What Is A Biker: Uno Mas

That is the most frequently asked question that I get as Editor of a Biker magazine.

At some point the term “biker” became synonymous with the outlaw image so often portrayed by Hollywood. Images of “Hollister” and “Wino Willie, images of Marlon Brando in “The Wild Bunch or Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper running cross-country in “Easyrider.”

There was a time, very recently when to most people being a “biker” meant that you rode a Harley. Problem was, any butthead with enough money to buy it or enough nerve to steal it could ride one.

That didn’t make him a biker, it just made him one more jerk trying to pass himself off as a biker. Unfortunately people who fall into this class tend to make the most noise trying to convince everyone else that they are a biker.

Having a certain bike doesn’t make a person a biker any more than owning a stethoscope makes him a Doctor.

Being a biker has nothing to do with what you ride. Being a biker is much more about attitude and lifestyle and the priority that riding has in your life.

Being a biker is about brotherhood and camaraderie.

Being a biker is about being there without question when the other person needs you.

Being a biker means knowing what is worth fighting for and what is not.

Many bikers choose to wear colors and become members of Motorcycle Clubs. Many other bikers prefer to go it alone on the road. That is part of it – being independent enough to make your own decisions.

A biker rides. Not just to a bar on the weekend, but really rides. Every chance they get. A biker would rather feel the wind on his face and hear the sounds of the road than be anywhere else on the planet.

To me, no one symbolizes a true biker spirit more than Gypsy “Uno Mas”. If there is a Gypsy MC event within 300 miles you can be pretty sure that Linda “Uno mas” Smith will be there. If there are no club activities “Uno mas” will be working a benefit, or helping a friend, or distributing flyers for events or just riding.

Her attitude was demonstrated recently when I invited her to go riding and then spent the day getting her to help me take photos. Even though she wanted to ride and not mess around with photos she patiently did everything that was asked of her. Little did she realize the real reason for the photos was to get a “cover girl” shot of her for this issue.

Linda started riding in Corpus Christi at the age of 12 when her kid brother got a dirt bike. Not to be outdone she made him let her try it. He showed her how to shift and clutch and, after a few head-jerking attempts at using the clutch she got the hang of it. Only after her brother left to go inside the apartment did Linda realize that she didn’t have a clue how to stop the thing.

Road bikes...

We hope that you enjoyed reading this excerpt from "Uno Mas". If you would like to read the entire article and more, you can order a back issue of May / June 2004 where this article was originally published.

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