 |
| Rumblings Recent Rides Other Riders' Stories Coming Attractions Favorite Links Send me E-MAIL More Rumblings: Memories... The Wave Why I Ride LOUD Pipes Crotch Rockets It's the Ride... Uniforms |
| home l rumblings l recent rides l other riders' stories l coming attractions l links |
|
| Back in 1968 I was sitting in my neighbor’s living room, in a duplex
he rented for a $100 a month, talking with a bunch of my friends.
Sitting around the room were a goodly number of “non-conformists”
as we hippy types were affectionately known in those days. Most of
these people opposed the war, opposed big government, hated Nixon,
wanted to screw the establishment, were pro civil-rights, loved trees,
and were generally malcontents. All of this sounded good but these
revolutionaries were all more-or-less married or living together,
and holding down full time jobs while often raising at least one small
child. As I looked at this motley crew, I realized that no matter how much we protested or complained about those over 30 and not wanting to conform to the establishment’s rules, we pretty much conformed to our own set of rules and images of what a non-conformist should look like. We all wore long hair, beards and mustaches; bell bottomed trousers, and tie-dyed shirts. In other words, if it was them against us, we were at least able to identify them and us by the clothes we wore and how we wore our hair, both facial and otherwise. Fast-forward some thirty-five years and I’m standing in the parking lot across from Alice’s Restaurant with a couple of riding buddies. As we’re inspecting the different bikes, I start to notice the riders that go with them. Sure enough, the “dress alike” phenomenon is alive and well in motorcycling just as it was with my hippy friends. Today motorcycles are more narrowly defined than they were 35 years ago. Where we used to have standards, we now have cruisers, performance cruisers, tourers, sport tourers, sport bikes, and I’m sure there must be another one or two types I’m leaving out. If not, there will be by the time I finish this article. Just like in my hippy days, each group wants to distinguish itself from the other groups and the easiest way to do that seems to be with clothing. I bet I could show you pictures of three different riders and you could tell me what type of bike they rode. Hell, I don’t even need to show you pictures, I can describe someone and you tell me what bike you thing they ride. Rider #1, is mid to late forty’s, wears a black leather jacket or vest with black leather chaps and “truckers” boots. He or she often wears a black tee shirt from a dealer and it will almost always have the brand name of their favorite bike on the shirt. If they carry a wallet, it’s often attached to their belt by a chain. They often have facial hair, a beard or mustache, and it’s often gray. If they must wear a helmet, it’s a pot helmet but never more than a three-quarters model. These riders are often slightly out of shape. Name the type of motorcycle they ride. Rider #2, is young, maybe teens or early twenties and also wears full leathers. His or her leathers are usually tighter fitting and will normally be black along with another color; red, white, or yellow. Rider number 2’s leathers have plastic protection on the outside of the leathers at the elbows, shoulders, and knees, often slightly offset from the center of the knee. This rider will usually have short hair, maybe an earring, usually no facial hair. He/she will wear a full face helmet usually painted in more than one color, the same red, yellow, white, and black of their motorcycle painted with a graphic design. Their boots are high tops and blend in perfectly with their leather pants. These young studs are more often than not, slim and in good shape. Name the type of bike they ride. Rider #3, our last rider is also middle aged with graying hair and is wearing a one piece, synthetic suit or a two-piece synthetic jacket and pants. Sometimes the jacket is worn without the pants, but they own them and wear them on long trips. These suits have elbow, shoulder, and knee protection built in so it can’t be seen. Under the suit are jeans and tee shirts with the name of a poker run on it or a Ride for Kids event they participated in. They will often arrive with their wife or girl friend on the back of their bike and she will often be dressed like her beau. Their helmets are usually one color and also match. Both riders are often no longer slim. It is not unusual for them to own more than one motorcycle, usually of a similar type but smaller for riding solo. Name the type of bike they ride. This brings me back to my original point. As much as we would like to believe that we are all ‘unique,” we seem to have the need to be around others who like the same things we like, who dress like we dress, and who can be easily identified. Since you can wear a tutu and still ride a motorcycle, it would seem the way we dress is obviously a statement about the image we have of our bikes and the people who ride them. An interesting aside about those friends gathered in the living room back then is the image we were projecting did not correspond to the reality of who we were. Almost none of us actually took part in anti-war protests, I did walk picket lines in front of Safeway to boycott grapes, but I was never abusive or profane, and all of us turned out to be law-abiding, tax paying members of society. It turned out we were right about Nixon and the war, but most of those young people of 35 years ago, today look a whole lot like their parents did then. I find this same thing to be true today. No matter what “uniform” a fellow motorcyclist is wearing, particularly if it’s the “bad ass” uniform, I’ve always found bikers to be friendly, ready and willing to talk motorcycles, and generally law-abiding, tax paying members of society. Go figure. Now I will allow that it could be that these other riders are just humoring me hoping I will go away, but I don’t think so. In this case, the clothes do no make the man. Now once in a while, I see a person who owns a touring bike, for example, but dresses like he rides a big cruiser. I always feel a little sorry for this rider, don’t you? It’s like he’s trying to pass for someone he’s not, and that’s sad. If you can’t afford the actual cruiser you want, but you like that image, buy a metric cruiser copy and paint is so most people can’t tell from a distance. True, owners of the real thing will call you a poser, but that’s the price we pay for not dressing like our own group. Now I know that this is stereotyping and that many times, stereotypes don’t fit the individual, but I think that as a general description of our riding colleagues, you will have to agree that this one is pretty accurate. Now, if you think I’m all wet, write and let me know. If you think
I’m absolutely on target, write and let me know. If you’re looking
for the answers to the quiz, look down at the bottom of this page.
Meanwhile, try not to change the type of motorcycle you’re riding
unless you can also afford to buy new clothes, and we all know what
a pain in the ass that is. |
| back to top |