Every subculture has its own lingo; Motorcyclists are no exception. I put this together combining several different lists from the internet. Let me know if you see something that needs modified, added, or removed. I got the idea from a statement made by someone on the forum.
A.M.A. - American Motorcycle Association
ABS - Antilock Brake System. A component added to the braking system that detects wheel lock up. The system then modulates the brakes at that point with the idea of stopping you faster than you could yourself.
Apes/Ape Hangers - Handlebars that are very high, and which raise the rider's hands above the shoulders. If the hands ain’t above the shoulders, they ain’t real apes.
Anchor(s) - Brakes
Apex – the line a motorcycle must take in order to minimize the time taken to complete a curve.
Armor – The reinforced parts of your riding gear, often found in motorcycle jackets and trousers. Armor can be made out of different materials, like Kevlar, Foam or plastic, and can often be removed.
ATGATT – All The Gear, All The Time, meaning you should always wear all your protective clothing, no matter when you ride. ATGATT Gear means helmet, gloves, vest, trousers and boots.
BAMBI – Born Again Motorbiker, a biker who having reached middle age, starts riding again after years of not riding.
Bar Hopper - Bike designed to ride from bar-to-bar, or other short trips. Usually of extreme design, rigid frame, and uncomfortable on longer rides.
Back Warmer - A girl on the back of your motorcycle. (see also Seat Cover)
Baffle - Sound deadening material that sits inside a muffler and quiets the exhaust note
Bark-o-lounger - Large touring bike, especially a Honda Gold Wing.
Barn Disease - When a bike has been idle a few years and the battery is dead, calipers seized and the carbs are filled with carmelized gas.
Barn Queen - That really pristine bike everyone claims a buddy found in some farmer's barn and bought for $50.
Belly-Shover – A motorcycle racer who, because of the forward position on a sports bike, has the belly on the fuel tank.
BFH - Big Flipping (Censored for younger visitors) Hammer used to remove rusted, seized or crashed parts from your ride.
BHP - Brake Horsepower -Although theoretically equal to standard horsepower, "brake" horsepower specifies that a specific engineering process was used to arrive at that horsepower number.
Bible - Repair manual.
Big Slab – A highway or motorway.
Biker - Motorcycle rider whose life centers around his motorcycle. Most often refers to 1%ers, but not always. The opposite of a RUB.
Biker Friendly - A business establishment that doesn't treat you like you have the plague when you walk in wearing gear.
Binders - Brakes
Bits- Items, Parts, and Accessories. Or Stuff.
Blip - Quickly rev then release the throttle
Blue Hairs - Elderly Cage Drivers.
Bobber - A bike that has had most trim removed or cut down including fenders, back rests, bags, etc. Just the essential motorcycle remaining. A rough customization.
Brain Bucket/Skid Lid/Lid - Helmet.
Bubble Gum Machine – The signal that there is police up ahead. The signal is accomplished by patting the top of your helmet several times so that opposing bikers can see they are riding towards a police trap.
BUG - Big Ugly Guy
Burnout – By holding the front brake and accelerating, the rear wheel of the bike will start spinning and burning rubber, hence the burnout.
Cage - A car, truck, van or vehicle with more than two wheels (Trikes excluded). The sworn enemy of motorcyclists, more commonly known as cars. The name stems from being all cooped up inside a closed shell, with no contact with the outside world.
Cager - A person driving a car, truck, or van. Cage operator, or driver.
Can - Muffler, Silencer, Exhaust.
Caning it - To ride a motorcycle very aggressively.
Canyon Carving - Riding the twisties (road curves/corners) to an extreme.
Checkbook Biker - Rider who writes a check or uses a credit card for a new bike and gear.
Chicken Strips - The tread left on the sidewalls of a sport bike. How much of this there is (or isn't) is how some Bikers size each other up. Rolling the edge over is the goal!
Citizen - A non-motorcyclist. Sometimes a motorcyclist who belongs to the A.M.A.
