Bikers

Bikers have an unfortunate reputation. They are often compared to criminals, with the "Hell's Angel" image being intimidating and downright scary. While massive tattooed men with beards riding Harley Davidsons are one aspect of biker culture, there is another aspect that is widely overlooked.

The culture of sports bikers is one of which I have only recently been introduced to, but is one not to be overlooked. Riders in this category in my experience are usually thrill seekers but at the same time are extremely controlled and dedicated. Sports bikes (possibly motorbikes in general) take a lot of maintenance, so sports bikers have to be dedicated to their bikes and seek pride from them. Bikers often fix their own bikes, finding it cheaper and easier than relying on mechanics, and therefore you can sometimes walk in on a bit of a mess if you visit a biker's home. Some seek to have the best looking bike or the fastest bike and they can become quite competitive.

Like Harley riders, these riders often meet up to compare bikes or just to mingle with fellow bike lovers. They will discuss bikes. A lot. As a biker's girlfriend who knows nothing about bikes, this can seem a bit alien-you wonder why a conversation about exhausts could possibly be interesting. But they are truly passionate about every aspect, and I suppose talking to people who share your interests is extremely exciting. These meets can cause lifelong friendships to form; the types of friendships where you don't need to talk everyday, but if you randomly bumped into them in the middle of the street, you wouldn't avoid conversation.

My favourite part of being partially involved in this culture is the group rides. These can be organised rides, or can randomly spring from meet ups. The best I have been on is the May-Day Run, in which bikers from all over the country ride in groups towards the Hastings coast. This is great because you're all riding together and it creates a real sense of unity, plus because you are pretty much contained away from other traffic, you can have fun with the bikers around you. Rides like these show the diversity of bikers and its also interesting to look at all the different types of bikes, even as someone who knows literally nothing about motorbikes.

I always ride pillion on my boyfriend's bike because I can't actually ride a motorbike (although many have tried to persuade me to learn) and this in itself is a mastered skill. You have to learn to position yourself in a way that won't restrict the person in front of you; they need to be able to move their hips and arms. You also need to learn to lean with the bike, it makes it much easier on the person in front of you if you are not sitting bolt upright. I have found that if my boyfriend wears a rucksack, I can hold onto the back of the handles to stabilise myself. This way, I have something keeping me on the bike, but I'm not clinging on to my boyfriend.

Every single biker I have met so far has been extremely friendly and helpful. If a biker is seen broken down on the hard shoulder, another biker (as long as they have nowhere urgent to be) will stop to help. How often do you see car drivers pull over to the hard shoulder to help another car driver who seems to be unable to help themselves? I remember travelling from my boyfriend's house to somewhere else by bus, but I had to wait at the bus stop wearing all my bike clothes. A biker saw me and approached me asking if I was okay. He obviously had presumed I was having bike troubles and was asking if I needed any help. Me, about 18 at the time (but forever looking 14), him in his early thirties: what was it to him if I had broken down? Another thing I like is what I have dubbed the "biker nod". Whenever two bikes pass each other (as long as they are "good" bikes) each biker will exchange a nod. Just a friendly "hello", but I think it is refreshing. Bikers can often rally together for a good cause, like the Red Ring for Remembrance day, where bikers aim to make the biggest poppy in the world by wearing red and riding around the M25 in a cirlce. This helped to raise money for various remebrance charities.

While bikers can be competitive and sometimes ride at dangerous speeds, there is nothing like the exhilaration of riding a motorbike. I am a driver of a comfortable Ford Focus, a lover of creature comforts such as radio and air con and appreciator of not-getting-wet-when-it's-raining. But even I miss being on the back of a bike. Never mind the fact you can bypass traffic with ease, being on a bike means being part of an exclusive, positive, friendly culture.