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Iron Butt
Posts: 639
Tri Cities, WA | Ok I got to ask and i might get flamed for it. So here it goes. Why O why must you strap that damn stupid teddy bear to the rear of your bike. Ok I can see if your a lady rider who may do this becasue thats what women do, but when i see a big guy ride by on any bike and it has a stuffed teddy bear strapped to the back, All i can think of is you got to be F*#king kidding me. Why do people do that???
Ok I'm going to get flamed again. The same goes for flags. Dont get me wrong I Love this country more than anyone and have served in the military (Army) too but when i see these guys/gals ride by with flags attached to there bikes all i can think of is man cant you leave that at home straped to your garage flag pole? The other day I seen some guy on a HD with what had to be (2) 3 foot flag poles attched to his bike and these were huge Flags, the usual US flag and of course the POW one. I swear his bike was weaving due to his flags. I just dont get the reason for the stuffed animals and flags.
Please no flamming (ok a little flamming is ok LOL) I really want to know why folks strap this stuff to their bikes. To me it just seems to take away from the bike itself. IMO. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 97
Brighton, Colorado | Don't know about the teddy bear thing. Actually, don't care one way or the other. People enjoy putting it on their bikes. Doesn't mean EVERYBODY has to enjoy looking at it. It's what makes this country FREE. Speaking of that...........If I thought I could safely carry a 5'x7' American flag and/or a POW/MIA flag on my bike, I would do it. We NEVER want to forget our POW/MIA's. Those who served this country will understand more, as to why flags are displayed on motorcycles or anywhere else. Those are the same people who take their hat off and stand at attention during the National Anthem. Are you less of a patriotic American for NOT displaying a flag on your bike. Certainly not. Nothin' personal here. No shame in showing how proud you are to be an American by respectfully showing her flag. Last year Garrison Keeler (the radio guy) wrote an article, demeaning the annual Run for the Wall to honor POW's in Washington D.C. for the May 30th memorial day events. He thought we should be spending our time in libraries, learning about other cultures, blah blah blah, instead of "grandstanding and calling attention to ourselves with our LOUD bikes, blah blah blah. We carry our flags to remind people to NEVER FORGET. If you're offended by such displays, then you have forgotten.
Yes, you got slammed. I respect you as a human being and I respect you as an American. And I also respect that you have the opportunity to voice your opinions without fear of jail or retaliation from the government for choosing or NOT choosing to fly this countries flag. Other countries would force you to, or have you killed because you didn't. Most of those bike riders you refer to, that carry the American flag or the POW/MIA flag are the ones that gave you the opportunity to blast them for carrying these flags.
Ride with these guys once in a while. Take the time to ask them why they fly these flags. Hopefully, you'll eventually understand. Big difference in strappin' a teddy bear to your bike as opposed to strappin' an American flag or POW/MIA flag to your bike. To me, it's a matter o education. Learn why we do that. Learn why some don't. There are a whole bunch of people in this country who are VERY proud to be Americans and this is just one of MANY ways of showing it. Because you question why they do these things, I get the impression you disagree with them. You probably don't display the flags on your bike, but it doesn't make you right for not doing it, or them wrong, or vice versa.
Please believe me that I'm not trying to make this personal between you and me. You brought up a "hot button" and I pushed it. We ALL have our opinions, but we can still honor and respect those whose opinions or actions may differ from ours. My "signature" may help you in trying to understand MY passion.
Respectfully, |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 639
Tri Cities, WA | Just so you know I dont and wont disagree with them at all for doing what they want to do on there own bikes or fly what they want when they want. I think it's fine for them but i was just wondering the whole purpose of the bears and or flag thing on bikes thats all. I rarely if never see flying flags on cars/trucks so that why asked since so many do it on bikes. It's never a personal thing and I would never attack anyone (Ever) for flying flags on thier bikes but it's just not for me and I do fly my flag one at home were I think it belongs, thats all. Again great response Squeak much appreciated bud. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 208
Wichita, Kansas | I don't see flags on cars and trucks, but I do see bumper stickers. And in a much greater percentage than bikes with flags. Some bikers have big flags, some cars have 7 bumper stickers.
And no, I don't have a bear OR a flag on my bike . . . yet (but I did have a sabretooth squirrel on the dash of my Kawasaki Voyager before the Vision).
