Are people who ride Scooters (Vespas etc) considered to be 'bikers'?

Question

Hi! I love Vespas and Lambrettas and I'm saving up to get a Vespa PX 125.

I love bike culture too, but I wonder are Scoots considered to be 'bikers' by the petrolhead community as whole, as we're all on two wheels?

I'm not referring to commuters who just use a 50cc to get to work and have a Mercedes in the garage, but people who ride Scooters as their only transport and love/ mod them just the same a hardcore sports/ custom riders?

Thanks!

Answer 1

mods and rockers come to mind. they are diff ppl, diff things.

Answer 2

Go rent Quadraphenia.  It's a movie about Mod culture back in the day.  The mods in the movie all have scooters that they've tricked out.  Vespa is the favored make.  In the movie, the mods square off against the 'Rockers', who ride cruiser type bikes.  It's a pretty good movie and Sting's in it.  This should answer a lot of the questions that you've got.  As for my personal outlook, Vespas are cool, but it's not part of the 'Biker' culture.  But really, who needs it?  Just get your ride and go!

Answer 3

I think the answers of the people say more about them than the question.  narrow minded d**k heads are prevalent no matter what interests you have.  

personally the floor/car hurts no matter what you are riding. hence bike boots,bike gloves and a very good quality back protector and jacket and of course a bloody good helmet.  O' and the key Fraze there is of course bike,  if shoei,alpine star and that ilk can't tell the difference then that is good for me.  i mean they don't make scooter boots do they?

two wheels are two wheels,  the open faced, tassel wearing sunday driver might have a difference of opinion but then again how many of them have driven more that 50 miles in a year.

there are a lot of great bikers out there so please do not judge this site as a good guide stick to that environment.  when your soaked through to the skin shivering your **** off no biker judges you by what your driving but that you are driving,  respect is earned not given.

Answer 4

the only thing I can say for sure is while I'm riding my scooter I give the universal biker salute with the left hand stretched out and downward and more often than not I get the salute back I've had big bikes and small.And have ridden with the guys riding the bigger bikes with out problems

Answer 5

No.  A 125 is still a scooter. Bikers have motorcycles. They ride a motorized horse, not desk.

Answer 6

No chance!  In the hard-core biker culture, they're sissies.  Not even "wanna-be's."

Answer 7

No Not bikers.

Answer 8

My opinion is it doesn't matter what you ride, Just that you ride

Answer 9

If a scooter waves to me I always wave back. If I lived in a beach town or something like that I might ride a scooter. I have a cruiser. I think most people probably wouldn't consider scooters to be bikers though. It is two wheels but you don't shift on a scooter or ever really go fast.

Answer 10

Some like myself would consider you a biker as long as your machine wasn't holding up the flow of traffic. When I'm stuck in a line of traffic thats being held up by someones under powered machine  I have other opinions... I ride and would wave at you like I do at every other bike one the road.

Answer 11

No they are Mods.

Answer 12

Bikers ride motorcycles.

Scooterists and mods ride scooters.

But I've got scooterist friends who ride far wilder machines than many bikers I know.

As has been said before - it's not about what you ride or what you call yourself.  Just ride!!