Decided I'm not a “Biker”

[GSXR7ED]

Hm. I don't mind being a biker. Motorcyclist suits me fine, too, but I got no problem with biker.

What's in a name? Probably, guilt by association. If ONE does not lead "the life" as some interpret, what do you/one have to worry about?


Ed

[mrbill5491]

I ride there fore I'm a rider...drops mike ~

[chuck hahn]

There are thousands and thousands of good ordinary men and women on Harleys and I have met a lot. BUT the outlaw and other clubbers give the entire Harley crowd That bad stereotype. If they could ever cleanse the brand of the clubbers and 1%ers image they wouldn't be bad off at all.

My own experience growing up around a certain club, and my brother being a member, showed me EVERYTHING in life that NEVER want to be. If every brand of cycle insanity disappeared and Harley was all that was left I would be fine with never setting on wheels again. I want to never be viewed nor associated with the"biker" crowds.

[GSXR7ED]

Biker Life

Chuck,

I can relate to your story. My mother's 3rd husband is a lifetime Harley Rider. He's 6'4" and 225. My mother dated him for a couple of years before they got married (over 20 yrs ago) and they did their runs. I had no idea how a "Biker" association functioned nor did I ever think my mother was in any danger. They are good people, as you stated above. I just know that living that life is not what I would want.


Ed

[Gorminrider]

I dress up like a hornet (hi-vis) and NOBODY ever calls me a "biker" I've ever noticed but maybe I don't react either. I take it as banter. Anyways, around here, people sort of know the difference. A dentist in leather is not called a "biker"except by his mother, maybe.

[Gorminrider]

Mildly interesting looking for the easiest ...the Thesaurus I glanced at sort of fails here. sooo, likely missing some but off the top of my head: horses, motorcycles and bicycles are not "driven". Simply put a "driver of horses" is in a buggy behind and not ON the horse. so it makes my fillings ring when someone says "oh. he drives a motorcycle" Being called a "biker" is far better.
a driver of cars= a car driver, a driver, a motorist... a cager (perjorative used by non-motorists)

a rider of motorcycles= a motorcycle rider, a motorcyclist, motorbiker(ugh), "'bike rider"(slang NON perjorative, indefinite) , "biker" (perjorative? slang, indefinite) , "rider" (truncated and indefinite) .

other similar as examples
a rider of horses= a horseback rider, a "rider"(truncated and indefinite) a horseman a horsewoman, cavalier and caballero (gentleman on horseback) cowboy and vaqueroare something specific
a rider of bicycles = bicyclist, bike rider "rider", "biker"(uncommon but NON-perjorative)

NONE of these really trips off the tongue as ez and definitive- not like "astronaut" or "cosmonaut" anyways. Maybe Road-biker (similar to Dirt-biker ?)would do.

[Vmass]

Mildly interesting looking for the easiest ...the Thesaurus I glanced at sort of fails here. sooo, likely missing some but off the top of my head: horses, motorcycles and bicycles are not "driven". Simply put a "driver of horses" is in a buggy behind and not ON the horse. so it makes my fillings ring when someone says "oh. he drives a motorcycle" Being called a "biker" is far better.
a driver of cars= a car driver, a driver, a motorist... a cager (perjorative used by non-motorists)

a rider of motorcycles= a motorcycle rider, a motorcyclist, motorbiker(ugh), "'bike rider"(slang NON perjorative, indefinite) , "biker" (perjorative? slang, indefinite) , "rider" (truncated and indefinite) .

other similar as examples
a rider of horses= a horseback rider, a "rider"(truncated and indefinite) a horseman a horsewoman, cavalier and caballero (gentleman on horseback) cowboy and vaqueroare something specific
a rider of bicycles = bicyclist, bike rider "rider", "biker"(uncommon but NON-perjorative)

NONE of these really trips off the tongue as ez and definitive- not like "astronaut" or "cosmonaut" anyways. Maybe Road-biker (similar to Dirt-biker ?)would do.

He brought a thesaurus to a biker thread.................now that's comedy!

[ddaniels]

I have cousins that ride Harley Davidsons and they are good people. Both of them say, we don't care what you ride just as long as you like what you ride. I pretty much tolerate Harley bashing because it's just dumb and, in a lot of cases, inaccurate. And, I really don't care what I'm called either.

[chuck hahn]

Met both side Daniels...and its the bad side that gets remembered and others get lumped into the category. Guilt by association.

[80GS850GBob]

I'm not a badass meathead in pirate garb!!!

...well, I couldn't picture you with a parrot on your shoulder while riding...

[Buffalo Bill]

...well, I couldn't picture you with a parrot on your shoulder while riding...

A parrot in a full face/beak helmet?

[80GS850GBob]

A parrot in a full face/beak helmet?

Of course....and with a patch.

[ddaniels]

Met both side Daniels...and its the bad side that gets remembered and others get lumped into the category. Guilt by association.

And that is unfair to the good guys.

[chuck hahn]

True. But that's why I disassociate myself as far away from anything to do with herdleys as I can. I want no part of the association of my face and side business with Harley.

[Gorminrider]

He brought a thesaurus to a biker thread.................now that's comedy!

No, I wrote a thesaurus in a "biker thread". Did I say nobody calls me a "biker"? :0 Mind you, I've bs'ed with a biker who knew who Trajan and Frederick the Great were, and had a full set of tatoos so you never know...