Welcome to Thoughts from the Road. Here’s Andy Davidson on what it means to be real biker…
By Andy Davidson
Mad or Nomad - RTW motorcycle travellers
Andy and Alissa are Mad or Nomad. Together they’ve been riding around the world since 1st January 2018 and run the Mad or Nomad website.
Before their world trip, Andy had been travelling on bikes since he was 17 and took on a number of big trips – including a solo ride at 23 from the UK to Iraq.
He worked as a motorcycle journalist for MCN in the UK for six years before leaving to ride the world indefinitely with Alissa.
You can find out more about their adventures here:
What is a real biker?
Ever wondered what it means to be a “real biker”? No? Me neither – until I had an interesting little encounter while riding in the Philippines back in January 2023. We had just shipped our Yamaha XT660R from Bali to Australia and flew to the Philippines while we waited for it to arrive. As we travelled around the country we rented scooters to get about. One day…
Alissa and I pulled up on our little rental scooter outside a launderette and parked next to a bunch of bikes outside a bar. While Alissa ran in to grab our laundry, a bunch of chaps in the bar (Europeans probably in their 40-50s) shouted over and said I couldn’t park my scoot next to their (rental) bikes. That this side of the road was for proper bikers and I had to move my bike and park it on the other side of the road (next to all the battered old scoots).
They were joking around of course (I think…I hope).
I had carelessly parked next to their big bikes (KTM Duke 390, Honda XR200 and a few others). In reply I said: ‘hopefully one day I’ll be a real biker’ and stayed put.
They all had a good laugh at this, Alissa came out, jumped on and we scootered off.
No harm done.
But although they made their jokes tongue in cheek, I sensed an underlying tone of seriousness. Unfortunately, it’s unsurprising. Go on Facebook, forums and websites and you’ll find people mocking people’s bike choices. Somehow they’ve come up with a criteria for what makes someone a ‘real biker’.
So, here’s the question… what the hell is a real biker anyway? And what gives someone that title? Why does the the size of your machine make you more of a biker? Why does where, how far or what weather you ride in make any difference?
Does any of that really matter? And more importantly – why does anyone even care?
Here’s my take on it. Buy what you can afford, ride what puts a smile on your face, enjoy yourself, have fun, support others and never put anyone else down – we’re all bikers and that’s all the matters.
Andy Davidson
Related articles
Thanks for checking out this Thoughts from the Road column. We hope you enjoyed it! Here’s a few more articles on motorcycle travel that we recommend you read next.
If you’ve rebuilt your bikes carburetor on the kitchen counter you might be a real biker.
If you washed your bikes transmission gears in the shower you might be a biker.
If you overhauled your bikes engine on the dining room table you might be a real biker.
Hey Dynoking! Thanks for your comment, sounds like you need to be a pretty good mechanic to be a real biker then haha!
Cheers,
Andy
Hey Andy,
Each one of the repair story I mentioned came from the wife of the bike owner. All of them were WW II vets who returned home with not a lot of money, and bought bikes, got married and moved into apartments. The engine overhaul was for a ’40’s era Indian. The carburetor(s) – BMW boxer. The transmission – heck I can’t remember. But the stories were priceless. The analogy is my own.
Keep the shinny side up.
Oh that’s interesting to hear! Thanks for sharing the stories.
All the best mate,
Cheers,
Andy
Probably single, but a real biker nonetheless 👍😂
Haha! Brilliant!!!
I go pillion on our bigger bikes for months at a time and many km, and ride my postie bike to work and on gravel and 4wd tracks….I think that means I am a biker!
You are 100% a real biker, Sue 😀
Thankyou 😁👍
Having and having had more than a few bikes from 50cc putt putts to a stable of liter bikes, I’ve long and loudly maintained that “anything with 2 wheels and a motor” is the all time funnest way to spend time- I’ve further made it a point to “mismatch” bikes in a parking area, “(with a bunch of Harleys “Hey look, My Moto Guzzi is an air cooled twin too”) and so far have yet to be pummeled for it…
Hi Nicholas, thanks for your comment.
“Anything with two wheels and a motor” – I like it! haha. Yeah, as long as people are out there and having fun, that’s all that matters ey.
Cheers!
Andy
Size doesn’t matter it’s all about the motion of the ocean…oh wait wrong forum!
