You love riding your bike, whether it’s the freedom to get away from everyday life, or simply the commute to your workplace. For a biker every moment he can open the throttle, is a moment to cherish. However, he or she who doesn't ride, doesn’t know the feeling that comes with it, but often has an opinion about it. We made a list of the most annoying comments we get at parties, family gatherings and casual conversations when people find out we ride. Next time you can present them this list to stop them making more needless comments. Perhaps you also have a few you can add!
"Oh you ride a motorcycle? You know my neighbor's milkman's nephew was in an accident that… blablabla"
Yes, we know that as a biker we are perhaps more vulnerable than other participants in traffic, we are well aware of that. Every accident that happens in traffic is one too many, regardless of the cause. However, that doesn’t mean that as soon as you tell somebody you ride, you immediately have to get a lecture about every horrible accident that has ever happened to another rider. When you go on a plane, you don't bring up every recent plane crash do you? So please remember that for the next family brunch aunt Margret.
"I'd love to ride a motorcycle, but I would certainly kill myself"
We stopped counting on how many times we heard this one. Again, we know that you have less protection on a bike than in a car. This on the other hand doesn't mean that stepping on a bike immediately turns you into a complete moron with no regard for your own life. If stepping on a bike does that to you (and yes there are those who actually ride as if it's their last day on earth), you should get yourself checked and see if there is something else wrong with you perhaps.
"Oh you ride a Harley, do you have a midlife crisis?"
We won't deny that riding a Harley for a lot of men comes with the midlife crisis. However, maybe at a certain age you just might finally have enough money to buy that big Street Glide. Most of us don't have that kind of cash in our twenties. What's wrong with having some fun when you're over 40? If your midlife crisis results in buying a Harley instead of leaving your wife for your secretary, we think that is the better option.
"Are you part of a criminal biker gang?"
While there are of course people who ride bikes that are involved in dubious enterprises… so are people who ride Fiat Pandas. Everybody has seen Sons Of Anarchy by now and whether you like the series or not, it brought Harleys into our living rooms for 7 seasons. It also inspired some of us to finally get that motorcycle license. That being said, it remains a television series that has to exaggerate to make you keep watching. So next time someone asks; yes, you bought a Harley, no it did not come with a gun and a bag of narcotics.
"I would love to ride, but my partner won't let me."
Ah the classic! Relationships are all about compromise. Being single allows you do whatever you want, a relationship gives you a schedule to take out the trash. However, that doesn't mean you can't have your own interests and hobbies. So if say you want to ride, but don't because your partner doesn’t want you? You obviously don’t want it enough or you need to grow a pair.
