While discussing with friends of mine we wondered how to recognize a true biker in reality?

For sure the simple fact of getting the driving licence finally opens the doors of the great Family, but it doesn't mean that a real biker is born. Then, which features can help us for the identification?

Does the real biker have the whole time a troublesome tendency to fall in love with his motorcycle and not to be able to imagine any “break” (sell the bike? Never!)? Is he absolutely unable to get it out of his sight, all the friends being obliged to take a seat on a bar terrace or close to the window in any restaurant to prevent him from a nervous breakdown? And maybe is he quite ready to bring his treasure inside the house (and not in the garage) to be sure not to be stolen during the night…?

Can we imagine that he speaks the whole time of it, so much that the motorcycle represents a true rival for the girlfriend? Do you remember this ad, a few months ago, in which a gorgeous blond woman explained that if at least this motorcycle was a girl she could compete? This recurrent conversation topic can also generate a break considering that the girlfriend can be sick of it (this sounds to be a real experience, don’t you think?!!!)

There is also the guy who rubs his sublime motorcycle up until it sparkles like firelights after every ride and before... every shower! Didn't you notice that it starts raining as soon as the motorcycle is gleaming?

The true biker can be also the one who rides as if he was brainless (sorry for this word), who overtakes you inside the curve, even if there is an obvious traffic on this road, the slider touching the asphalt in every turn. Do you see what I mean?

Or even the one who refuses to own a car and moves only with the motorcycle: the courageous biker and his faithful mount braving snow, storms, and shopping in the supermarket, without frowning. Simply admirable!

Why not the one who participates in all biker meetings, whatever are the meteorological conditions or the kilometers to get there? The one who loves to install the tent amongst hundreds in the middle of nowhere, falling asleep totally happy close to his favourite bike and the adorable little sounds of the engine still hot?

Or maybe the one who is part of a club or other chapter and organises his life around it?

The list is far from being exhaustive, the mystery remains. Ladies and gentlemen, do you have any suggestions?

C’est en discutant avec un groupe d’amis que nous en sommes venus à nous poser cette question : à quoi reconnaît-on un vrai motard ?

Il est déjà certain que le simple fait d’obtenir le permis permet enfin de faire partie de la grande Famille, mais cela ne signifie en rien que l’on en est un, réellement. Alors, quelles sont les caractéristiques permettant l’identification ?

The motard a-t-il tout le temps une fâcheuse tendance à tomber amoureux de son engin au point de ne pas vouloir s’en séparer (la vendre ? Ca, jamais !), de ne jamais la perdre de vue (du coup les copains sont contraints aux terrasses ou aux places près de la fenêtre au restaurant) et d’aller jusqu’à la rentrer dans la maison (et pas dans le garage) de peur de se la faire voler pendant la nuit ?

Peut-on aisément imaginer qu’il en parle tout le temps au point qu’elle représente une vraie rivale pour la petite amie ? Vous rappelez-vous cette pub il y a peu de temps dans laquelle une fort jolie fille expliquait que si au moins cette moto était une femme elle pourrait rivaliser ? Ce sujet de conversation récurrent pouvant d’ailleurs générer une rupture étant donné le ras-le-bol de la petite amie en question (ça sentirait pas le vécu, ça ??!!!)

Il y a aussi celui qui bichonne sa sublime machine jusqu’à ce qu’elle brille de mille feux après chaque sortie et avant… chaque averse ! C’est vrai, n’avez-vous pas remarqué qu’il se met à pleuvoir chaque fois que la moto est rutilante ?

Sinon, le vrai motard peut aussi être celui qui roule comme un décérébré (passez-moi l’expression), celui qui vous double en pleine courbe, évidemment sur une bonne petite nationale pas mal fréquentée, en faisant toucher le slider à chaque virage. Vous voyez ce que je veux dire ?

Ou encore celui qui refuse de posséder une voiture et ne se déplace qu’en moto : le courageux motard et son fidèle destrier bravant sans sourciller tempêtes de neige, orages, et courses au supermarché. Tout simplement admirable…!

Et pourquoi pas celui qui court tous les rassemblements, quels que soient les conditions météorologiques, les kilomètres à parcourir ? Celui qui se régale à planter sa tente au milieu de centaines d’autres au milieu de nulle part, s’endormant heu-reux près de sa monture préférée et les cliquetis du moteur encore chaud ?

