BIKE INFO FOR WOMEN
(and guys too)
who are thinking of moving onto
a larger bike ...
(my site was last updated May 16th 2006)
I would like to dedicate this page to my good little mate Lee-ann
who was tragically killed on Sunday May 22nd 2005 age 39,
 while riding her bike through the Dandenong's (Vic) on a Memorial ride for
a fellow bike rider.
Lee-ann was a devoted and loving single mum and leaves three wonderful children.
 Lee-ann was the type of girl who would have lent a hand to anyone or given you
the shirt off her back if she felt you needed it....and she just loved to ride her
bike! She was so proud to be out there riding!
       
I would like to send out a huge thank you to everyone who came along on
Lee-ann's Donation  / Memorial Ride on Sunday July 17th.
THANKS EVERYONE ... and below are some pics from the day.. enjoy :-)

       
Left- Everyone turning up at the Stamford Hotel -
Right - Surprise visit from Tiarni - Another good little mate.... sadly heading home after
 Lee-ann's funeral Tiarni and her husband Festa were hit by a car running a red light.
Tiarni suffered pretty full on injuries (ie fractured back, foot, knee, internal injuries etc.) so you can
 imagine how gob-smacked I was to see her out of re-hab hospital - and looking so good!
Your a trooper girl! Keep getting well!

Above - Everyone arrived SAFE and WELL (thank goddess!) at Williamstown

 Lee-ann's awesome kids and her darling grand-daughter.. and me ..
I do normally have eyes.. but the neighbours kids had a big party the night
before the ride... need I say more!
       
Left and Right - Everyone defrosting in the sun at Williamstown...
Top Right - Blonde female in green jumper .. that's Karen .. another female riding
buddy.

THANKS AGAIN TO EVERYONE WHO TURNED UP AND THOSE OF YOU WHO
DONATED $$$$
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Now back to business....
Although this page is mostly for women...
if you're a guy, you might find some of it useful.
  
Below is a shot of my two motor bikes ..


               On the left my Yamaha Virago 1,000cc which I have as my reliable spare bike for when
friends come to visit. She's been a real trooper and has now clocked
over 100,000k's and keeps ticking over beautifully!
 These days I now ride my new baby... my  Harley Heritage Softail Deluxe 2005
Since I have had my Harley I have had the seat modified and re-covered, the handle bars
shortened and my  I put  over 88 purple and pink Led's all over my bike.


Below is a shot of my bike
I went a bit nuts at Christmas and Santa gave me another  20 or
so LED's so I now have heaps! .. now I light up like a alien space ship heading
 down the free way .. but do I care... No WAY .. at least people
see me coming and get the hell out of my way!
       
 
Below are the most common questions I get asked about riding... and my answers.
Then below that you will find what I hope to be some useful information and suggestions
for women who are thinking about either moving up to a larger motorbike or
if you can do it .. head out and get one straight away, or for those just learning.
Now days in Australia you have to start on a 250cc motorbike unless you
already have your open license.
Oh yeah .. before you head off reading .. I just wanted to clarify that I don't get
any kick backs or money or anything what so ever *sob* from anyone or any companies etc. I
 mention on this page. All the information you are about to read has come from my own
personal experiences being a FEMALE MOTORBIKE RIDER and motorbike owner,
along with  my personal views on a number of issues relating to motorbike riders and
car drivers etc. You can read it, use the information, or ignore it, or hit your delete button.
The choice is yours however keep in mind, what works or has worked for me ..
might not work for you, so anything you try out is at your own risk... and yes this
page goes on and on .. it has a lot of info on it...that's what happens when you have been around
for a few years and have a few stories to tell.
I can't tell you how many emails I get from people (mostly the ladies) from all over AUSTRALIA and
some from overseas who send me notes or just a how'de and that there has been something
they have read below on my page that's helped them. That's EXCELLENT and I am
VERY glad my experiences  can go toward helping others.
If you want to say Hi .. or you have a suggestion or idea or tip that you think
maybe useful to other riders then please do ..  SEND ME AN EMAIL!
tazfembiker@yahoo.com.au
....ok onto business...

