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WheelsOfGrace.com | Volume 11 Issue 5 | 19 B I K E R J A R G O N BIKER J ARGON M o t o r c y c l e L i n g o By Axle Addict P a r t 1 1 Every subculture has its own lingo. Bikers are no exception. Are you on the fringe of a motorcycle society? Have you heard a biker speaking and would like to understand what he was talking about? Would you like to gain insight into the biker mindset? Do you just like words? Here you'll find an introductory dictionary of commonly used road-motorcycle terminology and biker slang, compiled with the average "Citizen" in mind. Citizen: (noun) A person with no known affiliation with a Motorcycle Club. • Salt/The Salt: Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, where you go to see how fast your ride is… by riding it wide open on a low-grip dry lake-bed made of salt. • Skins: Slang for tires. • Slicks: A special kind of tire with no tread pattern. Used in racing, slicks afford the maximum amount of contact and traction between a tire and the racetrack. They are not street legal and wear very quickly (usually only lasting for one race) and are no good in the rain. • Squid: This is a mocking term for sportbike riders who are long on talk and short on skill, and generally means "idiot rider." Also, squids typically don't wear safety gear when riding. The term comes from what happens when said idiot piles his hyperbike into the back of dump truck while showing off for the ladies, breaking every bone in his body (thus, a body like a boneless squid). Usage: "Whoa, did you just see that idiot ride by wearing shorts and no helmet? Enjoy the road rash, squid." • Stoppie: A reverse wheelie. While a wheelie stands the bike up on the back wheel, a stoppie stands it up on the front. Made possible by advances in braking technology, it is still enormously difficult to do a stoppie. Do it wrong and you trash your bike and possibly injure yourself. Do it right and you're a god among men and women. It looks like this. • Sturgis: Short for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, but ostensibly, it's the small South Dakota town that hosts one of the largest (and probably most famous) motorcycle rallies in the world. About 250,000 riders typically attend each year, so book those hotel rooms early (like, 10 years early) or prepare to camp. Sturgis is primarily a Harley/cruiser-dominated event, but all bikes and riders are welcomed. Bring earplugs. And money. And aspirin. Usage: "Now that I've got Dad's old Harley up and running, I think I'll go to Sturgis this year." • Sportster/Sporty: The "entry level" Harley-Davidson (before the Street line appeared). Sportsters began production in 1957 as a lighter-weight speed machine and have been in HD's lineup since. While they are smaller than the full-size (or "big-inch") Harleys, they aren't exactly small, with the smallest Sportster model coming in at 883cc. There is also a 1200cc version, and 883cc bikes can be up-converted to 1200cc pretty easily. Sportsters have traditionally been the most affordable Harleys to buy and a favorite of women riders, although, if you're a guy, have no shame in getting a Sportster. They are (relatively) light, lean, and fast for a Harley and are great for cruising in the city while also having some long-distance capability. • Standard: A "regular" motorcycle that isn't specialized for one type of riding. Until the 1980s, most all street bikes could be described as "standards." Now, they are quite rare, but they are making a comeback. • Sweeper: A long, broad, constant turn. There are many kinds of turns out on the road or at the track, but a sweeper lets riders maintain high speed and push their cornering skills to the limit. Ask any performance rider and they'll likely tell you a sweeper is the sweetest kind of corner. TO SUBSCRIBE OR AVERTISE EMAIL: WOGMagUSA@gmail.com CALL: (951) 777-0503 CHRISTIANITY IS NOT A RELIGION... IT'S A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LIVING GOD. If you have questions or want to know more Email us at: WOGMagUSA@gmail.com Or call: (951) 777-0503 This is what you have been looking for in life. That is the ONLY way you will fill that emptiness you have been trying to fill with everything else this world has to offer. And don't be mislead; being a Christian is not boring! It is not weak! It is certainly not being perfect! God wants to have a relationship with you just as you are. Live your life to the fullest by accepting what He has for you: HIS UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. Burning Rubber for God is the BEST way to ride and the ONLY way to know where you're headed. WHEELS OF GRACE m a g a z i n e Pick up our next issue for Part 11 of the Biker Jargon series.