Bikers come in many different shapes and sizes. You can see five people who look completely different yet who all ride motorcycles. Bikers are men, women, young, old, poor, rich, the only thing that brings them together is their love of riding motorcycles. You would never be able to pick out a motorcycle rider in a crowd because they do not all dress like the stereotypical biker we've all heard about. Many don't wear leather, have jackets covered in biker patches, or have long beards. You might be surprised to find that the supermodel has her own Harley Davidson or that the stockbroker rides a Honda. Below are a few of the different types of bikers you might run in to.
The Daily Rider
Some bikers go out of their way to ride every day. They may have found a way of working their motorcycle into their daily lives. They might live in a warm environment where they are able to ride every day. Even those bikers who live in colder areas might endure the slightly cooler temperatures to ride all year around. Some of these riders may not even own other vehicles. Others may have invested in a sidecar or a trailer so they can use their motorcycles for all of their needs, including going grocery shopping or driving their spouse or kids places.
The Working Rider
Other bikers who ride every day have actually discovered how to make money with their motorcycles. They might have found a job as a motorcycle courier or as a delivery person. This is especially true in large cities where traffic can be so backed up that no other vehicles can zip around. Others might work as a motorcycle mechanic. That presents less opportunity for riding, but mechanics do get to test-drive most of the motorcycles they work on just to make certain they got all of the problems fixed.
The Brand Name Biker
These motorcycle enthusiasts are completely loyal to one brand, and that is all they will drive. Brand name bikers who are loyal to different brands often get into long debates over which motorcycle is the best. They are able to recount their brand's history as well as talk about all of the different models that brand has made over the years. You'll often be able to spot them because they will be decked out in gear with their favorite biker company's logo all over it. You'll see Harley-Davidson lovers wearing patches like the Harley Davidson Eagle Patch, while Honda lovers may wear the Honda H logo.
The Motorcycle Club Biker
This is the type of biker who loves doing things in a group. He or she joins a motorcycle club and participates in many different events. These bikers usually are pretty social and have a good number of friends who also love riding. They might even be an officer in their club and help plan events. Like the brand name biker, motorcycle club bikers also usually have a jacket full of patches, but some of those patches list the name of their club and their rank in it. These bikers usually ride a lot more often than casual bikers do, but they might not get to ride every day.
The Lone Wolf Biker
Those who do not particularly like riding with others are called lone wolf bikers. They are not part of a motorcycle club, and while some of them don't mind riding with others, many love being alone with their bike. This type of biker loves his freedom. He is not accountable to a club or to anyone else when he's out riding. A lone wolf biker isn't always easy to spot, but some do wear lone wolf patches on their jacket to keep those pesky biker club recruiters away.
The Casual Biker
On the other end of the spectrum are those casual riders. These bikers may not have any motorcycle patches on their jackets or really care about biker clubs. They just like riding a motorcycle, and they do so whenever they feel like it or have the chance. Sometimes they only ride a few days out of the month. They might not really have a brand preference or want to learn more about motorcycles. To them, it's just a hobby and, while they love it, they're not going to go out of their way to be a part of the motorcycle riding community. These casual riders may be the hardest to pick out, but that does not mean they don't love riding just as much as others or that they are less of a rider.
The Collector
This type of biker usually has a lot of money and loves to spend it on motorcycles. Collectors will usually have several different bikes, and they're often limited editions or special editions. They may not ride them that much, but they keep them very well maintained. Their motorcycles look amazing and, even if these are not ridden that much, you know they're in great condition. Some riders look down on collectors because they don't ride that much, but anyone who spends that much money on motorcycles has to truly love them even if they don't get out on the open roads that much.
The Motorcycle Lover
All of the above bikers also fall under the category of motorcycle lovers. Anyone can enjoy biking. It is a hobby, a way of transportation, an integral part of work, and so much more. It does not matter what category you fit in or if you don't fit into any category at all. If you love riding your motorcycle, you are a biker. In the end, that's really all that's important.
