IS THIS YOU?
Figure 1: Lame-ass consumer-dorks
THE PROBLEM? The problem is that the motorcycle "scene" is moribund. It has been taken over by dorks who have used some of the disposable income from their internet jobs to buy themselves a badass image off the showroom floor.
I personally don't get much of a kick out of hanging out with these posturing lamos who have nothing to talk about except their motorcycles and what the marketing people have told them would be cool to consume next (except when they lapse into talking about their boring jobs).
Rather than being a practical means of transportation, motorcycles have become an expensive fashion accessory for arriving at or leaving the bar or the cafe. Touring is fine as long as it is warm and sunny - but forget about any desperate endurance tests in the freezing rain wearing a plastic rainsuit from Fleet Farm.
I sure hope you're not like that.
The whole idea here is to ride your junky, home-made motorcycle out into the woods and goof around with a bunch of like-minded weirdos.