Round here the cyclists are working to reclaim the word Biker.
Pedalplay have got a bunch of shirts silkscreened up with various closups of bike parts, and the word BIKER in big letters.
In fact, I'm wearing one right now. Its got a track hub laced 3x on it.

I agree that in our common lexicon cyclist is more apt to mean a bicyclist and biker is more apt to mean motorcyclist. However, if you look at the words they come from it makes more sense to switch the terms as there is no 'bike' found in the word motorcycle while there is in bicyclist. How did motorcyclists hijack our word 'biker'? I propose a worldwide campaign to correct the meanings of these words! ;-)
Hjeand

Hence why I'm not "|3||<ER"

I kind of contadict myself. I always refer to bike rides as cyclists, despite what my screen name says.

The way I see it, folks who ride bicycles and motorcycles are some what similiar - we enjoy the freedom of not being in a car, but as a result, the cars have problems seeing us. In an age of cellphones, super quiet cabins, and other ways of isolating the driver from the world, I don't think even a HD's engine noise is enough to get noticed. Perhaps this is why whenever I'm riding the NH White Mountains, I got the thumbs up from motorcyclists and bicyclists alike, especially around the grim make shift crosses by the sides of the road.

I'm going to ride my mountain cycle this weekend. Want to go mountain cycling with me? Just doesn't sound right. If one rides a bike, seems to me they're a biker. Sounds like one needs to take up his beef with the powers that be at Merriam-Webster.

In the very early years of motorized transportation bicycles would have motors attached to them and were called motorbikes. Cycles with engines powerful enough not to require pedals were referred to as motorcycles. In all cases anyone riding a two-wheeled vehicle, Motorized or not, was referred to as a biker. Over the past few years and especially with fuel prices having been very high the past two years caused a resurgence of electric and ICE engines being attached to bicycles. Thus, a resurgence of motor-bikers and a distinctly different riding style and attitude differing from both bicyclists and motorcyclists. The Chinese prompted the resurgence of this aspect of cycling by importing millions of small and inexpensive bicycle engine kits manufactured to be installed on the very popular Chinese Flying Pigeon bicycles. These bicycle engines are adaptable to fit bicycles available in the USA. So many were imported the EPA attempted to ban them from importation but thousands are still being imported across the Canadian border when most border crossings are unmanned on weekends.

V-Rod is what you're thinking of. All Harleys are quite new. The first thing they change are the pipes to give it back what the EPA stole. Most dealers say that is the first accessory a customer buys before leaving.

Tim

I like to ride and don't really give a damn what anyone calls me.

I refer to my self as a cyclist and my bike as a bike. I am not going to lose sleep over semantics on this one, though.

I can't stand the term "biker" applied to a cyclist. It's a misuse of the word. In the same sense, a Specialized FSR is not a "dirt bike", even though it's ridden on dirt, and a Madone is not a "street bike" when ridden in the city. Words are more useful if their precise meanings are maintained.

I'm a cyclist that also rides motorcycles. I'm not a biker, but bike is a term I use to describe any of my 3 bicycles or my one motorcycle. A ride can be either pedal powered or engine powered. I wave at fellow riders regardless of what kind of bike they are riding and no matter which of my bikes I'm riding. Got it?

We are both cyclists and bikers as we ride bikes/bicycles. Since bikes came out WAY before motorcycles, we should reserve the right to use those terms exclusively. People who ride motorcycles should be called motorcyclists. Or, you can just get over it.

I'm looking to buy a Harley in the next few months myself. I have no problem being a roadie and a Harley rider.

I've never had a run in with anyone on a motorcycle. Cagers on the other hand...

Biker/Cyclist/Pedalist/Two wheeled non-cager...who cares?

I dont really care what non cyclists call me. But, in the presence of other cyclist I expect to be addressed as such, and refer to myself as such.

what about going biking vs going cycling?

i decided to bike over to see a theraper and i almost ran into a cyclist on his harley . . . oh well, bad thread i got started here. my apologies.

I have several peeves, and I gotta tell ya, the dont make good pets.

Grant Peterson has coined the term "cycler" rather than "cyclist." Why? I dunno, why does he insist on putting $20 pedals on $3000 bikes?

Anyway, I happen to have a J.D. and prefer lawyer to attorney. A lawyer uses the law as a tool as a sawyer uses a saw.

What if I ride my bike again? Wouldnt I be a recycler?

I dont think your supposed to use your tool as the law