Are you a Starling or an Eagle?

Off-topic
1

Sitting here thinking about anything else than the exacting process of getting my air compressor machinery CE marked, I thought I’d post up a little debate.

Sunny days are here at last. Box Hill is full on a Sunday and things like the May Day ride (shivers in horror) are going on.

It got me thinking as to why I have so little in common with many of the bikers I have spoken to. Albeit they are invariably nice people of all shapes and sizes and lifestyles.

I bike for the thrill and the excitement, as a fair weather toy, a means of cutting through traffic when you want to get a way from it all and of course to go balls out on track trying to improve your skills/lines/times. I ride occasionally with mates (whom I’ve known for years even without the bikes) but more often than not on my own (Eagle). I don’t enjoy the flocking behaviour of the (Starlings) to bike meets/rideouts, and certainly not when they are in my opinion cranking up the danger (like mayday runs or stunting at meets).

And of course there are all the tribes…Rat Bikers, Choppers, Sports Bikers, Scooters, Classics etc. Half the time they don’t seem to have a nice thing to say about each other. Or other road users.

Why did you get into biking? Is it because it offers an escape or social club aspect to your life that the humdrum existence of Job/Family/Kids etc doesn’t or is it just another interest? Does it consume you to the point where you will happily bend the ear of a total stranger on the finer points of a tyre choice or Pazzo lever or are you just nodding whilst one of these folks talks at you whilst thinking how quickly can I just get away politely and get out there and bobble my tyres.

I am probably just rambling on here but I was talking with a mate last weekend about this and he feels the same. So interested in your views of the ‘biking lifestyle’ and what you get from it. Are you a solitary bike (eagle) or a flock/herd mentality (starling)?

2

I’m not a ‘biker’ per se, I’m a commuter.
I bought a 50cc to get to work quicker than on the bus. Then I bought a 125 to be quicker than on a 50. Then I bought a 400 to be quicker than on the 125.

Then I bought a pushbike and it’s as quick as the 400. So I ride my motorbike on rainy days only - not eagle, nor starling - more like a Duck :slight_smile:
I’m into VWs more than bikes :slight_smile:

3

I used to go to / marshall motocross a lot when I was 14 /15, and bought a TS50 when I was 16 (1985).

Bikes were my only means of transport from 1985 until last december when I passed my car test.I do on average 12 to 18k a year on a bike and enjoy riding on my own, or just with Joolsie, or out with a bunch of mates.I quite like going to bike meets to look at bikes - it’s all about riding, though - doesn’t matter where, when or who with, I just love riding my bike.

4

I did my CBT because I was fed up of spending upwards of three hours a day commuting to Victoria everyday. On a 125 it cut my commute down to 50 minutes.

That was four years ago. A part from a couple of people at work and my uncle I didn’t really know any bikers. I got to know the staff at Infinity Hanger Lane as they were my local shop at the time, and never really thought about the biker community at large.

And rides that I did at the weekend was on my own, because that is how I am. I’m quite solitary by nature and I found that riding a bike suited me quite well. It wasn’t until JonnyZero started at infinity and told me about LB that I found there was a rich community of bikers out there. That was 18 months ago, and to be honest I haven’t looked back.

When I stop by the Ace now there is almost always someone there you can have a cuppa and a chat with. I have been on rideouts, protests and meets. It doesn’t matter if I turn up at BM in a suit or the trade mark HiViz or both when at the curry night. The website is a fountain of knowledge, and people are always ready to help. There are lively debates and discussions on a wide range of topics, and there is a lot of humour as well.

But if I don’t want to ride on my own there is a ride out to join most weeks. Just wish I had the time to join more, however if I want to be myself I can just ride on my own.

Like most things in life you make of it what you want.

As for being and Eagle or a Starling, I would say that I am a cat (less likely to be sucked into a jet engine). :smiley:

5

I spent my teenage years in Spain where everybody had mopeds and I bought mine when I was 15.

Moved back to London aged 17 and promised myself that as sson as i moved out of London, I would buy one again.

Moved out of London last year - bought one.

I’m more alert when riding solo and can do as I please, so I enjoy that.

But occasionally, I feel sociable and like to ride with others.

