OFF THE WIRE
By Anthony DeFeo
STAFF WRITER
DAYTONA BEACH — Shows like FX's "Sons of Anarchy" and "The Devil's Ride" on Discovery Channel show motorcycle riders as rough-and-tumble members of tightknit outlaw biker (*club*), but at least some bikers in town for Bike Week feel those depictions couldn't be further from the truth.
Randy Miller, for example, who made the trip to Daytona Beach from his home in Wilkesboro, N.C., doesn't think what people see on TV represents the lion's share of the biker culture.
"I think that does exist, but I don't think that's the majority of it," he said, admitting he "very seldom" watches shows about bikers.
By Anthony DeFeo
STAFF WRITER
DAYTONA BEACH — Shows like FX's "Sons of Anarchy" and "The Devil's Ride" on Discovery Channel show motorcycle riders as rough-and-tumble members of tightknit outlaw biker (*club*), but at least some bikers in town for Bike Week feel those depictions couldn't be further from the truth.
Randy Miller, for example, who made the trip to Daytona Beach from his home in Wilkesboro, N.C., doesn't think what people see on TV represents the lion's share of the biker culture.
"I think that does exist, but I don't think that's the majority of it," he said, admitting he "very seldom" watches shows about bikers.
Many bikers resent being depicted as criminals, troublemakers or outlaws. Miller noted that in his experience, most motorcycle enthusiasts he comes across aren't much different than anyone else.
"Most of the people are really good people," he continued. "There's a few bad apples in anything."
Riding alongside Randy Miller was Ryan Miller, who, likewise decked out in Harley-Davidson branded attire, shared many of the same sentiments.
"I think most of the bikers, for the most part, are good people," he said. "Some of the shows could give it a bad image but most of it is probably positive. I'd say there's a small percentage of (the shows) that really could relate to (biker culture) but for the most part I don't think it depicts it realistically."
TV shows involving motorcycles and the people who ride them are nothing new, but the trend of dramatic, sometimes violent series that depict outlaw biker (*club*) on the fringes of society are a relatively new trend. The shows have become tremendously popular with bikers and non-bikers alike.
In fact, it's not terribly uncommon for "Sons of Anarchy" to be the most-watched primetime cable program on any given Tuesday night, with more than 4 million people sometimes tuning in, according to Nielsen ratings for it's fifth season, which aired between September and December last year.
The show depicts SAMCRO, the founding chapter of the Sons of Anarchy motorcycle club, which is often involved in illegal enterprises such as weapons trafficking. Set in the fictional central California town of Charming, it tells the story of its members and how they interact with each other, rival (*club*) and law enforcement agencies, including the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
It's a dramatic show, but still grounded, at least partly, in real-world experiences, according to Dominic Pagone, vice president of media relations for the FX network.
While all of the story lines are made up, Pagone said in an e-mail that the idea for the series came from John Linson, the show's executive producer, who is familiar the motorcycling world.
He tapped Kurt Sutter to create the series, and Pagone said Sutter spent time with an unnamed motorcycle club in California while doing research for the show.
The look and feel of the show, as well as the mechanics of how the fictional club is run, were inspired by Sutter's real-world experiences. Despite criticism from some bikers, many others still feel a strong connection with the series, Pagone noted.
"Kurt (Sutter) . . . was at a motorcycle function and a member came up to him, talking about 'Sons of Anarchy,' and said, 'Ya know, it's a soap opera, but it's our (expletive) soap opera.' "
"Most of the people are really good people," he continued. "There's a few bad apples in anything."
Riding alongside Randy Miller was Ryan Miller, who, likewise decked out in Harley-Davidson branded attire, shared many of the same sentiments.
"I think most of the bikers, for the most part, are good people," he said. "Some of the shows could give it a bad image but most of it is probably positive. I'd say there's a small percentage of (the shows) that really could relate to (biker culture) but for the most part I don't think it depicts it realistically."
TV shows involving motorcycles and the people who ride them are nothing new, but the trend of dramatic, sometimes violent series that depict outlaw biker (*club*) on the fringes of society are a relatively new trend. The shows have become tremendously popular with bikers and non-bikers alike.
In fact, it's not terribly uncommon for "Sons of Anarchy" to be the most-watched primetime cable program on any given Tuesday night, with more than 4 million people sometimes tuning in, according to Nielsen ratings for it's fifth season, which aired between September and December last year.
The show depicts SAMCRO, the founding chapter of the Sons of Anarchy motorcycle club, which is often involved in illegal enterprises such as weapons trafficking. Set in the fictional central California town of Charming, it tells the story of its members and how they interact with each other, rival (*club*) and law enforcement agencies, including the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
It's a dramatic show, but still grounded, at least partly, in real-world experiences, according to Dominic Pagone, vice president of media relations for the FX network.
While all of the story lines are made up, Pagone said in an e-mail that the idea for the series came from John Linson, the show's executive producer, who is familiar the motorcycling world.
He tapped Kurt Sutter to create the series, and Pagone said Sutter spent time with an unnamed motorcycle club in California while doing research for the show.
The look and feel of the show, as well as the mechanics of how the fictional club is run, were inspired by Sutter's real-world experiences. Despite criticism from some bikers, many others still feel a strong connection with the series, Pagone noted.
"Kurt (Sutter) . . . was at a motorcycle function and a member came up to him, talking about 'Sons of Anarchy,' and said, 'Ya know, it's a soap opera, but it's our (expletive) soap opera.' "