TALK THE TALK

As the last couple of pages can attest, moto culture can get a little jargon-y. Here’s some vocab to get you started.

Café: From “café racer,” a movement that started in the U.K. in the ’60s, when gentlemanly types stripped back their bikes to go faster, then stopped by the café (or likely the pub) to show off their work and socialize.

Scrambler: Derived from the “scramble” races organized back before paved highways were commonplace. Basically, a stock bike modified to handle off-roading — but not made into a full dirt bike. A favourite of Steve Mcqueen.

Tracker: These rides trace back to the board racers of the 1900s, which were bikes without brakes that raced on tracks made of wood. Sketchy. Trackers are stripped bare, all about speed, and defined by that big number plate.

Bratstyle: The birth of modern-day moto culture. Back when Orange County Choppers was making the bike equivalent of boob jobs, builders in Tokyo were stripping rides back to their pure essence. They called them brats.