OK guys and guy'es's title says it all. Me personally , I hate labels, therefore feel self-conscious about being called a 'biker,' i am a motorcyclist who rides every day for commute and leisure. Yes I dress in biker style clothes, but I can change into a suit and tie in minutes, I have been an elected politician for five years (i prefer to be called a community activist). I work in the toughest discipline of construction, Oil and gas. I have a family.

So i believe biker is not my lifestyle,but part of it. I have my own views on what a "biker" is.
 
To me it is a state of mind,a desire to be individualistic, a common ground where I can "click" with like minded people no matter their sex,nationality or religion. A desire to feel part of the world, not be part of it. A way of life that lets me stop in the middle of nowhere with a total stranger,have a smoke or beer and talk about our shared love of motorcycles, and part friends for life,though we may never meet again.Its that wee wave as i pass another biker, I dont know who you are pal, but I know where you are, and why you are there. I make no pre- judgements on people,as they might make on me, I make no apologies for what I am, I make no excuses for what I am. I will fight to defend my fellow bikers, even though they may be wrong, I will fight them after for being wrong.

I have a lot more to say, but i'll say it when my peers have their say....so with your permision I would like to open a debate on what it means to YOU to be a biker, not what others say or what a soundbite from the internet says. YOUR words,YOUR thoughts.

There are some great people on this site,maybe we can shatter some illusions and delusions, throw your thoughts on here...... a lot of us are outspoken and very forceful on issues which affect us...now be outspoken on what we are.

Rory, good friend allow me to wax eloquent here for a moment if ya will.....
WHAT IS A BIKER?..

A "Biker" is someone who recognizes the in depth kinship which exists between his soul at rock rock bottom and the open wind...

A "Biker" is someone who realizes that the troubles and cares of the world will inevitable pass away and his time on this,God's green earth, is limited and the best he/she can do is to know the love and feel the exhilirating rush of the open wind breezin through your hair...
A "Biker" is someone who recognizes kindred spirits in all other riders regardles of the specific manufacturer of the ride and realize that we all are sharing in the same risks and dangers just being on two wheels.

A "Biker" is someone who knows that the bike is just an extension of himself/herself and that all roads must inevitably conclude with meetin your maker in the end. As for myself if i have to 'buy the farm' then let it be on my terms and let me finish the song on two wheels doin what i love to do...

A "Biker' is one who realizes that the spirit is above all things and that in then great synchronicity of this unioverse all things must inevitably return from whence they came...meaning, that if we can feel that call of the wind deep deep down inside the embryo of our soul then it is to that great unknowable source we shall return...
maybe ive smoked way too much weed in my life but this is my worthless two cents...

Wax on SingSingwayne...I need some answers to this thread, today i lost a good friend,a comrade, a man who i consider a true biker, ya, I'm probably maudling in grief and anger, but ...it may give some meaning to his lifestyle, and my envy of it

You are too hung up on titles! Be you, and don't give a f@%k about what other people say or think. Today politicians worry about what their money doanors, and the press say about their image than they do about doing what is right. If you dress in leather and ride a motorcycle and someone calls you a biker! SO WHAT! You do something compasionate and caring and someone calls you a liberal! SO WHAT! You do some methodically and constitutionally and someone calls you a conservative! SO WHAT! You make a remark that is true and someone calls you an asshole! SHOW THEM ONE AND POINT OUT WHERE TO KISS!

TRY NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OR DO NOT!!!!!!!!!!

Goes beyond words....it's in the heart. It's in the eyes,and when you see it...you know it.

Kinda like porn.
Don't know how to define it, but I can tell you when I see it

http://www.cyclefish.com/hambone/blog/84/

nailed it deadnuts turtle! couldn't have said it better myself.

its a big part of who i am, its a belonging to something bigger than me, its the road, the sound of the pipes, that wave from the unknown brother, its just something deep in the soul, its the freedom of the road and the freedom it gives my mind when i ride, i dont need to know your name, how much you make,what you do, where you live or who you know to know your my brother. yes rocknturtle is right its in the heart and you can see it in there eyes.

This was sent to me by a good friend....enjoy

BIKER IN BLACK.

Some think bikers are mean
Some dressed in leathers and others in jeans
You don't like our patches or the clothes that we wear
You hate our bandannas and you hate our long hair
You don't like our scooters and our loud noisy pipes
You think we're not loyal to the stars and stripes
You don't like our patches that are worn on our vests
You think we're so different from all the rest
But the truth is, Mister, we're kind of alike
You drive a car and I ride a bike
You have no tattoos painted on your arm
But we fought side by side over in Nam
So the next time your children are running around
Enjoying their freedom and the fun that they've found
Remember us bikers and all that we do
We feed our lost veterans, we're Red, white and blue !
We bring toys for tots and toys for a smile
By riding our bikes for miles and miles
You see, us bikers have never forgot
Our homeless veterans and our homeless tots
We are loyal to our clubs and true to our bro's
We will always wear black from our heads to our toes
Society once said that long hair was for fags
But you'll never see a biker burning a flag
Now the tattoos and leather you don't understand
Stands for free independence that us bikers demand
Our long hair and patches and bikes with loud pipes
is a tribute to our freedom, the Stars and Stripes
So before you make up your mind on just what I might be
Take a look in the mirror and what do you see?
The man that you see that is staring right back
Is not too much different from that biker in black.

Ride Safe , Ride Free !!

Well said Brothers, Well said..............

 100%

Ride on!

