So this happened to me yesterday and it was bothering me, even this morning. Yesterday morning, a motorcycle ( a nice older soft tail i think) passed me by and as I looked up at him he yelled, "Sweating is a bitch!" I didn't think much of it, sweating is a bitch so whatever.
At about 8pm, same day, a guy on his motorbike with his wife on the back pulls along side me as I'm pedaling uphill. He looks at me and says, "Real men don't have to pedal uphill!" I simply replied, "That's why you're fat and I'm not!"
This is where his wife started a laughter cackle. Red-faced, the man pulls away. Regardless, I always figured that if I had a bike with a motor I would respect a bicycle just as much. WHAT GIVES?
Foot note: I've read the forums for a long time and this gripe finally made me create an account and post. Hope it's received well.
So my take is this, as most previous posts of this type proven. Idiots and jagoffs come in all shapes and sizes and operate all manner of vehicles, even bikes. So be happy you aren't an idiot or jagoff and when possible avoid confrontation else someone may shoot you in the helmet.
I do like that your comeback rendered him speechless.
You can also rest assured that the guy hasn't heard the last of it. My read on the wife is that SHE took it to heart. Who knows, the guy may end up becoming one of us.
if it makes you feel better, i stopped at a red light once, and a motorcyclist had the recently turned green, and he waited, and yelled "go ahead brother" in a rough gravelly voice.
I take it "real men" go around putting down others too
once a motorcyclist pulled up next to me at a light and chalenged me to a trackstanding competition ("see who puts his foot down first!")
I won!
I wouldn't generalize it, in fact I just had a nice conversation the other day with a motorcyclist that pulled up alongside me at a red light. I think it's what netviln said, idiots are everywhere - some are in cars, some on motorcycles, and even some on other bicycles...
Definitely a nice comeback though 
Maybe it is just me, but I've noticed that motorcycles are more likely to wave me through or give me a little extra room than cars are. But as netviln says, jagoffs come on all modes of transit. I've heard cyclists using some choice words towards one another too.
What really gets me is some jerk passing too close or cutting me off, then noticing he has a couple bikes hanging off the back of his car. What the heck? Those for decoration or what?
yeah I have noticed alot of the Motorcyclists have been pretty decent around me when I am within speaking distance....this guy seems a little like the opposite of what I have seen but I think the lack of respect for the two wheel crowd (motor or pedal) makes a bond in general.
Don't forget that a lot of the charity rides get motorcycle clubs to volunteer for all sorts of deadly dull tasks. Two Wheels Good.
I officially broke my 5 years plus streak of riding into work at least once a week today. All because I bought a motorcycle last weekend.
I've found most motorcyclists to be quite courteous to bikes. More so on average than car drivers(I get to call them cagers now right?)
I have noticed I get a hell of a lot more respect, room and courtesy on the road with a motor than without. Maybe it is my shockingly bright hi-viz helmet? Maybe my bikes blue/green/white 80's paint job?
Maybe it is just me and the placebo effect, but I swear cars give me more room and wait for a safe[r] place to pass when I turn on my super bright helmet headlamp. Even if its just a little cloudy I turn it on now. I figure its rechargeable, why not?
My S.O. laughs and says its just because I look goofy and all the cars figure I'm some wacky nut-job with a big, bright light on his helmet and they're just afraid of me.
I never could have anticipated how much I would learn about bicycling on the road by learning how to ride a motorcycle. Or how much weight I would gain. Seriously, the MSA course is great -- take it.
I think in general motorcyclist are more courteous towards bicyclists than automobile drivers. You deal with a lot of the same garbage, motor or not, when on two wheels.
Although, I think there is a big exception to that rule--the "Sunny Sunday 'bikers'" Those are the guys, usually on Harley's, who's bikes will never even see clouds. They rarely wear any kind of gear, and are usually less than skilled riders.
Don't get me wrong, you will see these same types of riders on sport bikes, again, usually no riding gear (some say it is because of how expensive it is.... because stem cell skin revitalization is getting cheap these days).
Just like owning a bicycle doesn't make one a cyclist, owning a motorcycle does not make one a motorcyclist. Take it as an individual occasion--most riders wouldn't treat you like that. In fact, I know a lot of people who ride bicycles and motorcycles. I think if you are addicted to one, it is easy to become addicted to another.
When I end up next to a motorcycle i pretend I am going to race them to the next light. we make eye contact and usually they start laughing when i pretend i have an engine to gun and yell VROOM VROOOOMMM
hahahahahahahahahahahhaahhahahahahahah caitlin. i love it!
i would love to see you do that caitlin
I bet that, five feet out, you'd be in the lead, too.
I think I ran inot the same biker that Erok did. Definitely husky voice, called me "Brother."
The cynic in me says motorcycles have to be more courteous, because, unlike cars, they will get hurt if they hit you.
I rode down 18th street with a couple of Harleys once. The riders were amused. I left them behind in the traffic on Carson.
Mick
From my experiences and my friends, I would say most motorcycle riders are very nice, courteous people.
Every on the road (who isn't in a steel box) faces the same issues.