Ou peut-être celui qui fait résolument partie d’un club ou autre chapter et s’y investit constamment ?

La liste est loin d’être exhaustive, le mystère reste entier… mesdames, messieurs, d’autres suggestions ?

Here is one more step in the motorcycle change our way to act saga.

Recently trying to convince my lady that she will have a different way to behave once she will get on her bike I noticed that people who haven’t experienced it don’t believe it.

I am sure, and comments are more tan welcome, that you too did think “I will never be like that” when old bikers told you what is happening. The first symptom being that any reflective surface (shop window, shiny surfaces, other people’s eyes) attracts the bikers glance like honey a bee (didn’t want to use the fly example here). What for? Come on you know it: to check if you are looking good on your bike, to make sure your love (still talking about the bike) and you are a perfect match!

Of course when you got your license and finally got to sit on YOUR own bike you didn’t think you would be childish like that.

Honestly what did happen when you crossed the first shop window, come on: be honest…Yes! You had a look at your image! The virus got you! Since then you haven’t been able to stop, we all know it! Nothing wrong here, don’t worry, as long as you don’t fall in love with your image like Narcise you are doing OK.

Another point: would you get a vehicle in your house? If you aren’t a biker this will never cross your mind (first of all because there is no room for that). But we bikers CAN get our ride in the house. Of course when you have a garage there is no need, when you are living in a flat it doesn’t work, but when you are in a house…the beauty deserves to stay inside where it is warm and dry during the cold winter. The fact that people, again non-bikers, just don’t get it, especially your friends (well theoretically when you have reached that stage you have no more non-biker friends) who come for a drink or dinner and have to crawl around the bike to access the restroom, doesn’t’ matter.

And the last but definitely not least item: you will get hit by, what I call, the exponential effect: any speed becomes exp(reality) (the exponential value of the real speed). Here is an example: you were cruising at 80 km/h on a sunny Sunday, once at the café with the friends this becomes a mental 130 km/h on a twisty challenging mountain road. Another example? It works also the other way, but still remember: story=exp(reality). You have noticed that you forgot to fill your tank, well being honest: you didn’t pay attention to the tank level as you were fighting hard (this can also be called: screaming, crying, praying) to stick with the group. Once the tank hit the reserve you have to slow down! Of course the friends behind you (ye!s you did it! there are at least a couple behind) ask if you need to refuel, what will be your answer? “Hey guys did you notice the view? Have you seen the beauty of those mountains? I will just enjoy it and meet with you at the next gas station when YOU guys need to refuel”.

Those are just a couple of examples to make sure new bikers believe us old ones! Touching a bike has a direct electric shock effect on the reality awareness part of the brain, not reversible.

Never forget STORY=EXP(REALITY)!

Period of vacations, solar cream perfume, tanned skin, iridescent pareos and bikinis…

On July 5th, 1946, four days after the first American nuclear test of the postwar on the atoll of Bikini (Pacific Ocean) the French engineer Louis Réart presents a two pieces swimsuit that he wanted the smallest of the world. Given the actuality, he decides to baptize it " bikini ".

These 45cm² of fabric show the body more than it can be accepted in this time. The bikini creates a real revolution! The mayor of Biarritz (France) decides to banish the bikini of his beaches thanks to a municipal decree, while the Italian, Spanish and Belgian authorities forbid it under the pressure of the church. The press is shocked and even the professional models boycott this fashion innovation by refusing to wear it. The bikini is obviously a failure and our French engineer is constrained to come back to other creations, drawing wiser panties and bras. Maybe his hour of glory will come. Later… Movies will change the deal. Brigitte Bardot was the first person to dare the wear of this generating accessory of fantasies in Et Dieu créa la femme, of Roger Vadim (1956). Jayne Mansfield, Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe did the same pretty quickly. Without forgetting the sublime Ursula Andress in James Bond 007 against Dr No, in 1962.

Beginning of the years 60: thanks to the famous song of Brian Hyland, Itsy Bitsy teenie Weenie Yellow Polka-dowry Bikini, the youth finally adopts this famous swimsuit. And during May 68 women burn their bra and claim the right to wear the swimsuit they like. In the years 1970, creators finally place the bikini on the top of the fashion wave. The bikini is today THE element of all collections.