Does that make me a Stargle? Coz an Ealing would just be wrong :frowning:

6

i started riding age 13 on scooters…i wasnt an angel;)

i got sent to a youth project as the result of my activities:w00t: that was my tunring point tho, good boy from then on, plus i got to do lots of off-roading fromn it.

had lots of 125’s over the years then did DAS and got inot bigger bikes, my SV650 then my SV1000, nearly 2 years on big bike now…

i dont do big group rides anymore, bar the BCR, i got bored of the them, stopped enjoying it.

often i go out in the lanes on my todd, i can go at my own pace, i can scrape my slider when i want…lap the roundabout as many times as i want i just prefer being a bit of a lone wolf most of the time, sometimes i willl ride with just opne other person, normally one of my mates from LB:)

7

I got into bikes by chance, a lady friend of mine is shorter than me and she rides so thought well if she can do it - so could I. Also, at that time, I’d discovered in myself that I needed a new ‘rush’ having lived off a rather undesirable type of ‘rush’ for 6 months. That was only last year.

I did my CBT + DAS in about a month. That was last September. So far I’ve ridden on my own Eagle as I enjoy doing my own thing. However, if the ride out is right then I’d become a Starling.

I see myself more of a Common House Sparrow (in more ways than one!!!) :wink:

Those of us that consider ourselves to be birds better watch out or well get eaten by Kevsta!!! :D:D

8

Similar to Kev I returned to biking when I got fed up with the horrendous grind to work that is London public transport. What I didn’t know at the time was just how much I would enjoy being back on two wheels.

Yes it is an escape from everyday life as well as being just an excellent means of transport, particularly in congested old London. Now I know that the true starlings are the poor sods paying through the nose to be crammed into the tin tubes every morning. By comparison on a bike everyone is flying, enjoying the simple freedom of being able to go where you want to go and the way you want to go.

Whether you call it Eagles/starlings or loners/sociable types :wink: it doesn’t matter. As I’ve found out bikes can be highly addictive. Whether you do it in a group or on your own makes no difference to the craving!

9

Eagle, I like being out on my own with my thoughts going at my own (slow) pace.

although I did enjoy the last BM and am looking forward to dunstable downs ride tomorrow

10

IVe always had a rebelious streak in me, had a scooter when i was 16, and after crashing it a few times, went off to uni in England. soon as i graduated, done my DAS, and bought my fazer 600

Didnt know any bikers, didnt know or join any clubs for a few yrs, didnt even need the bike, as i had a car also and worked in Surrey

Done it purely for the hell of it, and because i loved the feeling of speed, the fun brought back into travelling places, and not being removed from the motion of interacting with the machine and nature such as in a car. literally sitting on top of an engine and two wheels. pure and simple.

I dont need my bike, and i like using the bike/car 50/50.

I can ride my bike in the rain, im not a fair weather rider, but at the same time, sometimes i just cant be arsed riding it, and sometimes i miss when im not on it for a while

I dont feel the need to fit into society, or clicky groups, but i have found some great friends here (and some others i can seriously wind up) which is always a plus

11

to be honest aswell, the more popular biking gets, the less interested i become. I dont like to feel im part of a trend.I like the idea of people hating bikers, getting your hands dirty on engine oil, and everyone thinking your a hooligan.

Hence why i dont ride a ponsy sportsbike :smiley:

:cool:

12

If your a bike commuter, you have to be a raptor of some sort picking off cars and vans, but riding for pleasure I’m happy to fly solo or with one or two others but not that keen on a flock.

I suppose that makes me a magpie.

13

Started with a flock of mates on GT50’s, CB50T’s, FS1e@s Puch grand prix’s, TS 50’s, AP50’s.

Flock continued with RD250’s, GT250X7’s, 250/350LC’s, Kwaka triples, xs250’s, cx500’s, z750’s, GS1000’ xt 500, red rocket 125’s, and many more.

Career took over lost touch with many mates, biking days disapeared sold bike, got a car.

Many moons later walked into Lambas saw the GSXR600K5, bought it on the spot.

Four years later missus passed her test, got a Suzuki 125 followed by the 250x7, now she wants a big girls bike.

Always out on bikes, however no flock anymore, just a couple of Eagles, ride, stop, coffee, bacon butty, ride, stop coffee, ride, ride, stop, coffee, trackday, coffee, Mayday run, coffee, Southend, coffee, Margate, coffee.

Must make more of an effort, but hate being tied to times and dates, just like to ride when we want to ride.