MURPHY's EMAIL
I fear your wrath...
Mr. Shields,
I would like to start by saying that I have stumbled upon your site and after
spending some time reading the various posts. I was rolling!!
I find it ironic that while I am a HD owner I see the logic behind you argument
and the several points well made on your behalf. I shall now risk your ire and
try to explain why I made the choice that I have made.
I have had several bikes over the years. Those bikes were of the Metric
variety, I use the term “Metric” not as an insult but to eliminate the need to
list all the different brand names, as I shall refer Metric to the import
brands versus HD. (I acknowledge there are other US bike manufactures but I am
referring to HD). I chose this particular bike for the look. If pure HP and
performance were the key points that I valued than by all means I would have
chosen differently. I decided on a look; call it an Icon if you will. There is
no denying that fact that if you say the word “Motorcycle” 9 out of 10 people
envision the classical HD as a mental picture. It goes with out saying. One
could call it romantic or one could call it archaic, each person would have his
or her own personal choice. For me, I chose romantic. I would ask you this
question…If you loved old cars, say the classic 1957 Chevy, if it was still
possible to buy one that was being currently made as it was back in 1957, would
you?
While I have never been a chest pounding “DIE HARD” HD zealot, I have had an
opportunity to have a piece of Motorcycle nostalgia that I grew up with. Was
the price steep? Yes and no. Yes the price was steep for two wheels and a motor
mounted in a frame, but if you consider how I feel while riding that piece of history,
then the price was cheap.
I wish to share with you a conversation that I had with a German Polizie while working here in
I saw in one of your replies that you wanted a bike manufacture to push the
envelope, amongst the list of items that you foresaw was supercharged engines
and V8 placed into bike frames. While this is appealing to some, I would again
remind you that for others the shift from form to function might take way from
the very thing that makes these bikes so appealing, the look. There was a TV
series back in the early 80s called “Buck Rogers, adventures in the 21st
Century” or some nonsense like that….any way the point was that he rebuilt a
bike, but he had to use a some futuristic engine as combustible fuel was not
available. The thing just did not sound right, so it was not a “true
motorcycle”.
The Dominate Buying Motive to purchase is a combination of Form and Function. I
list Form before Function due to the fact that regardless of what it is that a
person is buying, be it a motorcycle of a pair of shoes, Form is the most
important aspect of a buyer’s decision. Ask yourself this question…would you
buy a pair of shoes just based off of size? For example…You need a pair of
black shoes for your duty uniform let’s say….Do you grab the first pair that
you see in your size regardless of style? Or do you look for a certain style or
tread pattern? How about a shirt? When you shop for a shirt to wear when you
are off duty, will you buy any shirt without regard to color or print as long
as it fits? I understand that there is a big jump in price between a shirt and
a motorcycle but the buying principle remains the same. In fact the importance
of Form over Function becomes more significant when spending that huge amount
of hard earned money.
You will always have the few that will state that they buy only “American”. I
am with you 100% on your point about that segment of the population. That label
of 100% American made will fail the test if someone was really trying to prove
or disprove that claim. With today’s global economy the way that it is, I think
we would have lock down our borders and stop all foreign trade to make that claim
become reality. Even the term “American Owned” might be pushing it with foreign
Investment in our economy that way that it is. I think that the only label that
we could say that could be used is “American Ridden” provided that the person
was in fact a
You are dead right when you talk about the “Image guy”, and yet wrong as well.
If you refer to the person who buys the HD to become someone who he/she is not,
then you nailed it. But what about the person who buys the
bike because it really is the Form that they want? If the bike fits what
the buyer feels is his version of what a motorcycle is should he stay away
because of the label? That sounds like the same argument that you use, only in
reverse. If you say that you should not buy a bike because of a Brand name
alone…..Key is Brand name…Then how can you say that if a bike fits the buyers
exact expectation of his “Perfect Bike” that he should buy it unless it is
Brand X…Again the key is Brand Name.
I wonder is it the HD Brand Name that has you feeling this way, or is it the
relative few who happen to ride HDs and show their
stupidity (and arguably loyalty) with the rest of the world. It could be said
the same for Sports fans, or any other segment of the population for that
matter.
I am glad that you have taken this upon yourself. In a world where people are
to content to bury their head in the sand and just shuffle along with the rest
of the flotsam and jetsam called society you stand out. You make people think
and exercise their minds. To form an argument and to debate sparks creativity…
It’s ironic that it is the vary thing that you claim the Lemmings are lacking,
yet you are here to create the catalyst that will cause those sparks to fly.
I would like to close by saying that while I agree with you in part, I must differ in whole on your stance on HD owners. I
do this simply because of the fact that as there are thousands of HD owners so
too are there thousands of reasons that they chose HD. One can’t simple lump
them all into one category to justify one’s own end. It does not work that way.
You can no sooner do that than to say that if you made $10.00 and hour at work
and bought 1 loaf of bread then if you bought two loaves you would get paid
$20.00 an hour.
But I would like to say this…It is people like you that restore my faith in the
American people. I have been in the Army for 18 years, Desert Storm and Shield,
and two tours in
vr
SFC Murphy, P. A.
