L♥VE
08-27-2007, 03:55 PM
The Motorcycle Riders Dictionary
Bear with me. This is a work in progress…
1% er (One Percenter) Outlaw Biker - A biker who’s beliefs and/or actions are outside (or not accepted by) the common public.
AMA - American Motorcycle Association.
Aerodynamics - In motorcycle context, good aerodynamics means that the motorcycle is designed to have as little resistance from the air as possible. This is essential to archieve great speeds. The manufacturers often make use of wind tunnels during the development of a new motorcycle.
Air Intake Valves - Reed Valves
Anch’s or Anchor - Brakes
Ape Hangers - Handlebars that are very high, and which often raise the rider’s hands above his or her shoulders. High handlebars so Biker’s hands are at or above their shoulder height.. Refers to a handlebar style where the handgrips are located at a higher position, so as to enable the rider’s arms to “hang” Picture “Clyde” from “Every Which Way but Loose” and you’ll get a perfect understanding of the riding position.
B. F. H. - Big F@#$ing Hammer used to remove rusted axles, bearing cups from the frame neck etc.
B.R.A.G.® - Buell Riders Adventure Group
BAB (Born Again Biker) - Someone who has recently returned to riding after a period of absence and really ought to get some advanced training” Matt the Rat
Back Door - The last (and most experienced) rider in a group ride.
Back Warmer - A girl on the back of your motorcycle.
Baffle - Sound deadening material that sits inside a muffler and quiets the exhaust note
Ballistic Nylon - A specific nylon developed by Dupont for the U.S. Department of Defense for use in flak jackets. Later it was replaced by Kevlar. The basket-weave construction helps add abrasion resistance as opposed to a plain weave. The name is used as a marketing tools with ballistic sounding like something “bulletproof” therefore really tough. May motorcycle apparel companies us the word “Ballistic” when describing material. In many cases the materials tear and abrasion strength does not meet a minimum standard for motorcycle apparel and the word is used only as a sales gimmick.
Bar Hopper Bike - The cool customs and pristine bikes that only come out of the garage Friday and Saturday nights during the summer (and only if it’s real nice out -never in rain) to prowel from bar to bar. A motorcycle that is not very comfortable on longer rides, yet lavishly styled. Rigid frames and hardtails fall into this category.
Barn Disease - When a bike has been idle a few years and the battery is dead, calipers siezed and of course the carbs are filled with varnish sludge.
Barn Queen - That really pristine bike everyone claims a buddy found in some farmer’s barn and bought for $50
Barrels - Another term for Engine Cylinders or Jugs.
Basket Case - A Bike being built from scratch with parts from other Bikes.
Basket Case (#2) - Basket case - typically (at least in the ‘old days’) a bike that someone had taken apart and hadn’t the skill to reassemble. You’d find an ad in the paper and go over….”my brother took it apart and never could figure out how to put it back together, what will you give me for it?” Also - someone who is unhinged as in, “she/he is a real basket case.” So, a bike that is in pieces, usually has been for a while. A bike that is built from pieces of other bikes would be (or would have been) known as an ‘assembler’ (out west), or a person that is way ‘out there’.
Belly-Shover - Racer
Bible - Repair manual
Big End - End of connecting rod that fits on the crankshaft
Big Five - Refers to the five major motorcycle manufacturers - Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha.
Big Slab - Interstate Highway
Big Twin - Any large sized V-Twin motorcycle engine. V-Twin motorcycle engines have really grown in size over the past 10 years so this defination today fits V-Twins over 1200cc. Examples include the Roadstar by Yamaha 1700cc (102 ci), Harley-Davidson motorcycles over 1200cc, Honda VTX 1300/1800, Kawasaki Vulcan 1500/1600/2000, Suzuki Boulevard
Blockhead - The Evolution® engine (V-Twin, produced from 1984 - 2000)
Biker - Simply put, a motorcycle operator. True bikers have a passion for the art of motorcycling, and easily get all wrapped up in this passion during even a simple 1/2 mile commute, but they rarely allow their motorcycle to sit for more than a week without taking it somewhere. Anywhere. Just for the simple excuse of a joy ride will do.
Biker Friendly - A business establishment that doesn’t treat you like you have the plague when you walk in wearin’ leather
Binders - Brakes
Bitch Bar - A sissy bar.
Bitch Pad - Passenger Seat
Blackie - A dark streak left on the asphalt when a motorcycle drills away from a stop. White smoke often accompanies the formation of a blackie.
Blinkers - Turn Signals
Blip - snapping the throttle quickly, as in “blip the throttle”.
Blown or Blower Bike - a bike that is supercharged.
