South West Bikers | Motorcycle Forum

A subjective question to open up debate ......

As the title says - what constitutes a "Real Biker"

Do you have to ..... ride in all weathers Have a bike as the sole means of transport Only ever wear black leather trousers, ex-army boots, a T-shirt and a leather waistcoat whatever the weather Have a shaven head/beard/tatoo's Smell lightly of used engine oil

Can sportsbike riders EVER be "Real Bikers"

Please discuss ......

Have we met before? I'm real close on this...
my only means of transport; my motorbike.
I've ridden all through winter at a rate of 7 shifts on 3 off.
All black riding gear. + british army boots. (because they've never leaked.)
I have a shaven head. alas NO beard OR tattoos....yet.
I usually reek of wd40 & hands stained with old engine oil

The only part where i really deviate from the HD type is riding a naked sport bike.

I wouldn't pidgeon hole it personally. Anyone who rides/ridden is a biker in my eyes.

I make real bikers!

Moose I’d say:

A Fat hairy bloke.
That’s always tinkering/repair/modifying his bike, that’s usually off the road.
That’s opinionated with more stories than I’ve had hot dinners and has a stupid nickname.

Personally i think a real biker is someone who has the biking spirit within, who enjoys being out there on a bike be it for pleasure or commuting or sole means of transport one day a week or seven days a week, whatever they ride from racerep to Custom to commuter, someone who enjoys that freedom of being able to go wherever they want whenever they want not stuck in traffic all the time, but the final and most important part of being a biker is not seeing another biker in trouble without stopping to help, those that just ride past as your sat at the side of the road out of fuel,broken down or whatever aren't bikers but just people who own a bike. A real biker is one of those rare creatures that can spark up a conversation about bikes with another person they don't know regardless of social background and talk for hours, (just like the Kleeneze fellow the other day who knocked on my door for the catalogue, spotted the bike got talking and an hour and a cup of tea later left a happy chap,he was a real biker)

Just my thoughts

Interesting idea for a thread moose,

Personally I probably fail the “Biker” stereotype on practically every level

I only ever ride when the sun is out if I can help it, I never commute on a bike, I can not understand for the life of me why people want to hang around somewhere like Jaspers for ages when there are perfectly good pubs right next to it that you could get a taxi to and have a few beers in. I loathe camping, I have a full head of hair I have a very low opinion of tattoos – you couldn’t pay me enough to have some daft drawing stuck on me for life. Also I would look stupid in a beard and I could never have a Harley beer gut as I am fitness obsessed.

I just think I am someone who like having fun on a bike. Its definitely not a lifestyle thing for me. I am just someone who rides a bike on occasion. I have no more or no less in common with someone who rides a bike as I might do with someone who drives a car.

I prefer the term “motorcyclist” to “biker”..quick someone pass me a sam brown belt and a goldwing….

Johnnyb wrote:Personally i think a real biker is someone who has the biking spirit within, who enjoys being out there on a bike be it for pleasure or commuting or sole means of transport one day a week or seven days a week, whatever they ride from racerep to Custom to commuter, someone who enjoys that freedom of being able to go wherever they want whenever they want not stuck in traffic all the time, but the final and most important part of being a biker is not seeing another biker in trouble without stopping to help, those that just ride past as your sat at the side of the road out of fuel,broken down or whatever aren't bikers but just people who own a bike. A real biker is one of those rare creatures that can spark up a conversation about bikes with another person they don't know regardless of social background and talk for hours, (just like the Kleeneze fellow the other day who knocked on my door for the catalogue, spotted the bike got talking and an hour and a cup of tea later left a happy chap,he was a real biker)

Just my thoughts

That pretty much sums it up the mentality. As for pyisical apperance, everyone has their own style.

As for Sportsbike riders being 'real bikers'.. There are a lot of sportsbike riders that ride for the "Thrill of riding" and not so much to be part of a social group.

I agree,its all about the spirit and attitude towards biking.

It doesnt matter if youre a young guy with a head full of hair and a £500 bike or a middle aged,balding,slightly portly business executive with a collection of Ducati's,its the passion for bikes which brings us together.

You dont meet a lot of bike riders who only see their bike as just a way of getting from A to B,and to be honest i pity the ones that do.

What a difficult question.

When my only mode of transport was a bike I'd have said anyone who uses a bike every day. But now I have use of a car I've changed my mind.

I don't ride my bike every day, mainly cos of the hassle of getting in and out of leathers at work, but I do work with bikes every day. I go on this site all the time, love watching the racing and my bike is worth about 5 times as much as my car and all my friends I've met through bikes. When I asked my Mrs out on our fist date I asked her if she minded going on the back of a bike. If she'd have said no that would've been it, lucky she said yes then. Although I don't use my bike all the time and probably haven't done as many miles on it as I should've, not having one would be like having my arm cut off.

So no I don't think you have to ride a bike every day to be a 'real biker', you just have to be an enthusiast. I always say to me bikes aren't just a hobby, they're a way of life

A real biker is someone who has Yamaha paint sprayed into a Honda and doesnt fear it but inbraces it

[quote="TLS-Moose"]As the title says - what constitutes a "Real Biker" quote]

Dunno, all of us I suppose or else this forum would be real quiet
The discription is a dead ringer for Fester

As for Sportsbike riders being 'real bikers'.. There are a lot of sportsbike riders that ride for the "Thrill of riding" and not so much to be part of a social group.[/quote]

snap that'll be me then,i love riding and talking bikes,even work in the bike industry but i dont like hanging around or riding in big groups. im much happier with 3 or 4 of me mates going off 4 a blast somewhere or having a gathering at a b&b the night before a trackday,thats fun for me.

everyones opinion will be different but a biker to me is someone who loves bike,they dont even need to have a bike as my wifes a biker,she enjoys watching and riding when she gets the chance/money.

I have no idea what makes a real biker, all i know is that even though its only a 125 (for now) i love riding my bike. Have had it since November, it was new when i bought it and i took it for its 5000 mile service last week

deej wrote:even work in the bike industry

I thought you were a Haynes rep

Not too sure of the answer but I think that the people who have a real opinion about this sort of thing only do so because they have not a lot else in their lives. I love riding bikes. Always have done and hope I always will. I've got a couple of sports bikes now but I nearly bought a cruiser a few weeks ago. Doesnt make any difference to me whether someone wants to talk about bikes or ride on their own or with others as long as they do what makes them happy.

I also love to rip the wee out of bull shooters. I met a guy a few years ago at a mag rally and I was riding a street fightered blade in plain black leathers. We had a right laugh. Got pist as rats all weekend. Couple of months later he was at the calstock show with all his mates with back patches and I was riding an R6. Funny as fook. He looked horrified. I made a real point of chatting to him in my power ranger leathers as loudly as I could. Watching him cringe with embarassment was one of the funniest moments all that weekend.

Fook the image. Ride how ya want. Do what ya want. But whatever ya do just make sure you enjoy it. We are here for a good time not a long time!

I consider myself a biker. Couldnt care less what anyone else does.

Rant over. Woohoo!