How old were you when you first started riding and what did you ride?
Well firstly, Hi and my name is Taz or Taryn .. but most folks here in Melbourne
and around Oz know me as Taz.
The first bike I ever rode was a Bulltako Trail bike when I was about 15.My father
told me to get on it and ride it down to the service station. I totally freaked!
I had no idea what I was doing and spurt and jumped and spluttered my way
down there .. *about a 15 - 20 min ride IN TRAFFIC!* I was terrified.
So why did he do that.. because the bike needed a service and my brothers
were not home to ride it down there (it was my brothers bike). My dad followed
me in his car yelling out instructions .. as he does!
 
I was more into horse riding back then and amazingly it did not put me off riding
motor bikes! I liked the power and the freedom to pull that accelerator around and
off ya go! Anyway, after that I rode a Suzuki trail bike (see below) from about 17 - 19
on  weekends away with friends and I just loved it. I rode it up sand dunes and through
the country on old tracks and it taught me to confidently throw the ass of the bike around
when doing what we referred to as *broggies*.

       
Me in my teens on the Suzuki

After that I was hooked and  went out and got my bike license and back in those
days all that meant was walking into the rego office and saying .. "I would like you to add
a motor bike to my driving license." And they did! :-) So much easier back then!
Did you ever ride as a pillion on the back of bikes?
Yes I did in my late teens and I have to say the guys I rode on the back with
then (mostly hard core bikie kind of guys) were very skilled riders and I never once
felt in danger or did not have confidence in them or their riding ability.
When did you buy your first street bike?
Not till I was in my early 30's.
Why did you wait so long?
Due to my fairly strict upbringing I had been somewhat brain washed into thinking the following:-
"girls should not ride motor bikes"
 "it's just not appropriate for a girl to ride a motor bike"
 "what sort of girl rides a motor bike"
 "if a girl is going to ride a motor bike she should be on the back!"
"a girl should not ride a motor bike she can not pick up if she dropped it"
 "it's not very lady like to ride a motor bike"
 "what will the neighbours think!"
etc. etc. etc. etc.
    
This is a shot of me (right) on my first street bike Yammy 1,000cc Virago
and my MUM on the other bike in Perth Western Australia.
And no my mum doesn't ride ..she was a pillion and jumped into
the riders seat for the shot.

What made you go out and get your own bike?
It was after a three really horrible experiences on the back of motor bikes
as a pillion that I decided it was time for me to get my own bike..

The first crappy experience was when I was on the back of this guys Trumphie and
unbeknown to me he was wanted by the police. I had jumped on the back
of his bike to head down the street to get some milk (2 min ride away) and in
that 2 min the police saw him and gave way to a chase. I was on the back
with a large velvet cape on (it was in the *olden* days) and well this cape
nearly choked me as it came lose from under my butt and took off in
the wind behind us. This guy was riding like a bat out of hell and  he went through
 RED lights and straight through STOP signs and GIVE WAY signs while
 5 cop cars joined in the chase. I thought I was going to die and came up with
a plan I thought was a winner... I whacked him on the helmet *as I would*
and told him to go faster and pull into anyone's drive way and hide out while the
cop cars go past...
THANK GOD he took my screaming advise but he went straight through the front
hedge of a little house and then the bike flew up onto the persons porch and
because we were going so fast it smashed right into their front wire screen door and
we ended up in their lounge room!
This old couple were sitting watching TV and just looked up with their
mouths open and blinking widely.  Next the police were everywhere as they *just*
saw his back tail light  so ... he got sprung ... and when they arrived they grabbed my
 face and told him to look  at how WHITE my face was... I think all the blood must have
 drained out of my body in total shock

The second crappy experience was when a total dickhead ex I had been dating
convinced me he was an experienced bike rider and  how we should go for a
ride on his new bike. I was living in Perth at the time and we went for a ride down
to Mandurah. About an hour of TOTAL HELL and realizing he had NO idea what he
was doing, I was so stressed out I got a cab back home... and I broke up with him.

