WHAT MOTORCYCLISTS TALK ABOUT
Have you ever wondered what motorcyclists talk about? It’s no big secret, you know? All you have to do is go online and poke around a little bit. Which is exactly what I did to prepare this feature.
I stay in touch with the Roadcraft USA readers by participating in at least a dozen different online motorcycle forums. I am also an active member in another 20 or so Facebook motorcycle groups. I picked 30 different groups to sample. Some are general interest groups, some are manufacturer-specific. Some pertain to a particular motorcycle model or a particular style of riding. It didn’t seem to matter. The things motorcyclists talk about were the same across the board.
No fancy polls were conducted. I simply reviewed the last 50 posts in each of 30 portals and recorded the topics being discussed with a hash mark on a “score card”. What follows are the top ten things that motorcyclists were discussing everywhere; based upon a sampling of 1,500 posts.
#1 • The Motorcycle Itself
I guess this one comes as no real surprise. It didn’t matter whether the discussion was about their new $52,000 Harley-Davidson Anniversary Limited Edition touring bike, something a little more modest or the $500 rolling basket case they just brought home to restore. What motorcyclists talk about most is THEIR motorcycle(s).
Motorcyclists just love to talk about features, specifications and performance. They back up their passion with personal experiences as well as with documentation from industry product reviews and the manufacturers propaganda. They want you to know just why they have chosen their particular bike and why it was a wise choice for them.
#2 • Customization
The next most popular topic was what the motorcycle owner has done, or plans to do, to “upgrade” their motorcycle. Bikers want their bike to reflect their individuality. You wouldn’t know this by looking at all the cookie-cutter, black, big twin touring bikes you’ll see at any given bike night or organized bike run. They usually make up at least 75% of the fleet and all look pretty much the same. (Don’t say that to the owner)!
But it’s a fact. Motorcyclists like to accessorize their machines to give them their own individual style. The most common aftermarket additions mentioned are modified exhaust systems, handlebars, saddles and; in a fitting sign-of-the-times; cell phone mounting systems. When discussing these personal touches (particularly with spouses and significant others) motorcyclists will also authoritatively state how they have added value to their investment. Wrong. You never recover those monies spent…unless you are shrewd enough to insure them and unfortunate enough to suffer a serious loss.
One would think that after a dozen motorcycles I might have learned my lesson in this regard. Nope. I still do it. My current bike has an aftermarket saddle, windshield, handlebar risers, cruise control, and dozens of other things that don’t even come to mind right now. We’ll never learn. None of us. It’s simply an integral part of the motorcyclist’s genes.
#3 • Safety
Safety was next on the list of what motorcyclists talk about most. Very little of this conversation revolved around experience, training or riding technique. No, the primary topic discussed was the danger of sharing the road with other vehicles. Particular emphasis seemed to be placed on the ever-increasing problem of distracted drivers.
Sadly, this is a very real concern to motorcyclists today. Our four-wheeled adversaries are increasingly being lured into a state of diminished awareness of what is going on around them. Mobile phones and high-end infotainment systems in cars are somewhat to blame. Drivers are starting to rely more and more upon a vehicle’s built in collision avoidance systems and have become less aware of what is actually going on around them.
Will advanced technology in automobiles make motorcyclists more or less safe?
We take safety very seriously here at Roadcraft USA. We devote quite a bit of space to features on motorcycle safety, riding skills, tips and techniques. This is highly recommended reading for motorcyclists of all skill and experience levels. Some of our most popular published safety and skills articles are linked below:
#4 • Tales From The Road
Next on the list of what motorcyclists talk about most passionately are their experiences. Even this early in “the season”, discussions of motorcycle adventures of all types are filling the feeds on social media.
These stories might outline a 4,000 mile solo journey or a local day trip with their best friends. It doesn’t matter. There are no bad days behind bars (handlebars). As we get deeper into the calendar these stories will increase in number and grab a higher spot on the list. I personally have no problem with that. I love to read about the adventures of others. I’m happy for every motorcyclist that gets to enthusiastically pursue this passion of ours. I look forward to sharing some of my upcoming adventures soon.
#5 • Travel Planning
Speaking of planned adventures, there are lots of them being shared online this time of year. Some are “bucket list” rides that have been a long time coming. Some are plans to attend a given rally or local motorcycle run. This is a great time of year for planning and dreaming. We’ve covered this subject in great detail in the past and highly recommend that you catch up on your Roadcraft USA reading with, at the very least, these two features: (Click on either image to read that feature)
#6 • Maintenance And Repairs
If you want to start an epic thread on a motorcycle forum all you need do is ask riders what the best motorcycle tire is or what motor oil is best for their bike. You’ll be sure to garner a thousand or more responses
I like to give riders the benefit of the doubt. I assume they know what works best for them. For example I have a favorite tire that I use on my middle weight sport touring bike. It has proven to be the best balance of sporty handling and wet weather performance that I’ve ever ridden on. I’m on my fourth pair and I wouldn’t consider any other tire.
