As you know, I am a very ardent critic of both posers and young guys who deface perfectly good jean jackets. I think that a biker should both profess our ideals, but also know what they are. And not just from crappy bike movies and the lastest episode of SOA. The "copper mousetrap" joke dates back to a real event when I was a newb biker, and a snot-nosed first year choir member.

When I got out of college I could not find a job in my chosen field. I bought my bikes from Decker's Harley-Davidson, and the owner, Al Decker, was kind enough to give me a job. (And if you knew Al he considered beating you half to death was a valid 'object lesson.') I became his gopher, a set up 'boy,' the lowest mechanic on the totem pole, and a weekend parts boy that was to assist his wife Mary during the usual rush. Surprisingly, Mary knew very little about Harleys, even after several decades.

During the summer of 1972, a real-deal "live the lifestyle" biker came in, bellied up to the parts counter and asked for parts to rebuild his mousetrap. During a ridiculous exchange, it became clear to me that Mary didn't know this slang term, and the biker didn't know the real name of the assembly. As such, Mary was unable to find the part(s) number in the book and fill his order.

I walked over and told her the slang term was for a "clutch booster for a pan." To add to the nonsense, Mary glazed over at the term "pan" and I had to add, "That's 1948 through 1965."

After the biker left, Mary pulled out what became her cheat-sheet and asked me to tell her all of the slang terms I knew--things you guys knew at birth. Things like, derby cover, spool hub, dresser, flat-side, cone-side, side draft carburetor, and why she might have to look at two different years in her book for 1965 pan parts. I'm not kidding, this happened.

I remember the incident fondly. So when I think a 'biker' is actually a teenager eating pizza rolls in his mom's basement, I ask him if he suggests a copper or resin mousetrap--for a Sportster. No matter how many times he goes to Google he cannot get the answer. And when he does find "mousetrap" he finds a spring set, bolts, cables, rods, a decorative cover, but no copper. Not wanting to appear the fool, he just quietly leaves.

But when a guy comes back within 17 seconds and offers to kick my ass for being an idiot, there's undoubtedly a knuckle slowly leaking vital fluids all over his living room floor...

There have always been and always will be a million reasons why individuals ride a motorcycle and what brand of motorcycle. And God bless everyone of them.

While it is disapointing that in my biased observation the majority of the new riders today seem to be the "just add water and stir crowd" trying to be just a tad more than what they really are and kinda getting caught up in the SOA/outlaw look w/ their doo rag,fingerless gloves and azzless chaps, for me its more the reason to always ride towards the path less taken and by myself. Its only fair not to rain on anyones parade,including mine.

I have tried really hard in the recent past to get along and mingle with the new crowd but I just couldn't sustain,lol. There were folks who buy a used dresser with 40,000 miles on the bike and telling everyone they put on the miles. Or trailer a bike 500 miles to a suare. Some trailering 20-30 miles from the destination then riding it in saying they rode it all the way. That and being a grouchy been there done that miserable uncompromising ahole that I am makes for poor company.

I have mine and my fathers life long friends and who all ride. We are a dying breed. And the future of that perceived life style looks dim.

You mean like guys who throw knives away when they get dull, or like guys who buy a huge tub of protein powder but leave the gym early? Hey, those guys will be camp-followers for any pursuit. We just get ticked off that some of the idiots choose motorcycles for posing.

Frankly, I dread the day the poser bike forum guys find HRF. Maybe HeadMaster should get us T-shirts with his forum name and a logo showing a rat-trap with a copper penny clamped onto the cheese.

The problem would not be poking fun at the posers, it would explaining the joke. Personally I cannot imagine the glazed look on numerous newbs when one of us says, "Well, pans used to have mousetraps before eliminators..."

My guess is one of them will ask, "Is there an app for that?"

BTTT

Personally I like "Die yuppy scum",lol.

You guys are so right on! I am of the old school when you could tell about how long a guy had ridden when his right leg was just a little shorter than his left. See some quotes from 'sit down, shut up, and hang on' out here, a cool little book. my cell phone is to make phone calls with, don't want the internet when I ride, found some great riding while lost.
I sincerely hope to pass some of the values I have learned on to my Grandson who will be getting his first motorcycle in the Spring.
Got to go pick up our bikes, having service and rubber done so they are ready to ride.

"Young guys pick a destination and go, (us) old guys pick a direction and go."
'sit down, shut up, and hang on' pg. 49

Happy New Year to You.

this is applicable 'one bike on the road is worth two in the shop'

The sentiment is correct, the problem is I have two bikes. I have to leave one parked to enjoy the other one.

(One of my deceased friends, Kenny Ball, had over 40 motorcycles. Harleys, Aerial Squares, and one cherry Vincent. I cannot imagine how he picked what to ride.)

If I had a goal in mind for HRF, it would be that we would get the rep to be "poser and spammer free." Now, I don't mind newbs. They actually own a bike and ride, it's just their first year on a Harley. But if you cannot tell me why you hacked the sleeves off of your new jean jacket, you're a poser. With all of the other meaningless bike boards out there, we should have one nice place to play.

Copper mousetraps for everyone!