Commuter - Anyone who normally rides his Bike to and from work.
Corn Snakes - Dried cornstalks that blow across the road especially at harvest time.
Couch Rocket - A large, luxurious motorcycle, typically ridden by an older rider
Countersteering - At speed a motorcycle is controlled by turning the handlebars away from direction you want to turn. It is summarized in push the right handgrip forward to turn right, push the left handgrip forward to turn left. Motorcycle steering is accomplished by leaning and turning your front wheel to the left will make the bike lean (and turn) right and vice versa.
Coupon - A speeding ticket
Cordura - A fabric manufactured by Dupont of high strength, textured nylon fiber believed to offer more abrasion and tear resistance than other textiles. Often used in the manufacturing of textile motorcycle riding gear .
Crack It - Roll on the throttle
Crash Truck/Chase Vehicle - A vehicle that follows a club or group on a run, and picks up broken down bikes.
Crotch Rocket - Motorcycle that looks like a road racing bike, and that has a very powerful engine. Usually foreign, but the Buell would fit in here, too.
Deadbeat - Uninsured rider
Death Grip - Usually how a first time rider grabs the handle bars.
Doughnut – A burnout done while the front wheel stays in place, and the motorcycle turns 360% on the front wheel, making a complete circle.
Duck Foot - An extension to the side stand which aides in preventing your bike falling over.
Duck Walking – Sitting on your motorcycle, and pushing it with your feet, usually done when parking your bike, or moving forwards a few feet (like at a gas station).
Eating Asphalt – Crashing your bike
Fat - Too Rich Fuel Mixture.
Farkle - Commonly thought to be a neologism combining the words "function" and "sparkle." Add-ons or customizations that improve the utility, performance, and/or appearance of a vehicle.
Flogging it - Getting on the throttle hard and shifting thru the gears. Making the motor work for it.
Flower Pot - A cheap helmet, typically not DOT or Snell-approved head protection device. We will visit you in the dirt garden.
Fluid Swap - Stopping for gas and to take a leak.
FUBAR - Which is a very old slang acronym meaning "F_ _ked Up Beyond All recognition." Pertaining to the sad, inoperable and unfixable state of someone's bike, engine or their self.
Frunk - Storage compartment in the standard location of most motorcycle fuel cells. Can be used to store a full face helmet or several small items.
Get-Off - Crash. Sore for a while. Expensive to correct.
Graybeard - An old wise biker who's been around forever.
Gearhead – Someone who is very interested and passionate about mechanical objects, like cars and motorcycles.
Grabbing a Handful - Applying Brakes or twisting the throttle in excess.
Gumball - What's left of your rear tire after a prolonged burn out, or can refer to the bits of rubber piled up behind that same tire.
Hammer Down – Accelerate very quickly.
Heat - Law enforcement officer, AKA The Man, The Fuzz, Pig, Law Dog.
Helmet Hair - Name given to the condition of your hair when you take your helmet off - usually sticking out all over the place. Bandannas or other such scarves can be used to hold your hair down, thus preventing helmet hair.
Highside – A highsider or highside is a type of motorcycle accident characterized by sudden and violent rotation of the bike around its long axis. This generally happens when the rear wheel loses traction, skids, and then suddenly regains traction, creating a large torque which flips the rider head first off the road.
Highway Alligator – The strips of tire tread, usually from big rigs, which you see lying in the roadways
H.O.G. - Harley Owners Group. Organization started by the Harley-Davidson Motor Company for owners of its motorcycles.
Hog - Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Hosed - Another way of saying you are screwed.
Horizontally park - To crash
Iron Butt – An association that promotes and holds rallies aimed at travelling very long distances. The shortest distance, the Saddle Sore, is 1,000 miles in 24 hours, the longest, the Bun Burner Gold is 1,500 miles in one day. The Iron Butt Rally is 10 days riding 1,000 miles each day.
