Northwest Cycle Report

I ride a motorcycle, so that means that I have a sense of humor. It kind of goes without saying, but, just this once, I’ll say it. You have to chuckle at some of the things that occur around the whole fraternity of riding.

And, let’s face it; there is no shortage of amusing things that happen to you, and around you, when riding down the road. I say ‘amusing’ because saying’ life-threatening’ or ‘idiotic’ may be a little too specific.

Being a barely competent internet type, I take part in several bike and hobby based message boards. On one of them recently, I used the term ‘squid’ to describe a sport bike rider who I observed doing something fairly stupid on the freeway. I was taken to task by one of the readers, who thought I was casting aspersions on all sport bike riders by using that term.

Casting aspersions?; Moi?: Nothing could be further from the truth.

I have heard all sorts of definitions of the acronym ‘SQUID’, but the one I was referring to in my message was “So Quickly Dead”. It had nothing to do with the type of bike the guy was riding, and EVERYTHING to do with the WAY he was riding….in other words, dangerously. I was also poking some fun at the situation.

So, I wrote back to the reader and said, “Oh shucks, you found me out! You have discovered that I have…..a sense of humor!!!! GASP!!”

I know a couple guys who ride sport bikes, and of course, I have had many
other bikes in my (long) riding life, including cruisers, dirt bikes, sport bikes and baggers. Lord knows that motorcycle riders in general need to have a solid sense of humor just to go out on ANY road where the majority of other vehicles outweigh them by a factor of four, and can’t see them either! I don’t consider the term ’squid’ a sport biker put down, any more than I take offense to the jokes about Harleys leaving oil tracks wherever they park, or being based on
technology from 1936, or having all the stock horsepower of any robust
500cc two-stroke.

I ride with three long time friends who have, respectively, a Honda, a Moto-Guzzi and a Vulcan. They always give me the jab when I show up: “Ok, we’ll keep it down to a speed you can manage!” My usual,
lightning-like come-back is, “No problem. I’ll try to keep too many people from ogling at MY bike when we park. I know how it delays your escape.” I love it!

Regular readers of this column will recall that I have talked about my own experiences with doing stupid stuff on two wheels. I am not immune to making bad judgment calls, but I try to learn from them and not repeat a pattern. Especially when that pattern is one that will cause me to lose large portions of epidermis. I kind of like my skin: it keeps my organs in their proper place, so I don’t want to sand too much of it off.

If ya ride a bike….ya gotta have a sense of humor. One day, I will
ride my restored 150cc Lambretta scooter to the Harley Owners Group meeting, in full leathers, just for a joke! I look forward to hearing the cheap shots
of the entire Chapter at that time, and I wouldn’t miss them for the world.

So, just in case anyone took offense to my use of the term ’squid’,…..SORRY!
But, hey I never claimed to be perfect.

Just terminally cool!

Ride Safe.