For the lady riders

I used to subscribe to Motorcycle Consumer News and cut out this excerpt of an article by Fred Rau many years ago. I thought the ladies might enjoy. Gents are allowed to read-- and worship-- as well...

Women as a group, tend to avoid motorcycling, because they were brought up to believe that it simply "isn't ladylike". Yet we don't attach the same taboo to snow skiing, a sport which is probably just as physically demanding and dangerous, if not more. Go figure.

But because the world is the way it is, for a woman to be tolerant of motorcycling, not to mention be an active participant in it, requires a strong character. Much more so than a man, she must be confident in her identity, purposeful in her will and unwilling to live by anyone's rules but her own.

Next time you're out and about, take a close look at the women who ride. Note that no matter their age or stature, they walk with backs straight and heads up. Face them, and they look you straight in the eye without flinching. Their demeanor isn't so much aggressive or threatening as it is simply solidly-grounded. No obsequious lowering of the eyes or head, no subconscious deferring to the male ego. They have entered your arena, proven their right to be there, and simply ask for the same respect you give any other rider.

God bless 'em, I think these are the most wonderful, fascinating creatures on the face of the earth. And those of us fortunate enough to be partnered with them should thank our lucky starts.

--Fred Rau, Senior Editor MCN

 

I totally respect female riders. The other day I saw rather large woman riding a GS500 with a pink lid and pink textile riding gear... I could tell she was just doing what she liked doing and didn't give a flying pink fudge what anyone else thought.

Flamingo pink should be the color of safety vests, stands out much more.

 

I have seen many more female riders in the last year. I probably see one every weekend now, mostly on cruiser, and a few on sport bikes. But hey, they're out there and having just as much fun as we guys are. My girl friend rides on the back with me quite a bit, in pink gear and all. She really seems to enjoy it. I taught her how to ride this year on a dirt bike. Maybe some day she'll want to get her own for the street....There's also a female rider club out in the bay area called Curve Unit. http://www.curveunit.com/

 

We have a group out here outta SE dc.. kinda hood area...but they call themself Ladys in Chrome .. they roll with 4 cruisers a few ninjas, gixers and a sv650 nice people i met em while i was hangin out at MSF watchin my stepdad take his class .. they just happened to use the place as a meet point..

 

Personally, I would be happy if there were more humans, regardless of gender, who demonstrated these traits...

Thanks for the excerpt, vfrchick. :smile:

 

Viff respects them so much because he wants to get one for himself :wedgie:


Great article vfrc!

 

yeah i didnt mention this guess i was having a moment.. but Ladys in chrome are very assertive women not the ballbusting kind but.. honest and forward i agree with what was said earlier more PEOPLE should be like that but i have to admit women on bikes are awsome.. im glad they arnt seeing themself as passengers only.

 

The other day when visiting clients I saw a woman on a nice yellow sport bike. Normally I would be thrilled but she had on flip flops, jeans, and a sleeveless cotton top...no helmet. I was very disappointed; I somehow expect women to be more intelligent in their approach to riding (i.e. more aware of the dangers and repercussions).
Just as I would if it was a guy I couldn't help but think: nice bike, but what an idiot!

 

I started riding about 30 years ago. There were very very few women that rode. Especially large street bikes.

I purchased my VFR in January, and I was very glad to see that there are more women interested in biking than there used to be.

I still find it sad that there has to be a "female" way, and a "male" way of being raised. Everyone should be raised so they know that they have the ability to do whatever they want to do. No limits. I also enjoy shooting, got into some competition shooting for a few years. Same deal there. More women than there used to be, but still not enough.

Anyone can ride bikes, you just have to want to.

Theresa Greene

 

The wifey loves to ride and road raced back in the '80s. She recently got back into riding after taking a couple of decades off. She is really ticked off, though. Back when it wasn't cool to ride there were more choices for the, shall we say "height challenged".