Kicker - A kick starter - or kick starter equipped bike. A virtually obsolete feature these days.
Lane-splitting - Driving between involuntarily parked cages on an overcrowded highway. Legal in some states.
Law Maker - Stupid riders that kill themselves on their bikes causing stupid laws to be made "for our protection".
Laid it Down - This is when a rider, in an attempt to avoid an obstacle, fails to brake and swerve properly, loses control of the motorcycle and goes into a low side crash, but calls it an intentional maneuver.
Lid - Helmet.
Lowsider – A motorcycle crash with the bike falling sideways and the biker ejected sideways.
MSF - Motorcycle Safety Foundation (Training). The highly recommended way to learn how to properly and safely ride a motorcycle. Offered in most states for a very reasonable price.
Monkey Butt – When riding for hours on end, your rear end becomes uncomfortable and becomes sore, often the result of chafing.
Mud Puppies - ATV and Quad riders
NBD - Acronym for Never Been Dropped
Newbie – A beginner.
OEM - An acronym, "Original Equipment from Manufacturer," refers to parts or components.
Old Lady - Wife or steady girlfriend of a club member.
One-Off: One-of-a-kind fabricated part
On Rails - Expression meaning that a vehicle corners very well at high speeds.
Organ Donor – A biker who rides without a helmet, or rides likes a squid.
OTB - Acronym for "Over The Bars" which is rarely a good thing to do on a motorcycle.
Overbrake - The process of "slamming on the brake", which locks the wheel and sends the motorcycle into a skid. If you overbrake the front wheel, your bike may flip - and you with it!
Originals - A motorcycle club member's first set of colors which are never washed.
Panniers - Hard box containers with lids, made of metal or hard plastic. The panniers may be permanently fixed to the motorcycle or may be removable
Pasta Rocket - Italian Sport bike (Ducati, Aprilia, MV Agusta, Benelli)
Pavement Surfing - Being thrown from your bike and skidding along the highway.
Perch - The part that holds your front brake lever and clutch lever to the handlebar
P-pad/Pillion Pad - Very small passenger seat; designed for looks, not comfort.
Pipes - Exhaust System
PMS – Parked Motorcycle Syndrome
Popping The Clutch – Letting go of the clutch rapidly, making it possible for the motorcycle to accelerate very quickly.
Poser - A wannabe Biker
Protein Facial - What you get on the highway without a windshield
Pucker factor – A very close call when riding.
Pull - Ability to accelerate
Q-Tip - Elderly cage driver.
Rainbows - Diesel fuel or oil on the road or in the corners. Typically very dangerous.
Raisin Pie - A basically worthless reward for a good deed or favor.
Rake - Rake, measured in degrees, describes the angle of the front fork or the steering axis from the horizontal or vertical plane.
Redline - The maximum number of revolutions per minute an engine can run before damage occurs. The name is derived from the actual red line manufacturers typically put on the tachometer.
RPM - Revolutions Per Minute. The number of revolutions the engine makes in a minute.
Rice Burner - Term for a Japanese made motorcycle.
Rice Rocket - Japanese Sport Bike.
Rigid - A type of frame that has no swing arm or suspension. It is a one piece neck to rear axle frame.
Road Rash – Marks from the asphalt left on your body after you have been thrown off your motorcycle, highside or lowside, a skidded alongside the road.
Roost - The spray of dirt off the rear wheel of a motocross motorcycle.
RUB - Rich Urban Biker. See “Poser.”
Saddle - Motorcycle seat.
Safety Nazi – A person who rides in absolutely full safety gear, often to an extreme, obeys every law, and wants all others to do the same.
Scoot/Scooter - Slang term for a motorcycle.
Shifty - A manual shift bike - more often used by scooter riders but gaining usage as auto trans bikes become more popular.
Shiny Side Up - (Keep the Shiny Side Up) - Drive Safe, Don't Lay the Bike Down.
