Article - Why more women are riding motorcycles

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OldMare
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Article - Why more women are riding motorcycles

Postby OldMare » Wed Dec 02, 2015 2:38 pm

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Re: Article - Why more women are riding motorcycles

Postby Rogue » Wed Dec 02, 2015 7:36 pm

Share your personal take on it all - why do you ride?
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Re: Article - Why more women are riding motorcycles

Postby Vixen » Thu Dec 03, 2015 12:06 am

Great article thanks for sharing.

I started riding in 1987 by accident really. In 1986 I wanted to plan a 3 month trip to Europe with a girlfriend. She said she would go if we went on motorcycles ... well, I don't ride!!!!! I said I would try and see what happens. I took the course and passed my test in May of 1987. We were in Europe for 3 months by July ... what was I thinking ... new rider going through 13 countries in Europe !!!

Needless to say, it was just the best decision. I love riding and can't imagine not riding. Had to stop when the kids came along for a while, but I'm right back at it. My husband then wanted to me to try the track. He's been at me for at least 15 years. I finally caved and said I would 3 years ago. Well now I'm an addict. Every vacation is all about track.

I think riding is something you can do with a lot of people, but like snowboarding or skiing, you are still on your own. I gives me peace, pleasure and excitement all at the same time. The freedom is wonderful and I just can't imagine not riding
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BMW S1KR - Street (aka Husband) -- BMW S1KRR - Track (aka Boy Toy :evil: ) -- YAMAHA R3 - Track (aka Rug Rat)
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Re: Article - Why more women are riding motorcycles

Postby OldMare » Thu Dec 03, 2015 2:57 pm

In a nutshell, when our kids were in high school, my brother-in-law had an old Honda Interceptor he gave my husband in payment for something. The boys were wanting to learn and got started on it out in the hayfield, but it was a big, heavy bike. My husband bought a Suzuki DR200 for them to learn and for him to get back into it as he sold his when we were buying our first house and with the kids, never got into it. I, unfortunately, was raised with a mother who pounded through our heads that bikes were bad, and our neighbor who was a pain in the ass with one (and in no way what most bikers are like) so I assumed they were all like that! All 3 kids started on the DR, including our daughter, and all moved on to other bikes. My husband had a dual sport by then, and then got a BMW R1200RT. I had fun at first being a passenger, but everyone seemed to be having more fun than me! I also didn't want to end up going somewhere and if for some reason my husband couldn't drive, I couldn't get us anywhere! So I started on the DR. I was scared to death on the road and got time in and learned a lot. Took the MSF Beginner Rider class last April and learned what hadn't sunk in yet and got my license. Moved up to a BMW X Country and commuted half the summer with it to work, then got a F800GS. I love riding and get mad that I didn't start sooner (I'm 56 now). People at work think I'm having a mid-life crisis I think, but I just smile! I even drove the R1200RT this summer once to try it. It is such a nice ride and the cruise is nice, but I'm afraid I'm going to bang it up somehow.

Anyway - can I say I feel calmer at work when I commute with the bike?! It's like going for a horse trail ride in the morning and going home. It's supposed to be dry and around 50 next week, so I'll be on the bike again and getting a bit of a refreshment to my soul.

Oh yeah, my family (sibs and parents) think I'm crazy and maybe I am, but I'm also having fun. AND my 87 year old mother who was the one preaching too us based her decisions on the few bike people we knew. Now after watching my whole family riding for some years now, and we are all gear using people, said one day that if she was younger she would have liked to learn how to also! I almost passed out on that one, but also proves to not get stuck with what you think are stereotypes of people!!
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Re: Article - Why more women are riding motorcycles