In my opinion there are no real bikers just people that are drawn to the feeling of riding. In the end when we’re riding our mechanical beasts ,or in some cases chihuahuas, all that mental clutter dissipates, so what is a real biker? it doesn’t matter it’s about the ride, it’s about possibilities, unexplored horizons, that perfect sweeping bend, that moment when the mind shuts off and you forget whether you are your bike or if your bike is you, it’s about that friendly wave to another explorer in far away lands, it’s about those screams of joy you have as you turn into the most amazing view you have ever seen in your life and just can’t suppress the joy of being alive, it’s about those moments when you’re sat on your bike on the top of a mountain pass watching the immensity of the world unfold in front of you, it’s about that and much much more to be a real biker, it’s about being in your reality and feeling it all!
Haha thanks for your comment Max!
Wow – very poetic and very well said…
Totally agree 🙂
Thank you,
Andy
My partner teased me when we met, saying I’m not a proper biker. At that time I had been commuting 60 miles a day, for 10 years, firstly on a Vespa ET4, then a Varadero 125 and finally a ZZR600. She had ridden most of western Europe on a variety of bikes, including her 1400cc Harley. I had almost certainly ridden more miles than her.
To her, to be a biker you needed to look like a ton-up boy on a Triton, frequenting the Ace Cafe on a regular basis. All nonsense of course.
Since then we have travelled together all over Europe from our base in Switzerland. From Tallin to Turkey. From Sweden to Sardinia. All over the Balkans and much more besides.
Her dad was also a biker and we toured The Alps, The Dolomites and The Tatra mountains together. We would give the 2-fingered ‘stay safe’ signal to anyone on 2 wheels.
Observation is that Harley riders seldom acknowledge other riders. To me, they are the only bikers that don’t deserve the badge. Otherwise, I couldn’t care less if you are riding a GS, a Puch Maxi, a new sports bike or a vintage ‘Bitsa’: we are all part of the community and should always share knowledge and help each other, when in need.
Hi David,
Thanks for your comment.
60 miles a day for 10 years?! Assuming you work Monday to Friday – over 10 years that’s 156,000 miles – not including any other rides. So that’s absolutely mad saying you’re not a real biker haha!
Interesting, yeah I guess everyone has their own ideas of what a biker is and to some it’s whacking around the Ace Cafe, to others its doing track days!
Awesome to hear you’ve travelled so much together, and with her dad too! Sounds like some brilliant trips. But a shame to hear you didn’t find the salute reciprocated by Harley riders. And yes, you’re completely right, we’re all part of the same community and it’s about helping and supporting each other! Well said 🙂
Well said, Andy. As long as you enjoy your ride, you’re joy rider and only that matters when it comes to riding.
BTW, Mad or Nomad is fun and helpful website, thanks for your good work!
Thanks Tomas, we agree!
And that’s kind of you to say, I’m really glad to hear you’re finding it helpful!
Cheers and all the best,
Andy
Andy, you have started a never-ending debate about who is Biker or a True biker or a Great biker or one of the Best biker. I am sure there are as many point of views and as many stories as there are motorcycle riders.
My little story is about a Harley motorcycle riders gathering place in Fort Worth, Texas.
About 15 years ago I was riding my Honda 500 Silverwing 1982. I saw 100s of Harleys parked in front of a Texas BBQ restaurant. I parked my Honda next to those Harleys and went inside the restaurant. I was barley done with ordering my food I heard on the restaurant speaker that whoever has parked the little Honda, move it away from the front parking lot. I immediately went out and moved my Honda on the rear of the restaurant. After a few minutes a Real biker looking gentleman came to my table and asked me if he could sit with me. After a few minutes of conversation, he asked me why I parked my Honda next to the Harleys? I confessed my ignorance about not knowing the rules and antiquate of the Harley group. To make this long story short, during our conversation he come to know about my world tour on Motorcycle 1971-72, 67000miles through 62 countries. He immediately gathered a few of his Real motorcycle riders and asked me for my motorcycle Keys. After my meal and a nice conversation with them when I came out, I saw my Honda was parked right in front of their Harleys. Their group Leader told me with a big smile on his face that I was welcome to park any of my motorcycles next to the Harleys.
My observation is very simple, Real looking bikers may be intimidating among many other things, but they are a real gentle soul.
SC
Hi Subash! Great to hear from you on here.
Now that is an excellent story! I loved reading that. Thank you very much for sharing it!
For anyone else reading these comments, have a read of Subash’s incredible round the world story here: The First Indians to Motorcycle Round the World
Thanks Subhash, all the best,
Andy