Sidewalk Commando - One who dresses and acts like a biker, but has no bike. One step lower than a poser.
SIPDE - Acronym for Scan, Identify, Predict, Decide & Execute. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation recognizes these as five critical behaviors for safe motorcycle operation. The concept applies just as effectively with all vehicles.
Sipe - Siping is a process of cutting thin slits across a rubber surface to improve traction in wet or icy conditions.
Skid Lid - Term for a helmet. Get it On!
Skin - Skin refers to a vehicle's paint job.
Slam - A slammed motorcycle (or car) has a lowered suspension. This lowers the center of gravity and can sometimes help handling but usually is just done for appearance.
Sled - Motorcycle. AKA scoot, scooter, putt, iron horse, horse.
SOTGMTT -Some Of The Gear Most-of The Time
Squid - Squirrelly-riding young kid. Someone who rides recklessly, or beyond their abilities.
Stitching a line - This term refers to the art of slipping through traffic in a quick manner on a motorcycle. The term does not imply reckless weaving but controlled and deliberate maneuvers that allow a motorcycle rider to get through traffic as efficiently as possible.
Stay Vertical - A parting expression between bikers meaning ride safely. Similar to "keep the shiny side up."
Steering Aids - Ruts in the road formed by heavy trucks that try to steer your bike for you.
Stoppie – Stopping a motorcycle by pulling only the front brake, resulting in the rear wheel lifting off the ground. Often used in stunts.
Sweep - The last and most experienced rider in a group ride.
Tank Slapper – A high speed wobble resulting in the handlebars banging against the sides of the fuel tank. Usually an extreme Pucker factor.
Tar Snake - An uneven, slippery patch in a road crack.
T.D.C. - Top dead centre. The point at which the crankshaft and piston are in their highest possible position.
T-CLOCK - An acronym used by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation to remember the key points of the pre-ride inspection (Tires, Controls, Lights & Electronics, Oils, Chassis & Chain, Kickstand).
Textiles - The jacket/gloves/etc (safety gear) used by riders that is made out of textile.
Thumper - A high displacement single cylinder bike (Honda XLR650, Kawasaki KLR650)
Total Deadbeat - Uninsured rider who never completed registration or earned a motorcycle endorsement
Tuck - The tuck is the most aerodynamic riding position. A motorcycle's fairing and windscreen and designed to direct oncoming wind and reduce drag. In an upright riding position this wind will collide with the rider, usually in the chest. By lowering the head and torso close to the bike the wind can pass unobstructed over the bike and rider.
Twisties – A part of a road that has many curves, turns and bends. Twisties are very much sought after when riding a motorcycle.
Twisting The Wick - Slang for accelerating derived from the motion associated with rolling on the throttle.
Trailer Queen - A bike that is hauled to an event, or near an event, then ridden the last mile or so to make it appear as if the poser is a real biker.
Trike - A three-wheeled motorcycle.
Wannabe – A person who wants to be a real biker, who dresses like one, who tries to behave like one, but probably only drives a SUV or a moped.
Wave – A greeting between bikers on the road, involving raising a hand, usually below the handlebars. The Wave is done to bikers on the opposite direction.
Waxer - A motorcycle owner who is more likely to spend time washing and waxing his bike than actually riding it.
Weekend Warrior - Insta-biker types.
Wheelbase - The wheelbase is the distance from front wheel hub to rear wheel hub. A longer wheelbase results in a more stable, but less agile, motorcycle.
Wheelie – Sudden acceleration and slight pulling of the handlebar (unless your bike has enough torque to do it by itself), resulting in the front wheel of the motorcycle moving up in the air, and riding on the rear wheel alone.
Wind Screen - Wind Shield.
Wrench – A mechanic.
Wrenching - Actually doing the maintenance and repair of a motorcycle.
Yard Shark - A dog. Dogs tend to dislike motorcycles and will try to attack. Dogs plot an intercepting path so varying throttle is an effective evasive maneuver. A common tactic is to slow and downshift on approach then accelerate away to avoid the dog.
