What makes a biker?
I read a lot of other people’s blogs and comments about what makes one a biker and what makes one a poser, or just a bike enthusiast.
I think the word “BIKER” and what it means is subjective to opinions.
The term “bar hopper” comes to mind right off the bat. Many times, I’ve read: not quoted, but implied, that if you have a bar hopper, and don’t go touring that you are not a true biker. I’ve recently read a post where the blogger himself decided he was not a biker, just a bike enthusiast because of the way he looked, versus the way one of his friends looked. To me it is more, how long you've been riding, how much passion you have for riding, how much burning desire you have to ride, even when you can't ride. If you get in a motorcycle accident, and live to ride another day, do you ride, or hang it up? When you see a bike, no matter what kind, is there a part of you that thinks, “That’s cool, I love it anyway”? If the burning desire to ride, consumes the back of your brain while you are doing something other than riding, and if every ounce of your soul says “I am a biker”. Well then my friend, in my book you are a biker. To me that is more of a biker than not. If you judged a biker by the way they look, or how often they “get” to ride, then you may as well judge them by what they ride, the color of their skin, the price of their motorcycle, what kind of house they go home to, Etc. Etc, Etc……
Re: The above statement about judging a biker by their looks....
Those who read my blog regularly will likely think of the fact that in the past, I have posted and criticized about some bikers looks, or the way they choose to dress.
I'm human. I notice this stuff and I never said they weren't bikers.
If you look like a dork, you look like a dork. Weather or not you are a biker, has nothing to do with what you wear, or don't wear.
I post this because, I do own a bar hopper, but I go for long rides when ever the opportunity strikes, and pay the consequences in lack of comfort. I do not do long tours. I desire to, but my family life and job at this time, limits this. I am actually planning on one for next year (ON MY BAR HOPPER). I've been in three motorcycle accidents in my 20 some years of riding, and two were pretty severe, and I still ride. I can't imagine not riding. I tried to give it up after my first accident. That didn't last long before I couldn't stand it anymore. For me life without riding is not a life at all. When I do ride, although not nearly as much as I'd like to... I'll be soaking it all in and think to myself. This is livin. This is what it's all about. This is why I ride.
I am one of the people I described above.
Ladies and gentlemen, ……..I AM A BIKER; are you?