_______________
To which I replied
_______________
Mr. Murphy,
No need to fear my wrath as you are neither a Luddite
or a simpleton. I'll go ahead and offer you a sincere thank you for your
service to our country, it is appreciated and more
importantly, respected.
Now, let's find some answers to your questions and have an adult conversation
at an educated level, shall we?
"I would like to start by saying that I have stumbled upon your site and
after spending some time reading the various posts I was rolling!!"
Thank you, sir. I try
to get my basic message across by using original humor, a sharp tongue and an
even sharper mind.
"I find it ironic that while I am a HD owner I see the logic behind your
argument and the several points well made on your behalf. I shall now risk your
ire and try to explain why I made the choice that I have made."
Would it surprise you
to hear that a lot of other HD riders also agree with me.
I'm not against HD riders, I'm against HD owners and there is a big difference
between just owing a bike and riding a bike.
"I have had several bikes over the years. Those bikes were of the Metric
variety, I use the term "Metric" not as an insult but to eliminate
the need to list all the different brand names, as I shall refer Metric to the
import brands versus HD. (I acknowledge there are other US bike manufactures
but I am referring to HD). I chose this particular bike for the look. If pure
HP and performance were the key points that I valued than by all means I would
have chosen differently. I decided on a look; call it an Icon if you will.
There is no denying that fact that if you say the word "Motorcycle" 9
out of 10 people envision the classical HD as a mental picture. It goes without
saying. One could call it romantic or one could call it archaic, each person
would have his or her own personal choice. For me, I chose romantic. I would
ask you this question…If you loved old cars, say the classic 1957 Chevy, if it
was still possible to buy one that was being currently made as it was back in
1957, would you?"
You're following my
logic nicely.
Yes, I would buy a 1957 Chevy if it were being made today. However, if the 1957
Chevy was being made today, using 1957 build quality and technology, and the
2006 version of the 1957 Chevy cost four times as much as a brand new 2006
Corvette, then no, I would not buy the 1957 Chevy no matter how much I liked
it. I would also make fun of anyone who did. I see no real difference between a
2006 Harley Davidson (sans V-Rod) and a 1956 Harley Davidson. Suspension, engine
and technology-wise, they are nearly identical (which is in direct contrast to
the rest of the world... My point is, why pay so much for so little?
The answer is … you're paying for a name.
"While I have never been a chest pounding "DIE HARD" HD zealot,
I have had an opportunity to have a piece of Motorcycle nostalgia that I grew
up with. Was the price steep? Yes and no. Yes the price was steep for two
wheels and a motor mounted in a frame, but if you consider how I feel while
riding that piece of history, then the price was cheap."
If you got the bike
you wanted for the price you were willing to pay, then you and I have no
arguments, Mr. Murphy and you have not garnered my disrespect. I know a lot of
people who own Harleys because they like them. It is the posers and zealots
that I am against, the kind of people who think that they can walk in a HD
dealership as a balding, middle aged accountant and walk out two hours later as
a grizzled, experienced and hard core outlaw biker replete in the latest outlaw
biker fashion gear and riding a loud American™ dream machine.
I am of the belief that a reputation has to be earned, it can't be bought. I am
against those who feel otherwise. To me, when I see someone like I mentioned
above, it strikes me in much the same way it would strike you if someone who
had never joined the military went to an Army surplus store, bought a bunch of BDUs and badges then started bragging that they had seen
heavy action in Desert Storm with some well documented unit when you knew right
away that they were lying. You would have nothing but contempt for this person,
which is what I feel for people who work in a cubicle and wear a tie five days
of the week but come the weekend, they adopt some tough sounding nickname and
go hang out in the local bars on their HD, posing like they are social outlaws
on the run from the law. I laugh at these posers, especially if I can recognize
them and
know where they work when they aren't dressed up.
A reputation must be earned, Mr. Murphy, it can't be bought and too many people
don't understand that these days. It's one of the things which I believe is
wrong with
"I wish to share with you a conversation that I had with a German Polizie while working here in
I am a reserve police
officer here in
Go read it and have a good laugh.
The point is, Harley Davidson sells its products based on image, not performance like the other manufacturers do. If BMW made a
bike to Harley's standards, they would go out of the motorcycle making business
in a few months. Harley cannot build a quality machine, so they do what they
have to in order to survive, they are a sheep in wolf's clothing. They sell a
bike based on image, not substance. They build a bike based on sound, not
performance. Harley Davidson has built a house of straw.
Our own police department is small, maybe 30 officers. Of those officers, only
about four ride personal motorcycles. We have no department motorcycles though
it was passed around that we could get some HDs if we
wanted to. When it was asked of the four officers (myself
included) who did ride and who did own personal bikes, who would be willing to
ride a HD police bike, only one, a HD owning officer, stepped forward and said
he would ride it. The rest of us, all import owners (I was the only sport bike
owner in the import group) already knew that HD has several lawsuits facing
against it in officer deaths due to poor design and the inability of the HD
police bikes to handle well at speed. I won't ride a HD police bike. Ever. To me, that's more dangerous than going into a
domestic violence call without wearing your body armor.