Blue Hairs - Elderly Cage Drivers
Bob, Bobbers, Bobbed or Bobbing - The art of shortening a bike’s appearance by cutting down the size of its fenders. These bikes were also known as “bobbers”. Appeared before choppers. They got the name from the rear fender being cut down to a minimum. And the rest of the bikes were stripped also. This was all part of the early customizing done by the returning WWll flyers.
Bologna (Baloney) Skin - Tire tube
Boneyard - Salvage yard for used bikes & parts, most indie shops also have their own boneyards next to the shop
Brain Bucket - Term for a helmet.
Bronson Rock - Anything that is NOT a bonified tool that you use to fix a bike — I.E., in one show of Then Came Bronson he used a rock to straighten out his crumpled fender after going over the highside so as he could rideon!
BUB - Broke Urban Biker
BUBF - Butt Ugly But Fast
Buckhorns - A style of handlebar that comes up higher and sweeps towards the rider, the stance is more like holding a steering wheel in a car than a handlebar on a motorcycle. A popular style from the 1960’s and 1970’s and still in service today.
BUG - Big Ugly Guy- a big, hostile person, as in “So me and my bros had to fight off these Bugs..” or “You shoulda seen this Bug’s ride”
Burnout - Spinning the rear wheel while holding the front brake
Bullneck - When Harley Davidson 1200 Duo Glide came in 1957 it came with a new feature, the “Bullneck” is a headlightcover that streches from the headlight to the steeringhandle. The “Bullneck” followed the Duo Glide until the end in 1964, when the Electra Glide continued with it for some years. “Bullneck” is selfexplainatory.
Burn-out - Activity where bike stays in one place while backtire spins at full throttle — uses up tires quickly.
Bus or Busa - GSX1300R Hayabusa
Bush Pad - Passenger Seat
Cafe Racer - Sportbike (in Europe Bikers would ride from coffee house to coffee house)
Cage - A car, truck, or van. The sworn enemy of motorcyclists, more commonly known as automobiles. The name stems from being all cooped up inside a closed shell, with no contact with the outside air.
Cager - A person driving a car, truck, or van. Cage operator, or driver.
Can - Muffler (AUS)
Can Of Tuna - Suzuki Kantana
Caning it or Thrashing it - Self-explanatory terms for taking the bike for ‘a blast’.
Canyon Carving - Riding the twisties (road curves/corners) to an extreme.
Carb - Carburetor, Fuel Management System
Carburettor - The part of the bike that mixes air and fuel in correct proportions before it is entered into the engine cylinder(s).
Carma - Like traditional Karma but occurs when cagers do stupid things to bikers. The energy is much more fierce and vengeful and will infect a cager’s ride with radiator leaks, blowouts, bad gas, thrown rods, and overall bad radio reception. These phenomena will only occur when the cager is more than a mile in distance from the biker as to avoid any motorcycle catastrophes. Also works in positive ways when cagers allow a biker plenty of room and are aware of their presence and respect their right to the road. AM reception is unusually clear and the cage experiences a 35% increase in gas mileage.
Carving - Refers to hard fast cornering on roads with many curves, stems from laying the bike down to a nearly horizontal position and “carving” a line through the roadlike a knife.
Catwalk - Riding a motorcycle on the rear wheel only, more commonly known as a “wheelie”
CBT -’compulsory basic training’ a one day training course which all newbies must complete before being allowed to ride on the road in the UK. (It also stands for ‘Cognitive Behaviour Therapy’ which many car drivers could do with to improve the way they relate to bikers.)
Chain - The word chain usually refers to primary drive, in which sense it means the chain transferring power to the rear wheel. As opposed to the two alternatives, shaft or belt drive, the chain is a light-weight solution and does not cause lag in throttle response or elevation effects. On the other hand it is a solution that needs a lot of maintenance.
Chase Vehicle - Van or truck that follows a pack of riders on a run to assist or haul any bikes that might break down
Checkbook Biker - Same as “InstaBiker” Someone who goes down to the dealership and writes a check for a new bike and new gear.
Cherry Juice - Tranny Fluid
Cherry Tops - Cop cars
Chicken Strips - The tread left on the sidewalls of a sport bike. How much of this there is (or isn’t) is how some Bikers size each other up.
Chickenwing - Honda Gold Wing
Chopper - A style of motorcycle that appears deceptionally light, has a greater angle on the front end than usually seen, and radical styling. The word originates from the post WW2 era when former GIs were looking for performance mods, there was no aftermarket back then and once all engine mods were out of the way the bike’s weight needed to be reduced…owners began to remove uneccesary compnents and eventually began to cut away (or “chop”) sections of the bike and frame. Used to be called “bobbing” but the word “chop” became the more popular phrase. 2. A radical customized bike with extended and raked front end, from which all unnecessary parts have been stripped. The early choppers weren’t raked, so the front end was high making it necessary to reduce the size of the front wheel. They are very stable in a straight line, but not to agile in turns.
