The
Biker's Code
by Author Unknown
It used to be that all bikers shared a common
bond, an unspoken code of ethics and behavior that transcended words and was
built on actions. There was never a bible written on this Biker's Code and there
was no need for such. But the times
are a-changin' and there seems to be a lot of new
riders out there.
These days the riders you see
blastin' down the road are just as likely to be clad in shorts and
sneakers as jeans and engineer boots. And the roughest, toughest-looking biker
you pull up next to could be your doctor or lawyer and may be
wearin' a Rolex watch under his leathers.
There's nothing wrong with that, so long as these new riders learn the
Code just as we old-timers did. Being a biker used to be about using your
creativity to take a basket case old hawg and using
only grit and ingenuity, turning it into a one-of-a-kind eye dazzler, then
risking your life on the asphalt on a bike you made yourself out of pride.
Bikers wore leather and grease because they knew cagers
would just as soon run them down as look at them, so they had to be
intimidating.
We were a breed unto ourselves with no union, no
support group, and in many cases, no family (they threw us out). We had to make
it in the world of our own, against all rules, against mainstream society, and
against all odds.
We survived and prospered because of the Biker
Code and we never took shit from anybody. As an old scooter bro once said, "It's
every tramp's job to school the young. How else are they
gonna know a Panhead from a bed pan?" With
that in mind, we bring you a primer on the basic two-wheeled Code. Take heed,
brothers and sisters, for our Code is a hallowed one filled with honor and
loyalty, the likes of which have not been since the days of knighthood:
Don't take any shit. Be kind to women, children
and animals, but don't take any bullshit. This is an essential part of being a
biker. It has to do with respect and honor. Anyone can be a quick-tempered fool.
Be cool, stand tall and backup what you say with action.
Never lie, cheat or steal. Another way of saying
this is to always tell the truth. Bikers are always the greasy bad guys in the
movies, but every real biker knows that his word is his bond. Your word is all
you have in life that is truly yours. Guard it carefully and be something noble,
for you are a true knight of the road.
Don’t snitch. If you see a wrong, fight it
yourself, if you are about anything. You’ll take care of problems yourself and
never feel the need to snitch someone off. Snitches are the lowest life forms on
earth, right up there with biker thieves.
Don’t Whine. Absolutely no one likes or respects a
whiner. Another way to say this is hold your mud. Still another way to think of
it is, “Don’t sweat the small stuff” Most of life’s little inconveniences work
themselves out whether you whine or not. Keep your chin up,
damnit! You’re a biker, not some lowly snail.
.
Never say die and never
give up. Whether it’s in a fight, a debate, or a business deal, no matter how
bad it gets, a
biker never gives up.
Help others. When a
brother or sister is broken down by the side of the road, always stop and help
them. Even moral support, if that is all you can give, is better than riding on
by. Remember life is about the journey, the ride, not getting there. You already
are there. And don’t just help bikers show the world that we are better than our
image portrays us. Courtesy costs you nothing and gives you everything.
Stick to your guns. Do
what you say you’ll do, be there when you say you will. This is called
integrity. This also goes back to standing for something. Like the song says,
“You’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything.”
Life is not a drill. Yeah,
this ain’t
no dress rehearsal. This is
life – go out and take big bites of it. You’ve got no time to lose and bikers
don’t stand around waiting for the party to come to them. You only go around
once. Tomorrow you could be road kill, thanks to a chain smoker asleep at the
wheel of his Caddy. Live life now, make
the most of each moment.
All right, now let’s
review.
· You are a biker, a
modern-day knight of the road.
· Protect the weak, walk
tall and stand proud.
· Your word is your bond.
· Stick to your guns.
· Don’t take any shit.
· Life is not a drill.
Now go forth and ride. When in doubt, ride.
That’s what we do…ride. If you want to ride around in a Day-Glo Hawaiian shirt
and sandals, go for it, but if you intend to look like
a idiot, at least don’t act
like an idiot.
These commandments are
just a few of the broad strokes, there is a lot more to being a biker than
buying a bike. If you just buy a bike, you are a motorcyclist. Being a biker is
a way of life, a proud way of life we hold in high regard with a burning passion
for the open highway.
What say you?