Vietnamese - The Hardcore Bikers

We've all seen photos like these, where some guy in Vietnam has several people riding on the back of a 125cc motorcycle. And then we laugh at how ridiculous it is.

People in Vietnam ride their motorcycles in situations that many of us wouldn't even dare. Most of us are not willing to ride in the rain, let alone down flooded streets, and not even do so with several passengers on the back. But they've developed the skills to do it.

I believe this is actually a photo of a motorcycle taxi. So, the taxi driver is doing this because it's his job. But given the rainy conditions, you'd think he'd wear a jacket, right? You gotta admire the Vietnamese for their toughness and skills as motorcycle riders.

If you're a mom, would you put yourself and your kids on the back of a motorcycle, driven by someone you don't know, in the rain, down a flooded street, while holding on to your umbrella and shopping bag? In the United States, we call it stupid, but in Vietnam that's their way of life.

And there's something hardcore about that, which those of us in the United States are too soft to understand.

Many bikers in the USA talk about living the motorcycle lifestyle, but only a tiny few truly do. Even though we ride our motorcycles as often as we can, we're still fair-weather riders to a lesser or greater degree. We choose to hold on to our cars because sometimes it gets too wet or too cold outside. Sometimes we elect to set our groceries on the back seat of our car, instead of bungee-cording them to our motorcycle. Just how hardcore are we?

You could argue that if Vietnam had a large middle class, that most of them would drive cars also. True. But my point is that too many bikers in the USA talk about living the lifestyle, just because they have a Harley, a patch on their back, and a novelty helmet, when in fact they're ill-prepared to deal with life on a motorcycle.

I am of course comparing two different philosophies. In the USA, we tend to think of the motorcycle lifestyle as a social life, whereas in Vietnam it's a domestic life. It's apples and oranges.

Still, when you hear someone boasting about the "motorcycle lifestyle", keep in mind that all they're talking about is a social life, and reflects nothing of their riding abilities. Ask yourself if that person is prepared to rely on their motorcycle in the same way that people do in other countries, and figure out how that person compares with the motorcycle riders of the world.