I'll change that to "It's not what you ride, but how you ride".
I rode 4 seasons a year in Chicago and was a professional motorcycle mechanic. I even rode the ice on the lake in N. Wisconsin without studs. I don't have a bike now and it kills me. Once a month I dream that I'm riding again and when I awake, my heart aches.
Smallblock,
Does riding make your heart smile? Can you sit there, read these words and feel the change of temp and smell the green dusky smell of the lake, river or swamp you just rode past? Have you felt the sting of the rain at 60 mph on your face while your girl laughed all the way home from an all day ride? Can you close your eyes and "countersteer" through your favorite road? Can you feel the rush of a full throttle gear shift "snick" from 2nd to 3rd at redline? Have you ever taken a 400 mi trip that started in hot sun, then watched as the clouds darkened and heaven opened up, but just enough to cool you off and you were dry 30 miles later?
These are just a few of the things that a true biker holds close to his (or her) heart. I've tried to explain some of these things to some people and they don't get it. Neither does the R.U.B (Rich Urban Biker). These are the guys that trailer their bike to Sturgis and play dress up that Thanson speaks of.
Smallblock, It's not about being a patched member with a rocker or wether or not you work on your own bike. It's about how you feel when you ride. Only you in your heart know if you are a true biker my friend.
Joe