Dictionary of Biker Terms: Part Three
Whether you're a veteran biker or a newbie, you're going to come across some biker lingo. And I speak from experience when I say riding is not all about keeping up on the road, but in conversation as well. This is when a motorcycle dictionary comes in handy...
Here's Part Three in our biker slang dictionary series.
Be sure to read Part One before you start jawing away with your biker buds!
L
Lace: To install the spokes, or, otherwise “lace a wheel.”
Lane Splitting: Driving between stopped cars in traffic.
Laughlin: Otherwise known as the Laughlin River Run, this is an annual motorcycle rally in Laughlin, NV.
Lay It Down: A crash in which a biker slides with one leg under the bike. When this is done accidentally, it's called a "low side."
Leathers: Riding clothes made of leather.
Lid: Helmet
Line: The intended path of travel.
Lone Wolf: A biker with no club affiliation.
Low Side: When a bike is laid down, and the rider slides with one leg under the motorcycle, opposite of a "High Side."
M
MC: A motorcycle club. This is not a “Motorcycle Gang”, as these are not admitted in motorcycle culture.
MFFM: An acronym that stands for Mongols Forever, Forever Mongols.
Meet: A scheduled social event or meeting. Not considered the same as Church.
Megaphone: A flared exhaust tip.
Metric Cruiser: A cruiser-style bike from a foreign manufacturer.
Monkey Butt: The unpleasant end result of a long ride. (Use your imagination…)
Mother: Regarding chapters of a motorcycle club, this is the original chapter.
N
Naked Bike: Bikes with little to no cowl or fairing.
Neck: The front of a motorcycle frame behind the steering head.
Nomad: When "Nomad" appears on a bottom rocker patch, this means that particular motorcycle club member travels between geographical chapters.
O
OEM: Original Equipment Manufacturer.
OFFO: Outlaws Forever, Forever Outlaws.
OHC: OverHead Cam.
OHV: OverHead Valve.
OMG: Outlaw Motorcycle Gang. You won't see this advertised on patches or tattoos, but you'll see it in books and magazine articles.
Oil Bag: An oil tank.
Old Lady: A wife or long-time girlfriend.
One Off: A one-of-a-kind motorcycle.
Organ Donor: A biker who doesn't wear a helmet.
Originals: The original colors presented to a new motorcycle club member.
P
Patches: Emblems and symbols sewn on biker jackets and shirts, displaying an affiliation, a club, a brand, or anything that is special to the biker.
Pillion: A passenger on the motorcycle.
PMS: Parked Motorcycle Syndrome, usually the result of not being able to ride in the winter.
Poker Run: A motorcycle run involving usually five stops where you get a card. At the end of the run, the biker with the best hand wins the run.
Popping the Clutch: Rapidly letting go of the clutch. Therefore, making it possible for the motorcycle to quickly accelerate.
Poser: A wannabe biker.
Pucker factor: A very close call when riding.
R
Ride Captain: The ride captain opens the group ride and is up front.
Ride Lieutenant: An experienced rider who rides last in a ride-out, making sure that everything goes according to plan.
Road Rash: Scratches left by asphalt after you have been thrown off your motorcycle, high side or low side, and skidded alongside the road.
RUB: Acronym that stands for Rich Urban Biker. A biker who rides an expensive motorcycle only on the weekend, and are usually posers.
S
Safety Nazi: A person who rides in absolutely full safety gear, often to an extreme, obeys every law, and wants all others to do the same.
Squid: The opposite of a Safety Nazi, this is a biker who rides with no protection and rides very dangerously.
T
Tank Slapper: A high-speed wobble resulting in the handlebars banging against the sides of the fuel tank. Usually an extreme Pucker factor.
Twisties: A part of a road that has many curves, turns and bends.
W
Wannabe: Like a poser, a wannabe is a person who wants to be a real biker but doesn’t actually ride.
Wave: A rule of motorcycle etiquette, and is a greeting between bikers on the road. This involves raising a hand when passing another biker going the opposite direction.
Wrench: A mechanic.
Did I forget any must-know terms? Let me know in a comment and I will add it!
Rumble on, my friends.
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