What “they” are?!

Aug 13, 2010

It’s hard to explain some times (even to ourselves much less others) what exactly is going on in the motorcycle scene these days. We have so many different aspects of the motorcycling world that are changing. We ask the question “What is this new scene that is comprised of a somewhat younger breed of rider on modified cruisers rippin’ up our streets?” Whether it’s due to economics, restlessness, or simply the ebb-and-flow of a generation that takes on and reflects the state-of-affairs with us as a culture, one thing is for sure….there is “a change a happen’n”.

One guy that we are familiar with and respect for his insights into the industry is Scout Underwood, (who when we met him was working for Baker Transmissions) and then went onto H-D and other companies afterwards. His hands on experience in the industry teamed up with insightful writings have caught our attention and we’d like to repost one article (in it’s entirety) that clearly attempts to answer the question posed above. It’s here for you to read and comment on. You can check out his site The Bikereader.org here. So here is the article:

WHAT IS ALL THIS CALLED?

What is this new scene that is comprised of a somewhat younger breed of rider on modified cruisers rippin’ our streets? Well, it’s not a “biker” scene. The contemporary biker image is different that what is seen in this new scene. Though the roots overlap in ways, the new scene feels like a reaction to the macho, tough-guy, simple biker image. There are several types of bikers these days as I see it, and this new phenomenon doesn’t seem to apply to any of these current biker factions in my OPINION. The biker image has blown into something that it originally wasn’t. The label has been hijacked into a meaning that is soft, superficial and commercial. This younger scene seems to have qualities compared to what can be found in the dawn of the current American biker icon.

This new motorcycler is less of what bikers are now, and more of what bikers were in their beginnings. From the vocal SoCal period-correct vintage purists, to the open-minded Limpnickie collective around the country, to the Chicago area hardcore riders, to the art/chopper mix in the East Coast, to the performance-inspired younger guys that sort of sprouted from the Big Twin aftermarket, to the isolated skaters on club-inspired later models, to the anything-goes unapolegetic youth Horse magazine subscribers on their first chop, to the Quad Cam Bastards who are proving Sporsters aren’t girly bikes, to the street tracker guys who got ideas from Dave andDustin… When somebody dubs them a biker it doesn’t seem to make sense. The wrong image comes up. When you say biker, my mind jumps to the three types of visuals below. I’m not calling out anybody in specific, but the concepts below…well, I’m afraid we’re aware of these archetypes. You probably can’t walk up and find one in person, that doesn’t matter. The unholy ideal is in our consiousness, and many of the wrong people are getting crammed into it.

THE ZIP CODE CHODE
These are kind of wannabe bikers, but still bikers because they claim the label. These grey-bearded fellas or old ladies playing dress up seem to ride to any given Starbucks religiously. They seem to keep their motorcycling pretty safe. As people know, they keep it within the zip code. The climax of their motorcycle experience is buying more chrome for their decked out dressers or Japanese heavyweight cruiser. Sure, they can totally afford to buy premium gear as they’re old and have made their money. You’ll find organized charity rides teaming with these types. They find community through religion and attach it to bikes; or they consoldate thorugh HOG chapters. The ZIP Code Chode loves to over-dress just to ride their bikes somewhere close. They find it entertaining be pretend tough because their garb loosely resembles what hardcore bikers back in the day wore. They find it cute that they’re not tough, but look tough. One can accuse the ZIP Code Chode to identify with bikers. The tough biker guy who wears his heart on his sleeves warms their hearts, such as the man below. It’s brings the scariness back into their comfort zone. You may not know an ZIP Code Chode, but you know the type. Regretfully, many see them as bikers. There is in no way that the new blood rider resembles this.

MACHO BROS

Then there are the mucho-macho overcompensating types…the Macho Bros. These power hungry 40-somethings are often leather-clad, decked in jewelry, sportin’ Affliction brand clothes, skull-danas on the head, and they’re most often rockin’ a form of a manicured beard. They personally connect with the tough-guy aspect of the biker image to find identity, confidence and sometimes other bros. They want to stand for something tough and respectful, so they gravitate toward a biker image. Many can be pricks that seek respect in numbers, scale or image though they’ve done little to earn it on bikes. Your Macho Bro throws money at their bikes and calls it style. The same money is thrown at their boats, jetskis, quads, jacked up pickups, late model muscle cars, trophy homes, trophy wives and so forth. They live a comfortable life with no soul behind their interpretation of being a biker. There is nothing hardcore here, just another dude overcompensating for something lacking – and just so happened not to by the convertible Corvette (or he may have that too) and ended up with a bike. Like the bikers above, they’re older and fall back to their generation’s “rebel” as an invitation to feel superior. This pride is the biker image at work. Once again, they identify with bikers somehow, some way. You probably don’t know any of these fellas, but you know the type. Our popular contemporaries will consider them bikers if they see enough cues. The new generation motorcycler described in this site has nothing to do with this type of biker.

