The Secret Code of Motorcycle Riding

Suppose you’ve switched from driving a car to riding a motorcycle. In that case, you’ll notice that motorcycle riders tend to be friendlier than car drivers, unless you encounter a rival biker gang that will stop at nothing to embarrass you! Nobody remembers how the quarrel started, but every time your partners in riding meet up with a particular group of riders, they suddenly become hostile. You probably got into motorcycle riding to attract the opposite sex or for the convenience and adrenaline rush that comes with it, but you did not expect such mumbo jumbo. Like any other occupation, there are some things that you need to learn quickly before the streets teach you a lesson.

Never get too comfortable

Today, the United States is relatively safer than most countries in the world. Still, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, there are at least 40,000 motorcycles that are stolen every year in the country. That is quite a shocking statistic, and it means a bike is stolen every 15 minutes in America. Surprisingly, New York and Las Vegas are the cities with the highest rate of motorcycle theft, while California, Florida, and Texas lead in the states category. Keep in mind that motorcycle thieves don’t care whether you live in Long Island, Brooklyn, or Compton. Always lock up your motorcycle, even if you have gone to the bathroom for just 30 seconds. Of course, if you really love your bike, you will park it in a secure location and alarm it. Talk to other experienced bike riders within your area, and they will tell you the no-go zone for riding your motorcycle. You might reconsider taking the shortcut through that dark alley at night after discovering it is a hotspot for motorcycle robbers.

Respect goes both ways

There is a mutual honor code among motorcycle enthusiasts that you should not touch another rider’s motorcycle without his/her permission. If you ride a classic Harley-Davidson or an old version, expect to be asked a lot of questions, especially by the old guys. Be friendly to those who admire your motorcycle, as you never know if they might be the ones to help you in case of a theft. However, don’t trust a friendly stranger to look out for your motorcycle.

Take advantage of the stereotyping

There is a certain perception people have about guys who ride mean-looking motorcycles, especially Harley-Davidsons, while wearing leather jackets. Add some tattoos and a bandana to the mixture, and even if you are the nicest guy in the world, some people will think you are a bad boy. However, deep inside, you know you don’t have a single criminal record, and you wouldn’t hurt a fly, but at a party, all the girls think you are the bad boy. Just don’t rub it on everyone’s face. Most of those ladies will nod along when you discuss your slick Y ring drive, but in reality, they are just pretending to understand what you are talking about. Of course, once in a while, you will meet a lady whose knowledge and experience of motorcycle riding turns you on. If the conversation goes far enough, don’t let the in-laws stereotype you just because you ride that loud Harley-Davidson.

A rider’s worst bad luck

If you are a rider and think helmets are only for minimizing injury in accidents, wait until you encounter a swarm of angry bees on the road. In fact, it doesn’t have to be bees per se. It could be wasps or other flying insects. Heck! Some riders will tell you that they had flying birds shit on their head. Just hope and pray that if that day comes, you will be fully clothed and wearing a helmet with the visor down.

Don’t nod at everyone

What could be worse than a Ducati superbike rider nodding at a scooter rider is a Harley-Davidson cruiser biker nodding at every car driver. Just don’t do it! Instead, you will give out a hint that you are a new biker on the road. The type of biker you nod at is determined by the motorcycle he/she ride. If you were a heavyweight wrestler, would you nod at lightweight wrestlers? Probably not because you don’t consider them worthy opponents. The same rule of picking up someone your own size applies to the motorcycle world. Only nod at motorcycles that you feel are within your range.

The weird superstitions

The superstition code isn’t for every biker, as people have different beliefs. In fact, most bikers make up their own superstitions along the way. A confident biker will not get close to their motorcycle for 48 hours before a long-distance journey, while another sprinkles their bike with holy water. Perhaps the most common superstition among bikers in the United States is that green motorcycles are often unlucky, just like riding on a bike that belonged to a recently departed soul. Of course, some dismiss such claims as nonsense, but on the other hand, some motorcyclists take such superstitions very seriously. For instance, karma believers will point out to you that if you don’t stop to help out a fellow rider whose motorcycle has broken down at the roadside, the same thing or even worse is likely to happen to you. Regardless of karma or not, giving a hand to those in desperate need is not just a rider’s code, but what defines humanity.