Biker Vocabulary R - Z
Rice rocket - A slang term for a Japanese sport bike.
Road (Ride) captain - The leader of the group
Road gator - Pieces of shredded tires littering the road.
Road rash - An abrasion that results from sliding along the ground after a motorcycle crash. Wearing proper gear can limit road rash but may not prevent entirely.
Shotgun pipes - A dual exhaust that resembles a double-barreled shotgun.
Sissy bar - A passenger backrest found mainly on choppers and some Harleys, but can technically be added to just about any motorcycle.
Skin - A vehicle's paint job.
Soft tail - Has the styling of a rigid bike but maintains the functionality of the suspension.
Sport bike - A light weight, high horsepower motorcycle designed with emphasis on acceleration, cornering, and stopping power.
Suicide shift - A shift lever mounted directly to the transmission. The rider had to take a hand off the handlebars in order to shirt gears.
Super slab - Large expansions of open road - highways, interstates and expressways.
Tail gunner - The last rider in a group motorcycle ride.
Tar snake - The material used to patch cracks in the asphalt. This material has less traction than the original pavement and can be slippery and potentially dangerous.
T-CLOCK - An acronym for tires, controls, lights and electronics, oils, chassis and chain, kickstand. The MSF uses the acronym as key points of the pre-ride inspection.
Touring motorcycle - Larger bikes designed for comfort on long rides.
Twisties - Slang for a road with many turns.
V-Twin - A motorcycle with two cylinders positioned in a V.
Waxer - A motorcycle owner who is more likely to spend time washing and waxing his/her bike than actually riding it.
Wheelbase - The distance from the front wheel hub to a rear wheel hub. A longer wheelbase results in a more stable, but less agile, motorcycle.
Wheelie - Riding a motorcycle on the rear wheel only with the front wheel suspended in the air.
Yard Shark - A dog that tends to dislike motorcycles and will try to attack. Dogs plot an intercepting path, so varying your throttle is an effective evasive maneuver.