I get flack at work too. I used to ride a Kymco 250 scooter, so I'm used to getting no respect. Even amoung the scooter crowd, if it wasn't a Vespa, it wasn't sh!t. It used to bug me that folks said I wasn't riding a "real" bike. Now that stuff just slides off of me. I say, if a person wants respect from and for what they own, even Bill Gates' money won't be enough. Eventually, when they'd ask incredulously if I rode a (disgusted tone) "scooooter", I'd say "No, it's a moped."
It never ends. Even if you were to get a HD, unless you got the latest, biggest, most accesorized model they offer, there would still be some in the HD crowd who would still look down their noses, and next year HD would come out with something bigger, costlier, chromier (I just made a Bushism!
) Most HD riders I've met, after the GOOD natured ribbing about my "rice burner", I found at heart are just bikers, happy that they meet up with a kindred spirit on two wheels, regardless of make. Those few HD riders with the ego problem don't have enough respect for themselves to give any to anyone else. Ugh oh, better quit now. I'm starting to get all Dr. Phil.
I get a great many compliments on the Suzuki. I appreciate it for what it is, but I always remember people are fickle. Some seem to like it; for a few others, it's not a real bike. When those folks look at the Savage and ask "What is that?", with their lip all culred up like no matter what the answer is, if it's not a Harley, they're not gonna like it; I say "It's a Puch. Now Puch off!"
Ride safe,
Jay