A customer of mine told me I'm not a real biker because I have a windshield. I think the fact that I still own a Honda (no one has ever seen me broken down on the side of the road. I did not even know that was possible) has something to do with it also but I just looked at him. Didn't even need to respond. I am 43, been riding since I was 12. If I am not a real biker, I am not sure how to define it and don't care much anyway. I love reading the posts on this board and continue to shop for my next bike.

One thingfor sure. I get those goosebumps when a group of bikesrides by and love to just go to the showroom from time to time to admire the beauty of the different models.

spiz

 

I commute to work every day, wet or dry, hot or cold. Don't ride if the temp is below 30, or if the road is snow/ice covered. Hard to justify those leather chaps & Gore-Tex jacket if you never wear them.

Good post

 

Not long after I landed my first full time job I went to the local Suzuki dealer and got that GL550L I'd been dreaming about for over a year. I rode it straight to my older brothers house to show it off. The temperture was 22 degrees F and I wasn't dressed for it. He wasn't home and his wife, who doesn't "approve" of motorcycles, would only open the door enough to tell me such. I rode the thirty + miles home then got intimate with the woodstove.

I rodethat bike30 miles one way to work everyday till the first snow. The weeks into the following spring a car driven by a 137 year old man who should have had his license revolked decades ago pulled out of a gas station into my lane and stopped. He never saw me until I slammed into his door. Leathers, helmut, and a $#@* load of luck I limped away. The bike was totaled, I was upside down in the loan and about to be married.

Fast forward 20 years I am now standing in the local HD dealers showroom trying to work a deal on that 06 Firefighter edition Fatboy. Two days later I ride the FB straight to my younger brothers house to show it off. He's not home but his wife invites me in and wants to know all about it. I continue the three miles home in 70 degree weather. Over the next year I ride the FB as much as I can. The job I have now requires I drive a pickup so I seldom ride to work. I put 5K on the bike and traded it this past may for an 07FLHTC. I went to my first rally in June, Americade. Stayed the whole week and wished it wouldn't end. Rode to and from in the rain.

I put off house stuff to ride, ride in the rain if I have too, would consider trailering but only as a last resort, I am a HOG member, Red Knights member, ride by myself if no ones around to ride with (and enjoy it emensly), ride with the wife 2 upwhenever we can steal time alone, wave to everyone on 2-3 wheels, make it a point to start a nice conversation with those that give me the "wrinkled" nose look, get a kick out of old ladies that comment on my "pretty" bike, give little kids on peddle scoots the low two finger wave, use the horn liberally with the cagers but not the one finger wave, and for the biggest one of all...get that "first time gettin laid" feeling every time I hit the starter.

Does that make me a biker? Don't know, don't care, didn't think about it much until reading this post. I'll keep riding, god willing, until I spend more time on the side than upright. Then I'll start lookin at the trikes. If I cross your path and you feel I'm a wannabee then so be it. I'll ride on happy to have met you but just as happy to ride my own ride and not try and fit into yours. In the end I don't want to have any regrets. Atleast not ones I could have changed.

 

Great post fignuton

I don’t know what I’m classified as, don’t care, doesn’t matter; I just know I like to ride my motorcycle.

 

shure I'm a biker. I certainly get those tingles up and downmy spine when the road, and my bike take away all of the b.s. of life.
for me, "live to ride" isn't appropriate. I dont live to ride. I "ride to live" I've never felt more alive then when I brought my zuki m50 through the smokies.

Funny thing about it all, I didnt start riding untill 2 years ago. And now reguardless of what I wear or what i ride, I fell more than ok saying I'm a biker.

 

Good post, thanks for sharing that

 

I'm not a fan of Gold Wings, but I have a friend who only rides on the weekends and has over 80,000 miles on his 2003 GW. He doesn't ride to work or even when it rains but as far as I'm concerned, he's as much of a biker I'll ever be. He actually doesn't even really like Harley's but he a great rider so I can look past that!

---Chris

 

I knew I was a biker back in 1980, as a lad of 21, my bros on a '67 XLCH and a '39 'WLA told me it wasn't about what you ride, but what was inside, that counted. Riding an old '72 Suzuki Water Buffalo 750 (purple no less!) I never forgot that, and I ride with a lot of different bikes today as a result.

 

I like that definition. I've heard so many but this one seems right to me.

 

<- figment of someones imagination