what makes a 'rider'

[aussieidiot]

gotta say this is great to get everyone's perspective. i feel similar to tange, that you have to ride for the love of it more than just watch on TV. i don't have the time to watch all the races but will watch the highlights. all day while stuck in my work ute, i'm longing to be on my blade.

[speediva]

The TV comment came from the list of names, of which I RECOGINIZED one, and did not even know how I knew it. I hate watching bikes on TV... it's all a bunch of ugly guys with nasty bitches holding umbrellas. What a trashy look at my sportsWOMANship!

[SamBlob]

Originally Posted by saturntangerine

I hate watching bikes on TV... it's all a bunch of ugly guys with nasty bitches holding umbrellas.

Hmm... I'm an ugly guy... maybe I should get into bike racing in order to get into the nasty umbrella bitches... nah, part of my ugliness is that I weigh over 300 pounds; this alone would make me uncompetetive. The fact that I couldn't find my braking and traction limits with a GPS, a metal detector and a mirror, would further ensure that I wouldn't qualify...

[Tetsuo]

There are multiple perspectives that makes a rider but one thing is for certain is that he or she enjoys the act of riding. As dumb as it sounds I enjoy the freedom I get when strolling around town and running errands on my bike.

There are different degrees to a rider as well. The sport of motorcycle racing and the men who go out doing what they love and put into a competitive level. There seems to be a stigma with watching racing on the television. I don't think it's bad for a person to watch a race or so on the tube. If I lived in Europe I would go to a lot of the GPs to watch them trackside. Living in Colorado the only professional level racing I attend is the AMA Superbike event at PPIR since it's so close to me. Since racing is an interest of mine I will watch the races that come up. Think of it as the basketball fanatic who loves to play the game with his pals as well as watch the college and professional players on the television all the while making trips to the home games.

I use to partake in the cycleworld community, in which I went on several touring rides around Colorado with other riders in the state. Some of them are really knowledgeable riders who too enjoy and view most of the motorcycles races. Whatever.

[TEXAS-HOTROD]

I guess I never really thought of what the difference is between being a rider and a biker. I guess we all have an idea of what a poser would be.

Many yeras ago I lived, ate, and slept bikes. It was used as daily transportation and for entertainment on weekends. If I wasn't working or sleeping, I either had the bikes loaded up and heading out or I was out on two wheels. I always considered myself as a biker, and the thought of being a rider never crossed my mind. I guess it all depends on where you're at and what you're doing.

There's very few races that I really keep up with. I prefer the ones where the front-runners effortlessly lap the field. If they're going to win, I like to see them win big. I was impressed w/the Ducati 999 when it was introduced in Moto GP. It was light-years ahead of everything else at the time (The same for the 996 when it hit the scene). The Ferraris decimate the competition in F-1 just like Ricky C. has done in moto-x. It takes the machine and the talent to win.

There's fine line between being a biker and a rider. I can see where the guy (or gal) who is the fastest at the track or the one who busts off a big wheelie in view of all to see would be called a good "rider". When I see a group of bikes out on the interstate or meet a loaner packed up on a KLR 650 (or XR650L, etc) in the deserted back country, "biker" comes to mind.

Biker? Rider? Not to worry, it's all close enough to almost be the same. Make sure you go out and have fun.
Just don't be a poser.