Chrome-Slut - Those addicted to putting on more and more chrome, regardless of the functionality.
Chromosexual - That one biker who keeps adding more and more chrome, a chrome-overkill.
Citizen - Anyone who is not a member of a Biker Organization.
Class - A Violent Act
Clone - A motorcycle built to resemble and function like a Harley-Davidson motorcycle without actually being a Harley-Davidson motorcycle (the vehicle title will identify it as something other than a Harley-Davidson)
Club - Also referred to as MC Club A motorcycle organization made up of members who have banded together in a common interest, members have pledged their loyalty (also called prospecting or a prospect) for some time before becoming active. Not to be confused with riding clubs or riding organizations, the distinguishing feature here is a three piece patch consisting of a logo and upper & lower rockers worn on the back of their riding jacket or vest. A patch with or simply the lettersMC will often accompany the club name. Treat these people with utmost respect especially if you see the word Vulcan.
Clubber - One who has club affiliation
Clutch - The clutch is operated by a handle in order to, ultimately, engage or disengage power to the rear wheel.
Clyde - cage driver (usually the bastard that cuts you off)
Coasters - Plates used to block the holes when removing Reed Valves
COG - Kawasaki Concours Owner’s Group ( http - //www.concours.org/ )
Colors/Colours - Signifies a motorcycle club or organization patch.
Combustion chamber - The part of the cylinder in which the fuel is compressed and explodes.
Commuter - Anyone who normally rides his Bike to and from work.
Compression - A condition in which the volume of fuel and air in an engine cylinder is reduced as a result of increased pressure by a piston. The compression ratio of an engine is the ratio of the volume above the piston at the bottom of its compression stroke to the volume above the piston at the top of its stroke.
Compression ratio - The compression ratio specifies how much the fuel is compressed when the engine’s piston is at its highest point.
Corn Snakes - Dried cornstalks that blow across the road especially at harvest time.
Countersteering - Turning the bikes handlebars in one direction(at higher speeds) and having it go in the opposite direction
Coupon - This is a traffic ticket.
Cordura - A high tenacity, air textured nylon fiber, made exclusively by Dupont. Superior abrasion resistance over any other fabric in a head to head comparison. Hundreds of nylon materials exist but 500 Denier Cordura is the industry minimum standard for apparel material abrasion and tear strength
Crack It - Turning up the throttle
Crash Bars - The incorrect term for engine guards.
CreditGlide - RUB’s Ride
Cross - Extreme motorcycles designed for driving in rough terrain or on cross tracks.
Crossover - what connects a front & rear cylinder exhaust pipe together.
Crotch Rocket - A slang term for Sport Bikes. A small sport bike with big HP engine.
Cubic Inch Wars - Refers to the ongoing battle between the “Big 5″ companies for the largest displacement OEM MC engine.
Crash Bungs or Mushrooms are terms for the plastic ‘bungs’ you attach to the frame to protect the fairing etc in case of a ’spill’ or crash.
Cruiser - A newer term that surfaced in the late 1980’s that refers to the laid back styled street bikes with chrome and boulevard styling.
Crushers - Cool Shades like the original Ray-Ban Wayfarers
Cylinder - The cylinder shaped space in an engine where the piston moves up and down to compress and explode fuel, which generates the engine’s power.
Cylinder head - The engine piece that closes off the top end of a cylinder.
Dammits - Those devices on the back of your pins that you will almost always drop. Can be used synonomously with Jesus-clips
DBM - Double-Breasted Mattress Thrasher - when you’re out ‘bird’ watching.
Death Grip -Usually how a first time rider grabs the handle bars.
Denier - a unit of measurement used to describe the strength of a material like nylon. Simply - the bigger the number the bigger the thread.
Detonation - See Pre-Ignition
DILLIGAF - Do I Look Like I Give A F_ _ K
Displacement - 1. The size of an engine, in cubic centimeters (cc) or cubic inches (ci). 2. The volume through which the piston travels during a single stroke of an engine. This term is sometimes also used for the total volume displaced by all engine pistons. The displacement is measured in cubic centimeteres (ccm).
Donor Cycle - Firefighter Term for Sportbikes because their drivers tend to kill themself.
Dos Equis - Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird
DOT - Department of Transportation
Drag Bars - A straight styled handlebar that does not sweep up from the risers. Low, flat, straight handlebars.
