Dr. Larry Burmeister
Dr. Larry Burmeister, Professor of Sociology, was interviewed by the Post for a story headlined “Bikers Beyond the Bars.”
The shared interests and ideas among bikers as a group are what shape them into the defining subculture they are. Throughout history, bikers have carried a somewhat deviant reputation, but Larry Burmeister, a sociology professor, thinks that reputation has transformed over the years.
“I think bikers are people that have often times felt ostracized from society and find this group as a way to sort of develop a more positive image of themselves as an individual and as a group,” Burmeister said. “The recreational aspect seems like the big focus of what they’re doing, and that doesn’t seem to be deviant at all.”
Burmeister believes bikers vary quite a bit depending on their history and reasons they establish their groups. When Burmeister went to school in California, some of the biker groups there had a disreputable character among the general populace. But from what Burmeister knows of the bikers around Southeast Ohio, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
“I think the scenic aspect of this region kind of lends itself to this recreation,” Burmeister said. “And I think part of a subculture’s identity is having recognized places of congregation where they can go to and enjoy camaraderie with others.”
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