I am a Christian husband, dad, brother, son, uncle, cousin, brother-in-law, son-in-law, nephew, coworker, neighbor, and friend. I ride. I ride a lot. I give a low wave to those I meet on the road even though most neither understand the significance of the wave nor bother to return it. I try to help those in need. I give where/when I can. I pay my mortgage and mow my lawn. I go to work everyday. I don't make excuses and I don't feel the need to explain myself. I pay my taxes and honor our fallen heroes (even when I didn't vote for the Commander-in-Chief). I wear leathers and a helmet. My cut is full of patches (that are significant to me) and it's not the first. I'm an average Joe and I ride. I ride a lot. Am I a biker? That's for other to decide.

RexTheRoadDog, you got what was in my mind, in a nutshell. Thanks!

rory1 - Way cool guestion...

There are two kinds of riders out there...Motorcycle Enthusiasts and Bikers.

A -  Motorcycle Enthusiasts - Fair weather rider, has no problem parking the bike when mama says park it.

B - Biker - Rides year round deals with cold, wet, heat,  fog ect.  either besause he/she lives on the road and always
     on the move or the type I am...I ride year round the only thing that puts me behind the wheel of a cage is if
     there is ice/snow ON the road.  "or if mama says so" lol

A biker has pride/respect for himself/herself as well as people around them including the enviroment
A Biker lends a hand when when it makes sense to.
A biker honors God and Country in their own fashion.
A biker has pride in their ride no matter what flavor of bike they choose and respects others choices as well.

I could go and on and on

There's been more than once I've been in the store all bikered up and have been invited to the
front of the check stand line cause people are wary of us cause of the 1% out there that
make us look badass.
Soooooo when I'm invited to the front I happily accept, pay my purchase and
throw out a bunch of thank yous...

So that's my 2 cents worth
Ride Strong...RandyJoe...

Everyone has had some great comments. I just wanted to add my $.02. A biker doesn't disrespect another biker because of what he rides. What's important is that he's out riding. Too many so called bikers look down on those that don't ride a certain brand, yet many of those same so called bikers have their bikes parked in the garage because the weather isn't nice enough while the same people they look down upon are out riding. A biker is someone that rides because he enjoys the feeling of freedom riding gives them no matter what the weather (within reason). While I may never have the desire to ride what you ride, I will respect you being out there riding.

Hmmph, Seems all the comments on "what is a biker?" are from men. I know there are lots of female "bikers" out there. It just means lovin' your bike, lovin to ride it, not infringing on the rights of others and expecting them to not infringe on yours. The "wee wave" on the highway makes me smile. I always do it. Biker is a state of mind and heart, not about what kind of bike you have, or what you wear when you ride. If you have to have stuff and patches and all that crap, then you probably don't really love the ride as much as you love the stuff. ShadowGal

I ride a bike, I love riding my bike.

I love engines, I love working on them, I love making them run, I love tuning them just right by ear. I love that feeling you get when one I have just built bursts into life.

I love building bikes, I love when they roll for the first time, riding them to check them out to make sure everything is done just right.

I have a wonderful wife, I love my wife, she has given me three wonderful kids. I love teaching my son and my daughters about engines and bikes. I love to watch their faces as something starts to make sense to them. The mirrored look in their faces as they watche a bike come to life.

All of my friends ride bikes except for a couple. I love my friends. I like the fact that sometimes I don't see some of them for a long time but when we meet up it is like we have never been apart. I love the fact that some of them are so close that I trust them more then my real brothers and sisters.

I have got up in the middle of the night to go rescue a friend stuck at the side of the road. I have stopped to help a stranger with a broken motorcycle at the side of the road and fix his bike for him and send him on his way.

I own three suits, one for weddings, one for funerals and one for court appearances. I believe that my bikes come first after my family. I would rather be out in the shed working on my bike than out drinking in the pub if money is tight. I don't go to bike rallys in my jeep/car because I think that is fundamentally wrong. Unless I have the kids/goods/bike parts or animals to transport I am on my bike.

Every bike I ever owned came in a box and let me complete, It was not until I was twenty nine that I was able to buy a second hand Harley sporty and then a Dyna wide Glide and last year was lucky enough to be in a position to buy a new bike, the night train.

Other people opinions of me don't matter to me unless of course they are people I respect

Living life right and correct is in my nature as passed down to me by the biker that took me under his wing when I was a kid, show respect and get respect, I suppose respect all fear none if you will.

This is what makes me a biker and being able to recognize similar in other people makes them bikers to me.

Being tough or mean has nothing to do with it because we can all choose to be mean when we want to. I suppose that we are all tough enough to choose to ride bikes in the first place but that is a different kind of tough.

No matter what your sex is male or female if you ride you bike and you are consumed with passion for it then in my eyes you are a biker.

Rory,I hope this helps, my  brother!

Ok guys ..heres the script, Fainne a friend of mine died sunday morning. This guy (56) was the origional dropout, not the kind of anti-society guy who still manages to collect welfare on thursday,he earned his few bob doing odd jobs around the place, fixing small engines, cutting grass,painting..etc, great character, he always managed to call for his payment around dinner time. You'd ask him did he want a bit of dinner and the standard answer would be "not really,but i may as well seen as I'm here" he would work for a few months and then take off to someplace else in the world, where he probably did the same, always rode old triumphs. A genuine,harmless type of guy, the kind society looks down on. Anyway he was diagnosed with cancer last month, and went on the beer for a while, sold his bike and just made a nuisance of himself...which was normal. He was found hanged Sun...small note said (he was illerate) Fck it lads I'm going my way, not theirs. cremation tomorrow and i must say a few words at it....SingSing, I think I'll quote you word for word, thanks people. Now I'm off out to get off my face with a few of the lads and do a bit of celebrating of Fainne's life....He's gone now, and his like shall not pass this way again...see you all tomorrow.