Terms Every Biker Should Know: A Glossary for Beginners

Hey biker chicks, we’ve noticed that our “10 Best Motorcycles for Women” post is attracting a lot of attention. There are obviously many women out there who were born to ride. Therefore, we thought we’d provide you with a handy dictionary of useful biker slang, so that you easily talk shop with the (occasionally condescending) dude. Please let us know if you have any words or phrases to add!

Before you begin putting this glossary to use, bear in mind that you do not want to overuse the slang and biker jargon in an effort to fit in. You need to know your way around a conversation with other bikers, but if you can’t get through a sentence without using some obscure slang word, you’ll probably get spotted as a weekend warrior before long. Use this glossary as a functional guide to biker conversation:

One percenter/ninety-nine percenter – Not a reference to a biker’s level of income, but to their status as one of the 99 percent of bikers considered to be law-abiding cycle enthusiasts, and to the 1 percent who are thought of as rebels and outlaws.

One-piece/two-piece – Protective biker gear coming in one or two pieces, respectively.

Two-Second Rule – You want to count two seconds length between you and the vehicle in front of you. This is the same as in a car.

ABS – Anti-lock brake system.

Airheads – Air-cooled BMW bikes.

Apex – The tightest point of a curve.

BATF – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Bark-o-Lounger – The luxury car of bikes. Bigger and more comfortable than most motorcycles.

Biker Friendly – Some establishments hold a prejudice against the outlaw aura of the biker lifestyle. Biker friendly establishments don’t.

Bottom Out – When a suspension system just can’t travel any farther.

Cage – Cars, trucks and vans are sometimes called cages.

CMA – Christian Motorcycle Association.

Church – Club meeting, not necessarily a religious church.

Club – A motorcycle club, also shortened to MC. “Gang” is generally considered incorrect whether it’s a 1 percent or 99 percent club.

DOHC – Dual overhead cams.

Dirt Bike – Not necessarily a smaller dirt bike, but any off-road bike that is not street-legal.

Donor – A bike used for parts.

Dumping the Bike – This isn’t a crash, but a bike falling over when not powered.

Earned vs. Bought – Some patches on your vest were earned through your club, others were bought. If you’re a 99 percenter at a gathering of bikers and somebody asks, “bought” will get you into a lot less trouble than insisting that you “earned” your patches.

Endo/Stoppie – The opposite of a wheelie. Involves stopping suddenly so as to pop up on your front wheel.

Fairing – The bodywork at the front end of the bike, intended to stop road debris as well as wind and rain.

Flat Head – Horizontally opposed engines, four or six cylinders. Not to be confused with Flatheads, a type of engine built built until 1973 by Harley Davidson.

Flying Colors – “Colors” refer to your motorcycle club vest or other club-related gear. “Flying your colors” means wearing them proudly. In some settings this can be seen as confrontational, but it’s not typically a problem for 99 percenters.

Gearbox – Transmission casing.

Grocery Getter – A biker’s car. Generally used by bikers who would rather be riding.

Independent – Not belonging to any club.

Jugs – Cylinders.

Leathers – Leather riding clothes.

Meet – Not “Church,” but a casual social meeting for an MC.

Standard O-Ring – A motorcycle part. A standard O-ring is essential for sealing gaskets.

Ton – 100 mph. British slang. Americans typically call this a “Century.”

Z Bars – Those cool looking handlebars with the sharp zig-zag design.

Category: Extreme