Been reading through the many threads on here and the phrase wannabee crops up a lot so I started to wonder what defines a wannabee. After all Charley and thingy have been around the world, all be it well supported, on bikes but are frequently described as wannabee's. Yet there are some who have travelled through 3 European countries that are described as hard core travellers. Any ideas, just making idle chat.

ummm begs the ??? what am I
most of Europe and Thailand no support

__________________
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.

for different reasons, adventure, scenery, the ride / drive, the getaway , I could go on for hours.

I see hardcore travellers are ones who travels for all and or any of the above. wannabes for me are the ones who admir an image and wants to be it for reasons such as midlife crisis or other personality difficiencies

as for what defines the, oooh touchy

I have been planning a massive RTW for 2 years, and am set to leave the Summer of 2012. A few years ago, I was a wannabe, but the lifestyle that attaches itself to the hardcore adventurer is the defining difference. A wannabe says things like, "Whoa man, that's awesome. I wish I could do stuff like that," While he/she is single, no children, renting a house, and debt free... That person is a wannabe.

When you take the next step towards living your life as you ACTUALLY want to, you have taken a step towards, being REAL.

Expressing awe, or respect to someone does not, however, define a person as a wannabe. Especially if that person is married/with children, or is simply enjoying their lifestyle the way it is. Many people want to be the adventurer, but due to legitimate reasons are bound to be armchair travelers, along for our rides. I do not fault them, for at heart, they are as hard core as I will ever be, and would join me tomorrow if give the chance.

I will graduate from University in 5 weeks. Everyone of my classmates knows that I plan to travel the world, I study International Business, and ride to school everyday. Being a rider though does not make me the adventurer. It is my lifestyle that defines me. I love adventure, don't shy from the rain. Laugh at foul weather, and can face obstacles. To every classmate of mine that says, "Whoa dude, that sounds awesome/epic/crazy... etc, I wish I could do something like that," when they hear about my plans, I reply, "Then do it, for now is the time when responsibility is but a choice for us, and you have options." (I'm not nearly as elegant, but you get the picture)

Then, there are adventurers, and HARDcore adventurers. This is the difference between riding around the world and camping 9 out of 10 days, and sleeping in a hotel/hostel and eating out every night. Discrepancies exist, and I wont tackle that now.

It is hard for me to relate to wannabe. But I can understand where they reside mentally. It is not them that is different from the rest of the general population, it is US. The adventuring nomad is not the norm, but rather the exception. Wannabe's dream about being different, while we live different. The pressure to be part of the crowd is the largest factor in my eyes.

Summary: A wannabe is simply that. Someone who has the potential to do something adventurous, exclaims that they'd love to do something like it, but when the opportunity presents itself they balk at the challenge and turn it down.

People say that, "There are no dumb questions." I say there are.

A dumb question exists when someone asks a question that they already know the answer to. Stupid.

A wannabe exists when someone acts like they want to do something, but in reality, really does not.

Thanks for reading my two cents.

--Alex

__________________
NJ, NR, NBTTN

A Wannabe is somebody who admires the adventures of others, would love too enjoy that lfestyle, but has other commitnents (family, house, career, etc) that at this time in their lives, are of higher priority than longtime adventure. Their own adventure maybe only limited too a couple of weeks at a time living a dream in short bite size chunks rather than taking the whole cake.

__________________
engjacques
09 R1200GS. 06 Royal Star Tour Deluxe

This is my point why do people describe the famous one and his mate as wannabe's and why if you have clean aluminium panniers are you a wannabe i have even seen it said that if you ride a big German motorcycle to work you may be in the category of wannabe I just find the definition or at least how people view others as odd.

__________________
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.

For me the term wannabe simply refers to someone who want to be something else then he/she is.

IMHO they come inn all flavors and colors and can't be identified by the brand of their bike. I'm not sure if C+E are wannabes, they managed to do their daily lives more interesting and I can't see they are claiming they are something they are not.


I have been looking for a word for "pretend to be", maybe pretobe. :confused1:

C&E started the wannabe thing, but they actually did it, so whatever you might think they are not IMHO wannabes.

I'm married, mortgage, **** job to pay for everything etc. Forgetting I used to be single with an F650 with tin boxes and used to think nothing of heading to the top of Norway or Morocco or into Russia. That aside, I'm prime material to be an "Image" rider. The latest "image" is what E&C started. Blokes in my age group with my comittments who havn't a cat in hells chance of getting further than Italy until little Jonny gets a job when he's about 45 and finally gets chucked out of education can buy the image. You go send off for the Touratech catalogue and while you wait for it to turn up you order something for £12K from BMW and get yourself down to Horrible Gherkin for the Arai and a helmet cam. Once equipped with your hard things and laser cut titanium spork you can then dress up and go say "extreme" and "Totally extreme" down the local cafe. They could manage with a set of throwovers on an R1200R, but that wouldn't be "extreme". It's playing dress up just like all those accountants on their Bad Boy Harleys who'd have heart attacks (or tut alot) if anyone did anything actually bad.