Drag Pipes - These were short exhaust pipes that ran low along the frame.
DSA - Driving Standards Agency. The UK government body which, among other things, controls the content of the British bike test.
DTGO - Dyin’ To Get Off - Refers to either the rookie female passenger or the seasoned one, depending on how you look at it.
Dual Sport - A dual purpose motorcycle, made for both on and off the road travel.
Duals - 2 seperate Exhaust pipes, ie one each for front andrear cylinder.
Ear’s - Air boxes (i.e. - on a Kawasaki VN750 or VN1500A or any Virago)
Eat Asphalt - Crash
Econo-box, cage, dresser - Car
ECM - Electronic Control Module - The computer brain that controls various aspects of your motorcycle’s performance including ignition, timimg, and fuel to air ratio.
EFI - Electronic Fuel Injection
Eighty Six (86) - If someone is 86′d they are cut off. for example If you are 86′d from alcohol in public places they are not allowed to drink in public. Some are 86 from club functions.Ol’ladies sometimes get 86 from club functions.
Endo - The art of stopping a motorcycle and having the rear wheel lift off the ground, a reverse of the catwalk. Also called a stoppie. Going back over front.
Enduro - Typically this category includes cross bikes which are tuned and equipped for driving on the roads. These bikes are often heavier than, and not as extreme as cross motorcycles, though not as heavy and well-equipped as the larger off-roaders.
Engine Guards - Metal tubes bolted to the motorcycle’s frame that should protect the engine from damage in the event of an accident. They are not designed to offer the rider or passenger any protection in the event of an accident.
ESAD - Eat **** And Die
Evo - Evolution® - The Evolution engine (V-Twin, produced from 1984 - 2000)
Excessive 11 (Xcess 11) - SX1100, a 1100 cc 4 cylinder street bike.
Exhaust System - Pipes
Expanding brake - Device operated by a handle or pedal to slow down or stop the bike. A cylinder is attached to the relevant wheel. Inside there are two so-called brake shoes, which are pushed outwards against the inner walls of the cylinder, thus slowing the bike down.
FAR - Factory Authorized Repair
Fairing - The plastic shrouds that deflect wind and rain from the rider, the motorcycling equivalent of automotive bodywork.
Fathead - The Twin-Cam engine (V-Twin, produced from 1999 - Current Day)
Flathead - The Flathead engine (V-Twin, produced from 1929 - 1972)
Fast Riding Award - Speeding ticket
Fat - Too Rich Fuel Mixture
Fender Bunny - Nice babe on the back of a bike
Fender Fluff - Nice lookin’ babe on the back
Fiddly-bits - Those chrome do-dads all over saddle bags and seats.
Fishtails or Fishtail Muffler - The exhaust tip or the end of a muffler looks like a Fishtail from the side and usually straight pipe’s with Fishtail tips had a narrow exit for the exhaust where no night stick could fit to check for baffles in the exhaust pipe.
Flame and Crook - Fire and Theft insurance.
FlexiFlyer - 1970s 2-stroke Kawasaki 500/750, lots of go, really bad frames.
Flogging it - Gettting on the throttle hard and shifting thru the gears.
Flower Pot - A cheap helmet non snell-approved head protection device.
Fluff - Young Girl (AUSTRALIAN Terminology)
Fluid Exchange - Stopping for gas and to take a leak.
Flycatcher - Kuryakyn Hypercharger
Flying Colors - Riding while wearing the club/organization’s colors
Fools Paradise - A Harley-Davidson
Four Banger - An inline four cylinder motorcycle (or automotive) engine, these are among the most powerful motors on a motorcycle. Also referred to as an inline four.
Free Rider - Someone who shares the same ideas as a gang but doesn’t belong to one.
French - An old custom car and bike term that refers to mounting a device, a light, usually, deeply recessed into the bodywork, “frenched-in,” and peeking out from within a sort of tunnel, completely recessed below the surface of the surrounding bodywork, presenting only a sudden, clean circle through smooth the surface from which the light appears
FreshMeat - New young girlfriend
Frisco Pegs - Railroad spike highway pegs
Frisco’ed/Frisco style - Style when a gas tank is mounted right along the top of the backbone.
Front Door - Leader of a group ride
FTF - F_ _k The Factory
FTHRWYFL - Forget the Hype, Ride What You F@$#%&n Like!
FTW - F_ _ K The World, also Forever Two Wheels
FUBAR - Which is a very old slang acronym meaning “F_ _ked Up Beyond All Repair.” Pertaining to the sad, inoperable and unfixable state of someone’s bike or engine or whatever.