A.M.A. - American Motorcycle Association
ABS - Antilock Brake System. A component added to the braking system that detects wheel lock up. The system then modulates the brakes at that point with the idea of stopping you faster than you could yourself.
Apes/Ape Hangers - Handlebars that are very high, and which raise the rider's hands above the shoulders. If the hands ain’t above the shoulders, they ain’t real apes.
Anchor(s) - Brakes
Apex – the line a motorcycle must take in order to minimize the time taken to complete a curve.
Armor – The reinforced parts of your riding gear, often found in motorcycle jackets and trousers. Armor can be made out of different materials, like Kevlar, Foam or plastic, and can often be removed.
ATGATT – All The Gear, All The Time, meaning you should always wear all your protective clothing, no matter when you ride. ATGATT Gear means helmet, gloves, vest, trousers and boots.
BAMBI – Born Again Motorbiker, a biker who having reached middle age, starts riding again after years of not riding.
Bar Hopper - Bike designed to ride from bar-to-bar, or other short trips. Usually of extreme design, rigid frame, and uncomfortable on longer rides.
Back Warmer - A girl on the back of your motorcycle. (see also Seat Cover)
Baffle - Sound deadening material that sits inside a muffler and quiets the exhaust note
Bark-o-lounger - Large touring bike, especially a Honda Gold Wing.
Barn Disease - When a bike has been idle a few years and the battery is dead, calipers seized and the carbs are filled with carmelized gas.
Barn Queen - That really pristine bike everyone claims a buddy found in some farmer's barn and bought for $50.
Belly-Shover – A motorcycle racer who, because of the forward position on a sports bike, has the belly on the fuel tank.
BFH - Big Flipping (Censored for younger visitors) Hammer used to remove rusted, seized or crashed parts from your ride.
BHP - Brake Horsepower -Although theoretically equal to standard horsepower, "brake" horsepower specifies that a specific engineering process was used to arrive at that horsepower number.
Bible - Repair manual.
Big Slab – A highway or motorway.
Biker - Motorcycle rider whose life centers around his motorcycle. Most often refers to 1%ers, but not always. The opposite of a RUB.
Biker Friendly - A business establishment that doesn't treat you like you have the plague when you walk in wearing gear.
Binders - Brakes
Bits- Items, Parts, and Accessories. Or Stuff.
Blip - Quickly rev then release the throttle
Blue Hairs - Elderly Cage Drivers.
Bobber - A bike that has had most trim removed or cut down including fenders, back rests, bags, etc. Just the essential motorcycle remaining. A rough customization.
Brain Bucket/Skid Lid/Lid - Helmet.
Bubble Gum Machine – The signal that there is police up ahead. The signal is accomplished by patting the top of your helmet several times so that opposing bikers can see they are riding towards a police trap.
BUG - Big Ugly Guy
Burnout – By holding the front brake and accelerating, the rear wheel of the bike will start spinning and burning rubber, hence the burnout.
Cage - A car, truck, van or vehicle with more than two wheels (Trikes excluded). The sworn enemy of motorcyclists, more commonly known as cars. The name stems from being all cooped up inside a closed shell, with no contact with the outside world.
Cager - A person driving a car, truck, or van. Cage operator, or driver.
Can - Muffler, Silencer, Exhaust.
Caning it - To ride a motorcycle very aggressively.
Canyon Carving - Riding the twisties (road curves/corners) to an extreme.
Checkbook Biker - Rider who writes a check or uses a credit card for a new bike and gear.
Chicken Strips - The tread left on the sidewalls of a sport bike. How much of this there is (or isn't) is how some Bikers size each other up. Rolling the edge over is the goal!
Citizen - A non-motorcyclist. Sometimes a motorcyclist who belongs to the A.M.A.
Commuter - Anyone who normally rides his Bike to and from work.