That doesn’t make it the best tire for everyone. Different styles of bikes, different riding styles, disparities in payload and so many other factors go into choosing the right tire. Yet when I was on my search to find out what motorcyclists talk about, tire and lubricant choices came in on the list. No matter which tire you choose, make sure you change your oil in the fall to the seasonal blend pictured below:
#7 • Motorcycle Culture
The cultural significance of different motorcycle brands, and the lifestyle they represent, came in at #7 on the list of what motorcyclists talk about. This is something that most (not all) motorcyclists tend to develop a better understanding of as they mature in their riding careers. There are devout…near cult-like…fans of certain motorcycle brands. I get it. I rode nothing but a certain brand of heavyweight American V-Twin motorcycles for nearly 25 years. There was a time when I wouldn’t consider any other brand. I went so far as to have a hardcore V-Twin chopper tattooed on my upper arm.
I’d personally like to see more mutual respect between cruisers and sport riders.
These days I ride a mid-weight European sport touring motorcycle. I was forced into downsizing by an unfortunate degenerative medical condition that was preventing me from pushing a 900+ pound Electra Glide out of parking spots. Faced with getting a smaller bike or quitting riding resulted in the switch. (Quitting riding after nearly four decades was never really an option).
The funny thing is that after six years of riding a true high performance motorcycle, I could never go back to riding a big, heavy touring bike again. It took me 25 years and a physical disability to get me into the saddle of a real performance machine. There’s no going back now. I was recently forced to undergo surgery to finally address the debilitating condition and am happy to report that it seems like it was a resounding success. I’m still not giving up my BMW!
Yes…bikers are still pledging their allegiance to certain brands and styles of motorcycles. They probably always will. It’s not as bad as it was 35 years ago. Back then if you showed up anywhere near a biker rally on a Japanese metric machine it might have wound up looking like the one in the picture above.
We're All Brothers & Sisters
In my Amazon #1 best selling road travel book “Road Work: Images and Insights of a Modern Day Explorer” I discussed the need for all motorcyclists to band together. To quote from the book:
“There is plenty of evidence out there that motorcycle sales have contracted (particularly in The United States) and its popularity has been dwindling in recent years. Technological “advances” will be forcing autonomous vehicles on society and a potentially forthcoming socialist-inspired health care system could one day result in government mandates outlawing the non-passive activity of two-wheeling as being too unsafe, and financially burdensome, for its citizens. Pay attention and voice any and all concerns regarding any proposed legislation that might affect the future of this lifestyle. It’s your right as a citizen and your duty as a biker.”
Pay attention Brothers and Sisters…no matter what you ride. This belongs near the top of any list of what motorcyclists talk about.
#8 • Camaraderie
There’s a lot of buzz online about brotherhood and for good reason. Motorcyclists truly share a common bond whether it’s the love of the machine, the road, the adventure or the lifestyle. When researching what motorcyclists talk about the subject of upcoming organized rallys and runs was quite prevalent. Even local meetups for meals and adult beverages got their share of publicity in the online forums.
Bikers like to hang out with other bikers. Period. Whether it’s on Main Street in Sturgis during Bike Week, in a campground at a rally or over a cold one at the local pub. It’s the times we get together to share our common love of the two-wheeled pursuit with like-minded individuals. Those individuals come from all walks of life, but the common bond of the machine and the lifestyle is what draws us together.
#9 • Legal & Regulatory Issues
A lot of what motorcyclists talk about has to do with legal issues that confront us. It could be about mandatory helmet laws, noise restriction legislation & enforcement, or a given jurisdiction’s rules on filtering (lane splitting). It doesn’t matter. Motorcyclists tend to be more politically active than the general population at large.
The choice should be made by the rider.
Go back and read paragraph #7 above and you’ll understand why. Motorcyclists, as a group, are in the crosshairs of government legislators supposedly trying to make society a safer place. The insurance lobby is spearheading their efforts. Bikers tend to be very aware of the rules and regulations that affect them. Most of us WILL take the time to make our voices heard with our elected officials.
#10 • Riding Skills & Safety
As a big proponent for motorcycle safety and getting professional instruction…on an ongoing basis…I was personally disappointed that this one landed down at #10 on the list of what motorcyclists talk about. I feel this is a very important concern and should be on more rider’s minds.
Riding techniques, cornering, panic braking, low speed handling, swerving, etc. are skills that need to be properly learned and practiced often. Good professional instruction should not just be for the novice rider, either. Seasoned riders can always benefit from a “refresher course” to break any bad habits you might have developed. I’d like to see more discussion of this amongst bikers.
Wrapping It Up
I had to cut this off at the top ten things of what motorcyclists talk about. After this things started to get kind of sketchy. Lots of videos of people doing dumb stunts on motorcycles…ending badly…started to creep into the mix. Stuff that really isn’t funny or constructive. Let us know, in the comments below, what your favorite topics of discussion are. Ride safe, everyone!
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My group of Vets. , like to camp. Most of us do anyway. That’s what most of our conversations are about where, and when are we going camping. Also, food. Where are we gonna eat.
Food is always a big topic amongst motorcyclists, Bill. I have nicknamed my own local club the “Ride To Eat Motorcycle Club”. Thanks for reading and commenting. Stay safe.