Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Did you give your bike a name and why?

I've been reading a lot of blogs, Vlogs( video blogs for the uninitiated) and the occasional forum every now and again, and I've noticed there are lots of people that give their bikes a name and I'm not talking about calling it Fatboy or GSXR or anything like that either, but a proper name.



I've been riding bikes for 20 years and have never ever given any of my bikes a name except for the occasional profanity when it has done something that I didn't like. I don't know anyone who gives their car a name but there are lots of bikers that name their bikes.

So my question to my fellow bloggers is;

  1. Why do you feel the need to give your stead a name?
  2. Why did you call it what you did? 
  3. If your a male rider does the bike always have a female name and if your a female rider does your bike have a male name?


One of the blogs I follow is Trobairitz Tablet, Brandy calls her bike Max which is a Suzuki SV650, quite a nice looking bike too, maybe she can tell us how and why the name.

Photo courtesy of Trobairitz Tablet

One of the vloggers I follow is Adjrian Nickelodeon Check out his famous Youtube channel he has some of the most badass vlogs around, and he has a R1 called Edwina.  Here he is doing some unusual looking lane splitting. If he continues to ride like this then he won't be with us for too long. Keep your shit together mate, we want you around for a bit longer we love your videos. Edwina is in for repairs at the moment and Adjrian has got himself a wicked little postie bike to ride around on. Check it out.





15 comments:

  1. Interesting topic. Yep I named my bike, it took a while to work out who she was though, but once I'd thought of her name it just wouldn't leave me. Why? No idea. I do have to admit that I have named a couple of my cars as well, my first car was Max which is kinda weird at times when reading Brandy's blog :)

    Male/female .. well to me it's what ever the bike is, my first two wheeler was a scooter who was never named, but he was a he, the Shadow was all sexy girl .. hence Roxy .. and here's the sneak peek at the news coming up on my blog if I ever get up to date .. my new bike is definately a bloke .. haven't worked out who he is yet but I'll be sure to let you know when he tells me. So the bike tells me who it is really .. or maybe I just have an overactive imagination :)

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    1. What you have a new bike and didn't tell anyone? Geez come on hurry up with the new bike blog already.
      You really let the cat out of the bag now.

      Delete
  2. I am also guilty of personalising my bikes. My Harley Davidson is named Rover after a pirate ship.
    http://2wheelersrevisited.blogspot.de/2011/07/yo-ho-pirates-life-for-me.html
    My orange Vespa Scooter is called Alonzo (after the Dr. Who quote: Alons-y, Alonzo!)
    http://magersineurope.blogspot.de/2013/05/allons-y-alonzo.htm
    I have had bikes that I didn't name... these were vehicles I didn't bond with. It was just a mode of transportation (like my car who remains nameless, too.)

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    1. We Rover is neither gender really. Strange that because you didn't bond they didn't get a name. I have really gotten to love my R1 but still never given it a name. It's just R1.

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  3. Thanks for the shout out Steve. Max is technically an SFV 650 Gladius (the SV was it's predecessor they don't sell anymore over here)

    It wasn't until I started riding bikes that I even thought of naming a vehicle. Could never figure out why people did it. They didn't seem to in Canada, but most do in Oregon. I've never named a car, truck or other mode of transportation.

    Because my bike is a Gladius it made me think of the movie Gladiator and Russell Crowe's character was Maximus. And I thought it was befitting that my bike be a Gladius Maximus rather than a gluteus maximus (sad butt reference, but true). I just call it Max for short. Most of the time I just refer to it as "it" never a he or she since it is inanimate.

    I never named my TU250, or the Ninja, or the Rebel. But for the months I had the Triumph Bonneville we nicknamed it Beau as in Beauregard, the janitor from the Muppets. He always had a broom in his hand and I always prefer to ride sweep.

    Brad's bikes have been named girl's names (The Triumph America was Scarlett, now The Tiger is Lucy). I don't think he named any of his previous bikes.

    Our friend RickRick has two bikes. His old Concourse has been beaten up when hitting a deer and pieced back together and he named it Johnny 5, from the movie Short Circuit (No disassemble No 5). He also has a ZZR he named Zedward and a Isuzu Trooper SUV he named Tedward. Which kind of blows the male naming vehicles girls names theory out of the water. Maybe he is just an exception to the rule though.

    And did Brenda just admit she has new wheels...........

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    1. Oops sorry didn't know it was an SFV650, I knew it was a gladius though. My bad.

      I will forever think of Russel Crowe in Gladiator now when I see your bike. Lol

      Interesting names of your friends bike thats for sure.

      Brenda sure did let the cat out of the bag didn't she. Wonder what it is?

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    2. Better you think of Russell Crowe than a 'gluteus maximus'. :-)

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  4. Steve:

    Nope. I tried to come up with a name but I don't think of my machines as being anything other than nameless machines. I tried but I have a hard time using it. I tried Susie for my Suzuki but I have never posted that name except for the one time I mentioned it. And my BMW was called "New to Me" cause I couldn't think of a name either.

    I generally don't bond with any car. I used to have Alfas, MGB's and many convertibles and all were nameless. As far as bikes are concerned I am not wrapped up with speed or how they look. I am more interested in reliability and where to have my service done and parts availability. Ask anyone who rides a Vstrom. They weren't bought for looks

    bob
    A weekend photographer or Riding the Wet Coast




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    1. I saw you calling the beemer New to me. What is it called now?

      Haha I already have taken it as a given that Vstrom owners didn't buy the bike for its looks....

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  5. Not sure if "The Connie" and "The DL" count...

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    1. I see lots of Connie owners call their bike that name so I guess that doesn't count, either does DL really. They seem to be abbreviations rather than names. Its probably a lazy aussie/kiwi thing.

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    2. Yep I'd agree it's the lazy Aussie thing. I thought briefly of calling the new bike Quacker but that's the cheating laziness thing again isn't it :)

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  6. Great powers of observation pal! I agree bikes are inanimate so they don't get names but rather abbreviations and nic names mostly. My drz is dizzy just because its easier to say and I call my Ducati Multistrada the multi for the same reason. Glad I found your blog I'm looking forward to reading it!

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    1. Hi Dan
      Thanks for dropping by. I agree with you that they are just inanimate objects and therefore don't have a name.

      Delete
  7. Never named bikes before I named my America, I was watching Iron Man 2 and Scarlett Johansson played Black Widow. My bike was black and scarlett colour so came the name, (and it was the only way I could say I was riding Scarlett).
    I named my Tiger "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" because of her kaleidoscope eyes, and her colour is Lucifer Orange.
    I have yet to name the XT250 anything other than "the goat", or the KZ900 "the KZ".
    The name thing isn't anything important, it's just fun... try it, run through some names on your next ride and you may find one that sticks.

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