Corn Snakes - Dried cornstalks that blow across the road especially at harvest time.
Couch Rocket - A large, luxurious motorcycle, typically ridden by an older rider
Countersteering - At speed a motorcycle is controlled by turning the handlebars away from direction you want to turn. It is summarized in push the right handgrip forward to turn right, push the left handgrip forward to turn left. Motorcycle steering is accomplished by leaning and turning your front wheel to the left will make the bike lean (and turn) right and vice versa.
Coupon - A speeding ticket
Cordura - A fabric manufactured by Dupont of high strength, textured nylon fiber believed to offer more abrasion and tear resistance than other textiles. Often used in the manufacturing of textile motorcycle riding gear .
Crack It - Roll on the throttle
Crash Truck/Chase Vehicle - A vehicle that follows a club or group on a run, and picks up broken down bikes.
Crotch Rocket - Motorcycle that looks like a road racing bike, and that has a very powerful engine. Usually foreign, but the Buell would fit in here, too.
Deadbeat - Uninsured rider
Death Grip - Usually how a first time rider grabs the handle bars.
Doughnut – A burnout done while the front wheel stays in place, and the motorcycle turns 360% on the front wheel, making a complete circle.
Duck Foot - An extension to the side stand which aides in preventing your bike falling over.
Duck Walking – Sitting on your motorcycle, and pushing it with your feet, usually done when parking your bike, or moving forwards a few feet (like at a gas station).
Eating Asphalt – Crashing your bike
Fat - Too Rich Fuel Mixture.
Farkle - Commonly thought to be a neologism combining the words "function" and "sparkle." Add-ons or customizations that improve the utility, performance, and/or appearance of a vehicle.
Flogging it - Getting on the throttle hard and shifting thru the gears. Making the motor work for it.
Flower Pot - A cheap helmet, typically not DOT or Snell-approved head protection device. We will visit you in the dirt garden.
Fluid Swap - Stopping for gas and to take a leak.
FUBAR - Which is a very old slang acronym meaning "F_ _ked Up Beyond All recognition." Pertaining to the sad, inoperable and unfixable state of someone's bike, engine or their self.
Frunk - Storage compartment in the standard location of most motorcycle fuel cells. Can be used to store a full face helmet or several small items.
Get-Off - Crash. Sore for a while. Expensive to correct.
Graybeard - An old wise biker who's been around forever.
Gearhead – Someone who is very interested and passionate about mechanical objects, like cars and motorcycles.
Grabbing a Handful - Applying Brakes or twisting the throttle in excess.
Gumball - What's left of your rear tire after a prolonged burn out, or can refer to the bits of rubber piled up behind that same tire.
Hammer Down – Accelerate very quickly.
Heat - Law enforcement officer, AKA The Man, The Fuzz, Pig, Law Dog.
Helmet Hair - Name given to the condition of your hair when you take your helmet off - usually sticking out all over the place. Bandannas or other such scarves can be used to hold your hair down, thus preventing helmet hair.
Highside – A highsider or highside is a type of motorcycle accident characterized by sudden and violent rotation of the bike around its long axis. This generally happens when the rear wheel loses traction, skids, and then suddenly regains traction, creating a large torque which flips the rider head first off the road.
Highway Alligator – The strips of tire tread, usually from big rigs, which you see lying in the roadways
H.O.G. - Harley Owners Group. Organization started by the Harley-Davidson Motor Company for owners of its motorcycles.
Hog - Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Hosed - Another way of saying you are screwed.
Horizontally park - To crash
Iron Butt – An association that promotes and holds rallies aimed at travelling very long distances. The shortest distance, the Saddle Sore, is 1,000 miles in 24 hours, the longest, the Bun Burner Gold is 1,500 miles in one day. The Iron Butt Rally is 10 days riding 1,000 miles each day.
Kicker - A kick starter - or kick starter equipped bike. A virtually obsolete feature these days.
