Am I just getting old and cynical - or is the sports bike culture now just cringy as ****.

Dr.Manhattan

Dr.Manhattan

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Now I don't mean to call the kettle black here - every person is different and just because Im a laid back and chill rider doesn't mean everyone has to be. People enjoy riding and to a higher degree it becomes a large part of their life and they feel they want to show case that. That being said, I haven't gone to a sport bike meet in a number of years, more so cause there's not a whole lot where I live now (within a few hours ride) but also because the last few I went too most of the riders I met were just.....weird, arrogant, or socially awkward. Like OK....I know you ride bro, I don't know you but sure...tell me how you owned that track day, and your lap time was number 1 - also cool motorcycle helmet with a green mohawk running down the middle.....like.....why? Granted I have met a few great people from this forum that were just casual, easy going riders that didn't feel the need to boast and be attention seekers about anything - and I've kept in touch with most through the years.

So anyway I went to a meet yesterday cause what the hell, been riding by myself for years and maybe Im missing something. Queue the young guys doing burn outs in an A&W parking lot when I pull in, OK, guess thats pretty standard now. Stretched out sports bikes that you couldn't even tip over to make a corner.....its like buying a Ferarri and putting monster truck tires on it. Well, maybe they hit the drag strip.....Hey man huge rear tire and swing arm on that beast, get to the 1/4 mile often? Nah.....never done that - just for looks bro, looks "tight" the way a bike should be. Ahh.....K.

What the **** is that over there? Why do those people have weird furry carebear helmets on? Why does this guy have a Predator helmet with dredlocks? Is that guy just revving the **** out of his BMW RR1000 to get the attention of those 6 years olds in the A&W window? Guys walking around with their cell phones capturing social media videos of people just revving their bikes and throwing up hand signs and break dancing. Wtf is going on.

I grab a coffee and just sit at my bike when a group of girls are doing there rounds looking at bikes. I chit chat the one where she's made it very apparent she rides a motorcycle.....cool, I never would of guessed you rode your OWN bike here. Shes talking to me like shes trying to prove something - and Im sorry if Im stereotyping here a bit more but its the vibe I've got from a lot of girls that ride sport bikes - almost like they are trying to compensate for something (which you'd think is more so a guy image). Like yes, you have a bike - I guess I should worship you or something? And you're better than every other girl that doesn't know how to ride a motorcycle. You don't have to act all tough, high and mighty.....just have a regular conversation without flexing on me. But I just play along, all smiles as she tells me the ungodly things she can do on her 300 and how she never rides with guys cause they just hit on her and constantly try to show off, thats why she made an all girl riding club. Ahhhhh......ok

Next comes another long line of riders, all squiding it with those dumb Icon chest protector vests. Why even bother? Of all the accidents I've seen none of them have involved a rider superman'ed sliding down the highway on just their chest. They all ride in- blippin the throttle a hundred times for no reason - under lights galore feeling like im at a fashion show. A few of them actually had spinners on their wheels....which I've never actually seen before - so queue the guys with their cell phones out capturing all this for their social media platforms "OOOH **** THATS SIIIIICK"

With all that being said I found a few older riders that just by chance stopped in as they were passing through going further west, and enjoyed watching the circus with them. So, I guess this is the norm now? I did bike meets about 18 years ago where it was riders just standing around chatting, talking about good roads, routes, performance parts and gear deals. Is this the new pinnacle of bike meets now? I half expected them all to tell me to get off the crotch rocket and its time to get a couch on wheels.

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You should come and shake your fist at clouds like me.

But you’re not wrong. Sportbike “culture” my way seems to be riding up and down a main road trying to make as much noise as possible, as many times as you can.
 
I don't really worry about the culture clubs. Dirty Squids on sport bikes at A&W. Pirates on cruisers at Tim Hortons. Hipsters on cafe conversion Gentlemens Rides. KLIM'd out 1200cc Karoo'd ADV riders who have never touched dirt.

It a lot of COSPLAY.
 
This has all been like this for at least the last twenty years, including the social media part. And hey, it takes all kinds - some of those folks are keeping shops in business. I haven't personally gone to a social motorcycle event in a dog's age and was thinking about looking some up (thinking my TL1000S will make me cool and popular now).

What you attended wasn't your scene, and there is nothing wrong with that! You just need whatever the modern equivalent of coffee at the Forks is these days.
 
I can totally see someone feeling disenfranchised at these gatherings.

First year I thought L&L was pretty cool. But the novelty wore off quickly when I realized we;

1)left piles of garbage every Thursday without fail.
2)everyone had to make a point of tearing off down lakeshore when leaving despite the under covers being obviously parked across the street
3)same people showing up to show off and rev bomb continuously “why thank you, I’ve never heard a 2008 gixxer ping off the redline before you got here. “
4)all the group rides out of there I heard about were complete horror stories “just keep up bro!”

Personally I am social; I like to engage with other people and chat about our experiences and passion for riding instead of a group ride for a few hours (see BurgeRR meets). What I enjoy isn’t what the next person may enjoy, but that’s okay.

I’m sure there are gatherings which would speak more to what you want out of a meetup, you just have to find them.
 
Who cares how other people choose to enjoy their motorcycles?

Just ride yours and have fun doing it!

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Well, if it is a generational thing. Then I would peg the current as just having fun and not taking motorcycling too seriously. Rev bombs, fuzzy helmets, bike nights are for kicks. Not everybody can ride a bike, so I do take pride in constantly learning how to improve. Little kids and some big kids like rev bombs, just like asking the train engineer for the whistle. choo choo!
 
I've been into sportbikes since before I could ride, and have never gone to any of these kinds of gatherings. I also don't ride in groups bigger than four. There's room to be into sportbikes without having to join that crowd. Go to any trackday for lots of chill folks more interested in go than show if that's l your bag. Above all, these folks don't define the bikes.

I don't mind the harmless showoff side, and could care less about the fashion or lingo. Though I do resent being made a target by both police and insurance companies because of their inability to assess risk or improve meaningful skills affecting perceptions of the kinds of bikes I like to ride.

One thing that strikes me based on your description is how little the stunt/squid scene has changed in the last 20 years. Furry helmets, Icon vests, etc. were all the rage when the Somethingsomething Boyz ruled the stuntaz scene in the late '90s and early '00s.
 
The most annoying ones are the hipsters with their manbuns and modern classic triumphs and tobacco pipes.
 
High Flya said:
@Dr.Manhattan you must've hit the jackpot and found the squid meet. The meet I like to frequent in Markham is pretty chill and laid-back, and fairly small. It's majority sport/naked, but there's none of the shenanigans (so far).
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Where in Markham?
 
High Flya said:
Tuesdays @ Big Smoke Burger parking lot on Woodbine just north of Hwy 7.
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Ah yes. That meetup started last season.

We chased off most of the rev bombers. Hopefully it stays enjoyable, last thing we need is small business wanting us out.
 
TwistedKestrel said:
This has all been like this for at least the last twenty years, including the social media part. And hey, it takes all kinds - some of those folks are keeping shops in business. I haven't personally gone to a social motorcycle event in a dog's age and was thinking about looking some up (thinking my TL1000S will make me cool and popular now).

What you attended wasn't your scene, and there is nothing wrong with that! You just need whatever the modern equivalent of coffee at the Forks is these days.
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Your TL1000S DOES make you cool!
Well, in my books anyways.
 
It's always been cringe. Now your just old enough to notice. We've all done cringe things at some point. Learn, grow, move on.
 
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