Picture : http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/007/dn-2-0409-honey-ryder.html

Période de vacances, parfum de crème solaire, peau hâlée, paréos chatoyants et bikinis…

C’est le 5 juillet 1946, à savoir quatre jours après le premier essai nucléaire américain de l’après-guerre sur l’atoll de Bikini (Océan Pacifique) que l’ingénieur français Louis Réart dévoile un maillot de bain deux pièces qu’il a voulu le plus petit du monde. Etant donnée l’actualité, il décide de baptiser sa trouvaille « bikini ».

Ces 45cm² de tissu qui, pour l’époque, montrent davantage de choses qu’ils n’en cachent, créent une véritable révolution ! Le maire de Biarritz (France) décide de bannir le bikini de ses plages grâce à un décret municipal, tandis que les autorités italiennes, espagnoles et belges l’interdisent sous la pression de l’église. La presse est scandalisée et même les mannequins professionnels boycottent cette innovation de la mode en refusant de poser avec. L’échec est manifeste et notre ingénieur se voit contraint de revenir à d’autres créations en dessinant des culottes et des soutien-gorges plus sages. Son heure de gloire viendra peut-être… plus tard. C’est le cinéma qui changera la donne. C’est en effet Brigitte Bardot qui, la première, va oser arborer cet accessoire générateur de fantasmes dans Et Dieu créa la femme, de Roger Vadim (1956). Jayne Mansfield, Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe vont très rapidement lui emboîter le pas. Sans oublier la sublime Ursula Andress dans James Bond 007 contre Dr No, en 1962.

Il faudra tout de même attendre le début des années 60 et le tube de Brian Hyland, Itsy Bitsy teenie Weenie Yellow Polka-dot Bikini, pour que la jeunesse s’approprie enfin ce fameux maillot de bain. Puis mai 68 et ses femmes brûlant leur soutien-gorge et revendiquant le droit de porter le maillot de bain qui leur plaît. Dans les années 1970, les créateurs hissent enfin le bikini en haut de la vague. Il fait encore aujourd’hui partie de toutes les collections.

Photo : http://www.cedmagic.com/featured/007/dn-2-0409-honey-ryder.html

You have taken your decision and will definitely have a ride in Provence and on the French Riviera alone or with motorcycle tour operator. Now is time to learn a very important piece of knowledge which will help you blend in the local population or at least look like someone who understands real life!

This is about le petit jaune (the little yellow), try to pronounce it “LOW – PETEE – SEAN (like the actor)”. This means you want an aperitif based on Pastis. Even though Pastis is a brand like Ricard it is the most common name used for that very local drink based on Anis.

The proper way to drink it is to have “two fingers” thick of Pastis in the glass and top it with very fresh water. ATTENTION people in the south of France used to drink Pastis may understand that you are holding your two fingers vertically! Which doesn’t leave a lot of room for water.

That was the easy part because when you get to a bar and listen to the orders you may notice words like: Tomate, Perroquet, Mauresque etc… Those aren’t many other brands but ways to prepare the “petit jaune”. Lets get you a list so that you will really look local and have different ways to enjoy the drink:

• Tomate: Pastis, Grenadine syrup, water
• Canari: Pastis, Lemon syrup, water
• Feuille Morte: Pastis, Grenadine syrup, Mint syrup, water
• Gargamel: Pastis, Caramel syrup, water
• Jean Louis: Pastis, Suze
• Mauresque: Pastis, Orgeat (barley water) syrup, water
• Perroquet: Pastis, Mint syrup, water

All this is not here to push you to drink alcohol but more a little bit of local culture.

Les premières règles pour un jeu de ce type ont été écrites en Ecosse en 1849. On parlait à ce moment là du jeu de "Boules." En 1894 les Français ont écrit les règles de "la Boule Lyonnaise."

La Boule Lyonnaise impliquant des acrobaties particulières telles que le lancer de la boule sur un pied, dans un cercle déterminé, un homme handicapé physiquement prénommé Jules LeNoir vivant à La Ciotat (ville française du sud de la France) a dressé les règles de la Pétanque en 1910. La principale différence entre ce nouveau jeu et la Boule Lyonnaise étant que les pieds doivent demeurer joints. En français on parle de "pieds tanqués", d'où le nom "Pétanque."