Lane-splitting - Driving between involuntarily parked cages on an overcrowded highway. Legal in some states.
Law Maker - Stupid riders that kill themselves on their bikes causing stupid laws to be made "for our protection".
Laid it Down - This is when a rider, in an attempt to avoid an obstacle, fails to brake and swerve properly, loses control of the motorcycle and goes into a low side crash, but calls it an intentional maneuver.
Lid - Helmet.
Lowsider – A motorcycle crash with the bike falling sideways and the biker ejected sideways.
MSF - Motorcycle Safety Foundation (Training). The highly recommended way to learn how to properly and safely ride a motorcycle. Offered in most states for a very reasonable price.
Monkey Butt – When riding for hours on end, your rear end becomes uncomfortable and becomes sore, often the result of chafing.
Mud Puppies - ATV and Quad riders
NBD - Acronym for Never Been Dropped
Newbie – A beginner.
OEM - An acronym, "Original Equipment from Manufacturer," refers to parts or components.
Old Lady - Wife or steady girlfriend of a club member.
One-Off: One-of-a-kind fabricated part
On Rails - Expression meaning that a vehicle corners very well at high speeds.
Organ Donor – A biker who rides without a helmet, or rides likes a squid.
OTB - Acronym for "Over The Bars" which is rarely a good thing to do on a motorcycle.
Overbrake - The process of "slamming on the brake", which locks the wheel and sends the motorcycle into a skid. If you overbrake the front wheel, your bike may flip - and you with it!
Originals - A motorcycle club member's first set of colors which are never washed.
Panniers - Hard box containers with lids, made of metal or hard plastic. The panniers may be permanently fixed to the motorcycle or may be removable
Pasta Rocket - Italian Sport bike (Ducati, Aprilia, MV Agusta, Benelli)
Pavement Surfing - Being thrown from your bike and skidding along the highway.
Perch - The part that holds your front brake lever and clutch lever to the handlebar
P-pad/Pillion Pad - Very small passenger seat; designed for looks, not comfort.
Pipes - Exhaust System
PMS – Parked Motorcycle Syndrome
Popping The Clutch – Letting go of the clutch rapidly, making it possible for the motorcycle to accelerate very quickly.
Poser - A wannabe Biker
Protein Facial - What you get on the highway without a windshield
Pucker factor – A very close call when riding.
Pull - Ability to accelerate
Q-Tip - Elderly cage driver.
Rainbows - Diesel fuel or oil on the road or in the corners. Typically very dangerous.
Raisin Pie - A basically worthless reward for a good deed or favor.
Rake - Rake, measured in degrees, describes the angle of the front fork or the steering axis from the horizontal or vertical plane.
Redline - The maximum number of revolutions per minute an engine can run before damage occurs. The name is derived from the actual red line manufacturers typically put on the tachometer.
RPM - Revolutions Per Minute. The number of revolutions the engine makes in a minute.
Rice Burner - Term for a Japanese made motorcycle.
Rice Rocket - Japanese Sport Bike.
Rigid - A type of frame that has no swing arm or suspension. It is a one piece neck to rear axle frame.
Road Rash – Marks from the asphalt left on your body after you have been thrown off your motorcycle, highside or lowside, a skidded alongside the road.
Roost - The spray of dirt off the rear wheel of a motocross motorcycle.
RUB - Rich Urban Biker. See “Poser.”
Saddle - Motorcycle seat.
Safety Nazi – A person who rides in absolutely full safety gear, often to an extreme, obeys every law, and wants all others to do the same.
Scoot/Scooter - Slang term for a motorcycle.
Shifty - A manual shift bike - more often used by scooter riders but gaining usage as auto trans bikes become more popular.
Shiny Side Up - (Keep the Shiny Side Up) - Drive Safe, Don't Lay the Bike Down.
Sidewalk Commando - One who dresses and acts like a biker, but has no bike. One step lower than a poser.