She started out on a CB400F, which she chose to race in WERA. I bought her a GS 550ES for a graduation present when she got out of college. She rode my AMACCS VF750F endurance bike, although she couldn't come close to touching the ground. We got her on the bike and pushed her out and caught her when she came back into the pits. She needed the corner worker's help to get going again when she fell.

Now she can't find a bike she likes to save her life. She is really annoyed with the motorcycle industries lack of product for experienced, but short riders. She would love to have a CBR600RR or and Interceptor, but can't deal with the long step to the ground. She has a 500 Ninja, which is OK, but buzzy. She lowered it, but doesn’t like the effect the change in geometry has made to the handling. She says she’s getting too old to slide off the seat when she stops. She crashed the Ninja twice in the first 200 miles because she lost her footing when stopping on uneven ground.

 

Since guns were my first passion before motorcycles, I remember at certain shoots a small female presence would be around. Some moron would always mutter something stupid that they are their and that's when I would pipe up and say how much you want to bet those three women will be in the top ten shooters at the end of the day? I was always right, they would be in the top ten.

Motorcycling is the same, some of the fastest and best riders I've met are women. And getting instrcution from them on skill progession is great too! No ego. Very nice:smile:

BZ

 

I am one of the lucky ones who is partnered with a wonderful lady that rides and I do thank my lucky stars.

A couple months ago she got a license tag holder that reads "Women were not meant to ride on back". She thought it was hilarious, of course, now I can't ever ride her bike without feeling like a dork.

 

I was going to say just what LGN said. I'd like to see more people in general with those qualities.

 

I rode w/ my husband for approx. 17 years before getting my own bike in 05. I've noticed in the past 3 years that there is more and more women riding. I'm glad to see the increase and wish that more women around me rode.
We also shoot competitions about 2 weekends a month and there's been an increase in that sport as well over the past 5-8 years but again NOT many. It seems that society still labels women as "trashy" if they don't conform to what they feel is "lady like".
I experienced this with my own mom when I started shooting and again when I got my 1st bike.
Guess i'm not lady like because I enjoy my hobbies & more importantly I share them w/ my son & daughter.

 

I totally respect a woman who rides AND shoots.
I am not much for girly girls.

 

I gotta totally thank my parents and brother. I had one older brother (no sisters) and he let me hang out with him and work on cars and stuff with him. When he got a motorcycle he took me out on the back all the time and when I moved away and had no one to ride on the back with I learned on my own. My brother talked me through stuff over the phone... him in NJ and me in WA state. He never told me I couldn't do it. My parents didn't distinguish between "boy and girl". I had to help with yardwork and my brother had to help with cleaning. I was allowed to do whatever my brother could when I reached that age that he was when he was allowed to do it. My dad did the first oil change on my first car, then watched me do the second one, and made me do all the other ones after that. My dad also made me put my own toys together at Christmas and birthdays. He would help if I got too frustrated, but he made me read the directions and figure it out for myself. My parents never enabled me to be a helpless female :vanity:, but empowered me to be independent and do what I want. I wish more parents would do these things for their children... both male and female. I've actually done target practice and did pretty well.... I must agree with all of you. I wish more people had the qualities described in the article. So if any of you are parents out there... teach 'em right!!

 

My girls are well on their way.

 

Nice post vfrchick. I know the topic said for the lady riders but my curiosity got the best of me!

When I decided to get back into riding I talked to a great lady at work about it for a long time. She rode a beautiful blue and white R-6 at the time and she just traded it in for a black r-1. She also has a Jeep wrangler that she 4 wheels on a regular basis and I find talking to her quite interesting. She told me once that her son said she was the coolest mom ever because she rides and off roads. I would have to agree. I hope my daughters grow up with the confidence and love of life to do the same if their hearts so desire.

 

Fishing has been my passion from about 6 years of age, over the years I have seen more and more women picking up the fishing pole (especially the fly rod). It's really cool to see a chic with a fly rod.

 

This thread got me to thinking, the best book about motorcycling I've ever read is: "The Perfect Vehicle" by Melissa Holbrook Pierson

BZ