Topic: "Her" (Read 5245 times)

Twolanerider · « **on:** October 28, 2004, 03:10:21 AM »

Readily admit that I could be too tired to think myself responsible enough to offer a new topic right now. Having had that thought, and then having readily dismissed it, something just occurred to me.

For several reasons (boredom and continuing nsomnia being primary among them) I was looking back over several of the old threads. Saw something recurring. A lot. And it begged this question:

Why do we almost universally refer to the bikes as "her?"

Why isnt' the damned thing a strong trusty male steed bending itself to our will!? Why do we make them chicks? I do it with a couple of my old cars. Oddly enough a couple others I always think of as just "it." I think the bike is an "it" so far too. But I'm going to have to pay attention to how I refer to it to know for sure.

So.... why do we do dat? (maybe it's because we talk about riding them or that if we can afford it we can get them stroked to our heart's desire?) And, maybe I'm just warped?

mr_magoo · « **Reply #1 on:** October 28, 2004, 08:33:14 AM »

Thought it was because we could be in control just once in a while, Really not sure why but all my bikes have girl names. The seeg is Ethel, the road king is Lucy. I can hear em laughin already. [smiley=laugh2.gif] [smiley=laugh3.gif] [smiley=laugh4.gif]

naitram · « **Reply #2 on:** October 28, 2004, 08:43:26 AM »

cause you dont want to get home and post here that you just put 500 hard miles on "insert male name here". it sounds sooo much better when its a chicks name

ggraves427 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 28, 2004, 09:58:16 AM »

Back when they had kick start only, sometimes it was a bitch to get'em started thus the female name. I am so proud of me, I made that up all by myself and it still early.

Twolanerider · « **Reply #4 on:** October 28, 2004, 04:54:04 PM »

Quote

cause you dont want to get home and post here that you just put 500 hard miles on "insert male name here". it sounds sooo much better when its a chicks name

Good foresight. The following would be an odd conversation:

"Hey, where ya been honey."

"Oh, just took 'Bob' out and rode him hard all afternoon."

"ummm, Honey, we need to talk sometime..... Soon."

MAS · « **Reply #5 on:** October 28, 2004, 08:59:19 PM »

There exists a parrallel between our relationships with our bikes and the females in our lives. Sort of a love hate thing...peeling chrome, bad paint [smiley=furious.gif]100hp, 110lbs. of torq dyno runs [smiley=6.gif] etc.

don · « **Reply #6 on:** October 28, 2004, 09:46:51 PM »

She sure is running good today on that shell gas, now I'm doing it.

mr_magoo · « **Reply #7 on:** October 29, 2004, 08:13:37 AM »

Hotlineguy I like the analogy of kick starting the bitch, glad those days are gone.

Glave · « **Reply #8 on:** October 29, 2004, 09:44:22 AM »

I tell people my bike is my second wife, but the wife swears its my first! So I tell the wife if she'd let me bath her with a soft cloth and leather chamois as often as I do the scooter we'd have alot more fun!

[smiley=devil.gif] [smiley=gorgeous.gif] [smiley=grin2.gif]

Twolanerider · « **Reply #9 on:** October 29, 2004, 04:27:55 PM »

Quote

I tell people my bike is my second wife, but the wife swears its my first!

Zen · « **Reply #10 on:** November 04, 2004, 11:20:36 AM »

Quote

It seems there are parallels here I'd never even begun to consider.

The bike, for example, never said I couldn't rider her. Regardless of day or night, people around or all alone, no matter the weather. The bike is always up for it. The bath and chamois notions are worth future use someday too. The bike purrs at the touch of but one right hand. It'll carry my bags or other other sundry items all day long and never complain. It doesn't complain if I occasionally ride another bike. And I'm sure it thinks its pinstriping and other "body paint" is quite a lot of fun. Also, quite frankly, I'm pretty sure the bike is a lower cost item to keep around and it looks better adorned in chrome.

And I've never heard "her" complain that I let a friend ride her. [smiley=huepfenjump3.gif]

Montanakid · « **Reply #11 on:** January 08, 2012, 08:20:36 PM »

How about " Bubbles "

B.A. · « **Reply #12 on:** January 08, 2012, 08:32:45 PM »

Quote from: Glave on October 29, 2004, 09:44:22 AM

I tell people my bike is my second wife, but the wife swears its my first! So I tell the wife if she'd let me bath her with a soft cloth and leather chamois as often as I do the scooter we'd have alot more fun!

[smiley=devil.gif] [smiley=gorgeous.gif] [smiley=grin2.gif]

Finally, a righteous reason to name a motorcycle! HA!!! No offense (well maybe a little). I just can't see naming a thing. Never even named my boat. My dogs have names. My guns, sickles and chit... not so much.

mark · « **Reply #13 on:** January 08, 2012, 10:04:04 PM »

Do you really want to go to work on Monday and tell everyone you spent all weekend riding Ken?

DDavidson · « **Reply #14 on:** January 08, 2012, 10:18:06 PM »

It is called "It".

FLSTFI Dave · « **Reply #15 on:** January 09, 2012, 07:32:53 AM »

Not much into naming my bikes, the 03 Fatboy is Bleu.

Did not name the 09 Silver Pewter SERG

Calling the White FLTRXSE Polecat, or at least that is the plate.

Wife on the other hand Names her bikes right away, always girls names so far.

danner55 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 09, 2012, 07:54:23 AM »

I would never tell anyone that I rode Sam "hard & put him away wet"! But, Yes, I would tell them about the "Black B#tch"!

Everyone looks at it different! Just as I see It!