SIPDE - Acronym for Scan, Identify, Predict, Decide & Execute. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation recognizes these as five critical behaviors for safe motorcycle operation. The concept applies just as effectively with all vehicles.
Sipe - Siping is a process of cutting thin slits across a rubber surface to improve traction in wet or icy conditions.
Skid Lid - Term for a helmet. Get it On!
Skin - Skin refers to a vehicle's paint job.
Slam - A slammed motorcycle (or car) has a lowered suspension. This lowers the center of gravity and can sometimes help handling but usually is just done for appearance.
Sled - Motorcycle. AKA scoot, scooter, putt, iron horse, horse.
SOTGMTT -Some Of The Gear Most-of The Time
Squid - Squirrelly-riding young kid. Someone who rides recklessly, or beyond their abilities.
Stitching a line - This term refers to the art of slipping through traffic in a quick manner on a motorcycle. The term does not imply reckless weaving but controlled and deliberate maneuvers that allow a motorcycle rider to get through traffic as efficiently as possible.
Stay Vertical - A parting expression between bikers meaning ride safely. Similar to "keep the shiny side up."
Steering Aids - Ruts in the road formed by heavy trucks that try to steer your bike for you.
Stoppie – Stopping a motorcycle by pulling only the front brake, resulting in the rear wheel lifting off the ground. Often used in stunts.
Sweep - The last and most experienced rider in a group ride.
Tank Slapper – A high speed wobble resulting in the handlebars banging against the sides of the fuel tank. Usually an extreme Pucker factor.
Tar Snake - An uneven, slippery patch in a road crack.
T.D.C. - Top dead centre. The point at which the crankshaft and piston are in their highest possible position.
T-CLOCK - An acronym used by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation to remember the key points of the pre-ride inspection (Tires, Controls, Lights & Electronics, Oils, Chassis & Chain, Kickstand).
Textiles - The jacket/gloves/etc (safety gear) used by riders that is made out of textile.
Thumper - A high displacement single cylinder bike (Honda XLR650, Kawasaki KLR650)
Total Deadbeat - Uninsured rider who never completed registration or earned a motorcycle endorsement
Tuck - The tuck is the most aerodynamic riding position. A motorcycle's fairing and windscreen and designed to direct oncoming wind and reduce drag. In an upright riding position this wind will collide with the rider, usually in the chest. By lowering the head and torso close to the bike the wind can pass unobstructed over the bike and rider.
Twisties – A part of a road that has many curves, turns and bends. Twisties are very much sought after when riding a motorcycle.
Twisting The Wick - Slang for accelerating derived from the motion associated with rolling on the throttle.
Trailer Queen - A bike that is hauled to an event, or near an event, then ridden the last mile or so to make it appear as if the poser is a real biker.
Trike - A three-wheeled motorcycle.
Wannabe – A person who wants to be a real biker, who dresses like one, who tries to behave like one, but probably only drives a SUV or a moped.
Wave – A greeting between bikers on the road, involving raising a hand, usually below the handlebars. The Wave is done to bikers on the opposite direction.
Waxer - A motorcycle owner who is more likely to spend time washing and waxing his bike than actually riding it.
Weekend Warrior - Insta-biker types.
Wheelbase - The wheelbase is the distance from front wheel hub to rear wheel hub. A longer wheelbase results in a more stable, but less agile, motorcycle.
Wheelie – Sudden acceleration and slight pulling of the handlebar (unless your bike has enough torque to do it by itself), resulting in the front wheel of the motorcycle moving up in the air, and riding on the rear wheel alone.
Wind Screen - Wind Shield.
Wrench – A mechanic.
Wrenching - Actually doing the maintenance and repair of a motorcycle.
Yard Shark - A dog. Dogs tend to dislike motorcycles and will try to attack. Dogs plot an intercepting path so varying throttle is an effective evasive maneuver. A common tactic is to slow and downshift on approach then accelerate away to avoid the dog.
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