ARE YOU A ZL1 SNOB?

[AZ_Gixxer1000]

While I don’t have many posts on here, I am here quite a bit reading and watching.

As you might have guessed from my user name I am a motorcycle guy first and foremost. But I am also one of the 480 of us who have a ZL1 build and waiting. I’m #310

A replacement for my 2010 SS/RS which is already gone to its new home :(

But I wonder am I now a ZL1 snob? In the motorcycle world it is VERY click-ie. The sport bike guys stay with the sport bike guys; Harley riders hate everyone but their own, metric cruisers secretly want to be Harley riders, GoldWing riders are a different bread altogether with their cup holders, reverse gears and cigarette liters! Dirt bikers are different than quad riders and so on.



But within each one of these different groups are a seemingly endless subculture of even more separation.

Dirt bikers who ride motocross don’t like the dirt bikers that ride desert or trail ride. The trail riders don’t like the supercross riders and so on.

Sport bike riders who road race don’t like stunters, stunters don’t like the Hayabusa crowd, and those riders don’t like this one and so on, and so on. :fighting0040:




All of that is preference to riding style, I get it. But even within these subcultures the bike you chose to ride is a factor. If you ride a GSXR1000 that is like driving a ZL1. It is a top of the line high performance machine. (Regardless if those reading this like the GSXR1000 or not, it cannot be denied it is a performance leader. As is the ZX10, CBR1000 or R1 respectively

SO! What does this have to do with cars and the ZL1?

While all of the above mentioned bikes are top performance machines from there respective manufactures. Unlike cars, there are not really any different trim packaged or levels to the bikes. It basically goes like this; here is the bike for this year. You can pick between two, maybe three colors. That’s is. Not to omit the fact that there are sub-categories such and engine size etc, but that is different point.

How this relates to cars is:

A base model Camaro. A strip down basic nothing. Steel rims with a v-6 auto. The kind you would rent from Dollar rent-a-car. As a ZL1 owner do you look down on that car/driver? Maybe even just a little bit in the back of your mind? What about the SS series? Now that the ZL1 is top dog… why not? Why wouldn’t you?

It is not being rude. Let me explain. In motorcycles if you ride a GSXR1000 or R1 etc. you own one of the best of the best. If a guy pulls up on a 250 Ninja (equal to a base/base Camaro) it is still a sport bike. So you are still friendly (see original subculture dynamic above) but you kind of look at his bike like. “Dude… WHY?” He is a nice enough guy etc. just with a less than desirable bike compared to yours.

But then a group of Harleys or some metric cruisers show up and you and the 250 Ninja guy are like long lost brothers! The bond of your sport bike group is greater than that of your subculture. Just as if a metric cruisers showed up and you two were the only bikes around, the umbrella of motorcycling would trump the individual subculture. Except Harleys because as previously mentioned…. They hate everybody but their own regardless. =)

I am sure like most of us while out driving we see the Gen 5 Camaro’s and look to see what it is… “Oh that’s a SS/RS” or “hey that a v-6 because of…”

I always looked for the SS cars because they are in my “group” But even now when I look I think. “Dude that SS is nothing compared to the ZL1”. That’s not to say I don’t appreciate or enjoy their car but now with a new king of the road. Have the others all moved down a notch?

Maybe this makes me sound like a jerk. I just was wondering if anyone else now looked at the SS the way they once looked at the V-6. All still Camaro but within this Camaro subculture – I believe just like in bikes – there is a prejudice. Or am I wrong and all Camaro guys love one another equally?

Your thoughts?

Disclaimer: no disrespect intended to any motorcycle group or subculture. Or to V-6 owners

[alex70olds]

I can only speak for myself. Since being here at c5 I have gained the upmost respect for all members, but the ones that are top of my list are the v6 modders. Some of these guys would love to have an ss, or z, but economicly the v6 made more sense. Then they save,scrape, and do what they can to do mods one at a time. I really respect their passion for thier vehicles, and most are bad ass. I am lucky to afford a Z, but the true heart and soul of an enthusiest, are the guys I listed above, the guys that sacrafice to build these machines.

[chevelle ss2]

I believe you are correct.