Dead_Reckoning · « **Reply #17 on:** January 10, 2012, 05:29:24 AM »

Quote from: Twolanerider on October 28, 2004, 03:10:21 AM

Readily admit that I could be too tired to think myself responsible enough to offer a new topic right now. Having had that thought, and then having readily dismissed it, something just occurred to me.

For several reasons (boredom and continuing nsomnia being primary among them) I was looking back over several of the old threads. Saw something recurring. A lot. And it begged this question:

Why do we almost universally refer to the bikes as "her?"

Why isnt' the damned thing a strong trusty male steed bending itself to our will!? Why do we make them chicks? I do it with a couple of my old cars. Oddly enough a couple others I always think of as just "it." I think the bike is an "it" so far too. But I'm going to have to pay attention to how I refer to it to know for sure.

So.... why do we do dat? (maybe it's because we talk about riding them or that if we can afford it we can get them stroked to our heart's desire?) And, maybe I'm just warped?

Probably for the same reason as a ship.
1. It takes a lot to keep her maintained and updated.
2. She loves cosmetics and baubbles.

cvobiker · « **Reply #18 on:** January 10, 2012, 08:40:43 AM »

To avoid drama I'll stick with the good ole nicks such as, Pumpkin,
Duracell, Skunk, etc......can't think of em all,,, which raises question. What are ALL nicknames for the CVO's.. I know I'm missing a lot of em.

RayG · « **Reply #19 on:** January 10, 2012, 04:00:58 PM »

Maybe some people myself included would just feel that it is just plain wrong to spend time with something in between my legs that gives me pleasure to be called a guys name. Maybe Rosie O. calls her Harley Cindy or Mandy. Have to admit that there is some merit to calling the bike a bitch, had a 72 XLCH that was just a nasty bitch to kick start.

VaEagle · « **Reply #20 on:** January 10, 2012, 10:05:16 PM »

Quote from: cvobiker on January 10, 2012, 08:40:43 AM

To avoid drama I'll stick with the good ole nicks such as, Pumpkin,
Duracell, Skunk, etc......can't think of em all,,, which raises question. What are ALL nicknames for the CVO's.. I know I'm missing a lot of em.

This thread hasn't been updated since 2009 but has most nicknames for various bikes as well as more info.
http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=9308.0

cahdbiker · « **Reply #21 on:** January 11, 2012, 09:01:39 AM »

Twolanerider, since the cat woke me up at 4:00A.M. Pacific time and I can't go back to sleep I will contribute to this one. Since I ride my 95 Heritage most of the time locally she is my main "Bitch" or to put it more politely my main "squeeze". My 09 SEUC is my "Booty Call" since I ride her less often but for much longer at a time.CAHDBIKER

dees_1 · « **Reply #22 on:** January 11, 2012, 09:52:36 AM »

I'm reading this thread and totally cracking up. As a woman rider, I can imagine me saying all you've quoted above with a woman's name. That would get some men all worked up!! Heck, even if I used a man's name, it would get some men all worked up. Especially the "rode hard" statements (which describes my normal bike ride).

I don't name my bikes. I ride them.

I think my husband would disagree about the high maintenance thing. I think we've put more $$ in motorcycles than we have on anything for me. I'm a low maintenance kinda girl (except for the bike).

Maladjusted · « **Reply #23 on:** January 11, 2012, 03:53:04 PM »

As the sticker on my helmet says "If it floats, f@cks or flies... it's cheaper to rent it" Boats, Bikes, Planes and Chicks are all ridiculously expensive... hence the chick names for inanimate objects that bring us pleasure!

TinSpinner · « **Reply #24 on:** January 11, 2012, 05:38:47 PM »

Although most of the reasons given here for a feminine name are much more entertaining than mine, I thought I would offer up a bit of language trivia. Most any vessel of transport, like an auto, a ship or boat, a plane, even a motorcycle, is commonly referred to as a "she" or "her". This probably traces back to a Latin word for a ship, navis that is a feminine noun, and has carried forward as new things that carry people were invented. It makes more sense to us to give a vehicle a feminine noun because our language is based largely on Latin root words. In other languages, Germanic based (German, Russian for example), it is not as common for a vehicle to have a feminine name. Don't let the political correct crowd in on this or we'll have to start calling our vehicles some transgender name like "Pat" so as not to offend any one gender, but just piss them both off!

FLSTFI Dave · « **Reply #25 on:** January 11, 2012, 07:31:13 PM »

Quote from: dees_1 on January 11, 2012, 09:52:36 AM

I'm reading this thread and totally cracking up. As a woman rider, I can imagine me saying all you've quoted above with a woman's name. That would get some men all worked up!! Heck, even if I used a man's name, it would get some men all worked up. Especially the "rode hard" statements (which describes my normal bike ride).

I don't name my bikes. I ride them.

I think my husband would disagree about the high maintenance thing. I think we've put more $$ in motorcycles than we have on anything for me. I'm a low maintenance kinda girl (except for the bike).

My wife names hers, but rides the wheels off them. Her 09 Heritage had Just over 86K on it when it turned 3!.

We definitely blow far more money on bikes than anything else.

At a part once some of the ladies got flowers, and one busted my chops about not getting my wife flowers. Before I could say a word, my wife said " I prefer Chrome, it lasts a lot longer"

The Bolvine Gigolo! · « **Reply #26 on:** January 12, 2012, 12:16:25 PM »

You know Don you have way to much free time, for what I thought was a stupid thread it turned out pretty funny!

Author Topic: "Her" (Read 5245 times)

mark