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Visionary
Posts: 3773
Pittsburgh, PA | i dont ride with a flag or a stuffed animal on my bike. but i think for the whole stuffed animal thing i might fall under a few catagories? (maybe) 1) might be the look at me i need attention factor? 2) to show a softer funny side of being a biker? like a stereo type of how non bikers think of bikers, then all the sudden you see a stuffed bear on the back. i think the #2 might be more of the reason. i know around me where i live i seen some really big bad ass looking bikers with stuffed animals on their bikes. and it makes people point and laugh or at least smile when they see them.. once again i am NOT one of these people.. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Finally a real discussion. First, the teddy bears, sometimes they represent things we do not understand about that person. It may represent a lost child, or they may be actively involved with organizations that help out with children. Every year they have Teddy Bear runs and the biker "rides" the bear to the destination and gives it to a child. Flags, well, when it comes to bikers one may look at the history of bikers. What largely started as an expression of freedom returning from the war veterans would take to riding a bike. There is a lot of information concerning that on the net. I see displaying the flags as a form of pride, and as mentioned, not forgetting our POW/MIA's. I've just made flag brackets for the vision to fly 10X15 flags, American and POW/MIA, for when I ride the Redwing 19 ride on 16 May. I've got them on the bike now to be sure they fly right and I won't have any issues with the brackets. When there is not a special occassion I'll probably take them off. No problem with me in bringing up your observation and respect your desire not to fly flags and to question why others do. As far as on trucks and cars, you're right, they are not that prevalent, if at all. But folks who ride, are a different breed all together, so I see them being different from the start. |
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Tourer
Posts: 523
seattle, wa | They do it for the attention. |
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Tourer
Posts: 332
Dale, Indiana |
I am sure many of you have seen those Bull Balls hanging on the rear of trucks. I from time to time hang big-o-nuts on a chain on my bumper.
I have thought about hanging a pair of Harley nuts on the read of my Vision (Harley nuts can be easily found by following your average Harley and just picking up the parts as they fall off.)
Only reason I haven't hung the Harley nuts on my bike I'z afraid of the pain a beating will be after a group of Harley riders snags my azz in a parking lot.
What that has to do with flags and teddy bears?
I don't know; guess we're all different!
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Iron Butt
Posts: 623
| I always felt the same about neon LED's all over everyone engine and exhaust, makes it look like a low riding civic with a booming stereo to boot...................: ) TOUCHE
to each their own bro
just havin fun |
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Cruiser
Posts: 247
| and i was just thinking about adding a teddy bear. now i am too peer pressured. |
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Visionary
Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX | There is a group of riders that almost always carry stuffed animals with them in my area. They are members of BACA or another group that does the same function.
Bikers Against Child Abuse
http://www.bacausa.com
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Cruiser
Posts: 172
Prescott, Az | I'm in agreement visionNWrider in that I am a Viet Nam vet and I have the POW chrome trans cover from Kewlmetal instead of a flag. I rode Goldwings and rode with the big clubs and NEVER understood why many GW riders wated to gussy up their bikes to the extreme. They remind me of Rose Bowl parade floats. One could get blinded by the lights. I fully appreciate their right to do what they want with their bikes, as do you. But I really do not get the Teddy bear thing either but that's America. So, here I am not understanding why people do strange things to their bike while at the same time I...and all of us..bought a very unique and strange (to many out there) looking motorcycle. I guess the bottom line is we all have a message we want conveyed out there whether it's :"Hey everyone, look at my Teddy bear" or "Hey everyone, ever see a wild a%^ed bike like this?" I can proudly say I bought mine for the ride, not the looks. But now that I'm in love with the Vision her looks have taken on that of an ugly person who is now beautiful after a quart of gin. It's an inner beauty. An aquired taste. No Teddy bear needed.  |
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Tourer
Posts: 367
Cottage Grove, Mn | VisionNWRider - 2009-05-03 10:50 AM
Ok I got to ask and i might get flamed for it. So here it goes. Why O why must you strap that damn stupid teddy bear to the rear of your bike. Ok I can see if your a lady rider who may do this becasue thats what women do, but when i see a big guy ride by on any bike and it has a stuffed teddy bear strapped to the back, All i can think of is you got to be F*#king kidding me. Why do people do that???
Ok I'm going to get flamed again. The same goes for flags. Dont get me wrong I Love this country more than anyone and have served in the military (Army) too but when i see these guys/gals ride by with flags attached to there bikes all i can think of is man cant you leave that at home straped to your garage flag pole? The other day I seen some guy on a HD with what had to be (2) 3 foot flag poles attched to his bike and these were huge Flags, the usual US flag and of course the POW one. I swear his bike was weaving due to his flags. I just dont get the reason for the stuffed animals and flags.
Please no flamming (ok a little flamming is ok LOL) I really want to know why folks strap this stuff to their bikes. To me it just seems to take away from the bike itself. IMO.
I once asked a bad a$$ looking biker the purpose of the teddy bear on the back of his bike and he told me that for him it was a symbol to send the message that while he looked tough and hardcore deep down he was just a big Teddy Bear. His words not mine.