Fuel Management System - Carburator
Bear with me. This is a work in progress…
1% er (One Percenter) Outlaw Biker - A biker who’s beliefs and/or actions are outside (or not accepted by) the common public.
AMA - American Motorcycle Association.
Aerodynamics - In motorcycle context, good aerodynamics means that the motorcycle is designed to have as little resistance from the air as possible. This is essential to archieve great speeds. The manufacturers often make use of wind tunnels during the development of a new motorcycle.
Air Intake Valves - Reed Valves
Anch’s or Anchor - Brakes
Ape Hangers - Handlebars that are very high, and which often raise the rider’s hands above his or her shoulders. High handlebars so Biker’s hands are at or above their shoulder height.. Refers to a handlebar style where the handgrips are located at a higher position, so as to enable the rider’s arms to “hang” Picture “Clyde” from “Every Which Way but Loose” and you’ll get a perfect understanding of the riding position.
B. F. H. - Big F@#$ing Hammer used to remove rusted axles, bearing cups from the frame neck etc.
B.R.A.G.® - Buell Riders Adventure Group
BAB (Born Again Biker) - Someone who has recently returned to riding after a period of absence and really ought to get some advanced training” Matt the Rat
Back Door - The last (and most experienced) rider in a group ride.
Back Warmer - A girl on the back of your motorcycle.
Baffle - Sound deadening material that sits inside a muffler and quiets the exhaust note
Ballistic Nylon - A specific nylon developed by Dupont for the U.S. Department of Defense for use in flak jackets. Later it was replaced by Kevlar. The basket-weave construction helps add abrasion resistance as opposed to a plain weave. The name is used as a marketing tools with ballistic sounding like something “bulletproof” therefore really tough. May motorcycle apparel companies us the word “Ballistic” when describing material. In many cases the materials tear and abrasion strength does not meet a minimum standard for motorcycle apparel and the word is used only as a sales gimmick.
Bar Hopper Bike - The cool customs and pristine bikes that only come out of the garage Friday and Saturday nights during the summer (and only if it’s real nice out -never in rain) to prowel from bar to bar. A motorcycle that is not very comfortable on longer rides, yet lavishly styled. Rigid frames and hardtails fall into this category.
Barn Disease - When a bike has been idle a few years and the battery is dead, calipers siezed and of course the carbs are filled with varnish sludge.
Barn Queen - That really pristine bike everyone claims a buddy found in some farmer’s barn and bought for $50
Barrels - Another term for Engine Cylinders or Jugs.
Basket Case - A Bike being built from scratch with parts from other Bikes.
Basket Case (#2) - Basket case - typically (at least in the ‘old days’) a bike that someone had taken apart and hadn’t the skill to reassemble. You’d find an ad in the paper and go over….”my brother took it apart and never could figure out how to put it back together, what will you give me for it?” Also - someone who is unhinged as in, “she/he is a real basket case.” So, a bike that is in pieces, usually has been for a while. A bike that is built from pieces of other bikes would be (or would have been) known as an ‘assembler’ (out west), or a person that is way ‘out there’.
Belly-Shover - Racer
Bible - Repair manual
Big End - End of connecting rod that fits on the crankshaft
Big Five - Refers to the five major motorcycle manufacturers - Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha.
Big Slab - Interstate Highway
Big Twin - Any large sized V-Twin motorcycle engine. V-Twin motorcycle engines have really grown in size over the past 10 years so this defination today fits V-Twins over 1200cc. Examples include the Roadstar by Yamaha 1700cc (102 ci), Harley-Davidson motorcycles over 1200cc, Honda VTX 1300/1800, Kawasaki Vulcan 1500/1600/2000, Suzuki Boulevard
Blockhead - The Evolution® engine (V-Twin, produced from 1984 - 2000)
Biker - Simply put, a motorcycle operator. True bikers have a passion for the art of motorcycling, and easily get all wrapped up in this passion during even a simple 1/2 mile commute, but they rarely allow their motorcycle to sit for more than a week without taking it somewhere. Anywhere. Just for the simple excuse of a joy ride will do.
Biker Friendly - A business establishment that doesn’t treat you like you have the plague when you walk in wearin’ leather
Binders - Brakes
Bitch Bar - A sissy bar.
Bitch Pad - Passenger Seat
Blackie - A dark streak left on the asphalt when a motorcycle drills away from a stop. White smoke often accompanies the formation of a blackie.
Blinkers - Turn Signals
Blip - snapping the throttle quickly, as in “blip the throttle”.
Blown or Blower Bike - a bike that is supercharged.
