steve t.

Nope, I don't judge based on those reasons, I judge people based on their behavior and their level of respect toward others around them. Many demonstrating poor behavior may otherwise be good people. Their behavior, whether they feel they have a right to act in that manner or not, is generally upsetting to the peace, happiness, and safety of those around them; a lack of respect. That "biker" may love his un-muffled exhaust, that "Ricky Racer" may love his 0-100mph acceleration-with-wheelie on city streets, but the law of the land, which generally goes unenforced (for a variety of reasons), plainly states that they cannot behave in that manner. With freedom comes responsibility, and accountability. Too often people forget that.

Check that, they are not free to ride those machines, it is a privilege to do so. They are granted permission, via their license, to use the public right-of-way in a safe, prudent, and responsible manner. Driving/riding a motorized vehicle in a manner contrary to what the law states should be enforced by those charged with the task. Same with bicyclists. And pedestrians.

Now, don't get me started on people who drop cigarette butts out of their car window.

It's all about respect. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Steve.

chrislee99777

Both cycle and bike can means that motorcycle.So I don't mind anyone call me biker or cyclist.

canklecat

I don't attach any emotional significance or value judgment to the terms. I've ridden motorcycles and bicycles, as a commuter and casual rider. I wasn't a "biker" according to the usual perception, but I've known many bikers.

The counter-culture aspect is greatly exaggerated, and the outlaw types are a tiny minority among the already small group of counter-culture but mostly law abiding types. I've met a few former outlaw types who outgrew that phase, got tired of being shot or stabbed, the legal hassles, and settled into a safer counter-culture niche. They have jobs, homes and family lives in which they can still dress and look the same as their bad old days, but will never feel comfortable as conventional suburban types.

Most "bikers" are cosmetic types, enjoying their Harleys, choppers and custom bikes and wearing the costumes. But they're mostly middle class working stiffs and upper class folks enjoying a bit of leather cosplay.

As a bicyclist and motorcyclist I've never experienced an ounce of trouble from bikers. I pass some biker bars a few times a week on my usual rural exercise route. Some of them just smile and wave or offer some words of encouragement.

Now, bars with parking lots filled with pickups but no bikes? Those make me a bit more nervous, near closing time. As the country band used to say at closing time, "Be careful going home and drive in the ditches 'cause the roads are full of drunk sonsab1tch3s."

PatrickGSR94

Yeah but if you think people are going to automatically act that way because of what they're riding, you're stereotyping them. If you see a person come out of a store and hop onto a certain type of motorcycle and immediately think certain things about that person, you're being judgmental.

Up North

Htfu and go ride your bicycle

DQRider 

I've read what everyone has to say here, but stayed my hand. I wasn't going to weigh-in here, even though I am eminently qualified to do so, because it might just turn into a book.

I've ridden both motorcycles and bicycles all of my life, and for almost 20 years I wrote for motorcycle publications and blogs on the subject of exploring our modern world on motorcycles. At 52 years of age, I think maybe I have learned a thing or two about all three groups of people: "bikers" - folks who ride motorcycles and are very passionate about conducting themselves according to a certain code of honor.

"Cyclists" - folks who ride, and often race, bicycles and are very passionate about it, but cover the spectrum of occupations and political leanings otherwise.

Finally, "Bikers(tm)" - Those who buy into the whole counter-culture, pre-packaged "lifestyle" as espoused since the 1980s by rich, corporate executive types who felt their image needed the sort of macho boost that riding a Harley Davidson would give them. Malcolm Forbes and his "Capitalist Tools" motorcycle club were the prototype for this particular subgroup. Since then, it has morphed into this huge, commercially successful, and socially irritating phenomenon that was lampooned in the movie "Wild Hogs".

Within this group are people who sit on city councils, or occupy other positions of authority (Saint Paul's long-time police chief was a notorious "Biker(tm)") - which allows them to make it official policy to ignore noise laws that they and their "bros" routinely flaunt - or worse; selectively enforce those laws against authentic bikers, while giving people of their own subgroup a pass.

