Bikers ride Motorcycles. We are Cyclists.

That is all.

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on July 13, 2012 at 2:58am

-ist or -istes:  [from Latin -ista, Greek -istes endings forming agent nouns] One who, or that which, does the action, or specializes in the thing, indicated by the stem or prefix (Eleutherodactylus polemistes, psychiatrist).

 

Motorcyclist

 


Bicyclist 

 

-er One who, that which (promoter).

 

Biker

 


Take your pick, I suppose.  For the most part the term Biker has a connotation of a Harley-rider.  While some are dentists, stock-brokers, and lawyers -many if not most are uncouth, smelly, loud, criminal misogynists.  

 

See Sonny Barger. 

 

Words mean things -often more than a dictionary sometimes can ascribe to them.  I'm no biker.   On or off  of a motorcycle I am a motorcyclist and on or off of a bicycle I am a bicyclist.  I am both things -but never a biker. 

Permalink Reply by Vondo on July 13, 2012 at 3:48am

I don't get why motorcycles are called "bikes" either, since bike is short for bicycle. There's no "b" in motorcycle. In Mexico, a motorcycle is called a "moto" and a bicycle "bici"

Permalink Reply by MagMileMarauder on July 13, 2012 at 3:51am

My guess is that motorcycles were also called motorbikes at some point.

Vondo said:

I don't get why motorcycles are called "bikes" either, since bike is short for bicycle. There's no "b" in motorcycle. In Mexico, a motorcycle is called a "moto" and a bicycle "bici"

Permalink Reply by Casey Carnes on July 13, 2012 at 3:57am

While I am a fan of stereotyping people for what they ride, I don't see Harley Davidson having a revenue of 5.5 billion dollars from just the criminal smelly types :)  

But I'd rather ride my old 2-stroke machine anyways...


James BlackHeron said:

-ist or -istes:  [from Latin -ista, Greek -istes endings forming agent nouns] One who, or that which, does the action, or specializes in the thing, indicated by the stem or prefix (Eleutherodactylus polemistes, psychiatrist).

 

Motorcyclist

 


Bicyclist 

 

-er One who, that which (promoter).

 

Biker

 


Take your pick, I suppose.  For the most part the term Biker has a connotation of a Harley-rider.  While some are dentists, stock-brokers, and lawyers -many if not most are uncouth, smelly, loud, criminal misogynists.  

 

See Sonny Barger. 

 

Words mean things -often more than a dictionary sometimes can ascribe to them.  I'm no biker.   On or off  of a motorcycle I am a motorcyclist and on or off of a bicycle I am a bicyclist.  I am both things -but never a biker. 

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on July 13, 2012 at 4:02am

Ever been to Sturgis, Laconia, or Daytona?

For the most part it is not a stereotype. 

Casey Carnes said:

While I am a fan of stereotyping people for what they ride, I don't see Harley Davidson having a revenue of 5.5 billion dollars from just the criminal smelly types :)  

But I'd rather ride my old 2-stroke machine anyways...

Permalink Reply by Casey Carnes on July 13, 2012 at 4:09am

Haha, Daytona yep.  I just summed it up to most people who can take a week or two off to ride across the country to go drink beer and do burnouts fit that sterotype pretty well.  That and after a week on a bike (either kind) I turn into one of those smelly criminal-looking types too!


James BlackHeron said:

Ever been to Sturgis, Laconia, or Daytona?

For the most part it is not a stereotype. 

Casey Carnes said:

While I am a fan of stereotyping people for what they ride, I don't see Harley Davidson having a revenue of 5.5 billion dollars from just the criminal smelly types :)  

But I'd rather ride my old 2-stroke machine anyways...

Permalink Reply by Adam "Cezar" Jenkins on July 13, 2012 at 4:43am

I always get excited to see a bike event down here, but of course they mean motorcycles. :)

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bedno on July 13, 2012 at 4:52am

Sadly, I watched the same thing happen to "skater", which used to mean ice or roller or inline, and now is assumed as board.  I can no longer say I skate or am a skater because another sport stole it.

I would LOVE for us to re-take bike and biker from our lazy cousins, but figure it'll take another few decades, once oil is gone.

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on July 13, 2012 at 5:26am

To my knowledge, the only successful defense of this type of "name creep" occurred in the '90's when people who wanted to be triathletes (but couldn't swim), attempted to co-opt the name "biathlon." The bike/run discipline ultimately adopted the name "duathlon."  This compromise was no doubt achieved due to the fact that the biathlon people all had guns. 

Andrew Bedno said:

Sadly, I watched the same thing happen to "skater", which used to mean ice or roller or inline, and now is assumed as board.  I can no longer say I skate or am a skater because another sport stole it.

I would LOVE for us to re-take bike and biker from our lazy cousins, but figure it'll take another few decades, once oil is gone.

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on July 13, 2012 at 5:28am

yeah I know people who are both.  I use the words interchangeably.  Maybe I shouldn't?

Shawn C. said:

I ride both types so "biker" is still applicable. 

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on July 13, 2012 at 5:31am

+1

Although they are basically just long-distance precision paper-punches.  

Kevin C said:

To my knowledge, the only successful defense of this type of "name creep" occurred in the '90's when people who wanted to be triathletes (but couldn't swim), attempted to co-opt the name "biathlon." The bike/run discipline ultimately adopted the name "duathlon."  This compromise was no doubt achieved due to the fact that the biathlon people all had guns. 


Permalink Reply by Vondo on July 13, 2012 at 5:37am
To me, Harley also brings up images of middle aged, affluent suburban guys who only bring their motorcycles out on sundays in the summer. They order all the fancy factory-custom options and do absolutely none of the wrenching themselves. Sort of like a Haley version of a Fred? Thats the stereotype I think of.

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