I can understand people who might want to feel the bike under them. I love the
feel of my bike. I love the pull of the engine as it moves quickly into its
power band. I love the rising rush of acceleration as the power builds. I love
being able to flick my bike from side to side in the twisties
and to haul down from high speed in a short distance. I love the feel of my
bike's light weight because it allows me to feel the road more. My bike feels
like an extension of my body, not some great iron and chrome tumor sprouting
from my ass. It's okay to feel your bike, but to me, my bike is merely a
telegraph between my body and the road under it. My bike takes the bumps and
conditions of the road and translates that into information that my brain can
use to make decisions, sometimes split second decisions with. I don't get that
kind of information relay on something like a Harley,
all I get is vibration and noise, two things which I don't find congruent to
the motorcycling experience at all. Your opinion on this may and probably does
differ.
"I saw in one of your replies that you wanted a bike manufacture to push
the envelope, amongst the list of items that you foresaw was supercharged
engines and V8 placed into bike frames. While this is appealing to some, I
would again remind you that for others the shift from form to function might
take way from the very thing that makes these bikes so appealing, the look.
There was a TV series back in the early 80s called "Buck Rogers,
adventures in the 21st Century" or some nonsense like that….any way the
point was that he rebuilt a bike, but he had to use a some futuristic engine as
combustible fuel was not available. The thing just did not sound right, so it
was not a "true motorcycle"."
Hahaha!
Timely!
I was just about to pick up the entire old TV series "Buck Rogers in the
25th century" on DVD in the next few weeks simply out of nostalgic
interest. It wasn't that good (the guy who did Battlestar
Galactica did Buck Rogers and you can tell in the later
episodes where he simply ran out of money and started using old film footage
from the BG series in the BR series to save time and money on FX shots… sad). I
don't remember the motorcycle part but now you have me intrigued, I'll have to
get the series and watch it.
I do remember an episode of
"The Dominate Buying Motive to purchase is a combination of Form and
Function. I list Form before Function due to the fact that regardless of what
it is that a person is buying, be it a motorcycle of a pair of shoes, Form is
the most important aspect of a buyer's decision."
Correct.
"Ask yourself this question…would you buy a pair of shoe just based off of
size? For example…You need a pair of black shoes for your duty uniform let's
say….Do you grab the first pair that you see in your size regardless of style?
Or do you look for a certain style or tread pattern? How about a shirt? When
you shop for a shirt to wear when you are off duty, will you buy any shirt
without regard to color or print as long as it fits? I understand that there is
a big jump in price between a shirt and a motorcycle but the buying principle
remains the same. In fact the importance of Form over Function becomes more
significant when spending that huge amount of hard earned money."
Correct but your logic
is flawed to a certain degree.
Let's use some fuzzy math and finance here for ease of debate. If you were
going to go out and buy new jump boots for your BDUs,
would you pay $20 for a boot made to combat specs (and tested to combat specs)
that was made in Japan or would you pay $80 for a boot that said it was a
combat boot (but which had a horrible reputation in the field) but which just
looked really, really good and one which was popular with other soldiers? I go
for performance, Mr. Murphy. Form should follow function,
form should never dictate function in my humble opinion. I think our debate is
using the wrong equipment for an analogy so let's change the hardware.
Let me ask you this.
Given the current military environment of the world, if you were going into
battle, would you want to face the enemy in a brand new M1A2 Abrams battle tank
loaded to the hilt with technology and safety features, or would you want to
ride into battle in a perfect copy of a Sherman tank? What if I told you that
the Abrams cost $2 million dollars and the copy of the
What if all of your friends thought it was really cool to ride around and be
seen in a
No, and you'd be a fool (and a rather quickly dead fool) to ever take a copy of
a Sherman tank into battle, especially against an OpForce
using equipment even just a decade old. The reason it sells for so much is that
the company that makes the copy of the
In an ideal world, Mr. Murphy, you couldn't give a Harley Davidson motorcycle
away for free, if technology, durability and performance mattered (like they
should).
The
Tariffs, mind you, that actually punished hard working American citizens for
buying the better built import bikes when they should have been doing the
patriotic thing and buying the crappier Harley Davidsons.
Harley Davidson did not take the second chance at life which they got and
rebuild their factory to meet modern standards, instead, they began to sell the
same old bikes ("
The world we live in is driven by fashion and form, which take precedence over
function and performance. The situation I mentioned above in regards to the
Abrams and the
So, if it was up to you, would you rather go into battle (or ride on the
street) in something that had proven performance and could save your life and
cost $4 million dollars or would you rather go into battle (or ride on the
street) in something that was a really cool copy of outdated technology and
sounded oh so right but which cost $8 million dollars and wouldn't last one round
against modern battle tanks?
Your and my choice may differ but I'll tell you right now, if I was facing the
Iraqi army, fashion be damned! I'm going to be popping
the top off of those T-72s at maximum range with some one and twenty mike mike DS rounds and whizzing around the battlefield at speed
with all 1500 horsepower of my screaming turbine engine, that's what I'm going
to do.
