I hate the sterotypes, but last weekend I'm afraid they fitted perfectly. I took the outfit loaded with wife, dog camping gear to York. In that load condition I'm not doing much more that staying with the faster trucks, so most other bikes passed us. The ones I noticed were:

Three BM GS's with all the toys, London plates, came past very fast, close formation, cut in front without leaving enough space, not so much as a look.

Four cruisers (the one at the back was a Sportster), doing 50 in a 70 zone stared dead ahead as though they were deliberately ignoring the fact a Triumph was passing.

Old Brit bike, maybe a Velocette, huge grin and thumbs up when passed.

12-15 sports bikes in a group; everyone stuck out a leg or waved to acknowledge Karens wave then did his/her lifesaver and pulled in. They were "making progress" but it looked so unstressed and safe looking even plod was going to give them a few MPH grace.

On Saturday night I did a grocery run and stopped to say hello to a bloke on a CBR with a flat. I had tyre kit, but he prefered to let the AA take him home. I was only the second bike to stop on a road with sportsbikes going past every few minutes.

Something is changing in the bike culture and the only thing I can relate it to is that leisure riders on new bikes must now outnumber the full timers keeping old clunkers going. As guys who've never been late for work due to a bike puncture show other guys how it's done we've lost something, they can't help and/or still think like car drivers. Too many idiots out there more worried about their image and how shiney their toys are too.

Andy