Motorcycle Squid Slang – About Squid Motorcycle Riders
Squid slang is thrown around quite often in motorcycle communities, however many people have a misunderstanding of the meaning and will use it in the wrong context.
We will take a look at the meaning behind being referred to as a squid biker, the characteristics, the acronym and also the history behind squid.
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Squids may ride in packs
What is a squid motorcycle rider
Used to describe a motorcycle rider who lacks common sense. This will be in relation to their display of riding skills, lack of suitable motorcycle protection attire, or often both.
Example: “Look at that idiot doing a wheelie in shorts, what a squid!”.
The squid slang may also be used to describe the similarity in looks between a crashed motorcycle rider who was not wearing the correct protective attire and the squid sea creature.
Squid are a danger firstly to themselves, but also to any other motorcycle riders who they are with. Squid bikers also portray a very negative image of motorcycle riders in general. They are headed straight to the hospital for the nurse to scrape the gravel out when they suffer from road rash.
General characteristics of a squid motorcycle rider
Squid motorcycle riders will display one or more of the following characteristics. Quite often they may check off most of the list. However it is worth noting that some of these characteristics alone, such as age or choice of motorcycle, do not characterise a rider of a squid, unless they are also displaying a lack of common sense.
Age – Typically a squid is below the age of 30, most often closer to 20. There are plenty of riders in this age bracket who can ride with common sense though.
Choice of motorcycle – Most often full fairing super sport motorcycles including the Yamaha R1, R6 or the Suzuki GSXR. The chosen motorcycle is usually high powered and most importantly “looks” to be fast and desirable to other riders. Choosing a bike purely because of how you will look riding it does not make a rider a squid though, merely a poser.
Riding style – Erratic, lacking significant ability to ride in a controlled manner. Often attempting stunts such as wheelies or stoppies. Squid riders are also known to be extremely slow through corners, due to lack of riding ability, then will accelerate to unsafe speeds along straights.
Ego – Huge. The rider believes that they are invincible. They often need to prove to other riders that they are an alpha male.
Clothing / Protective Gear – Limited. The rider will often wearing shorts and a singlet. In the event that they crash there will be significant pain and loss of skin. Read “All The Gear All The Time“.
If you know someone who ticks off one or more of the above characteristics, then there is a definite possibility that they may be motorcycle squid, be careful riding with them.
Not your usual squid
Acronym of SQUID slang
There are multiple instances of the acronym floating around motorcycle communities for squid bikers, however the most commonly used definition of the motorcycle squid acronym is:
Stupid
Quick
Underdressed
Imminently
Dead
The beauty of this particular acronym for squid motorcycle riders is that it quite clearly covers off almost all of the general characteristics of motorcycle squid riders which we have mentioned.
A squid about to go down
History of squid slang
The term “squid” has been used to refer to the US Navy for several decades and many sailors in the 1960’s rode motorcycles for transportation. However, the most likely origin of squid, when using the term in relation to a squid motorcycle riders, may link back to surfing in California.
The term “squid” was used by surfers when referring to new young surfers who were riding all over the waves, squirreling around without control. The term was used as a contraction of the words squirrely and kid. The squid sea creature is also unable to easily control movement and must come to nearly a stop in order to change direction before accelerating again.
This meaning was then carried over to the motorcycle community, beginning at the racetracks. When new motorcycle riders were spotted on the racetrack lacking control over the lines that they were riding the squid slang definition was used, they were officially now “motorcycle squids”.
It did not take long for squid slang to move from the racetrack out to the streets, where the meaning of the word was somewhat expanded to include almost any rider who lacks common sense either in relation to their riding display, or in their lack of suitable riding attire for the conditions. Quite often motorcycle squid are guilty of both crimes.
There is always time for the camera
Summary
You should now have a good understanding of the meaning of the term squid as well as know what to look out for the next time you see a motorcycle rider on the road.
What are your experiences with squid motorcycle riders, or is this article way off the mark? Leave a comment below.
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