I find these blokes odd as I'd buy the throwovers and a lot of petrol (most of it for the *****y lawn mower these days), but each to their own.

Andy

I think you have it Andy they are described as wannabe's but they are in fact image bikers. Have to agree petrol to me is more important than metal mules but hey if you have it why not.

The good news so far then is im not an image biker 3001 km around Thailand on a 250 with throw overs wont get me in that club I guess.

__________________
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.

You all are wannabes in someone else's eyes (and me!)

either that or you have no dreams, ambition or just damned stupid ideas drifting round your mind ......

I think it's just silly trying to classify/look down upon anyon-get on with your own dream!

__________________
Ollie

www.jollyfollies.com

Land's End to Sydney 2009

Reading the contributions from other parts of the world, I'm guessing the "image biker" thing is still pretty limited to Harley and it's associates outside these islands?

For those who are confused we have biker tribes here. The cruiser-pirate-bad boy I'm guessing is pretty familiar to you all, while the sportsbike-power ranger will be known as a squid or squib in North America? In the UK we now have groups of R1200GS's, F800GS and New Tenere's with square, aluminium coloured boxes you could live in for a week roaming at least twenty miles from home to queue up and actually ride through a ford that might be a whole 6-inches deep.

The whole tribal thing, as you will imagine is highly disruptive and counter productive when trying to get sense out organisations outside our little bikey world. I'm reasonably used to European bike clubs where ten riders might turn up on ten different makes and everything from a Harley to a classic Ducati to an XT350. This has a much more positive effect as when the Harley guy fancies a long trip he's more likely to end up with a XT600 and ex-military bags having talked to XT350 guy than a brand new R1200GS and a trillion pounds worth of laser cut ally having googled that actors name.

The trend that will wind me up is some of the rat bike fakers. When my insurance goes up and people start stealing 15 year old MZ's and XBR's because they sell to clowns with pots of matt black paint who want to follow that particular trend I will not be happy.

Andy

What about a metric.

Feel free to add/refine propose alternative measures....

Wannebee hard core travel metric:
If the ratio of the cost of your trip(s) (excluding bike and equipement) divided by what you paid for your bike and equipment is:

• <0.1 you're a hardcore wannabee
• between 0.1 and 0.5 you're definetly a wannabee
• between 0.5 and 2 you're the average traveler
• between 2 and 5 you're a kandidate adventure traveler
• between 5 and 10 you're an adventure traveler
• >10 you're an hardcore adventure travel.

Maybe we should ad a parameter adjusting for the average cost per day of a trip and a multiplication factor for the number of passports you had to replace because they are full.
Negative points for sponshorship, and blogs explaining all the mods and meals
Positive points for nights slept outside, ...

If we do this properly, everyone can easily find out what exactly his status is. With knowledge of your status, you can confidently adopt an apropriate behavior in about any social context.

My defination of a "wannabe" is someone who has "all the gear and no idea".

A stereotypical "wannabee" would be a middle aged man with a BMW1200GS smothered in Touratech goodies sporting a Klim riding suit, headtorch, electric toothbrush with a a titanium touratech soapdish.

Usually supported by a pocket full of excuses why they can never go on that trip that they've spent thousands buying gear for. E.g.

"I'll never get another job with the same benefits if I leave now"

"I'm just waiting for the weather to calm down a little"

"I've heard that the border is closed"

"I'm waiting for my shares to mature"

"I've got to decorate the kitchen first"

"I havn't found a bike that suits my riding style"

BLAAAHH BLAAAAH BLAAAH !!!

The best excuse by far is " I just can't afford it". That excuse is especially entertaining when spoken by the people who have just spent £14000 on a BMW and £5000 on luggage and accessories.

Atlthough, never mistake a newbie for a wannabee ! Even if you're 10 years away from hitting the road, as long as your commited and have the spirit thats kudos enough for me.

Ewan & Charlie get the "wannabe" tag because they turned their "Amazing, dangerous adventure" into a Thomas Cook package holiday. ANYONE could do what they did if they had enough money to throw at it. ANYONE !!


I don't know if this just goes for me, but I think there needs to be certain sacrifices in ones life to earn the renoun of an adventure traveller.

Whatever those may be !! Money, career, creature comforts, lifestyle etc etc !

I'm no expert on the matter though. It's all a bit snobbish and condesending and I hate being like that (altough guilty at times of it too)

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Bikes in Norway is twice the price for a bike in Germany.

So if I go on a trip with a two Germans, Hans with the same bike as me, Fritz with a cheaper bike then I'm double so much wannabe as Hans and four times as much wannabe as Fritz.....

When I tour in Europe I can easily use 4 times the daily budget as I do in Africa, so if I spend a month in Europe I'm less wannabe then if I spend a month in Africa.

It's all a bit snobbish and condesending....

Quite. Some of you lot should listen to yourselves sometimes 'cos you sound like right wankers from where I'm sitting.

A very exclusive club this seams to be getting, I preffer to be a free thinking independant guy on a motorbike.