"You will always have the few that will state that they buy only
"American". I am with you 100% on your point about that segment of
the population. That label of 100% American made will fail the test if someone
was really trying to prove or disprove that claim. With today's global economy
the way that it is, I think we would have lock down our borders and stop all
foreign trade to make that claim become reality. Even the term "American
Owned" might be pushing it with foreign Investment in our economy that way
that it is. I think that the only label that we could say that could be used is
"American Ridden" provided that the person was in fact a
I agree. I get so mad
at the faux patriots who think that they are (somehow) a better American than I
am just because they own a Harley. I hate, and I mean spitting mad hate, the
idiots who think that freedom is something that has a trademark symbol on the
end of it, that think that the freedom we enjoy as American citizens, paid for
by the sweat, blood, tears and sometimes the ultimate sacrifice of soldier /
citizens such as yourself, can somehow be packaged up in a little box and sold
either out of a vending machine or across the counter at a dealership. The
people who ride around bragging about how great an American they are just
because they ride a Harley do nothing but cheapen the efforts of people like
you, Mr. Murphy.
Freedom isn't something you can buy with a credit card, like a reputation, it
has to be earned and just like a reputation, there are no shortcuts to getting
there.
Maybe if more people thought the way that I do, when people like you came home
from a foreign land, there would be clapping and respect given for your duty
and your honor, instead of protests and hatred. Sewing an
American flag onto your leather vest in no way puts you in the same category as
wearing that flag on your BDUs in a combat zone.
In the next update, you will find my reply to a retard who signs his email as
"An American Harley rider." I countersigned my reply as "A
Honda riding American."
I believe, like I said
before, that we as Americans enjoy a great amount of freedom (thanks to
soldiers like you and no one else). With freedom comes great responsibility and
included in that responsibility is the right and the need to vote for what we
support. I believe that we can either vote for or against something and that a
"vote" is not just some piece of paper cast at a ballot box during an
election. As Americans, we vote every single day, many times a day. Do I eat at
Burger King or McDonald's? Do I watch "Friends" or "60
Minutes"? We vote with our hearts and our minds and also with our pocket
books. Buying a Harley is something that I consider to be a vote. I do not
approve of Harley Davidson, what they have become or how they conduct their selves,
therefore, when I buy a Honda, from another fellow American who owns the local
Honda shop, I am voting with my hard earned dollar against Harley Davidson. I
am telling Harley that what they make does not interest me and if they were to
make a bike like the CBR600RR, I would be the first in line to buy it, if it
cost the same as the Honda CBR600RR and it was of comparable function, form,
technology and engineering. I'd even be willing to pay more for an American
made version of the CBR, if it was a better, faster, more powerful bike than
the Honda CBR.
I voted with my money, Mr. Murphy and I sent a strong message to Harley
Davidson when I did so. I told them that I did not want what they were making
and if they wanted my money, that they would have to
start making what I wanted to buy. Too many people look at me as a
"communist" or even a foreign terrorist just because I ride a Honda.
I look at myself not only as a responsible American but as a concerned American
and an active one as well. I see a very big problem and I'm going to do what I
can, as an American, to fix that problem by telling other people about it and
by setting an example. I believe that is not only my right as an American
citizen, but that is also my responsibility as an American.
"You are dead right when you talk about the "Image guy", and yet
wrong as well. If you refer to the person who buys the HD to become someone who
he/she is not, then you nailed it. But what about the person
who buys the bike because it really is the Form that they want? If the
bike fits what the buyer feels is his version of what a motorcycle is should he
stay away because of the label? That sounds like the same argument that you
use, only in reverse. If you say that you should not buy a bike because of a
Brand name alone…..Key is Brand name…Then how can you say that if a bike fits
the buyers exact expectation of his "Perfect Bike" that he should buy
it unless it is Brand X…Again the key is Brand Name."
I spoke of being an
American and the freedoms and responsibilities that come with that blessing.
Unfortunately, the current outlook of most Americans is that they have the
right to be as stupid as they want to be and if you hurt their feelings or tell
them that they are being stupid, they're going to grab a lawyer and sue you for
everything you own. My own thought is you should buy the bike that you want.
Period.
If you want to buy a Harley Davidson, Mr. Murphy, you are perfectly free to do
so. If, however, you start to berate me for my choice in motorcycles, if you
start to use completely unfounded and fairy tale type logic to justify your
purchase, then we will argue. I'm all for freedom of choice. I'm against flock
behavior. Buying a Harley is your right and your freedom. I would hope that you
make this choice knowing that there are better built, less expensive and more
powerful bikes out there but if you do research your decision and you do buy a
Harley, then I have no quarrel with you. Hell, I own and work on a 1989 Pontiac
Firebird Formula 350, a redneck's wet dream if ever there was one (short of the
IROC-Z). It's not the fastest car in the world (though in its day and age it
was one of the fastest production cars) and it isn't the best looking but I'm
interested in it and I only paid $1200 for it. The chance to restore it to
stock and have a nice example of a car no longer built is of interest to me. Of
course, I'm not going to go around and put an American flag on my car and start
beating up Honda Civic drivers because I think they are communists for driving
an import.