So...

What does it mean when someone refers to a cyclist as a biker? Simply that the person assigning this label doesn't belong to, nor really care about, any of these groups. Although I do find it interesting that they would never refer to a person riding a "Hog" as a cyclist.

12strings

I think this sums it up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q80_BtDpkbk

:-)

McBTC

...biker comes from the arameic word cyclosian or cycloid that in ancient Greek was known as a bikre --i.e., a person who moves about while holding something between the legs.

no motor?

I was a motorcyclist for many years and many miles, and the term biker had different meanings there too but all of them involve people riding (or at least owning) motorcycles. I tend to agree with Steve, and still wonder why people would refer to a bicyclist as a biker as they don't have a motor.

asindc

Whenever I'm at a light with motorcyclists, I say, "Why don't you get a real bike?" Never fails to get at least a smile.

Seattle Forrest

According to the dictionary, a cyclist is a person who is riding a bicycle.

no motor?

You're probably about the same age I am. In the '70's the guys in the tee shirts that said they'd rather see their sister working in a ***** house or "chrome don't getcha home" and I were polar opposites but by 15 - 20 years ago I found I had more in common with them than the newer poser out for a brief ride from bar to bar. There were many times when I'd end up at at stop light next to one of them while I was riding my dirty airhead boxer with out of state plates and we'd look and nod to each other. I'd be wearing my full face helmet and well worn goretex riding jacket, while they'd be wearing well worn leathers or the ubiquitous black tee shirt but we were both out riding instead of sitting in a bar on a nice day. I think they knew I'd done a lot of the work on the bike as well as put a lot of the miles on and they respected that a lot more than the ability to buy a newer bike that had been modified to look like their friends bike by someone else. I rode by some of the 1%ers a few times too and never had a problem with them. I always made them look "bad" and they didn't bother anyone else either. But the outside noisy, inside empty types are another story.

***** It looks like the senors don't like the vulgar term for a woman who exchanges sexual favors for money.

StanSeven

I ride regularly in the countryside of so Maryland. It's filled on weekends with Harley riders. Their motorcycles are extremely loud and owners lobby that loud pipes are necessary for safety. If that's the case why are other motorcycles quiet by comparison. They also ride in two columns hugging the center line and shoulder. They claim that's necessary to avoid road grease. Funny but Harley's are the only ones that do that. What's upsetting is when cyclists are on the shoulder they don't move and smile about how close they come.

steve t.

I am not stereotyping the person, and I don't think they are automatically going to act any sort of way. Again, as in my previous messages, I am judging the person's behavior (not the person) based on actions I have witnessed with my own eyes and ears.

As I sit here now, inside my closed-up house, 7 houses away from the end of the block where there is a stoplight, I was suddenly made aware that the light turned green coming in my direction. I knew this because of the muffler-free, 4-cylinder engine motorcycle that launched from a standstill and tore up my street in the matter of just a few seconds, winding the throttle hard and hitting 3rd gear in front of my house, continuing to accelerate and upshift as they went by. (My street has a 30mph speed limit.) So, my rattling storm windows from the noise and being keyed into the elapsed time of travel and shift pattern allowed me to conclude that the rider was, in the eyes of the law, misbehaving. There is no stereotyping going on. This machine is outfitted with a non-DOT-compliant exhaust system and the rider is using excessive speed, both violations of established law. For all I know, this person, be they man or woman, young or old, rich or poor, rough-edged or refined, etc., may be a wonderful person in all other facets of life. But just now on their motorcycle, they were misbehaving and being disrespectful toward the residents of the neighborhood.

Steve.

FBinNY 

People know you, they see you when they're speaking to you, so what does it matter what word they use to describe you, since you know what they mean.