THE REAL DEALS
Then there are the real bikers. They are directly derived from the One-Percenter’s lineage and will destroy you and both of the above stereotypes with no remorse. They are extreme, organized, unapologetic, outside the box, wild, dangerous and fearless. They don’t give a fuck. They police themselves. They’re in clubs on stolen bikes and have freshly raped and pillaged an unsuspecting small town. This is the original image that the American icon was born from. The kept the fire burning through the whole Baby Boomer generation. Don’t fuck with them. They identify with bikers because they actually live it. They are bikers. There is no pretending here. Yeah, this new breed rider is in no way that that either. However, the new bikeriders are attracted to the roots, authenticity and freedom found here. But again, the new guys haven’t done anything to earn this real title.

So let’s get a little into the new breed. There needs to be a name to pop up an image. The definition without a label is felt everywhere, but it is this very lack of label that holds it back. Accuracy will unfold if people would see the label first, then get to know the details.

IT’S SORT OF LIKE PUNX ON BIKES

The above three examples fit well the CONTEMPORARY definition of “Biker”. You see the common pattern or essence between them all. If you can’t, then go to Sturgis or Daytona Bike Week. They’re in Vegas too, or your local bike rally at the fairgrounds buying shirts with wolves, Indians or some brilliant profanity…but that’s not what the focus is here. Enough with what it isn’t…

The focus here is the next definition. This definition is spawned from a new generation with respect to the original biker roots, including the old chopper builders or the old motorcycle racers. This counter-cultural attitude has roots from their X & Y Generation’s rebels, but found a Baby Boomer medium to transfer their passions as they age. So, the rebellious spirit is not directly or completely derived from the bikers, but punkers too. Derivatives of punk in the absolutely loosest definition of the term, again, their rebels manifest in this new motorcycler. This includes skaters and BMX’ers too. These rebellious sub-cultures are effectively products of Gen X&Y that have a punk soundtrack. This generation’s rider saw punks as the miscreants of their day, and embrace this rebellion. Skate punks, the factions of rockabilly, SoCal punks, hardcore, original punkers, etc…it all seems to blend well with motorcycles the way our generation sees it. They may not be perfect subscribers of punk, but it will be tough to argue that they’ve been completely isolated from punk influence. If they have been, then they’re some other version of young adult on a motorcycle and not the one this site is trying to hone in on.

AN ALTERNATIVE HEREDITY

The aforementioned sub-cultural blend mixed with bikes is the root of the new definition. The form of the new breed taste in bike generally differs from the tastes of the contemporary biker too. The new bike of a smaller stature than Dad’s current bike and is arguably derived from the Black Tibetan by Jason Jessee – an ex pro skater. Purely this Sinner style (as the Japanese sometimes call it) isn’t the rule, but it can be seen as a part of the counter movement. The SoCal vintage-inspired, punk-ish feeling, look of the rider is largely via a Sinner named Denver Dan. The overall attitude feels less homophobic, more random, sillier, and DIY. Again, it feels more punk than biker. Obviously, the age is only about a half-generation younger especially if you’re in the progressive coastal areas. That’s because it takes years for the concepts of these trendsetters to find their way inland where you’ll find them a little younger. This may change due to the Internet as the new breed rider relays information heavily in blogs now.

NEW BREED NAMELESSNESS
Journalists, writers, and press struggle to explain all “this” with a lack of grace. They try to spit out the definition when they needed a label to symbolize it. They needed a word instead of saying “3-quarter helmet skate-sneaker Dickies flannel younger dude on a modified smaller cruiser blah blah blah….” A term is the solution. This site only addresses this need and calls for it. Though it throws a term into the conversation called Bikerider, the whole nature of this site makes it contrive and inorganic.

BIKERIDERS
2009 I’ve had an honest word in my head for a while now. It was a tool to describe the rider and culture because BIKER DID NOT APPLY. I’ve used the word Bikerider? Why? Bikerider applies because first of all, these people ride their bikes. Riding is the backbone. If they don’t, then they’re comic book nerds who’s sublimated their attention to motorcycles by some unholy twist of fate. Bikerider applies to me because I saw younger faces of people perpetuating a movement in its infancy inside a book by Danny Lyon called “The Bikeriders”. Damn it reminded of me and my friends. In the book, Bikerider is an authentic word used 40 years ago to describe this type of rider before the word “biker” won out. 40 years ago is when many claim the Harley scene had the most soul. 40 years ago is when the rebel motorcycle image crystallized and became an icon for baby boomers to never forget. So much seemed to spark almost exactly 40 years ago, like Sugar Bear first building chops and springers. Bikerider existed back then and seems it could be appropriated to all of “this” in the new generation.

Danny Lyon's Book Then, my friend Nelson lent me a 15-year-old Iron Horse magazine. It had an article of a dude sporting the “look” that Bikeriders exercise today. It was a hotrod/skater-looking younger guy on old iron, a non-biker. The article noted the different attitude this guy had; an attitude that can be found in skate/punk spirit. It was Jason Jessee on the bike that is now called the Black Tibetan. The name of the article was “Interview with the Bikerider”. That did it for me. Until somebody introduces to me something cooler, in my head I dub it bikerider. It sums up so much. So now, at least for me, I have a label for the scene that I like. Punk, gangster, skateboarder, BMX’er, hipster, preppy, goth, trucker, biker, 909’er, etc… they all get names. We need one. Recognition is in order.