Besides the CBR, I own a piece of junk. Yes, I own a total piece of crap junk.
The seats are torn, the paint is gone, the rear spoiler is rusted out, the
trunk won't lock, the radio won't play, the fan motor grinds, the air
conditioner doesn't blow cold, the carpet is torn and faded, the headliner is
drooping and about to fall down and when it runs, it runs badly. It smokes and
growls and gets about 8 miles to the gallon because it set up in the woods for
three years and I had to rescue it by hooking a chain around the rear bumper
and using a four wheel drive Chevy pickup truck to pull the Formula out of its
final resting place in the vain attempt to use my meager skills to bring it
back to life. It's a fun adventure and I don't take it seriously at all which
is probably why it is so fun. Yes, I could afford a new car, in fact, I sold my
beautiful mint supercharged '99 Grand Prix GTP just so I was left with only the
piece of junk Formula and the CBR to work with and if I ever get tired of riding
my CBR in the rain and cold and sleet, then I had better get off of my ass and
fix the Formula up nice otherwise I'm in trouble.
I guess what I'm saying is that sometimes you go with your heart and you don't
listen to your brain and your wallet suffers for it but if you enjoy it and it
doesn't hurt anyone but you, then I guess that's okay. The point is, make an
informed decision on your own, research your purchase and buy with your brain,
not your penis. Don't buy a car or truck or bike because other people think it
is cool, buy it because YOU think it is cool. Just realize the limitations of
what you are buying and don't subscribe to some make believe fantasy that just
isn't true. I own a piece of junk car. Even when it is restored, it's only
going to be a 245 horsepower Firebird capable of mid 14 second quarter miles
and a top speed of about 150mph. It isn't going to be the greatest, fastest,
most powerful car in the world but then I'm not going to go around and brag
about it like it was either. I'm also not going to chastise other Americans who
own Mitsubishi Eclipses or
Import bikes intrigue me, domestic bikes do not. Domestic cars intrigue me, foreign
cars not so much. I can understand the sound and feel you talk about because
when I get in my Formula and drive it around, that throaty rumble from an
American fuel injected small block V8 is hard to not smile at and enjoy. The
fact is, that my Formula also has 245 horsepower to
back up that throaty rumble. It would be a different story if I had a four
banger under the hood making 50 horsepower but yet had the mufflers and pipes
on it to make it sound like it had a V8.
Ride or drive what you want, it doesn't make you any more or less of an
American, and you have to know your limitations.
"I wonder is it the HD Brand Name that has you feeling this way, or is it
the relative few who happen to ride HDs and show
their stupidity (and arguably loyalty) with the rest of the world. It could be
said the same for Sports fans, or any other segment of the population for that
matter."
HD has never been an
innovator, Mr. Murphy, it has always been the imitator. The only reason Harley
is number one, so to speak, today is because every
other American motorcycle company between it and first place went out of
business. Harley became number one because every other company vanished, not
through any hard work or effort on HD's part. Indian was a much better, much
more aggressive, much more competition oriented company that Harley Davidson
ever was. Look at Harley's history, all the way back to its beginning and you
will find instance after instance where Harley copied somebody else for
something that gave them a better position than they were currently in.
The Sportster was a copy of fast British bikes of the
time (so much so that the original Sportster had the
shifter on the right, just like the British bikes it copied while all other
Harleys had the shifter on the left side). Indian produced their first V-twin
in 1903, Harley didn't produce their V-twin until many years later (I guess it
took those hillbillies that long to take apart an Indian V-twin and learn how
to copy it…).
When Harley was faced with intense competition in the form of British and
Japanese bikes invading our shores, Harley could have bucked up, rolled up its
sleeves and said "Not on my watch!" I would have respected that
immensely! Did they do that? Did they adapt and overcome, as Americans always
have? No! They ran away, they dropped out of what little competition they were
involved in (not involved in a winning manner, mind you, but involved
nonetheless) and ran for the hills.
During the 1960's and 1970's, as foreign bikes gained a definitive beachhead
here in America and expanded their invasion of the market, Harley just sulked
and cried and boo-hooed about the mean old imports
and they go so bad off that AMF had to buy them up to keep them from going out
of business. The fact is, AMF couldn't even save Harley so far gone were they,
and when Willie G. and his 12 disciples bought Harley out from AMF in the early
1980's, it was realized that Harley could not compete with the rest of the
world for build quality, engineering or technology, so Willie G. and the boys
reinvented Harley Davidson from a motorcycle manufacturer to a fashion empire
and they began to sell their products not based on reputation or performance,
but on image and sound, on flash and appeal. The fact that they succeeded is as
humorous as it is said and shows a great deal about what is wrong with
It sickens me that the company plays on the patriotic image so much because, to
me, Harley Davidson in no way represents what it means to be an American. Hell,
we went to the Moon not once but several times.