Il est vrai que la pétanque était autrefois un sport masculin. Il est aujourd’hui pratiqué par tous, homme ou femme, jeune ou vieux, riche ou pauvre. Même les enfants peuvent avoir leurs propres boules en plastique lourd qu’ils achètent avant de partir en vacances. Un jeu pour le commun des mortels.

Le jeu de boules est aujourd’hui considéré comme typiquement provençal. Il représente la douceur de vivre sous le soleil et avec le parfum de la lavande, les cliquetis des verres de pastis et le bavardage d'amis. Dans le village de St Paul de Vence, les célèbres acteurs français Lino Ventura et Yves Montand ont régulièrement joué à la pétanque sur la place principale devant le café, parmi les touristes et les amis.

Trois types d’équipe pour ce jeu: le Tète à Tète (deux joueurs seuls se mesurent avec trois boules chacun), la Doublette (la formule la plus fréquente, avec deux équipes de deux joueurs, chaque participant utilisant trois boules) et la Triplette (la formule de Pétanque la plus originale avec deux équipes de trois joueurs, chaque joueur disposant seulement de deux boules).

A la pétanque, il faut une petite balle en bois (le cochonnet) d’un diamètre approximatif de 3cm qui est jeté à une distance de 6 à 10 mètres, devenant ainsi la cible. Les joueurs ont également besoin de deux ou trois boules chacun. Ces boules sont en acier poli et chaque lot de deux ou trois boules est gravé selon un modèle de cercles concentriques ou carrés afin d’en faciliter l'identification. Les boules ont un diamètre de 70,5 à 80mm et pèsent de 650 à 800g.

Commençons le jeu ! Un joueur d'une l'équipe jette en premier, puis vient le tour d’un joueur de l’équipe adverse. C’est le joueur dont la boule est la plus éloignée du cochonnet qui doit alors lancer à nouveau pour prendre l’avantage. Lorsque toutes les boules ont été jetées, on regarde quelle est la boule « qui prend », c'est-à-dire celle qui est la plus proche du cochonnet. Cette boule donnera un point à son équipe par boule gagnante par rapport à celles de l’équipe adverse.

Afin de savoir laquelle des boules prend sur l’autre, on compare les distances les séparant du cochonnet avec un bâton, une ficelle ou encore un mètre. Lorsque le jeu est fini, on utilise généralement un aimant (tenu par un cordon) pour ramasser les boules afin de ne pas avoir à se pencher. On nettoie les boules et le jeu peut reprendre. Un cercle est tracé dans la poussière et le cochonnet est à nouveau jeté en dehors, souvent dans la direction opposée au précédent jeu. L’équipe atteignant les treize points remporte la victoire.

Vous voici prêts pour passer du bon temps en Provence!

The first rules for a game of this type were written down in Scotland in 1849, where it was called "Bowls". In 1894 the French laid out rules for what was called "Boule Lyonnaise".

Since Boule Lyonnaise involved some acrobatics as you had to step out of a drawn circle as far as possible with one foot, a physically disabled man named Jules LeNoir in a Southern French town called La Ciotat laid out the rules for Pétanque in 1910. The main difference between this new game and Boule Lyonnaise was that your feet had to be close together. Joined feet in French is "pieds tanqués", hence the name "Pétanque".

It’s true that pétanque was once a masculine sport, but it's now practiced by all, male and female, young and old, rich and poor. Even little kids can get heavy plastic boules at the grocerie store before going on vacation. A game for everyone.

The game of boules is now considered as truly Provencal. It typifies the easy life in the warm sun with the smell of lavender and the sounds of clanking balls and glasses of pastis and the chatter of friends. In the village of St. Paul de Vence, the famous French movie actors Lino Ventura and the late Yves Montand regularly played pétanque in the main square in front of the café, among tourists and friends.

Teams are basically three playing modes: Tète à Tète( two single players match their skills with three balls each), Doublette (the most frequently played mode, with two teams of two players, each participant using three balls) and Triplette (the original Pétanque mode with two teams of three players, every player having only two steel balls).

