“Why are people who ride motorcycles called bikers and people who ride bikes called cyclists?”

“Why are people who ride motorcycles called bikers and people who ride bikes called cyclists?” asked American author Richard Lederer in “English Is A Crazy Language,” an essay in his book Crazy English: The Ultimate Joy Ride Through Our Language (1989). The one-liner has been frequently cited.
 
   
Wikipedia: Richard Lederer
Richard Lederer (born May 26, 1938) is an American author, speaker, and teacher. He is best known for his books on the English language and on word play such as puns, oxymorons, and anagrams. He refers to himself as “the Wizard of Idiom,” “Attila the Pun,” and “Conan the Grammarian.” His weekly column, “Looking at Language”, is syndicated in newspapers and magazines throughout the United States.
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Crazy English : the ultimate joy ride through our language
Author: Richard Lederer
Publisher: New York : Pocket Books, ©1989.
Edition/Format:   Print book : English
 
Google Groups: rec.travel.usa-canada
BikerFriendlyUSA
Peter L
9/14/99
Motocycle riders are called bikers.  Bicycle riders are called cyclists, or bicyclists.
 
Google Groups: alt.humor.puns
[Fwd: English Is A Crazy Language]
Stan Kegel
6/3/03
Richard Lederer celebrated his 65th birthday last week.
Here is his most frequently quoted piece.
Richard Lederer

 
“English is a Crazy Language”
From: “Crazy English”
By Richard Lederer
(...)
Why are people who ride motorcycles called bikers and people who ride bikes called cyclists?
   
Google Groups: alt.humor.puns
Specialty Puns of the Weak 09-01-04
Stan Kegel
9/1/04
(...)
Why are people who ride motorcycles called bikers and people who ride bikes called cyclists? (Richard Lederer)
   
Google Books
Word Wizard:
Super Bloopers, Rich Reflections, and Other Acts of Word Magic
By Richard Lederer
New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press
2006
Pg. 103:
Why are people who ride motorcycles called bikers and people who ride bikes called cyclists?
 
Twitter
Network English
‏@Network_English
Why are people who ride motorcycles called bikers and people who ride bikes called cyclists?
Learn English Online: http://www.networkenglish.com
11:01 PM - 7 Oct 2010
 
Twitter
Comedy Central India
‏@ComedyCentralIn
Why are people who ride motorcycles called bikers and people who ride bikes called cyclists? #CCMindYourLanguage
2:05 AM - 2 Jul 2013