Making Sense Of The Wacky Stereotypes About Bikers - Zig Picks

India is among the top markets for two-wheelers, with everything ranging from sub-100cc daily scoots to litre-class track missiles and massive, hulking cruisers and ADVs criss-crossing every city, town, hamlet or village across all corners of the country on a daily basis. And yet, despite their ubiquity, there is a mind-boggling amount of misinformation spread about bike riders.

Now, though some of these stem from scary/traumatic incidents that people may have heard of or even experienced, a majority of the misconceptions are mostly due to ignorance and/or apathy. 

So here’s the Zig Bike Team, with a sample of the howlers they have heard first-hand, and the rationale behind it all:

Aamir Momin -

All bikers who ride fast, ride recklessly -  
The most common stereotype, and one with some truth to it. But it also belies the fact that many riders who are fast, are also those who have trained themselves over years of riding in varied terrain and weather conditions. So, yes, you can be an extremely safe rider, and at the same time ride fast. 

Bernard Mascarenhas - 

Riders who are geared up go racing on the street - 
The average patch of road has everything from damp leaves, wet patches and broken tarmac, and that’s before we consider the sheer lack of traffic awareness. Bikers gear up as a reaction to this, so as to minimise bodily harm when things go pear-shaped. Moreover, the vast majority of them wouldn’t even want to be street racers.

Ishan Lee - 

If you can ride a bike well, you must be popular with the ladies - 
Nope, you mostly end up attracting other men. That said, these are usually the ones who end up becoming your long-time buddies. And besides, it even widens your world view, since these people come from all walks of life and disparate corners of the country, or even the globe!

Manaal Mahatme - 

Motorcycle riding takes a toll on your health in the long run -
But so does all the junk food that everyone is guilty of indulging in. But that doesn’t stop us from eating those delectable burgers and fries and pizzas and momos, right? Instead, we try to focus on exercising so we can continue “occasionally” binging on the unhealthy stuff. So, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and you’ll keep on munching miles happily.

Nishaad Joshi - 

Motorcycle riders are reckless -
All bikers do not spend their time pulling wheelies or screaming down the highway at 200kmph. We don’t all have a death wish, and we don’t seethe with road rage every time we crank the engine. We might look like dark superheroes or warriors from the future, but most of us follow traffic regulations, and just want to get to work (or home) with minimal hassle.

Praveen M - 

Long-distance rides are physically impossible on a motorcycle - 
Many people I’ve come across think inter-city rides are impossible. It isn’t, really. All you need is a lot of patience, a well-maintained two-wheeler and a certain sense of adventure to do it, that’s all. 

Sudipto Chaudhury - 

They do if for attention - 
Riders in contrast-coloured gear on a bike with additional reflective tape are immediately judged as ‘craving attention’ by car folk, not realising that their flashy appearance is exactly how they'll be instantly spotted in the vast expanse of traffic, directly reducing their chances of being squished like bug on a windshield.