what is a squid

[Will McClard]

[SmoothDave]

Squid Squid, n. Cf. Squirt.
  1. (Zo"ol.) Any one of numerous species of ten-armed
     cephalopods having a long, tapered body, and a caudal fin
     on each side; especially, any species of Loligo,
     Ommastrephes, and related genera. See Calamary,
     Decacerata, Dibranchiata.

  Note: Some of these squids are very abundant on the Atlantic
        coast of North America, and are used in large
        quantities for bait, especially in the cod fishery. The
        most abundant of the American squids are the northern
        squid (Ommastrephes illecebrosus), ranging from
        Southern New England to Newfoundland, and the southern
        squid (Loligo Pealii), ranging from Virginia to
        Massachusetts.

  2. A fishhook with a piece of bright lead, bone, or other
     substance, fastened on its shank to imitate a squid.

  Flying squid, Giant squid. (Zo"ol.) See under Flying,
     and Giant.

  Squid hound (Zo"ol.), the striped bass.


Baa Ha Ha Ha Ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1   :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

Sorry.

I don't rightly know myself, but I couldn't help it.

Smooth Dave

[Zarathustra]

there's a couple ways that they're defined in the rider community.  firstly, it can be looked at as S.Q.U.I.D. which stands for Stupid Quick Underdressed and Immenently Dead, or any other such abbreviation.  also, it can be an analogy to the way in which a squid moves.  for quickly in a straight line, but then basically stops and pulls a corner, and then straight again quickly, showing these riders inability to corner well, yet speed in straight lines as fast as they can.

[R3d]

I've also heard it as SQUirrely kID.
Basically, an overconfident punk just looking for trouble (i.e. wearing no gear, pulling stunts in trafficked areas, speeding, etc.)

edit: misspelling.  ugh...

[aplitz]

See also:

The prick wearing shorts and a sweatshirt that passed me this morning in double yellows on a curve at 75 in a 45 on a brand new R1 (with the temp tag still on it).

[esokitty]

I never knew it was an acronym!  I always thought it referred to the softskinned, nonarmoured way all those shorts and tanktop wearing dudes would seem when skidding across the pavement...

[EvilScooby]

Especially the dudes on the crotch rockets that where the wife beaters with shorts and sandals.
It just doesnt even look right,

[dgyver]

squid: a creature that cannot turn quickly but is capable of short burst of speed.

[johncam4]

squirly ass kid

[johncam4]

oh yeah....there really are no squids that ride gs's....a squid is on a bike too big for them to keep control of.

[vtlion]

Ah yes, the "what is a squid" discussion... one for the ages, no doubt.  The origin of the term is lost.  I think I once found a website where a fellow had compiled all of the responses he had ever gotten to this question.  There were a bunch of definitions.  If I find it I'll post it up.

I'm partial to the 'vulnerable, soft bodied creature that darts quickly in a straight line but must come to a near stop in order to turn'.  Sadly, even this analogy falls short in that real squids can't speak, but road-squids generally won't shut up about their 'mad skillz'  

[ollie357]

I always thought it referred to the way they had to wrap themselves tightly around that bike in panic mode when they hit 120++ while trying not to crap in their shorts.  :mrgreen:

[Nomak]

" Back in the "day" we called inexperienced riders,.. Squirrels. Why? Because real squirrels are erratic...never run in the same direction or speed twice, and they look scared all the time. This is much the way newbies ride their bikes.
Over a period of time someone made the connection that squirrells are usually kids...and put the two words "squirrels" and "kid" together and came up with "squid".
To us old timers.....if you continue to ride raggedy, wear flip flops and t-shirt when you are riding, do a wheelie away from every traffic light, and rev your engine to get attention,....you will always be a squid.
However if you get smart and wear the proper riding equiptment, and we find out that you are actually trying to aquire some skill and ride the bike in the manner for which it was designed,....you no longer need to concider yourself a "squid". "

Author  Bob Harrington

[Kerry]

I aplogize for veering off-topic so often, but the "squirrel" discussion brought up an old memory.  Namely, that as kids my brothers and I used to refer to motorcycles as "chipmunks".

It took me a second to remember why, but then the memory "popped in".  When I was about 5 (circa 1967) my Dad had to take drastic action to avoid a collision on his bike.  Seems like he was forced to jump a curb or something, and after he fell off the motorcycle it motored straight ahead and tried to run up a tree!  I want to say that it was a Honda 350 of some kind, but I wouldn't trust THAT detail to a 5-year-old's memory.  Anyway, I don't recall that he or the bike were badly hurt, but after learning about the incident we developed the kind of game that only siblings play....

While riding around town in the back of the station wagon, the first kid to spy a motorcycle would yell "Chipmunk!" or "Chipmunk's up a tree!" and the rest of us would whip our heads back and forth trying to spot the bike before it passed out of sight.  (We had a similar catch phrase for VW Beetles, but I can't remember what it was.... )

My Dad would have been about 30 years old then, with ~15 years of riding under his belt.  Maybe not a "squirrely kid", but something of a squirrel ... I guess.  :lol:

[DaveO]

This is not a condition that only occurs in the motorcycle world. I am a paintball player and I often run across young kids who buy high dollar equipment to make up for the fact that you can't buy skill. They are erratic and lack basic skills to compete. You would be suprised at how many kids I take off the field with old school equipment. I know that riding a motorcycle and playing paintball are two different activities but you see the same mentality. The only problem is that the stakes are alot higher on the road.

[destroyer]

Seems to be a lot of people on crotch rockets riding around with no helmet, wife beaters, shorts and flip flop sandals.  I was just at the dealer the other day getting my bike inspected and a guy in front of me was picking up his gixxer from service.   The dude paid for it and they went outside and I followed them.  Service manager handed him the keys (oh by the way this guy fits the description listed above) and he gets on the bike and tell him thanks and starts to ride away and the manager stops him and said "Wait a minute, your going to ride off in shorts and flip flops are you"?  He said dont worry thats how I always do it.  Gets on on the service road and pulls a wheelie.  Then about 2 minutes later I saw him getting on I-35 going what looked to be 120.  If ever I saw a dead man on a motorcycle, I saw one that day.  I guess thats what I would call a squid.


Stephen

[ghettorigged]

" and rev your engine to get attention,....you will always be a squid.
. "

...but  

... I just got my exhaust set up... I LIKE revving the engine.  

[Eightmarky]

...but    ... I just got my exhaust set up... I LIKE revving the engine.  

:lol:  :lol:  :lol:

[perfdrug]

haha. i always like these threads

i saw some dude on a last generation ninja with jeans, a floppy tshirt, and a helmet riding the other day. he made a right turn and actually put his right foot out to... brace him in-case he fell? i dunno why he did it. it was funny.