Blue Hairs - Elderly Cage Drivers
Bob, Bobbers, Bobbed or Bobbing - The art of shortening a bike’s appearance by cutting down the size of its fenders. These bikes were also known as “bobbers”. Appeared before choppers. They got the name from the rear fender being cut down to a minimum. And the rest of the bikes were stripped also. This was all part of the early customizing done by the returning WWll flyers.
Bologna (Baloney) Skin - Tire tube
Boneyard - Salvage yard for used bikes & parts, most indie shops also have their own boneyards next to the shop
Brain Bucket - Term for a helmet.
Bronson Rock - Anything that is NOT a bonified tool that you use to fix a bike — I.E., in one show of Then Came Bronson he used a rock to straighten out his crumpled fender after going over the highside so as he could rideon!
BUB - Broke Urban Biker
BUBF - Butt Ugly But Fast
Buckhorns - A style of handlebar that comes up higher and sweeps towards the rider, the stance is more like holding a steering wheel in a car than a handlebar on a motorcycle. A popular style from the 1960’s and 1970’s and still in service today.
BUG - Big Ugly Guy- a big, hostile person, as in “So me and my bros had to fight off these Bugs..” or “You shoulda seen this Bug’s ride”
Burnout - Spinning the rear wheel while holding the front brake
Bullneck - When Harley Davidson 1200 Duo Glide came in 1957 it came with a new feature, the “Bullneck” is a headlightcover that streches from the headlight to the steeringhandle. The “Bullneck” followed the Duo Glide until the end in 1964, when the Electra Glide continued with it for some years. “Bullneck” is selfexplainatory.
Burn-out - Activity where bike stays in one place while backtire spins at full throttle — uses up tires quickly.
Bus or Busa - GSX1300R Hayabusa
Bush Pad - Passenger Seat
Cafe Racer - Sportbike (in Europe Bikers would ride from coffee house to coffee house)
Cage - A car, truck, or van. The sworn enemy of motorcyclists, more commonly known as automobiles. The name stems from being all cooped up inside a closed shell, with no contact with the outside air.
Cager - A person driving a car, truck, or van. Cage operator, or driver.
Can - Muffler (AUS)
Can Of Tuna - Suzuki Kantana
Caning it or Thrashing it - Self-explanatory terms for taking the bike for ‘a blast’.
Canyon Carving - Riding the twisties (road curves/corners) to an extreme.
Carb - Carburetor, Fuel Management System
Carburettor - The part of the bike that mixes air and fuel in correct proportions before it is entered into the engine cylinder(s).
Carma - Like traditional Karma but occurs when cagers do stupid things to bikers. The energy is much more fierce and vengeful and will infect a cager’s ride with radiator leaks, blowouts, bad gas, thrown rods, and overall bad radio reception. These phenomena will only occur when the cager is more than a mile in distance from the biker as to avoid any motorcycle catastrophes. Also works in positive ways when cagers allow a biker plenty of room and are aware of their presence and respect their right to the road. AM reception is unusually clear and the cage experiences a 35% increase in gas mileage.
Carving - Refers to hard fast cornering on roads with many curves, stems from laying the bike down to a nearly horizontal position and “carving” a line through the roadlike a knife.
Catwalk - Riding a motorcycle on the rear wheel only, more commonly known as a “wheelie”
CBT -’compulsory basic training’ a one day training course which all newbies must complete before being allowed to ride on the road in the UK. (It also stands for ‘Cognitive Behaviour Therapy’ which many car drivers could do with to improve the way they relate to bikers.)
Chain - The word chain usually refers to primary drive, in which sense it means the chain transferring power to the rear wheel. As opposed to the two alternatives, shaft or belt drive, the chain is a light-weight solution and does not cause lag in throttle response or elevation effects. On the other hand it is a solution that needs a lot of maintenance.
Chase Vehicle - Van or truck that follows a pack of riders on a run to assist or haul any bikes that might break down
Checkbook Biker - Same as “InstaBiker” Someone who goes down to the dealership and writes a check for a new bike and new gear.
Cherry Juice - Tranny Fluid
Cherry Tops - Cop cars
Chicken Strips - The tread left on the sidewalls of a sport bike. How much of this there is (or isn’t) is how some Bikers size each other up.
Chickenwing - Honda Gold Wing
Chopper - A style of motorcycle that appears deceptionally light, has a greater angle on the front end than usually seen, and radical styling. The word originates from the post WW2 era when former GIs were looking for performance mods, there was no aftermarket back then and once all engine mods were out of the way the bike’s weight needed to be reduced…owners began to remove uneccesary compnents and eventually began to cut away (or “chop”) sections of the bike and frame. Used to be called “bobbing” but the word “chop” became the more popular phrase. 2. A radical customized bike with extended and raked front end, from which all unnecessary parts have been stripped. The early choppers weren’t raked, so the front end was high making it necessary to reduce the size of the front wheel. They are very stable in a straight line, but not to agile in turns.