Harley Davidson is an embarrassment to me, and a great
shame to my beloved country. That is why I detest Harley Davidson. Not everyone
that rides a Harley is an idiot, I'm not foolish enough to make that
assumption, but Harleys are built by and for idiots and the gullible, therefore
you are judged by the company that you keep.
"I am glad that you have taken this upon yourself. In a world where people
are to content to burry their head in the sand and just shuffle along with the
rest of the flotsam and jetsam called society you stand out. You make people
think and exercise their minds. To form an argument and to debate sparks
creativity…..It's ironic that it is the vary thing that you claim the Lemmings
are lacking, yet you are here to create the catalyst that will cause those
sparks to fly."
Exactly. I like to think of myself as jumpstarting
people's brains by kicking them in the ass. We, as a nation, have become too
dependent on fashion and sound. We have become a nation that would rather buy a
reputation or an image than earn one the hard way. We're lazy, dumb and a bunch
of whiners. We're not a nation of John Waynes anymore, we've become a nation of Jane Fondas.
We not individuals, we're not strong enough to stand up on our own anymore so
we pose and we join groups and we get self help classes and we whine and moan
and try to place blame on everyone but ourselves. We don't think, Mr. Murphy,
we act, on impulse and if we do the wrong thing, it isn't our fault, it is anybody's fault but our own because we have
become a nation of victims. I enjoy a good debate and I love to find someone
who can speak their mind, using original thoughts, instead of cut and pasted
clichés out of some corporate ad or fashion catalog.
I may hurt people's feelings along the way but the last time I checked, that
wasn't against the law and no one ever gave you a guarantee that your feelings
wouldn't be hurt. I miss the old America, the America I grew up in, not this
wimpy pansy ass pose as you go America where everyone wants to be like someone
else and no one is happy to be who they are naturally.
You and I, Mr. Murphy, are the vulgar Americans. We are the old, dirty,
educated Americans who just don't get it, who aren't willing to roll over and
accept things as they are. We're wrong for bucking and fighting the status quo
or for having a difference of opinion. We're bad Americans and I'm glad of it,
sir. The sad thing is, we're apparently a dying breed.
I just wish there were more bad Americans out there. I'm trying to do my part
but it's a Sisyphusian struggle to be sure. Still,
Americans have always come out on top, over all adversity and against the
greatest of odds.
I long for the days when Americans didn't describe their selves with a hypen and the word "American" behind some other
country or nation. I long for the day when there were less "me"
oriented people and more "us" oriented people, when America was a
nation, not a fragmented collection of peoples all whining about how much they
do get or how much they don't get. I still have faith in my country and hope
that this time won't be any different in the end. As a wise man once said,
"this, too, shall pass."
I hope I live to see it, God granted.
That is my fervent wish.
"I would like to close by saying that while I agree with you in part, I must differ in whole on your stance on HD owners. I
do this simply because of the fact that as there are thousands of HD owners so
too are there thousands of reasons that they chose HD. One can't simple lump
them all into one category to justify one's own end. It does not work that way.
You can no sooner do that than to say that if you made $10.00 and hour at work
and bought 1 loaf of bread then if you bought two loaves you would get paid
$20.00 an hour."
You have to
understand, Mr. Murphy, that Harley Davidson panders
to the lowest common denominator in society. I can lump Harley Davidson into a
group because Harley Davidson stands for what I believe is wrong with
Your analogy is again somewhat flawed.
What I'm saying is, if you had ten dollars in your pocket, would you be smarter
if you bought Brand A bread for $1.00 or Brand B bread in the American flag
wrapper for $4.00. What if you found out that Brand A was more nutritious and
better for you but was baked in
I'd buy the bread for a buck, hands down, every day, and not feel less
patriotic about it nor would I lose any sleep over it. I guess that's because
bread is bread to me, Mr. Murphy, just like a motorcycle is a motorcycle to me.
I love my CBR and God am I glad that it costs far less
and does far more than a Harley! I live in an imperfect world but fortunately,
that world is skewed in favor of my pocket book! You can get from point A to
point B on a CBR just as good as you can on a Harley Davidson, but the cost per
mile really goes down on a CBR. If we lived in a perfect world, as I would like
to, it would be the Harleys that sold for $7000 and the Honda CBR that sold for
$30,000 just like in the automotive market it is the Ford Escort that sells for
$12,000 and the Chevy Corvette that sells for nearly $60,000. No one would ever
buy a Ford Escort for $60,000 yet the very same kind of people would buy a
$30,000 Harley when they could get a much better built Honda for less than a
third of that.
We have talked about image vs. performance and a host of other ideas in our
debate. My question to you is, when you make a peanut butter sandwich with
Brand A bread and one with Brand B bread, the taste may be a little different
between the two but isn't your stomach going to get just as full in the end?
And when you look at your full stomach and you sit there in your favorite chair
enjoying life, is it better that you spent $4.00 to get the same feeling that
you would if you had only spent $1.00?
And, not to be gross, but as one of my fellow SWAT team members once told me,
when we were deciding on where to eat and what kind of burger to get, he said
basically: "Well, I'm hungry and I don't care. McDonald's will build a turd just as good as Burger King."
