This.
The type of bike you own doesn't constitute you as a "real rider." It's the passion and respect for the two wheeled world as a whole. Displacement, physical size, make, model... None of that shit matters unless you're one of those elitist fags.
Take for example someone that drops 40k on a Harley only to take it out of the garage once a month or to go to Sturgis/Bike Week, yet shits on "rice rockets" or "shitty little scooters" daily... This person is trying to fit in.
The other end of it... Someone buys a 40+ year old Puch Maxi
Then turns it into a kitted 60-70mph cafe ped
Guaranteed that guy will have way more passion about his moped than someone with a $70k bagger that only brings it out of the garage to try to win trophies.
Just as the Ruckus crew builds their bikes. They know every nut and bolt on their scoots and at the end of the day, the owners are actually out there riding them instead of them sitting around looking pretty in the corner of the garage... Like many other bikes.
Sure, with the money that's invested in them, they could have bought a MUCH faster bike, but when it comes down to it, they would just have another off the shelf bike.
While you may not
like our choice in owning/building scooters, you at least have to respect the dedication and custom work put in them... Which is what any "real rider" would do.
/rant