Chrome-Slut - Those addicted to putting on more and more chrome, regardless of the functionality.
Chromosexual - That one biker who keeps adding more and more chrome, a chrome-overkill.
Citizen - Anyone who is not a member of a Biker Organization.
Class - A Violent Act
Clone - A motorcycle built to resemble and function like a Harley-Davidson motorcycle without actually being a Harley-Davidson motorcycle (the vehicle title will identify it as something other than a Harley-Davidson)
Club - Also referred to as MC Club A motorcycle organization made up of members who have banded together in a common interest, members have pledged their loyalty (also called prospecting or a prospect) for some time before becoming active. Not to be confused with riding clubs or riding organizations, the distinguishing feature here is a three piece patch consisting of a logo and upper & lower rockers worn on the back of their riding jacket or vest. A patch with or simply the lettersMC will often accompany the club name. Treat these people with utmost respect especially if you see the word Vulcan.
Clubber - One who has club affiliation
Clutch - The clutch is operated by a handle in order to, ultimately, engage or disengage power to the rear wheel.
Clyde - cage driver (usually the bastard that cuts you off)
Coasters - Plates used to block the holes when removing Reed Valves
COG - Kawasaki Concours Owner’s Group ( http - //www.concours.org/ )
Colors/Colours - Signifies a motorcycle club or organization patch.
Combustion chamber - The part of the cylinder in which the fuel is compressed and explodes.
Commuter - Anyone who normally rides his Bike to and from work.
Compression - A condition in which the volume of fuel and air in an engine cylinder is reduced as a result of increased pressure by a piston. The compression ratio of an engine is the ratio of the volume above the piston at the bottom of its compression stroke to the volume above the piston at the top of its stroke.
Compression ratio - The compression ratio specifies how much the fuel is compressed when the engine’s piston is at its highest point.
Corn Snakes - Dried cornstalks that blow across the road especially at harvest time.
Countersteering - Turning the bikes handlebars in one direction(at higher speeds) and having it go in the opposite direction
Coupon - This is a traffic ticket.
Cordura - A high tenacity, air textured nylon fiber, made exclusively by Dupont. Superior abrasion resistance over any other fabric in a head to head comparison. Hundreds of nylon materials exist but 500 Denier Cordura is the industry minimum standard for apparel material abrasion and tear strength
Crack It - Turning up the throttle
Crash Bars - The incorrect term for engine guards.
CreditGlide - RUB’s Ride
Cross - Extreme motorcycles designed for driving in rough terrain or on cross tracks.
Crossover - what connects a front & rear cylinder exhaust pipe together.
Crotch Rocket - A slang term for Sport Bikes. A small sport bike with big HP engine.
Cubic Inch Wars - Refers to the ongoing battle between the “Big 5″ companies for the largest displacement OEM MC engine.
Crash Bungs or Mushrooms are terms for the plastic ‘bungs’ you attach to the frame to protect the fairing etc in case of a ’spill’ or crash.
Cruiser - A newer term that surfaced in the late 1980’s that refers to the laid back styled street bikes with chrome and boulevard styling.
Crushers - Cool Shades like the original Ray-Ban Wayfarers
Cylinder - The cylinder shaped space in an engine where the piston moves up and down to compress and explode fuel, which generates the engine’s power.
Cylinder head - The engine piece that closes off the top end of a cylinder.
Dammits - Those devices on the back of your pins that you will almost always drop. Can be used synonomously with Jesus-clips
DBM - Double-Breasted Mattress Thrasher - when you’re out ‘bird’ watching.
Death Grip -Usually how a first time rider grabs the handle bars.
Denier - a unit of measurement used to describe the strength of a material like nylon. Simply - the bigger the number the bigger the thread.
Detonation - See Pre-Ignition
DILLIGAF - Do I Look Like I Give A F_ _ K
Displacement - 1. The size of an engine, in cubic centimeters (cc) or cubic inches (ci). 2. The volume through which the piston travels during a single stroke of an engine. This term is sometimes also used for the total volume displaced by all engine pistons. The displacement is measured in cubic centimeteres (ccm).
Donor Cycle - Firefighter Term for Sportbikes because their drivers tend to kill themself.
Dos Equis - Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird
DOT - Department of Transportation
Drag Bars - A straight styled handlebar that does not sweep up from the risers. Low, flat, straight handlebars.
