What Riding a Motorcycle is Really All About

The motorcycle culture exists as a mainstream society subculture covering both a community and a means of transportation. We focus on giving you the best motorcycle paint for your Yamaha , Harley, and Honda restoration projects but we understand that the lifestyle is so much more than just owning a motorcycle. The stereotypical biker is a rebel considering society's norms and laws irrelevant but instead chooses to dedicate life to the club or as a lone wolf. There are many aspects to the motorcycle lifestyle that outsiders might be surprised to learn.

Riding Makes for Better Drivers

Constant vigilance is required when riding a motorcycle. You must always scan the road for dangers, read the traffic that is surrounding you, and be sure to position yourself to be seen as well as to see. These aspects carry over when driving a car.

There's a Special Language

If you spend any time around bikers, you are bound to pick up some of the slang. Some of it is easy to guess and grasp: an old lady is a wife or steady girlfriend, for instance. A back warmer or backpack, on the other hand, is a girl who is just a friend or acquaintance riding pillion. Weekend warriors are a scoffing term for those who are not actual bikers. Squids, church, OMG, and apehangers are terms that might baffle the casual listener.

Most Clubs Aren't Gangs

Whether you're on a Harley-Davidson, Yamaha, or Honda motorcycle, your brotherhood of leather-wearing motorcyclists are most likely not a gang. Some biker clubs have particular reputations. These are the 1%, known so because, at one gathering, it was declared that 99% of bikers were well-behaved.

Riding is Healthy

Riding a motorcycle burns calories; it also gives most of the muscles a workout. Unlike driving a car, you are not simply sitting on a seat. When riding, you use your legs, arms, lower back, hips, and whole upper body to maintain the balance of the bike and counterbalance weight as necessary. There are a number of tiny movements and adjustments constantly going on while riding.

Bikers Give Back

There are innumerable biker charities around to help out everyone from war veterans to children who are victims of abuse. Many people see bikers and think of them as big, scary people, but in reality, they are normal people with compassion and concern for their fellow man. They raise awareness for diseases and issues, help with literacy, and fight bullying. This is because they've experienced illness and they hope for people to have a feeling of safety. Hundreds of bikers in a convoy are more likely to be part of a charity ride than a bunch of ruffians out to wreak havoc.

Media Misrepresentation

Movies, television shows, and news coverage like to focus on the 1% clubs as well as those novice riders who act recklessly. Neglected from coverage are bikers doing charity runs for veterans of wars, bikers passing out toys to children in hospitals, or bikers simply trying to save money and time commuting by switching to a motorcycle. These events occur far more often than those events focused on by the media, yet receive minimal to no mention anywhere.

Hands Off Others' Bikes

Random people of the public sometimes have atrocious manners when it comes to motorcycles that are out and about. They grab a stranger's handlebars, throw a leg over to sit astride, and even put their kids on bikes without seeking permission. There's the risk of damaging the motorcycle paint, setting off an alarm, dropping the bike - or touching the wrong person's bike and losing some teeth! The damage caused could number in the thousands of dollars.

Transportation as Meditation

The freedom of riding is that it forces you to live inside the present moment. Many people say they live thus, but few actually attain it. Too much time is spent worrying about various aspects of life. When riding a motorcycle, you need to focus on the immediate moment to get home safe. It is somewhat like meditation, but it is a type of meditation where the whole body is involved and engaged.

Whether displayed in custom motorcycle paint or simply declaring allegiance to a manufacturer, from a Honda motorcycle to a Harley-Davidson, personality is on vivid display when riding a motorcycle. There are many sub-cultures inside the biker community.