The anti Klein brigade.
- Thread starter midibiker
- Start date
Amen
lukewheels
Old School Hero
So are Klein owners judged the same as BMW, Audi, Merc owners? I drive a VW camper and have two attitudes I've owned forever; don't tarnish us with the same brush! I love many other bikes in equal measure.
Some people just need something at which to direct all the negative energy they carry around, if they don't find a way to offload that burden then it'll end up being turned back in on themselves, and that can be too much for some. Better to jump on a hate bandwagon and seethe the day away
Never mind Kleins - I don't understand the cultism around modern VW campervans (I owned a 1969 one in the 1980's & brought up with Beetles). The irrelevant name dropping of 'VW' in front of 'campervan' (not by lukewheels - he's making a point) on facebook groups amuses me eg 'anyone know a pub near X that allows VW Campervans?' It's not even a helpful reference re vehicle size given it could be anything from a splitty to a LWB Crafter.
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CassidyAce
Senior Retro Guru
I think the problem is that Kleins are seen (rightly or wrongly) as status symbols, as are BMW, Audi, and Mercedes' cars, and status symbols are profoundly vain and self-centred things: their point is to indicate to anyone and everyone else that the owners of the symbols are somehow above the norm, the hoi polloi, the mass of humankind, and especially above the poor. If status symbols are used to indicate some sort of vague, abstract superiority over others, then it should come as no surprise if others don't like that very much. Additionally, people who are essentially selfish and arrogant in one aspect of life are likely to be selfish and arrogant in others. Even more cause for them to be disliked.Some people just need something at which to direct all the negative energy they carry around, if they don't find a way to offload that burden then it'll end up being turned back in on themselves, and that can be too much for some. Better to jump on a hate bandwagon and seethe the day away
However, as is evident in this thread, there are also Klein owners who do not appear to be at all interested in their bikes as status symbols; indeed, the fact that Kleins are seen as status symbols is a drawback for some owners, an embarrassment even. They like aspects of the ride, the engineering, the paint, whatever . . . And that's all. Your earlier post, describing how much you enjoyed riding yours, was a glowing example of this attitude. In fact, it's the only thing I've ever read about Kleins that made me think I might like one.
But, Kleins still have a double aspect: snob value for the vain, engineering value for genuine enthusiasts. As long as that persists, they are likely to be divisive.
M-Power
Old School Grand Master
People got ‘imprinted’ bitd when they saw the Klein ads in mags with a Porsche. They specifically positioned it as a Yuppie status symbol. I remember the bike show with one hoisted on scales to show how crazy light it was.That got huge attention. I lapped up the coolaid and got a Tude but alas we didn't get on. Plenty of us can afford a few G to buy one again or to live a childhood dream these days, so its not all about flexing wealth. Lets be honest, most never got ridden in anger offroad bitd but pootled around trendy parts of London on slicks pumped upto 120psi ! The same is true today, most of the owners pics show NOS tyres and spotless frames. To each their own, no reason to hate, just enjoy your ride whatever it is.
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