I prefer bicyclist to make it clear that we're not talking about a motorcyclist, but I'm not offended or upset in any if someone describes me as a biker. It's a case of you can call me Ray, or you can call me Jay, or.......

As I used to tell people in another context, "You can call me anything you want, as long as you don't call me too late for dinner."

avidone1

Biker to me means motorcyclist
cyclist to me means bicyclist
Apparently I'm not the only one.
Google each of the two words separately and see what comes up

kickstart

But don't forget that as often as not, those stereotypes are exactly what the people who fit them desire to be taken for.

FWIW, thats an admission, not an accusation.

NYMXer

It doesn't matter to me what I am called, as long as I am not called late for dinner, lol

On a more serious note that is sure to offend some here, from a newbie to cycling's point of view, whenever someone that I meet refers to themselves as a "cyclist", they usually say so in a snobbish sort of way and look down their noses at anyone who does not distinguish themselves in the same manner. Then these "cyclist" will go out on our club ride, ride 3-4 abreast, cross the yellow line, hold up traffic, run red lights and ignore stop signs (you got to get KOM!). These same people hate when you can ride at their level and refuse to get dropped but will never offer a word of encouragement. I think the term "snobs" is very fitting in these cases. Mind you, not all "cyclists" are snobs, but too many are and it hurts our sport.

Then, I meet people who "ride" bikes, friendly, helpful, generous and considerate of others, They follow the rules, share experiences and offer advice, congratulate you when you out climb them. They don't care what you call them, they enjoy the comradery of a common bond. Whether it is road, mountain or a cruiser ride down the street, they are just happy to be out there enjoying themselves and glad that no one called them late for dinner!

Some might even see themselves in my description, others, hopefully not. It seems to me that the higher up the ladder a rider thinks they are, or the more "elite" they feel, the worse the ego and snob level. It's almost as if it isn't about the fun factor for them anymore, just about hammering out a fast Strava segment. For me, life is too short for that. I choose to live to ride, not ride to live.

Rant off, not directed at only one in particular, just using a very broad brush

Worknomore

I have to drive to get to the really good cycling roads where I live. Tiring of driving my truck I made a little trailer to haul my bicycle to tow with my old beater Harley. Now I can get a motorcycle and bicycle ride in one shot. Win, win till I read this thread. Now I'm soooo confused. Dont know what i am on those days.

RonH

I've been riding for 16 years and I feel the same. There are lots of cyclists in my area but WAY more bikers. Motorcycles are everywhere.

1989Pre 

Unfortunately (or fortunately), this is all true. When I spent a year with a cycling club, we would
amass before the ride, with the various pace groups hanging together. The farther down the line you went from the 18+ average (pace) group, the nicer the people were. I hung out with the Sonics (16mph or slower). Like you said, NYM, it is about the comeraderie. I learned a lot about values after getting hammered by adrenal fatigue from overtraining in 2009.

big chainring 

I joined a cycling club that practiced a type of Sharia law. I made the mistake of waving to other cyclists, my hand was removed in abrupt fashion. Another member had to take a natural out on a ride, he lost his Johnson. Some of these clubs are getting "out of hand".

kickstart

Easy, a "motor-cyclist".

OldsCOOL

Cyclist.

2 Piece

Bike is slang/ short for bicycle. Has nothing to do with how a two wheel cycle is powered. I take offence when someone calls them selves a biker when they actually mean motorcyclist. I tell them to get off their lazy ass and start peddling if they want the right to be called a biker.
Now, to me a person who rides their bicycle all the time in all types of weather, utilitarian- commuter is a biker. Someone who only rides on pretty days usually on group rides, and wears spandex, is a cyclist.
And just to get a little more technical slang for motor cyclist would be motor biker but since motorcycles do not have motors (they have engines) proper slang name would be engine biker.
I ride my bicycle about 50% percent of the time, my Kawasaki Versys 1000 about 45% of the time and my car the other 5% of time.