In pétanque, you need a little wooden ball (the cochonnet, which means little pig!) with a diameter of about 3cm which will be thrown out as a target, at a distance of 6 to 10 meters. The players will use polished steel boules. Each set of two or three boules is engraved with a pattern of concentric circles or squares for identification. They have a diameter of 70,5/80mm with a weight of 650/800g.

Let’s start playing! A player from one team throws first, and then a player from the second team. After that, a player from the team that does not have the closest boule to the cochonnet throws. When all boules have been thrown, the team with the closest boule gets a point for every one of their boules closer to the cochonnet than the closest of the opposing team. Comparing distances of closely matched boules is done with everything from long broken sticks or a string to a purpose-built measuring tape. When the round is over the boules are picked up, with a strong magnet on the end of a cord for those to infirm or lazy to bend over, and polished clean of dust for the next round. A throwing line is drawn in the dirt and the cochonnet is thrown out again, often back in the opposite direction, for the next round. The team aquiring thirteen points first wins.

You’re now ready guys to have a real great time in the Provence!

A few weeks ago I announced on our blog the AMA/FIM International Women and Motorcycling Conference. It was held in Athens, Georgia, USA from 30 June until 3 July 2006. This conference gathered approx. 900 participants, mostly coming from North America. But there were also representatives coming from South Africa, Australia or European countries like France, Great Britain or Switzerland.

The four conference days allowed participants coming from very different backgrounds to meet, to share experiences and to attend numerous seminars given by top level women in various fields such as competition riders, journalists, writers and managers in motorcycling organisations. During the course of this conference, the motorcyclists had the opportunity to try out motorcycles, to make hosted or self-guided motorcycle rides and to visit the booths proposing articles relating to motorcycles and motorcycle users.

This first international conference was very successful enabling the FIM to become better known and to state the aims of the new FIM Commission for Women in Motorcycling.

Il y a quelques semaines de cela j’écrivais un article sur la Conférence Internationale AMA/FIM Femmes & Motocyclisme. Elle s’est déroulée à Athènes, en Géorgie (Etats-Unis) du 30 juin au 3 juillet dernier. Cette conférence a réuni environ 900 participantes venant en majorité d'Amérique du Nord, ainsi que des représentantes d'Afrique du Sud, Australie ou de pays européens tels que la France, le Royaume-Uni ou la Suisse.

Ces 4 jours de conférence ont permis aux participantes venant d'horizons différents de se rencontrer, de partager leurs expériences et d'assister à de nombreux séminaires donnés par des femmes de haut niveau dans des domaines différents telles que pilotes, journalistes, écrivains et dirigeantes d'organisations motocyclistes. Pendant toute la durée de la conférence, les motocyclistes présentes ont eu l'occasion d'essayer des motos de marques différentes, de faire des balades à moto organisées et de visiter les stands proposant tous les articles liés à la moto et aux usagers motocyclistes.

Cette première conférence internationale a connu un grand succès et a permis de faire mieux connaître la FIM et d'exposer les buts de la nouvelle Commission FIM Femmes et Motocyclisme.

I thought I would never see that! I thought we bikers are strongly against any use of the mobile phone while driving a car as cagers on the phone are a real danger to anyone’s safety, but a biker on the mobile phone!!! Never! Well some do have Bluetooth or some intercom device to connect the mobile phone to the helmet. Not good and still dangerous but at least keeps both hands on the handle bar.

But what I saw today is called absolute and perfect insanity, stupidity, etc… sorry my parents didn’t teach me enough words in English to go on.

The guy was holding with his left hand the phone to make his call while trying to ride his HD with his right hand! To do so he was of course wearing a prohibited helmet, here over in Europe, and of course only wearing a shirt, light trousers and some light leather shoes.

Where are the cops when they are needed! I am sorry but this guys doesn’t deserve anything else than a huge fine!

What would have happened if a kid ran on the road to catch his ball? Or a car cutting that bikers road? Come on a call can wait!

This guy is unfortunately going to be talked about by all the people who did cross his way and he will be in their view the image of bikers!

Thanks idiot!

While driving today I experienced an interesting moment: trying to overtake at any cost was a supersports motorcycle rider, who of course managed to get through a long line of vehicles, in a blind curve, over the white line, and right behind, strictly following the rules a group of Harley Bikers.