Now as for the flags, WOW I had to take several deep breaths before responding.
I am confused; no I'm aghast that anyone who served in the military would question anyone's desire to proudly and properly display the American Flag ANYWHERE. You say you would never attack anyone for flying a flag on there motorcycle, well I think you just did when you said flag flying belongs at home.
Someone said it's it is for the attention, are you shitting me? If I want to draw attention to myself I'll make comments like that. As for the POW/MIA flag it's about respect for those who never came home from a military campaign, it's about honoring their memory and thanking them for their ultimate sacrifice and by flying the POW/MIA flag we are letting their families know that we as Americans will NEVER FORGT them and will never let their memory die, NEVER EVER.
I fly two 6x9 flags on my bike, the American Flag and the POW/MIA flag and I am damn proud to do so. I belong to the Patriot Guard and attend every send off and home coming of troops form my area that I can as well as military funerals of any veteran regardless of where or when they served or how they passed It's about Honor and Dignity.
Attend a military funeral look into the face of a Mother, Father, Husband, Wife, Brother, Sister, Son or Daughter and thank them for their sacrifice and then tell me you don't understand. I have two Grandsons, and Granddaughter and a Grandson-in-law in the army, three have served in Iraq, one is on his third tour and one deploys to Afghanistan in November.
I pray everyday that I will not have to see one of my family come home in a body bag or have to fly a POW/MIA flag in their memory. VisionNWRider I don't know you nor do I know the details surrounding your tour of duty but I will be forever grateful for your service to our country. I am grateful that you came home to your family safe and sound and that my POW/MIA flag does not have to represent your memory.
For those of you reading this thread might I suggest the next time you see a soldier in uniform or if you know a veteran shake their hand and tell them just how grateful you are, if not for them we could have this discussion. I'll continue to fly my flags and fly them proudly for this great nation and in honor of ALL those that served it.
Agree or disagree it's your right you fought for the right.
Blackjack
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Cruiser
Posts: 204
guelph ontario | Do what you want-isnt that the imperative of freedom. It even allows one to legally burn the flag. Why does one have to have a reason other than one likes to do what they are doing. I am sure they have a reason but no explanation is owed to anyone. Not much difference from my perspective of chroming up your bike, doing an extreme paint job or putting on loud pipes - it gets you noticed for whatever reason you want to be noticed for. Personally I like to remain unobtrusive. |
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Tourer
Posts: 576
, IA | i fly the flag for safety and i am now putting a stuffed pig on my pass. seat |
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Tourer
Posts: 332
Dale, Indiana | sonicbluerider - 2009-05-03 5:38 PM
i fly the flag for safety and i am now putting a stuffed pig on my pass. seat
I stuffed my passenger seat with my wife in her tight jeans.
As for as flags on bikes. Reminds me of a freedom loving American….. as long as the flag is not ripped or faded, or left out in the rain.
When that hate church from Oklahoma was supposed to show up twice when we buried two fallen servicemen. All those nasty azz bikers flying their flags sure looked good protecting the family and standing up for our boys.
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Tourer
Posts: 332
Dale, Indiana | double flag
Edited by Indiana RoadRunner 2009-05-03 8:58 PM
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Visionary
Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX | Trust me this post is about motorcycles and flags.
Tonight my 96 year-old Father-in-law and I spoke on the phone. To say the man has had an interesting life would be an understatement.
The short story is that he is a German Jew, son of a patent attorney, who got out of Germany in the nick of time with his older sister. They fled to Great Britain. He still fluently speaks six languages, with a German accent, and has a working knowledge of a few more. He joined the British Army and served with the Royal Corps of Signals in North Africa and Palestine during WWII.
His duties included carrying messages while riding Norton and Matchless motorcycles across North Africa. He told me that in November of 1943 he was on the side of a road fixing a flat on his Norton outside Cairo. While working on the tire he was passed by the FBI and FDR on their way to the Cairo conference.
After WWII he moved to the US and became a US citizen. He worked on his education and earned two PhD's in History and has written four or five books. In his last official job he worked as a professor at American University from 1961 till 2002. He finally retired at the age of 89. He has had many other side jobs over the years some that he will not discuss but I have gleaned a little from his office at the house. Awards from the Defense Intelligence Agency for service and the Army War College are proudly displayed.
Tonight he asked me about my Vision. I told him that it was working fine and still my daily transportation. He asked "Do you have a US flag on it?" I said no, not at this time but I plan to put one on it by the end of the year. He then said, "It is always beautiful to see the colors fly."
