Different Types of Riders You Will Encounter
The motorcycle community is a diverse crowd, and why not? There are so many different styles of bikes and riding gear on offer that there is enough to cater to all tastes. From rocket bikes to custom built bikes with a paint job done with high-quality motorcycle paint. Every rider is an individual and will have a motorbike which matches with their unique personality. One thing we all share is an understanding of what it means to be a biker, the freedom that comes with it and the pleasures of an open road.
The Retro Rider
These are not to be confused with your modern-retro bikes, only true vintage is good enough for them. They create their own family, ride at their own pace, and deny the existence of any modern motorbike.
Truth be told though; we all do love the look of their vintage bikes.
The Die-Hard Harley Fans
Harley riders are die-hard fans of the American manufacturer, and adamant their ride is completely different to anything else on the road. The powerful V-Twin motors do sound nice and make cruising a real pleasure.
The Poser
There is a little bit of poser in all of us. We all like to stand next to our bike and have good looking gear, but this rider takes it to the extreme. They don’t tend to know anything about motorcycles, but their social media posts are full of pictures with them standing next to it.
The Adventure Tourer
The rider who believes a bike can go anywhere. They tend to ride solo and are rarely seen in city limits and roads. They believe you need to ride to international interest point solely on two wheels and the further away the better to enjoy their motorcycle.
The Do It Yourself Riders
We all appreciate the small jobs you can do yourself, rather than taking your ride to a mechanic. Well, these riders have never seen the inside of a garage that isn’t their own. Most of us riders fear breaking down, not this one. They will have a neat toolkit stored away on their bike ready to fix anything that might go wrong.
The Hardcore Commuter
Like the postal service, these riders will ride come rain, shine, or snow. They have every bit of gear you can imagine and will not be put off by adverse weather conditions.
The Squids (Freaks)
The squid is a dangerous type of rider. You might seem them popping wheelies at triple digit speeds in just a t-shirt, shorts and trainers. If left alone, Squids are only a danger to themselves. We all enjoy a cool stunt, but these guys give the rest of us bikers a bad name.
The Newbie
Nobody has escaped being a ‘newbie’. These riders are excited about getting their first bike but are terrified (and rightly so) on their first group ride. But they don’t let it show. Riding is a skill in which you are constantly learning, helping each other out, especially newbies is what keeps the riding brotherhood strong, and we have all been there.
The Slow Rider
There is always one in every group ride. They travel at their own pace, regardless of what bike they own, and it is usually slower than the pack. They set their own speed limits in their minds and stick to them. They keep themselves and the riders who ride along with them safe. We admire their persistence for staying at such slow speeds, but at some stage is must get extremely boring, even for the motorbike!
The Ultimate Caretaker
These riders will have the cleanest bike, even down to the minute details. It is a process they are happy to take hours doing, ensuring the nuts and bolts sparkle under the sunlight, blinding anyone who looks upon their beloved steed. They have used cleaning products that you have probably never heard of or knew existed. They’re the type of riders who will frantically clean bugs off their windshield every time they stop. We commemorate your efforts.
The Followers
Admired everywhere they go by people on the street, other vehicles and especially the police. They follow every road law and make sure they ride safely, not just for them, but for everyone around them too. They have never jumped a red light, nor have they ever changed lanes without signalling. They will have all the gear and accessories needed, regardless of how long a ride they are taking. They are the complete opposite to Squids.
The Quitter
Everyone knows their fare share of quitters. The people who dream and tell you all about getting a motorcycle. They are easy to spot too. When you’re looking through second-hand motorbike listing you will see an ad along the lines of: “Need to sell my dream bike. I just don’t have time to ride her and make the most out of her” or “the wife says it is not practical, you can’t have a baby seat on the back”. We don’t question if any of this is true or not, especially if we are getting a good deal, but you know they have given up on their riding dreams, and you can’t help but feel a little sorry for them. But you don’t care too much, because you are getting a great deal from it.
Those are the stereotypical riders we have come across on our travels. There is nothing wrong with being anyone of these kinds of riders, after all, we all ride a bike that matches our personality, we ride at our own style and our own pace, and we ride under what we personally consider safe conditions. No matter which stereotype you fall under, we all understand the passion of riding a motorcycle, and that makes us a brotherhood.