Postby CountryCruzr » Thu Dec 03, 2015 7:08 pm

Thanks for sharing the article Old Mare. Interesting to read about the trends backed up with numbers and percentages. I ride because it is the quickest way to go on an adventure. I try to ride as often as I can, every ride is like a new adventure similar to the excitement when I was younger and would jump on my pedal two wheeler in a carefree way and just go! Its thrilling, exciting and relaxing while sharpening your senses to what is around you. More aware and tuned into who you are and those you find yourself are riding with, in addition to the other sensations from the environment you travel in.
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Re: Article - Why more women are riding motorcycles

Postby 4catsand2dogsmom » Wed Dec 23, 2015 5:12 pm

I starting riding because my husband wanted to get a bike and he told me he needed a riding partner. So I took the Motorcycle safety course abd then bought a Dr200 and drove that around for a year or so until I moved up to a BMW X Country been riding this bike for 4 years. I am looking to upgrade to a bigger bike but I really like the one I have now.
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Re: Article - Why more women are riding motorcycles

Postby trackaddict » Thu Dec 24, 2015 3:05 am

Vixen wrote:G Well now I'm an addict. Every vacation is all about track.

I think riding is something you can do with a lot of people, but like snowboarding or skiing, you are still on your own. I gives me peace, pleasure and excitement all at the same time. The freedom is wonderful and I just can't imagine not riding


Couldn't say it better! And EVERY vacation is planned around racetracks. =D YEAH!! I started a whole spreadsheet for 2016 European track days to figure out how to do at least 2 EU tracks and maybe, just maybe, go to the MotoGP.
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Re: Article - Why more women are riding motorcycles

Postby Vixen » Sun Jan 03, 2016 7:49 pm

trackaddict wrote:
Vixen wrote:G Well now I'm an addict. Every vacation is all about track.

I think riding is something you can do with a lot of people, but like snowboarding or skiing, you are still on your own. I gives me peace, pleasure and excitement all at the same time. The freedom is wonderful and I just can't imagine not riding


Couldn't say it better! And EVERY vacation is planned around racetracks. =D YEAH!! I started a whole spreadsheet for 2016 European track days to figure out how to do at least 2 EU tracks and maybe, just maybe, go to the MotoGP.


European Tracks ... damn that would be awesome. Way outta my snack bracket !!! My peeps are bugging me about doing COTA and I thinks that's out of my price range
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BMW S1KR - Street (aka Husband) -- BMW S1KRR - Track (aka Boy Toy :evil: ) -- YAMAHA R3 - Track (aka Rug Rat)
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Re: Article - Why more women are riding motorcycles

Postby OldMare » Wed Jan 20, 2016 2:35 pm

4catsand2dogsmom wrote:I starting riding because my husband wanted to get a bike and he told me he needed a riding partner. So I took the Motorcycle safety course abd then bought a Dr200 and drove that around for a year or so until I moved up to a BMW X Country been riding this bike for 4 years. I am looking to upgrade to a bigger bike but I really like the one I have now.


You started the same way I did with the same 2 bikes. Still have the X Country though moved up to a F800. The X Country is a good bike and was a good height. There aren't many of them around!
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Re: Article - Why more women are riding motorcycles

Postby 4catsand2dogsmom » Fri Jan 22, 2016 11:08 pm

OldMare wrote:
4catsand2dogsmom wrote:I starting riding because my husband wanted to get a bike and he told me he needed a riding partner. So I took the Motorcycle safety course abd then bought a Dr200 and drove that around for a year or so until I moved up to a BMW X Country been riding this bike for 4 years. I am looking to upgrade to a bigger bike but I really like the one I have now.


You started the same way I did with the same 2 bikes. Still have the X Country though moved up to a F800. The X Country is a good bike and was a good height. There aren't many of them around!


That is so cool!!! I still have the DR and the X Country. They are great bike to learn to ride on. I went to the Babes Ride Out 3 in Joshua Tree, CA this year and someone else was riding a X Country too. That was cool to see but I never did learn who was riding it. I could not find the owner but it was neat to see someone else riding one. I am thinking of getting another bike, maybe a cruiser this time, but I have not decided. I will keep the other bikes though.
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