Ride Safe |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Thanks RT, I think I'll order a couple more flags to make sure I always have a fresh looking one to fly. The only place I could find the 10X15 flags was here http://www.thepropad.com/ most every where else it is the small 6X9's. Tell your father-in-law I'm flying the colors. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 170
Houston, TX | How do a Vision and teddy bears end up in the same thread??? |
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Tourer
Posts: 548
Mount Vernon, WA United States | - I always thought the Teddy Bear thing was a nod to the Greatful Dead and that the owner was likely a DeadHead. Guess there might be more to it.
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Visionary
Posts: 2118
Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | YAH - I agree. I fly the Maple Leaf on my underwear, even. And Co-Pilot LOVES Teddy Bears !
Just DO IT ! |
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Visionary
Posts: 1350
| I am a Vet. I don't really give a rat's butt what you do with your bike. I don't care for a teddy bear but if a child gave me one and asked me to put on my bike for whatever reason I probably would.
About flags, most riders I have talked say a large flag greatly affects the ride.
What bothers is me is 9/12. Why 9/12? So many Americans complained they could not find a flag to fly after all those people died. I asked where is the one you have flown for the last 20 years? Then since their were hard to find they bought flags made in China? Duh? Then many of them stuck them on their Jap cars? Double Duh???
Lately I have been talking with people how all the flags on the houses have disappeared. I can only assume $20 for an American flag is way to much money to spend unless a lot of Americans die at once? The daily dying of American solders doesn't count?
My buddy can't understand people putting a sticker on their truck because some race car driver died and they don't have anything symbolizing America?
We won't change the way Americans think talking about it here. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 63
Corpus Christi Tx. | VisionNWRider - 2009-05-03 11:50 AM
Ok I got to ask and i might get flamed for it. So here it goes. Why O why must you strap that damn stupid teddy bear to the rear of your bike. Ok I can see if your a lady rider who may do this becasue thats what women do, but when i see a big guy ride by on any bike and it has a stuffed teddy bear strapped to the back, All i can think of is you got to be F*#king kidding me. Why do people do that???
Ok I'm going to get flamed again. The same goes for flags. Dont get me wrong I Love this country more than anyone and have served in the military (Army) too but when i see these guys/gals ride by with flags attached to there bikes all i can think of is man cant you leave that at home straped to your garage flag pole? The other day I seen some guy on a HD with what had to be (2) 3 foot flag poles attched to his bike and these were huge Flags, the usual US flag and of course the POW one. I swear his bike was weaving due to his flags. I just dont get the reason for the stuffed animals and flags.
Please no flamming (ok a little flamming is ok LOL) I really want to know why folks strap this stuff to their bikes. To me it just seems to take away from the bike itself. IMO.
Since when does a flag take anything away from a bike? I can understand a humongous one that will have an affect on handling but a small 6x9 does not. I'm also a vet and I like flying my colors on my Vision and will do so no matter who likes it or not. I was stopped at a convienence store not long ago and an older gentlleman came up to me and did not ask me anything about the bike but about the flag I was flying. He was a Korean veteran, as my Dad was also, and said that he is and always will be proud to see the flag flying whether on a vehicle or at home. He said that the flag made my bike look good and even better being that it's an American made motorcycle....he did finally ask me what kind of bike I had and where was it made. I have always wondered about who would put those funny looking different LED lights under the tank, around the wheels and wherever they think it looks good but I don't care but I would never do that to my bike. To me it does not have any affect on the bike other than it looking girly sitting there displaying silly lights but again I won't ask or diss anybody why they do that. To each his own is what I say. A little flaming here and there but it's all good!!
Ride safe. |
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Tourer
Posts: 548
Mount Vernon, WA United States | While I like seeing Flags on bikes, when they are done safely and respectfully, I doubt I ever will have one. Same reason I don't have bumper stickers on cars, or patches on any clothing. Now if I actually knew what the reason was I would share, but I just don't. If I believe in something, or have a view on something, I rarely feel the need to tell or show off to anyone about it. Heck, it's taken me three days to decide what to post in this thread.
I do think it's very cool when people "personalize" something they consider to be their life's canvas. Tattoos, artwork, flying a flag, whatever... it's all good. People in general are interesting. Decorating my transportation (or anything else really) has never been my thing.
I am a Lion and a Legionnaire. I see folks at meetings with vests covered in patches and pins. I see bikers covered in patches and pins. I have boxes of patches and pins. I was in the Navy for 14 years. I couldn't tell you where my awards, ribbons, medals and plaques are. They are in boxes... someplace. I am certainly proud of my accomplishments, proud to be an American, and could give a rats ass what anyone else thinks so I have no desire to brag, display, celebrate or anything else. But, at the same time, I like hearing the stories or just trying to guess the meaning behind why people display what they do. It makes us..... us.
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Why o why must you do that?
