So I joined a women's riders group..

[Pittenger5]

Girls dont ride bikes!

[GixerJockey]

Girls dont ride bikes!

Richie sucks...

[BMMCBR]

AND.....I've been banned!! Bwahhhh.....

So what was the nail in the coffin?

[mzdagrl]

AND.....I've been banned!! Bwahhhh.....

That didn't take long. Was the consensus that you are really a dude? what's the group?

[nt650hawk]

AND.....I've been banned!! Bwahhhh.....

Jane,
We are so proud of you!

[Jaynnus]

I posted this....and apparently I am judgmental, not kind, I am stereotyping, it was offensive, I need to be more sensitive to others feeling, etc etc etc. And if I laugh at their inability to laugh, I am rude.


I love motorcycles, and I love riding. Like many of you, what first drew me to bikes was not just the experience of riding, but the feeling that I'd become part of a special community—a brotherhood, really. Nothing calms me more than a long ride down the interstate, waving to the members of my beloved clan. Except when I pass Harley guys. I hate Harley guys. Hate, hate, hate. When they pass me on the highway, you know what I do? I don't wave. With their little tassle handlebars and the studded luggage and the half-helmets—God, they drive me crazy.

You know who else I hate? BMW guys. Oh, I do hate those guys. I don't wave at them, either. They think they're so great, sitting all upright, with their 180-degree German engines. God, I hate them. They're almost as bad as those old bastards on their touring motorcycles. You know what I call those bikes? "Two-wheeled couches!" Get it? Because they're so big. They drive around like they've got all day. Appreciate the scenery somewhere else, Grampa, and while you're at it, I'm not waving to you.

Ducati guys—I don't wave at them either. Why don't they spend a little more money on their bikes? "You can have it in any color you want, as long as it's red." Aren't you cool! Like they even know what a desmo-whatever engine is, anyway. Try finding the battery, you Italian-wannabe racers! I never, ever wave at those guys.

Suzuki guys aren't much better, which is why I never wave at them, either. They always have those stupid helmets sitting on top of their stupid heads, and God forbid they should wear any safety gear. They make me so mad. Sometimes they'll speed by and look over at me and you know what I do? I don't wave. I just keep on going. Please, don't get me started on Kawasaki guys. Ninjas? What are you, twelve years old? Team Green my ass. I never wave at Kawasaki guys.

I ride a Honda, and I'll only wave at Honda guys, but even then, I'll never wave at a guy in full leathers. Never, never, never. Yeah, like you're going to get your knee down on the New York Thruway. Nice crotch, by the way. Guys in full leathers will never get a wave from me, and by the way, neither will the guys in two-piece leathers. And I'll tell you who else I'm not waving at—those guys with the helmets with the loud paintjobs. Four pounds of paint on a two pound helmet–like I'm going to wave back to that! I'll also never wave at someone with a mirrored visor. Or helmet stickers. Or racing gloves. Or hiking boots.

To me, motorcycling is a like a family, a close-knit brotherhood of people who ride Hondas, wear jeans and a leather jacket (not Vanson) with regular gloves and a solid-color helmet with a clear visor, no stickers, no racing gloves and regular boots (not Timberlands). And isn't that what really makes riding so special?

[carsick]

You better wave at me next time, because I've tried very hard to be exactly that guy who goes his own way, but buys all the right stuff to belong to an exclusive club so I can fit in. Somewhere I've got a pic of me fitting your above description perfectly. I'm on a Yamaha, but I did own a Honda then....
Life's too short to tolerate people with no sense of humor! Well done.

[TheIglu]

I like Kawasaki's too.

[nhbubba]

Wait.. Suzuki's are out? Nobody told me. I'm off to CL ... hopefully before everyone else catches on.

[dontpanic]

Nuts. Now I've got to sell my two piece leathers.

[SCRLT01]

So full of awesome :-)

[fineout]

bahaha, so they didnt get the joke and banned you? love it

[golden chicken]

I think it's because you used the word 'brotherhood' instead of 'sisterhood'...and you used it twice.

[OreoGaborio]

HA! Too funny!

[aprilb]

I say us ladies start our own Facebook page for women riders and only let in true riders!

[Chippertheripper]

I say us ladies start our own Facebook page for women riders and only let in true riders!

Count me IN!

[DZircher]

I say us ladies start our own Facebook page for women riders and only let in true riders!

So there!!

[Jaynnus]

I say us ladies start our own Facebook page for women riders and only let in true riders!

As opposed to a false rider? What is a 'true rider'?

Just asking, because most people thing only a 'true rider' is someone that is just like them,

[mzdagrl]

As opposed to a false rider? What is a 'true rider'?

Just asking, because most people thing only a 'true rider' is someone that is just like them,

Unfortunately, to many women that seems to be if they ONLY talk about riding and nothing OT. I happen to know a few women who are very much girlie girls and can ride circles around most of us on this forum (yes, guys included). I have gotten pretty and gone somewhere on the bike. I used to work in high heels and a suit, and would ride to work. I didn't always wear riding boots, either. Which one of us is perfect? I can see how having ONLY that to talk about would be annoying, but that doesn't mean any of those women are not "true" riders, maybe they have NESR-type forums to discuss the gritty stuff, and like having other girls to do girlie things with.

Don't get me wrong, I would shake my head too, but I wouldn't automatically assume that they can't ride because they talk about how to keep from getting helmet hair (one reason I keep my hair short) or what makeup doesn't run (I don't wear makeup, but if I did, I'd want to know and I certainly wouldn't ask here).

[aprilb]

A true rider is one who is doing it because he/she wants to do it, not because their significant other wants them too. They respect the machine and the power it has behind it. They understand how to ride and are willing to learn on a continual basis. Sure, you want to talk about how not to get helmet hair, I get it. It does suck taking off your helmet and your hair is completely messed up! But riding with high heels on? No way, you are not respecting the power of the machine and what could happen if there was a crash. Those high heels are protecting nothing! A true rider is true to motorcycling, which is different for everyone obviously, but there is a bottom line of what is acceptable and what is not. And obviously there are different opinions and if a Facebook group or group of riders doesn't share your same opinion then that group is not for you. Find like minded and enjoy yourself as you are most likely not going to change the opinions of those who differ from you. But it comes down to a mutual respect between you and the bike, because if that respect is lacking you are going to get yourself killed, or worse, kill an innocent bystander to your inability to respect the bike and its power

[nt650hawk]

hey April, Jane doesn't care you Ninja girl!!!!!



Ride to just ride. nothing else.

[SteveM]

Your definition.

As was mentioned earlier, defining like this never works. Jaynnus got booted for posting that lighthearted piece that skewers exactly what you just did, definition by exclusion.

If you're on a motorcycle, you're a rider. I'm not here to classify or judge the way you ride unless it puts me in direct danger or threatens my freedom to ride. Even then, it's a slippery slope.

Riding cafe to cafe is riding.
Riding around a track is riding.
Riding long distances on the interstate is riding.
Riding twisties at pace is riding.
Riding scenic roads at a sightseeing pace is riding.
Riding to work is riding.

[gadget]

This thread reminds me of why I hated High School...

[SteveM]

High school is the pinnacle of definition by exclusion

[Cheese]

A true rider is one who is doing it because he/she wants to do it, not because their significant other wants them too.

The first one to get a bike in the relationship is probably the true rider. The second is not a true rider until they've ditched the significant other and kept the bike.