[motorhead]

My attention span is not long enough for a post that long ,but for me I never bought into idea of groups and hating anyone that isn't in it. I buy what I want for me and f anyone that doesn't like it. It does seem that a lot of non ZL1 people on this forum are enjoying the delay we are going through.

[SSOOCH]

What's a ZL1?

[SSOOCH]

I'm kidding folks...

[SSE 4 2SS]

Originally Posted by AZ_Gixxer1000

Maybe this makes me sound like a jerk. I just was wondering if anyone else now looked at the SS the way they once looked at the V-6.
Your thoughts?

Two thoughts... If a ZL1 owner looks down on me.... all they'll see at a race track is dust off my tires, smoke from the exhaust and my tailights getting really small really quickly....

Secondly, I ride a Harley and I don't hate any two wheeler riders...

Let me explain... I perfectly understand the cultures, but I don't buy into it.... I can't control what others do, only how I respond to it.... I've had guys purposely look the other way at interesctions when I pull up next to them on their scooter and me on my Ultra Classic, out of embarrasement or whatever... only to have them break into a really big grin when they finally look over and see me wave or give them a nod... I'm not an angel by any means, but why should I look down upon anyone...I lived from paycheck to paycheck and qualified for food stamps though I never got them or used any assistance like that... and that was while working as a professional fire fighter...

Enjoy what you have and allow others the same...

[casper73]

Did you get yours from Waston or O Rielly? Back in 1986 when I tried to join the Tucson Camaro club, they didn't like that I drove a 1976 LT. There were a few that thought that just the first gen's should be allowed to be in the club. But I kept showing up to the meetings and they finally let me join. And it turned out to be the best time of my life. I made friends that are still part of my life to this day. It just goes to show you, don't jump to conclusions or judge one by what they drive. While I was in the club we had members that were into restoring and some in to racing. I am happy to say I learned from all the members. I now have restored and a couple of race Camaros that include first and second gen and hope soon a fifth gen ZL1.

[el ess A]

I think you're overthinking this.

Camaros owners normally only snob Mustang owners.

If people choose any Camaro for whatever reason, they're in the family. I enjoy seeing how proud Camaro owners are and the personalization they like to do to make their Camaro their own. I may not do the same personalization they do to my own car, but that doesn't mean I don't respect their decisions. Doesn't matter if it's an LS, LT, RS, or SS, or ZL1. I could afford the SS, so that's what I bought. But I'm a Camaro lover first. Doesn't matter the trim level to me.

And you always gotta ask yourself...even in your badass ZL1, can you REALLY afford to look down your nose at some of these personalized SS's that could smoke your ZL1? You have no idea if they're stock or not if you rolled up to a stoplight together. Just because you're driving the baddest Camaro ever built, doesn't mean that you're the baddest Camaro out on the street.

[Blueclyde]

I think these cultures come down to individuals. Some of these individuals are jerks, and sometimes these jerks give a bad name to these cultures. All it takes is one jerk to make an impression. I would say car cultures are no different. Lots of nice people but there are some jerks.

PS - When I was young and stupid (1987 to be exact), I had a 1987 GSX-R 1100. I did "some work" to the bike and it was a 9 second bike that had a top speed in excess of 176mph. Top of the food chain back then and still is...

[SSE 4 2SS]

Originally Posted by Blueclyde

Top of the food chain back then and still is...

GS1100 here in bout 1981... Traded a turbocharged 78 Z1R 1000 for it....

[WileySG]

I have a 2011 Camaro SS, a 2006 Hummer H3, and a 2005 Harley Davidson Heritage Softail. NONE of those vehicles are better or worse than anything else on the road...... Just different!! I'm blessed for what I'm able to have, you should be too.

[OldScoolCamaro]

Originally Posted by SSE 4 2SS

Two thoughts... If a ZL1 owner looks down on me.... all they'll see at a race track is dust off my tires, smoke from the exhaust and my tailights getting really small really quickly....

Secondly, I ride a Harley and I don't hate any two wheeler riders...

