Swap Meet

[loxpump]

Stopped by a local motorcycle swap meet today. I should have known it was not going to be a place to find any Triumph stuff when a sign at the door said
" No Colors" and a cop was at the door with a wand checking everyone entering for weapons! It was nothing be chrome and leather everywhere. Best thing I saw was a vendor with their booth manned by 4 smoking hot babes! I still can't tell you what they were selling, but they all had asses that wouldn't quit and proudly showing off their silicone enhanced tits.
Wish I had my Triumph shirt on.:headbang2:

 

[koifarm]

Those shows are fun, Lox. We have one around here once a month and it's amazing. You can hear the dangling chains rattle from a thousand bikers wallets whiile walking around. I took my pup, part lab part pit, one weekend and had four dudes offer to buy her from me!
What's hard is seeing triumph engines and frames and parts laying on the ground there, just makes you want to buy em all up! They just aren't making any more of those these days.
Even saw a hulk of a lambretta that would have been nice if......it wasn't a hulk.
koi

 

[BlueJ]

Wish I had my Triumph shirt on.

The Lass and I *always* wear our 'colors' when we go to motorcycle meets.

 

[drlapo]

my ex sister in law and her husband would dress up in their colors and go to the the local swap meets etc and they did not own a bike!
it is like haloween dress up for those folks
:chair:

 

[Hamr Mark]

At the Toronto bike show this past weekend, and some of the people you see there. The leather crowd, I just don't get it. If I don't see the black/orange colour combo until next year it will be too soon.

Some of the bikes were ok. I am not into Jap sport bikes, so they're out. The Harleys, I'll pass. Crusiers? No thanks. Did find a guy with 2 68-ish bobbed out Bonnevilles. One was tastefully done, the other had skirted fenders, split gas tank, etc ... looked, well, as long as the owner was happy, I guess that's all that matters right.

Picked up some new boots, some BSA shirts and mugs for the old man, and a repair manual for my '71 DT1 and then I hight-tailed it out of there.

 

[KingBear]

Yeah, I'm sure it looks like a casting session for the next Pirates of the Caribbean. When I go to the motorcycle show this weekend I think I'll wear a Tommy Bahama shirt, whadayathink?

 

[ricky]

my ex sister in law and her husband would dress up in their colors and go to the the local swap meets etc and they did not own a bike!
it is like haloween dress up for those folks
:chair:

I like going to swap meets and HD stealerships wearing normal street clothes.
For some reason they think they can take advantage of me because, I don't look the part.

The people that I've been friends with forever know what I'm up to and even they get a laugh at the newbies in sales or parts trying to interest me into the latest and greatest titanium muffler bearings and the new one seater Sportster throw back from the 60's.

At least at Triumph they treat everyone the same. Just leave your wallet at the door.

 

[DandyDoug]

A long time ago in Detroit there used to be an annual winter motorcycle show and swap meet. We would go sometimes just to break the boredom of the awful winter. One year we saw a group or the sorriest assed 1% er's ever to breath air. Their leader was admonishing the women to stay together and hold the hand of the person in front of them so they were not hassled by anyone.
I about fell on the floor laughing looking at this sorry excuse for motorcyclists, and the babes !! let me tell you I swear my watch stopped ticking from and accute attack of exposure to ugly. LOL

Still makes me chuckle when I think about it, what a spectacle.

 

[brass]

I like going to swap meets and HD stealerships wearing normal street clothes.
For some reason they think they can take advantage of me because, I don't look the part.

They may THINK they can take advantage of you if your wearing street clothes, but they KNOW the others HAVE been taken advantage of!

 

[brass]

my ex sister in law and her husband would dress up in their colors and go to the the local swap meets etc and they did not own a bike!
it is like haloween dress up for those folks
:chair:

Sounds like the bike weeks & rallys of the last 10 years.

 

[Baltobonneville]

I take it that "colors" are the silly clothing that you wear to prove that you're a real biker? Do-rags, leather chaps, nasty boots, skull belt buckles, and all that? ick:

 

[koifarm]

Hey Balto....
I think originally "colors" referred to the vest that bikers in various clubs would wear to designate the gang/group they belong to such as the "Outlaws" or "Mongols" or whatever.
The tradition behind those colors is that if you want to become a member, you get a set of colors with only the middle symbol designating the "club" and the area which they allegedly "control" like "Milwaukee" or "Detroit" or "Los Angeles" or whatever.
You had to go through an initiation which could be any number of things to prove your loyalty and willingness to do anything you were told to do.
If you passed all the "tests" you were usually brought to some location where you were made to think you were getting killed or worse, your colors were taken off and thrown on the floor, beer was poured over them, everyone pissed on them then they would all congratulate you on being a member and the top badge or club name patch was formally given to you and you became a full fledged member.
Most clubs would do a variety of different things but all nasty usually. And that's a rough sketch. I have no idea what goes on today but would not doubt some variation or other of that would be in place.
Many of the little patches on them mean various things, 1% patches mean you are part of the 1% of bikers who are outlaws. FTW means "fuck the world" showing your distain for normal life. A skull and crossbones meant you had killed someone.
You can find more info here:
http://nwhog.wordpress.com/2008/05/08/outlaw-motorcycle-gangs-flying-colors-in-oregon/
And here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycle_club
That should give you a much better explanation than I came up with....please do not ask me where I got such information but I can tell you it is not from reading about it.
koi

 

[simpson]

...please do not ask me where I got such information but I can tell you it is not from reading about it.
koi

Sounds like a pretty colorful life prior to fish farming.

-simpson

 

[koifarm]

Sounds like a pretty colorful life prior to fish farming.

-simpson

Not that proud of it, I thought at first it might be cool but some of the stuff that was going on would turn your stomach in flip flops....not to mention warping your mind.
I took advantage of a heavy police harrassment to take a powder, moved to a different city and became "square" again. Don't regret it one bit.

 

[JEnfield]

I posted last year about Carlisle PA bike week knowing it was going to be a HD crowd to the max but you know some people from here showed up and it was the best swap meet bike show I have ever been to. I got to see friends like Blue Jay and Bonnilass, Hedge , Mike in VA, and some people on Triumphs I had never meet before the Triumph dealer for the area allowed us to come into the show and park our bikes at the dealer tent . Jeff and Lauren bought dinner on Sat evening which will be repaid at the next show. We had a great time even with 90 percent HD assless chap wearing crowd. You guys want to come to a really good bike show then come on up to the one in VT listed in the rides and show events section of this site. I have been to Daytona and Sturgis and Myrtle beach but this one is 99% Triumphs and mostly riding around the Green Mountians at every level of riding from beginner to Tito at over a ton so there are rides for everyone and you all are invited just check out the events section. Ever wonder why they wear leather assless chaps when its 95 outside I had to buy a hat to keep the sun from burning my bald spot and these assholes are wearing black leather with there patches on them .

Jimmy

 

[Kirkus51]

If you ever wonder who the 1%ers are now, Swing a leg over your Trumpet and go for a ride. We're the 1%ers now.