What kind of biker are you?

[Lucy]

I noticed.

I'm currently doing an article on what bike the Fonz would ride today.

Couple of years ago I happened to see a rare exterior shot of Happy Days. The Fonz took off on his bike and slowly wobbled down the drive, it was funny, he was useless. But it made me happy, cos now I can say I'm a biker like the Fonz....

[caseye]

Though I've had to ride to work on and off I usually only ride weekends.
Over the last 2 years I've clocked up nearly 17,000 K's though so I've not done too badly.
Anyone who can own operate and enjoys riding a bike, is a biker in my opinion, good thread this one.

[PeteJW]

If some of the full time drivers on the road are anything to go by, we are all crap for driving/riding too much.
We get over confident and cocky.
I love learning new skills, so never think I am a good rider...always learning. I try to ride every day.

[Ixion]

Well, I ride to work pretty much every weekday. And to the shops when I need stuff. And to collect stuff. And to meet people.

And after work in summer is good for getting lost for a few hours.

And most weekends manage at least 2 or 3 hundred kilometres.

And when I want to go somewhere. And when I don't.

Other than that I take a car. Unless I can find an excuse not to.

Unless one has to cart people or big stuff, I dunno why anyone would bother with a car. Just too much hassle.

EDIT. I cleaned a bike once. About 1975. A moment of aberrant weakness.

[Big Dave]

Couple of years ago I happened to see a rare exterior shot of Happy Days. The Fonz took off on his bike and slowly wobbled down the drive, it was funny, he was useless. But it made me happy, cos now I can say I'm a biker like the Fonz....

Yeah - I heard the yarn is that Henry Winkler is not into bikes.

But we ain't talking about him! Izz da Fonz eh.

[pritch]

Some thoughtful responses to this thread.

"Biker" seems to be a relatively recent addition to the local lexicon, probably imported from the USA. In NZ it seems to be used in more inclusive sense than in the original setting.

On reflection there is only one guy I can think of who might not qualify to be a "biker". He owned Harley but never rode it. I don't mean he didn't ride it very often, he used to get someone else to take it for a Warrant...

I'm also not sure about the school kids on scooters. Not because I don't consider them bikers, but because I doubt that most of them would see themselves that way.

[CM2005]

I ride everyday, all year round

[EnzoYug]

Motorcyclist, Aficionado, Enthusiast, Old Salt, or just 'Biker'... who cares?

Unless people are walking around taking a hard-earned title, that is recognised by the greater population (ie. 18 year old kids walking around calling themselves "Dr" or "Honour") then it's a matter of semantics.

And I don't do semantics.

People who know me call me a spanner head (incorrectly; I can barely get the fairings off - but I talk a good lot of convincing shit) and a biker. Yeah, I ride every day - so I'll buy that one.

The question is what makes it?
20,000ks a year? Sure. That's only 10-15 weekends and some commuting.
No problem. Less? Maybe it's what you know - or who you know - or who you ride with....

But who cares?

Everyone who knows me doesn't need a title to know who I am and what I do.

Everyone else just says - "So you ride a bike huh? You ever take it on any sweet jumps?" or (my neighbours @ 10.30 on a Sunday*) "SHUT THAT BIKE OFF YOU LITTLE CUN..."

What's in a name anyway. Do you really need to earn it?



*don't know what they're on about the yoshi barely cracks 110dB.

[EnzoYug]

... I absolutely love riding along in summer, smelling the honeysuckle in the hedgerows ("don't be alarmed, man!"), the smell of farms, and riding through a cool pool of air in the shadow on a grove of trees....

You make it sound like a Jane Austin novel.

Truth be told - those books of hers do make good reading on a long ride. You just need to get the big-type (books for the sight impaired) edition so that the vibrations don't get in the way of your reading. And a little clip to hold the pages down.

[Oscar]

Yeah - I heard the yarn is that Henry Winkler is not into bikes.

But we ain't talking about him! Izz da Fonz eh.

Da Fonz would ride whatever today's equivalent of a bobbed knucklehead HD or Trumpy Speed twin is.


Actually, if he really was that cool and around today, he'd be on a KTM

[Bonez]

An interesting tidbit:

"According to the “King of Cool” himself, “The Fonz” (Henry Winkler) never actually rode any motorcycles during the ten year Happy Days television run. Winkler, never rode a bike in real life either, he has dyslexia, which made it difficult for him to co-ordinate the clutch, throttle and brake. Instead, the bikes (Harley Davidson’s, Triumph’s, BSA’s were used) were mounted on a piece of wood with wheels to make it look like he was riding,...... "

Hickley Triumph Bonnie on a servicing trolley ftw aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

[Big Dave]

Da Fonz would ride whatever today's equivalent of a bobbed knucklehead HD or Trumpy Speed twin is.


Actually, if he really was that cool and around today, he'd be on a KTM

Agree up to the orange angular plastic bit.