Different choices, different costs, same result.
So, if they both come out the same, regardless of the cost you put in, if you
get from point A to point B in the same amount of time on a $7,000 CBR as you
do a $24,000 V-Rod, does it really matter what you ride? Is it worth an extra
$17,000 just to say you own a V-Rod when the $7,000 CBR will spank it into the
weeds with little or no effort? I guess I'm a realist. I don't spend money for
flash or fluff. I don't pay extra for a name. A pair of $20
"But I would like to say this…It is people like you that restore my faith
in the American people. I have been in the Army for 18 years, Desert Storm and
Shield, and two tours in
Amen, brother!
You have my undying thanks and gratitude for the sacrifices that you have
personally experienced, as well as those around you (and you can extend my
thanks and gratitude to anyone in your outfit as well). I respect you and your
kind, as well as people of your mindset because it is people like you, not
people like Willie G. Davidson, who have made this country great and strong.
Never stop thinking, Mr. Murphy.
Never stop questioning.
If everyone else is doing it, it's probably not only currently fashionable,
it's probably dumb. I abhor flock behavior and the sheep that form a large part
of the population of our great nation. Free thought and a willingness to
question anything presented at face value are lost actions, I truly believe.
The debate now returns to your court. With your permission, I would like to
post this reply on my site, not under the "flame" section but rather
under the "road stories" section so that people can see that perhaps
original thought is not dead in
God bless you and yours, Patrick, especially when you ride and especially when
you serve our great country! You and those you serve with have my deepest respect as well as my fervent prayers not only for your success in
your duty and missions, but also for your safe and quick return home.
____________________
And
Mr. Murphy replied:
____________________
Mr. Shields,
Let me start by saying thank you for the quick reply. After reading the
response I can only humbly acknowledge the logic of your counter points.
At the end of the day I can honestly say that like your Firebird, I too
have more money than sense. I would have to say that at times it is the
heart the overrides the mind. Our redemption lies in our ability to earn
wages that permit our indulgences.
You have to wonder how long those sitting in HD Corporate HQ will continue to
do business as they have? I must state that I
went into this knowing full well that I was not getting the fastest, nor the
most advanced motorcycle. Hell the damn official HD website shows all the
details on when each type of motor came out. Lots of
ten and 15 year runs with the same design. Like Darwinism, you
either go forward or you slide back to the primordial slime pit from whence you
came.
You must also concede that Americans have been known to be pig headed and at
times down right stupid. Perhaps stupid is not the correct word to use, lets use naive. There are lots of things that we do
that we now that we should not. But you could say that we do them anyway
just because we think it is our God given right as Americans.
"Let
me ask you this. Given the current military environment of the world, if
you were going into battle, would you want to face the enemy in a brand new
M1A2 Abrams battle tank loaded to the hilt with technology and safety features,
or would you want to ride into battle in a perfect copy of a Sherman tank?
What if I told you that the Abrams cost $2 million dollars and the copy
of the
e sound of a piston slinging, black soot belching diesel under
your tank."
God....That's good....I really want to point out that the M1A2 Heavy
is out dated and was never designed to take us into the 21st Century but you
still spanked my ass with it as an example!!! :)
Well shit...What can I say...Except that " A fool
and his money are soon parted". But I went into it with full
knowledge of what I was doing...Hey, but look at the bright side... HD Finally
fixed those nasty oil leaks right...
" I
long for the day when there were less "me" oriented people and more
"us" oriented people, when America was a nation, not a fragmented
collection of peoples all whining about how much they do or don't get. I
still have faith in my country and hope that this time won't be any different
in the end. As a wise man once said, "this, too, shall pass."
I hope I live to see it, God granted. That is my fervent
wish."
I see it all the time my friend...It sickens me to see what values
parents are passing to the children. This is becoming a culture of
"It's not my fault". Yet again we "Ugly Americans"
roll up our sleeves and go to work ... Just too stupid to quit and too hard
headed to give up.
I will continue to frequent you web page and make another attempt to spar with
you. Not to mention I love checking out those mindless morons who you
slaughter. You are brutal, it's a fucking riot.
Take care man...From a Brother in green to a Brother
in blue
Pat
PS...I would feel honored if you were to post my vain attempt to match wits
with you. Go ahead and release my Email address as well. What the
hell, I could use some excitement...or excrement ... what ever
_____________________________________________
And
a few days later Mr. Murphy sent me another very, very good email:
_____________________________________________
Mr. Shields,
Once again I find myself forced to defend those who can’t or won’t defend themselves. The “Call to Arms” has been sounded to defend of those who lack the ability to protect themselves from their own ignorance. Worse yet, to knowingly enter the lion’s den covered in the blood of foolishness.
Yes I will say it proudly, I own a
Harley….There it is out in the open for all to jeer and ridicule. My struggle
is not with you, nor is it with my fellow Harley Riders. The battle is with
Harley Owners. The chest pounding, nearsighted, black T-shirt wearing, chain
drive wallet toting bad mouthing genre that claim to be card carrying red
blooded “Americans” who say that they would rather push their “American Made”
scooters than ride a “RICE BURNERS”.
