by base2

As far as "solidarity" I dunno.

Most 2 wheel, leather jacket, bad mo-fo types also tend to be moderately affluent, wife/2 kid, mortgage, giant pick-up truck, high-bills types that as a coping mechanism also fancy themselves as the independent, "eff-em'-if they're-not-already-on-my-side" on the weekend poser types. The loud pipes & leather Banditos affiliate jacket is their big buy-in to the: "I get to be a jerk like I really wanna be IRL so I can be one of the the cool kids." group.

The challenge is to relate to Mr. Established, middle-income Billy Rebel riding on the 30k Harley Dyna-Status-Glide with the knuckle-pan mojo is to make a connection on their level...The relate is: vulnerability of being on 2 wheels, out in the open, exposed, being different, & being disregarded. They want to see the scenery, but also want to be part of the scene on a first-hand basis, too.

I've found that once the connection is made, it's something they readily understand & relate to...So, maybe? But, understanding bicycling is something that must be served to them. They've been conditioned to believe horsepower is power is authenticity, bad-assity.

I know I put over 100,000 miles on my eleven-hundred dollar KZ1000 police bike. Only rarely was I not alone in the designated motorcycle parking area of my work when the 37 degree rains arrived. That tells you all you need to know about Mr. McRebel.