Drag Pipes - These were short exhaust pipes that ran low along the frame.
DSA - Driving Standards Agency. The UK government body which, among other things, controls the content of the British bike test.
DTGO - Dyin’ To Get Off - Refers to either the rookie female passenger or the seasoned one, depending on how you look at it.
Dual Sport - A dual purpose motorcycle, made for both on and off the road travel.
Duals - 2 seperate Exhaust pipes, ie one each for front andrear cylinder.
Ear’s - Air boxes (i.e. - on a Kawasaki VN750 or VN1500A or any Virago)
Eat Asphalt - Crash
Econo-box, cage, dresser - Car
ECM - Electronic Control Module - The computer brain that controls various aspects of your motorcycle’s performance including ignition, timimg, and fuel to air ratio.
EFI - Electronic Fuel Injection
Eighty Six (86) - If someone is 86′d they are cut off. for example If you are 86′d from alcohol in public places they are not allowed to drink in public. Some are 86 from club functions.Ol’ladies sometimes get 86 from club functions.
Endo - The art of stopping a motorcycle and having the rear wheel lift off the ground, a reverse of the catwalk. Also called a stoppie. Going back over front.
Enduro - Typically this category includes cross bikes which are tuned and equipped for driving on the roads. These bikes are often heavier than, and not as extreme as cross motorcycles, though not as heavy and well-equipped as the larger off-roaders.
Engine Guards - Metal tubes bolted to the motorcycle’s frame that should protect the engine from damage in the event of an accident. They are not designed to offer the rider or passenger any protection in the event of an accident.
ESAD - Eat **** And Die
Evo - Evolution® - The Evolution engine (V-Twin, produced from 1984 - 2000)
Excessive 11 (Xcess 11) - SX1100, a 1100 cc 4 cylinder street bike.
Exhaust System - Pipes
Expanding brake - Device operated by a handle or pedal to slow down or stop the bike. A cylinder is attached to the relevant wheel. Inside there are two so-called brake shoes, which are pushed outwards against the inner walls of the cylinder, thus slowing the bike down.
FAR - Factory Authorized Repair
Fairing - The plastic shrouds that deflect wind and rain from the rider, the motorcycling equivalent of automotive bodywork.
Fathead - The Twin-Cam engine (V-Twin, produced from 1999 - Current Day)
Flathead - The Flathead engine (V-Twin, produced from 1929 - 1972)
Fast Riding Award - Speeding ticket
Fat - Too Rich Fuel Mixture
Fender Bunny - Nice babe on the back of a bike
Fender Fluff - Nice lookin’ babe on the back
Fiddly-bits - Those chrome do-dads all over saddle bags and seats.
Fishtails or Fishtail Muffler - The exhaust tip or the end of a muffler looks like a Fishtail from the side and usually straight pipe’s with Fishtail tips had a narrow exit for the exhaust where no night stick could fit to check for baffles in the exhaust pipe.
Flame and Crook - Fire and Theft insurance.
FlexiFlyer - 1970s 2-stroke Kawasaki 500/750, lots of go, really bad frames.
Flogging it - Gettting on the throttle hard and shifting thru the gears.
Flower Pot - A cheap helmet non snell-approved head protection device.
Fluff - Young Girl (AUSTRALIAN Terminology)
Fluid Exchange - Stopping for gas and to take a leak.
Flycatcher - Kuryakyn Hypercharger
Flying Colors - Riding while wearing the club/organization’s colors
Fools Paradise - A Harley-Davidson
Four Banger - An inline four cylinder motorcycle (or automotive) engine, these are among the most powerful motors on a motorcycle. Also referred to as an inline four.
Free Rider - Someone who shares the same ideas as a gang but doesn’t belong to one.
French - An old custom car and bike term that refers to mounting a device, a light, usually, deeply recessed into the bodywork, “frenched-in,” and peeking out from within a sort of tunnel, completely recessed below the surface of the surrounding bodywork, presenting only a sudden, clean circle through smooth the surface from which the light appears
FreshMeat - New young girlfriend
Frisco Pegs - Railroad spike highway pegs
Frisco’ed/Frisco style - Style when a gas tank is mounted right along the top of the backbone.
Front Door - Leader of a group ride
FTF - F_ _k The Factory
FTHRWYFL - Forget the Hype, Ride What You F@$#%&n Like!
FTW - F_ _ K The World, also Forever Two Wheels
FUBAR - Which is a very old slang acronym meaning “F_ _ked Up Beyond All Repair.” Pertaining to the sad, inoperable and unfixable state of someone’s bike or engine or whatever.
Fuel Management System - Carburator