Bikers v/s motorcyle riders

I outran a dude riding a more powerful bike in a short drag race. So what?

It emphasises what I have been talking abt the past couple of posts.

As soon as the lights turned green, he started accelerating like crazy. I pulled at my throttle too and while I passed him, I could take a look at him then at his bike and then him again and shook my head at him and pulled away as if he was on a small bicycle- all he became was a speck on my bike's mirrors. He pottered along at a civilized pace after I slowed down a little distance away.

I normally dont drag anymore but it does diss me off that sm ppl thnk that just 'cos they have a powerful machine with them, they need to show off and especially when they dont respect their machines. This guy had a more powerful bike but he did not know how to ride it.

He doesn't seem to have maintained the bike well. He ddidn't seem to have any idea about the the correct shift points. He did not take out time to learn about his machine nor accord it the treatment and care it deserved. He obviously had no respect for his bike. He is just another guy with a motorcycle, not a "biker".

Just before we both had got the red, two cars zoomed by like madmen, jumping the light and into oncoming traffic! This must have pumped up the motorcycle guy and I guess I thought I should just tame him a little bit. But ever so often I have to come terms with the fact that people have to realise a lot of things themselves and that no matter how much u try to fix them, help them or tell them things they need to know (even if they wont believe you), they will only learn when they screw up real bad. "Luck" is relative- many people escape a dozen cars coming their way, while some die by just jumping a light. The trick is to keep our eyes & ears open for traffic and lights. And ofcourse, have respect for our machines.

Why you like cars.

I discussed biker boys in the last post and what separates from those who prefer 4 wheels to two. I am not sure how deep anyone got in that complex network of metaphors, but I will try to make it easier here while explaining why people prefer cars.

The biggest reason why people like cars is because everyone is “okay” with cars. Have you ever heard anyone protest when you announce that you will buy yourself a car? But if you announce that you are buying a bike, the reaction could range from excitement to warnings of biking being unsafe and long lecture about accidents happening and the inevitable comparison with cars, and the latter being safer!

It is this easy acceptability that works for cars. However, the charm of buying a bike is not about rebelling and going against popular opinion. It is in who we are inside and what these set of two wheels mean to us. We know people would come around- it is not always easy but I tell you, it’s more fulfilling.

Cars also provide an escape from the weather outside. In the summer heat, the ac is the biggest friend. In the rains, the roof is much welcome. You see, cars won’t let you smudge your make up and keep your face clean. Your clothes will stay ironed and your hair in place - no need to run to the washroom to fix yourself up before you present yourself to others. Who’s got time to do all that after all? Bikes will only let you be with the elements and make you aware of what is happening around you. And at the end of the ride, you are pumped up even more. That’s all.

People also like cars because they can get away with mistakes. When driving, if you over steer or run over a bump, nothing much will happen. On the other hand, on a bike, every small mistake is magnified a 100 times over and something small like braking too hard can throw you off the bike. The good news is that with every fall we become smarter. We become more aware of what we need to do and when. We usually will not repeat the same mistakes. We learn to respect our bikes because we learn that it is only then that we will we earn their’s – this is what will make us real bikers.

I have nothing against cars really. It’s a good vehicle if a lady companion needs to wear a dress to the ball. The problem is actually with the car lovers who are bike skeptics. They sneer down on bikes and refuse to take their polished heeled shoes out of their ass. Bikers can easily be car lovers but those who like only cars; they are just a speck on the biker’s mirrors.

Biker Boy explained: The concise version

“Biker boy”. To most these two words mean someone crazy about bikes, non serious about life and generally a very casual person. They wouldn’t be too wrong and they couldn’t be way off the mark either!

A biker, as everything else, is highly misunderstood. In fact, the very notion of a biker is understood by very few, including those who ride bikes! I will be putting across very very briefly who a real biker is and what differentiates bikers from those who prefer cars over bikes. For this particular piece, “bikes” = motorcycles. And what is the evidence? My experiences and my life.

A biker is not just someone who rides a bike. He/she rides a bike, respects it and is passionate about just being astride on it. A biker is NOT someone who rides fast, zips through traffic, drinks beer, smokes, curses, has tattoos- basically a real biker is NOT irresponsible nor is he immature.

Bikes are huge responsibility. A real biker always keeps his bike clean, knows how to enjoy the ride even within speed limits, follows traffic rules, wears his attitude on his lid, keeps the engine running clean and always has a steady head every time he/she’s on the bike. In short, a biker respects his bike because he knows that only then will his bike respect him back.

So what separates the bikers from car lovers? The “edge”.
The foremost excuse for any person who prefers cars over bikes is the “safety” factor. I know more people who have been killed in car crashes and in any case, nothing’s really safe if you have to get statistical.

I know more people who really drive their cars like dogs and think its safer speeding in their tin boxes. There is hardly any love, let alone respect for their cars. It’s just the comfort factor you see. Comfort- ah, because one doesn’t have to shift their butts every time a corner comes and not get “scorched” by the summer sun or “frozen” in the winter winds or “drenched” in the rains.

Life isn’t really comfortable but bikers enjoy any type of weather as long as they get to ride their machines. They dont care if they have dirt across their faces or bugs crushed on their visors. They don’t need anything else in the world as long as they can do this. And that is reason enough for them to have a stupid smile plastered across their face. Nothing less, nothing more.

Isn’t that what contentment is about?


Life is the biggest metaphor. That’s why it’s never simple.