What has made motorcycling respectable

[mstriumph]

Don't forget the increasing number of women riding. That will always bring respectability to an activity...

........... you haven't met me, have you?

[Edbear]

I use the term, "returning biker" to describe my good self! Did the usual, wife, kids, motgage bit, though did have a Tas 60 in about 1982!! Though my wife prefers her air-conditioned, stereophonic comfort without having to strip layers of clothing off to go to the toilet, these days, I may yet get her on the back again sometime for shorter rides. One of the reasons I returned to biking was after recovering from a serious illness and realising just how fraqile our existence is! Have fun while you can! I have only found good guys on the road whenever I stop and chat with other bikers at scenic spots or gas stations/cafes. Haven't come across any yobbo's or stuck-up pretenders, though I guess they must be around. Does seem most bikers are in the "mature" age bracket these days, though reading through some of these threads it's obvious there are a few younger ones keen on bikes which only has to be good. Of course we older ones would like to see them having the benefit of our experienced advice... 'cause the older we get the better we were...

[Jackrat]

I should be so mid life.

Shouldn't that be? Where does he live??

[Bonez]

Shouldn't that be? Where does he live??

Do ya think they'd make a nice couple JR?

[Wolf]

i dunno bout you guys, but i had a bolt of lightening today...saw a kid on a "bicycle"...a chopper with pedals! yeesh, even had the pedals up like highway pegs, apehangers, "tank" the works. and i realised, with the rise of "choppers" the bike world is being quietly ridiculed.

After I killed the LS400 - long enough to be be seriously missing having a bike (so it was sometime after the first three days), I saw a bunch of these pimple-faced little punks who couldn't even raise "bum fluff" on their chins riding around Ward Street on their chrome "choppers" and asked one of them how much his bike cost.

"$5000" was the reply!

WTF?! If I'd had $5000 I'd've bought a decent motorbike. How do these kids' parents (somehow I doubt the kids paid for these things themselves unless they've been running drugs) justify spending five or more grand on a stupid "pretend chopper"?

And the kids are all posturing and posing with them and showing off their "pimped rides" to each other.

When we were young and hooning around on our L-registered 125s and showing off, acting like dicks, someone disparagingly referred to us as "Hells Angels on Passolas" (for the benefit of the very young: the Passola was a gutless 50cc scooter) but at least ours were motorbikes (and they largely looked like buckets of shit because we paid for them ourselves, usually on Hire Purchase).

These kids with their multi-thousand-dollar blinged up mutant pushbikes doing the whole "gangsta" thing (yes, bright-coloured satin boxers and a foot of arse crack were both visible over their Levis and they had the peaked-hat-under-the-hoodie thing happening) would have made us look like serious, mature bikers had they been around when I was a pimple-faced dork (I didn't have the bum fluff problem, though - I was shaving long before I was old enough to get a licence.)

I don't give a rat's arse if anyone out there looks upon me as a BAB or in "mid-life crisis". I've been without a bike for a couple of years because I blew my engine up and couldn't afford to repair it or replace the bike. Over the years I've been intermittently bikeless because of lack of funds and always, when I can afford it, I get another bike. I'm not the kind to do the whole "give up riding once I have kids and get back into it once they've left the nest" crap. To be "Born Again" I'd have to have voluntarily given up bikes and for a lot longer than a couple of years.

Mid-life Crisis? We'll I'm 42 but the only "crisis" I've had lately was blowing up the bike's engine which had the effect of stopping me riding a bike, not starting...

[Edit] And I'm not remotely respectable...

[chickenfunkstar]

Who really cares?

Everyone has got different reasons for riding. Everything from looking cool in front of their mates to getting an adrenalin rush at the weekends or just as an effective way to avoid traffic on the way to work. What makes any of these reasons 'more right' than others?

Looking down upon those who occasionally ride their expensive bike a handfull of times a year, seems just as bad as them looking down upon you because you ride a bike which is more than 2 years old and from Japan.

[DirtMad]

Who really cares?

Everyone has got different reasons for riding. Everything from looking cool in front of their mates to getting an adrenalin rush at the weekends or just as an effective way to avoid traffic on the way to work. What makes any of these reasons 'more right' than others.

Looking down upon those who occasionally ride their expensive bike a handfull of times a year, seems just as bad as them looking down upon you because you ride a bike which is more than 2 years old and from Japan.

Thats exactly how I see it too. Regardless or your income/reason(s) for riding - It all comes down that basic "enjoyment of riding". And thats what its really all about.

[Skyryder]

Once there was an alternitive to leathers it was only a matter of time. Not too sure if that's the definitive answer..........or indeed if motorcycling is respectable...................but acceptable????????...................now that's another story.

Skyryder

[SkOrM]

5k for a mini chopper i could get 2 of my beloved FXRs and some gear that amount of money.