Does that single example demonstrate that all sport bike riders are not behaving on the road and that all HD ones are very good riders? As a former scientist I cannot accept to develop a theory on just one sample. But….

There is for sure an attitude linked to each type of motorcycle, at least I can base this on personal experience and also by analysing what I can see on a daily basis. Without saying that one category is worse than the other one ,wouldn’t make any sense, it appears that some common facts can be highlighted.

Touring bikers will most of the time keep that serious behaviour carried by the look of their bike: big, serious, no joke, made for very long rides, always coming with the proper gear and very often with a passenger dressed the same way, sitting straight and quiet. Luckily they can easily lose it when another type of motorcycle comes to close or tries to overtake them. Then the fight can be on but always with them sitting straight, not even having the eyes blink a little under the helmet no one can see the huge grin!).

A bit of the same attitude can be found in the big Dakar replica bikes like the BMW GS, KTM Adventure, and some Japanese ones. But here the biker has more of an adventurous mind set and is ready to go nuts at any dirty road crossing. They can even get confused and think the three vans they just overtook were camels. In their eyes the empty deserts will always shine even if those deserts are the ride through the square from home to work.

HD or custom bikers are a special specie! All of us know the Hells Angels or Bandidos, quite a serious bunch of guys who always stayed with the HD art of bike. They don’t represent the majority of custom riders. Considering the price of such a bike those bikers are very wealthy people who have a bit of bad guy/girl chromosome in them. Because of that they won’t ride on a touring bike but will work hard on their image, especially the one reflecting in the chrome! On the road they are pretty cool dudes playing with the low revs and the good vibrations! A sort of tribal riding, nearly never alone.

Off road bikers, well those guys aren’t really a set you can analyse on the road as they spend most of their time in the woods and the mud. When you cross them on the road they will act just as if they were in the wilderness: get around the trees (cars, bikes, buses, wheelchairs, grandmas etc…) as fast as possible until you hit the next forest or wash machine.

The roadster riders are the bad boys! Wheeling, Stoppie, burn, donut etc… is their music at the red light or in front of the café! The race is on! Considering that many roadsters are just a sports bike without a fairing and due to that not looking that aggressive to the citizens and the police they allow quite some extreme behaviour (away from the cops)! As much as the first three categories are more grouping over 30 years of age people, this one gets a lot of young guys! Mainly because of the price and the engine you get. Makes sense. And with youth comes less time spent thinking about life, women/men, kids, house, dog, step mom and all that, and thus more risk taking! But on the other side those bikers also demonstrate a lot of wisdom as they created the stunt attitude! Speed, figures are controlled in special places (yes a town square is a special place…or so) and no more on open roads (even though there are many contradictory examples) saving themselves, their license and some of the people around. Smart!

As I want to stick to the major categories I will end here with the supersport bikers. Not the ones we admire on TV during the GP. No! But the ones enjoying a fine R1 or a brutal GSX-R1000 or a ZXR, in fact any or the R bikes. Even though they are expensive and the insurance cost is pure science fiction many are you riders, but the older ones have the same spirit: “I am the fastest” ! Riding with a bunch of them (well if you ride with them you are mainly one of them!) always ends up in a race whatever your mind sanity is! In fact no racing with them will go against your ego, imply listing a very long list of false excuses (the exhaust has a problem, there was a kid on the road, did you see the cops etc…) which gets boring after a while, and anyway you will be called a “pussy” which no one likes. One important set of accessories comes with the superbike: the full racing outfit, including the sliders (which will never get used) and of course the passenger! A brief note about them: aside the fact love for the biker is the only possible explanation for accepting to sit on a 10 cm by 10 cm board, knees under the chin, wind in the face, not seeing the scenery and praying all the long that the hands will hold; there has to be a huge masochistic desire. Or , and that is the most possible explanation, a high need for speed and adrenaline.

The great advantage with the last two categories compared to the other ones is that the transition from one to the other doesn’t need a major mind reset! Very often it comes after crashing the fairing and going on without it!

Of course all the above is my very personal view, which I share with myself, and it can differ quite a lot from yours, but this is what is great about motorcycles and bikers: it will never be a static world and everyone can have her/his point of view about us!

Oh just forgot a last item, working for all categories and which, I am sure, every biker has done: twisting the right handle just once…to see and feel !