I am amazed that there is such a Cult of narrow minded people in my country.
Yes, I called it my country. After 18 years wearing Army Green and “real world
deployments” (Desert Storm/Desert Shield, Provide
Why do I and others serving like me do
these things time after time. The answer is simple: To give “Americans” the
rights and freedoms granted by the Constitution of the
I have to ask one simple question, a question that burns in the hearts and minds of many, WHAT THE FUCK DOES IT MATTER WHAT YOU RIDE???
If the only thing I was judge on was the type of bike I rode then we would be in a world of shit. The Army teaches us all something from day one. We all bleed red. Is someone a second class citizen because he doesn’t ride the same brand of bike that you do? Should I wait to pull you ass out of a burning HMMWV until you show me the registration paperwork for your motorcycle and check the VIN to make sure it’s not a “WANNABE-HARLEY”. Hell no, I go into harms way and pull you out while my squad is putting down some heavy suppressing fire and get the two of us the fuck out of Dodge.
Motorcycles are like women (If I offend
any females then I apologize but as a male it makes the point, for the record
my wife is a female and a damn fine one) we all have different tastes. If I had
the same taste in women as you did then I would have married your wife. Or
better yet, motorcycles are like farts, yours stinks but mine smell like roses.
Stupidity and ignorance are not one and the same. Ignorance implies that you
lack the knowledge and or facts to make the right decision. Stupidly, on the
other hand, is while you have all the facts and knowledge to make the correct
decision you ignore the correct answer and choose poorly. Stupidity and
arrogance are abound with the HARLEY Owners. The
mindset of “If you ride any but a HD then you are subhuman…inconsequential at
best and a piece of shit at worst”. So what happens next? You end up judging
people based off of what they ride as opposed to who they are. The phrase “Some
of my closest friends ride rice burners” suggests that in spite of the bike
they are still OK.
BULLSHIT PEOPLE!!!!!
Forget what they ride, just ride with them. The last time I checked a motorcycle had two wheels and a motor, that’s it. There is no reason to make any more out of it than that. Keep it simple.
I have been reading much as of late. The Internet has more forums concerning motorcycles than you can shake a stick at. Why is it that there are so many sites dedicated to Metric Bashing from HD Owners? For the most part it is the same old Bull Shit. Every now and then you get the person whom I call the Harley Rider. His answer is something like this “I don’t care what you ride, just as long as you enjoy it”.
Lets face it, I did not buy the fastest, most nimble, most advanced motorcycle in the world. Got it, know it and accept it. If that is what I was looking for I would have gone BMW (remember motorcycles are like farts). I chose a bike that was perfect for me. If you decided to get a Honda then I am damn happy for your choice, now lets go ride!!
During these past 18 years I have surrounded by some of the finest men and women it has been my pleasure to be associated with. We have learned to be respectful of others. Hell we have “Consideration of Others” training mandated twice a year. Can you imagine my shock to see people getting into e-mail fist fights over something a trivial as what brand of motorcycle they have. Shit, why stop there, lets jump on the “I Rather burn my Ford then drive a VOLVO” band wagon.
Hey Harley Owners, I got a great idea, why don’t you stop posing and start riding. I can bet that you can’t talk trash to another bike owner when you are going down the road at 60 MPH (Remember…Loud pipes save lives).
If you think owning a HD bike makes you a
bad ass, well I've got news for ya….You're wrong. If
you want to be a bad ass then do this. Put on a uniform, pick up a rifle and
jump in a M1025 and roll with me and the crew down IED alley. Come on a
corridor and search of
Bikes and leather don’t make you cool. Cool is a state of mind. Physical and mental toughness simply can’t be purchased at a store or dealership. Those are traits that come with experience. We all have the right to make the decisions that we do. I, and my comrades in arms, go into harms ways to protect those rights. SO DON’T PISS ME OFF BY MOCKING WHAT IT IS THAT WE DO!!!!!
We have willingly given up some of our rights to protect not just your right to own your Harley; we have given so much so the other guy can own his Kawi as well. You cheapen the sacrifices that many have made with your narrow-minded attitude. While you may have never asked us to do what we do, you all damn sure need someone to do it. If not you, then who?
So at the end of the day I ask you….with all that is going on in the world, is it really that big of a deal if someone decided to buy an Import? If you think it is then I simply shake my head and walk away. You, the ignorant pampas ass, are no better than those whom I despise the most: Cowards. You are too afraid to open your mind to the possibility that sometimes there is more than one right answer.
I will close by saying this….
This is MY country, right or wrong. I
only hope that there are enough open minded “Americans” who still remember that
this country stands for FREEDOM, and that means the freedom to buy what ever
you want in the pursuit of happiness.
vr
SFC Murphy, P. A.
God bless you and those you serve with, sir! Get the job done and then come home safe! My thanks, my appreciation, my respect and my prayers are with you and those you serve with. Thank you for your service to your country and for protecting that which we love the most; our freedom! -Christopher T. Shields