Ducati Monster Forum

So I'm at work the other day (Army) and my platoon sergeant decides to have a chat with me.  The first question he asks is, "How much riding experience do you have?"  I tell him I have about three years of riding experience.  I used to ride dirt and I previously had a Monster.  His next question is, "What did you think about someone with such limited riding experience purchasing a high-end motorcycle?"  I responded that my motorcycle isn't high-end, in fact it is pretty close to entry level for a novice rider.  I told him the specs... i.e. L-Twin engine, 80 hp.  He responds, "You didn't answer my question."

I calmly tell him that the engine size and performance of a motorcycle becomes irrelevant the instant a rider begins using good judgement and wrist control, that the bike can only go as fast as the rider lets it.  I tell him that a motorcycle is just a machine dependent upon input and control from a human, and the fact that it has the ability to go fast doesn't mean that it will.

He says, "Bullshit," and laughs at me.

Can anyone say hostile work environment?

I hate ignorant people who see the name Ducati and think nothing other than flying down the interstate at 200 mph, or people who have never ridden a motorcycle, but feel that they are somehow superior and have the right to judge those who ride.

End rant.

he's jealous/envious.
but he's too small to compliment you
that's why he's putting you down.

My S2R 800 does 180MPH. Just saying.

800-80mph over 100.

i have an S2R1000, thats 100-100mph over 100. mine does 200. suck it nerd.

Whenever someone asks a stupid question, they get a hidden stupid answer. You should of said, it isnt high end, it only goes 180mph, those really high end ones go 350mph or was it km/h? and just act like you dont know jack squat.

And its the Army, isnt hostile work environment part of the job?  :)

I have a 620 so I can only go 140mph.   :-\

sac



/If I was you I would try harder at not giving a make the beast with two backs what your boss or anyone else thinks about your bike
//negative AND positive comments should be ignored

you should next time say its not a high end bike, since ducati sells over half its revenue in bikes costing 15k-75k dollar bikes that go 175 mph and yours is less than 1/2 that and can't go nearly 1/2 the speed, so you don't even have a high end bike. 

you don't have to tell him that the other 1/2 of their revenue comes from your bike being sold in huge numbers.

By HeMan's and DucCarlos' math, it should go 162 mph. Maybe you need a tune-up  ;)

620 is for pussies

Exactly.

Self Portrait by SacDuc ----->   (|)


sac

I'm a pussy then. And I'm proud to be pussy!
At least I'm not a fag, fags ride slow and sloppy bikes.

eh simple fact is the military in general has a problem with riders. unfortunately a larger proportion of them are true squids and are out there seeing if they can break the sound barrier. AND because they came back from a war being bullet proof they think they are invincible... or in the case they are finally finding out... either don't care or need the rush to feel anything.

huge push to get them the proper training instead of discouraging them. your platoon sergeant is behind the times. ask him about Compreshensive Soldier Fitness... ask him if he can find out when the next military sport bike class is... tell him to get educated on what the military is doing.. then come and talk to you.

There was a contractor CAD monkey working here a few years back with an 800 jetski - He was sure that meant 800HP and kept referring to 800HP.  I asked him how fast he could empty out a lake and he just thought I was being dumb.


mitt

180-200 mph on an S2R800?  Really?  Have you had it moving that fast yourself?  I thought the top speed was much lower than that.

Um, no. Not really.

sac

Why can't ignorant hot-headed morons like your boss be the ones KIA?   >:(


I know that's harsh... but oh well.

why is it his business what kind of bike you ride anyway?  ???

in the army... platoon sergeant... it's his business... but he isn't conducting it very well. they are told to watch out for potential problems, issues, concerns.

And that's one of the reason's why I would never succeed in the Armed forces/Defense.

I would have told the guy to make the beast with two backs off.

I have respect for the folks in the armed forces, My Brother in Law is in the Australian Army
and is Deploying today for 6 months in Afghanistan  :'(

I've just never responded well to being told what to do by people I have little to no respect for
and this Platoon Sergeant sounds like a right Twat!

That's detuned. Wait until I get my carbon fiber.

The military doesn't want you to choose how you die. They want to choose for you.

That is one part of the Army that i always hated. One would think that someone who owns a car or bike should be able to take care of it properly. I remember having vehicle inspections far too often. Where are you stationed and MOS? SOunds like jealousy to me.

I'm at Fort Knox, KY, and I'm a 35N which used to be a 98C.  I enlisted as a 98GKP.  PM me if you have any more questions.

Good one. [laugh]

Just tell him that it moved into the high-end category because...the Euro jumped in value vs. the slumping dollar, otherwise it would be priced like the Jap bikes.   [laugh]

 [roll]

I assume your NCOIC does not ride so no matter what facts and figures you throw at him are totally wasted. As long as you are in compliance with the local policy's on motorcycle riding there is not very much he can do. now you should have a riding mentor and its his job to assuage the concerns your command may have. in my opinion the Army is doing everything they can to make it so difficult to ride that you just give up and drive a car. i get similar guff only i get it from a LTC and a CSM who don't ride and i have been riding for almost 20 years. get them to let you go to all the training you can on there dime and time, i plan on trying to go to the MSF instructor course this summer and i am going to the sport bike course next month. its not just SFC Stupid the persecution is directed by echelons above god so just make sure you are in compliance with the regs and policy's and you will be fine.

1SG V Sends   

are you getting K&N stickers too?

I'm in compliance with all of the local policies.  The only part I'm deficient in is that I need to take the Advanced MSF Course, and the Sport Rider's Course.  This wasn't a requirement a few years ago, so I haven't taken the courses.  But I do have a window in which to take those courses (due to weather/winter) before I'm no longer compliant.  

This really wasn't designed to be a rant against the Army, because I love the Army, nor towards my PLT SGT, but towards all people that are ignorant of motorcycles and still try to judge motorcycle riders.  I just get tired of hearing it over and over again.

It comes back to my improbable theory that everyone should ride a motorcycle/scooter on the street for at least two years.  For one, if they ride a bike with as little skill as they drive a cage, we'd have a lot less stupid cagers, and the rest that survive would have a lot more respect for riders.

i'm lucky. in the unit i work for there are COL and LTC and many more higher ranking NCO's that ride, so there is a riding culture mentality

I think our BN CSM rides, but I don't have too many dealings with him.

maybe talk to him about having a motorcycle safety day. get all the unit riders together, show that anyone can ride AND be responsible

we are required to do safety rides every quarter that caused my little rant because the weather was crappy and i had to ride to work knowing it was going to rain. in moderation the safety rides can be fun but in the summer its great. I thought the MSF courses were either the basic or advanced and the sport bike course is voluntary here on Bragg as of now but i hear changes are on the way something about MSF every 3 years but that is not official yet. guys like your PLT SGT give me a case of the A** because he obviously does not really know what he is talking about. But none of my PLT SGTs ride so i am the rider coach for my company but we only have the commander myself and four other guys that ride right now.

What holds up a chicken's Ass?