Let me explain... I perfectly understand the cultures, but I don't buy into it.... I can't control what others do, only how I respond to it.... I've had guys purposely look the other way at interesctions when I pull up next to them on their scooter and me on my Ultra Classic, out of embarrasement or whatever... only to have them break into a really big grin when they finally look over and see me wave or give them a nod... I'm not an angel by any means, but why should I look down upon anyone...I lived from paycheck to paycheck and qualified for food stamps though I never got them or used any assistance like that... and that was while working as a professional fire fighter...

Enjoy what you have and allow others the same...

...Amen Brother.....

[Pappa Joe]

Originally Posted by AZ_Gixxer1000

While I don’t have many posts on here, I am here quite a bit reading and watching.

As you might have guessed from my user name I am a motorcycle guy first and foremost. But I am also one of the 480 of us who have a ZL1 build and waiting. I’m #310

A replacement for my 2010 SS/RS which is already gone to its new home :(

But I wonder am I now a ZL1 snob? In the motorcycle world it is VERY click-ie. The sport bike guys stay with the sport bike guys; Harley riders hate everyone but their own, metric cruisers secretly want to be Harley riders, GoldWing riders are a different bread altogether with their cup holders, reverse gears and cigarette liters! Dirt bikers are different than quad riders and so on.



But within each one of these different groups are a seemingly endless subculture of even more separation.

Dirt bikers who ride motocross don’t like the dirt bikers that ride desert or trail ride. The trail riders don’t like the supercross riders and so on.

Sport bike riders who road race don’t like stunters, stunters don’t like the Hayabusa crowd, and those riders don’t like this one and so on, and so on. :fighting0040:




All of that is preference to riding style, I get it. But even within these subcultures the bike you chose to ride is a factor. If you ride a GSXR1000 that is like driving a ZL1. It is a top of the line high performance machine. (Regardless if those reading this like the GSXR1000 or not, it cannot be denied it is a performance leader. As is the ZX10, CBR1000 or R1 respectively

SO! What does this have to do with cars and the ZL1?

While all of the above mentioned bikes are top performance machines from there respective manufactures. Unlike cars, there are not really any different trim packaged or levels to the bikes. It basically goes like this; here is the bike for this year. You can pick between two, maybe three colors. That’s is. Not to omit the fact that there are sub-categories such and engine size etc, but that is different point.

How this relates to cars is:

A base model Camaro. A strip down basic nothing. Steel rims with a v-6 auto. The kind you would rent from Dollar rent-a-car. As a ZL1 owner do you look down on that car/driver? Maybe even just a little bit in the back of your mind? What about the SS series? Now that the ZL1 is top dog… why not? Why wouldn’t you?

It is not being rude. Let me explain. In motorcycles if you ride a GSXR1000 or R1 etc. you own one of the best of the best. If a guy pulls up on a 250 Ninja (equal to a base/base Camaro) it is still a sport bike. So you are still friendly (see original subculture dynamic above) but you kind of look at his bike like. “Dude… WHY?” He is a nice enough guy etc. just with a less than desirable bike compared to yours.

But then a group of Harleys or some metric cruisers show up and you and the 250 Ninja guy are like long lost brothers! The bond of your sport bike group is greater than that of your subculture. Just as if a metric cruisers showed up and you two were the only bikes around, the umbrella of motorcycling would trump the individual subculture. Except Harleys because as previously mentioned…. They hate everybody but their own regardless. =)

I am sure like most of us while out driving we see the Gen 5 Camaro’s and look to see what it is… “Oh that’s a SS/RS” or “hey that a v-6 because of…”

I always looked for the SS cars because they are in my “group” But even now when I look I think. “Dude that SS is nothing compared to the ZL1”. That’s not to say I don’t appreciate or enjoy their car but now with a new king of the road. Have the others all moved down a notch?

Maybe this makes me sound like a jerk. I just was wondering if anyone else now looked at the SS the way they once looked at the V-6. All still Camaro but within this Camaro subculture – I believe just like in bikes – there is a prejudice. Or am I wrong and all Camaro guys love one another equally?

Your thoughts?

Disclaimer: no disrespect intended to any motorcycle group or subculture. Or to V-6 owners

Personally,,,,,,, although outpowered and out handled by the GSXR ....My TL1000R looks and sounds so much sweeter.