The third crappy experience was when a friend offered for me to go for a little *fang*
on his new Duke  ... well ...there I was on the back heading down a little single
lane BUSY country road thinking  "This is it .. I am going to DIE" .. but then I thought ..
at least I'm going to die on a nice new bike!" *funny the things you think about?*
I was pretty much convinced this was going to be it and my number was going to finally be up.
We were passing cars and going between on coming traffic on a single
lane road at 230K's an hour ..*well that was the speed I saw at one point*
I do think he may have cracked 260 but I just didn't want to look again after
I saw 230. It was all a bit of a blur, and I was totally amazed I lived. I just hung on
and kept my head tucked down and my grip firm on his jacket.
At one point his back tyre hit a little rock and the ass end of the bike flew out
but he just swung it back in with little effort.
That was the most hair raising, unsafe, fastest out of control ride I had
ever experienced on a bike and you know what he did for a living?
He was a COP!!  Go figure hey!!

*rest in peace Johno*  He passed away a couple of years ago and
no, not from riding.

Anyway... after a combination of all the above I decided to take my OWN
life into my hands and get a bike of my own. That way I would never be
at the mercy of someone  who did not ride at a pace etc that  I was not
comfortable with.

I just wish I had of purchased my first bike when I was younger but .. better late than never!
I was in my early 30's when I purchased my first Road bike. (above)

Now at  45 I have 2 bikes and Love every single moment I ride!

There was a very gutsy lady in Perth who helped me build up my
confidence in riding such a big street bike ..because I had been
dating this total WANKER who had a 1200cc Yammy and he Insisted I
learn to ride HIS bike ... he did the .. COME ON .. GET ON IT NOW...GO FASTER..
HURRY UP... DROP IT >> YOU DIE!!  ... etc etc bla bla  Nothing like freaking
you out a bit when you're already nervous as hell. So needless to say
I only had one little lesson on his bike and then I ran out and got my own bike,
my Yammy 1,000cc  and it felt like a Sherman tank! Oh yer I dumped the guy!

Anyway, this ladies name was Jackie and she rode a 750cc Yammy Virago
and tossed it around like a trail bike, always riding hard, fast and safe.
So thanks for all your help and patience Jackie! After a couple of hours we got
there in the end and it was her persistence and softly spoken reassurance
and guidance that made all the world of difference.

She was an excellent tutor and also a massive thanks  goes
out to Deeta (her partner at the time) who was like this renegade biker
who rode this amazing red Harley that glistened with gold and silver fittings
and looked totally awesome! He looked like a Praying Mantas on it as he
stood well over 6 foot tall. He would ride up next to me and give me the
*thumbs up* and say .. Your doing great sis! Then he would thunder off
down the road with his funny kamikaze pilot goggles on and a big grin.
Also thanks goes out to the people from the Yammy bike club in Freo.
They were also very patient with me on all the rides I went on and gave me
lots of useful tips.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My suggestions in regard to women who are thinking of getting a bike license.
Try hiring a trail bike and have fun practicing to ride in the dirt or in a paddock
or on a few motor bike tracks. Eventually you should gain the confidence to toss
the bike around a bit and see what if feels like to operate a throttle and foot
and hand brake and go through the gears.
Mind you, a few good friends of mine have had some horrid injuries coming off
trail bikes, so just take it easy .... baby steps at first. 
Although road riding is different, I do feel having some experience
riding on a dirt track or on gravel or any loose surface is a HUGE help.

Naturally there are also a few learn to ride places around these days, so
maybe book into one and give them a try.

I was VERY fortunate to have some "one on one" tutoring which helped me
immensely.
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To follow are some SUGGESTIONS and comments based on
my personal experience of riding a larger bike.
Some of it may not suit you, or be of any use to you or you may not
agree with some of it ...*shrugs* so either use it or disregard it.. it's up to you.  

LOOK DOWN 
Plan ahead and check the surface of the road *ie try not to park on loose
gravel or slippery surfaces (where you can help it). When pulling up at traffic
lights, it's best to NOT be right in the middle of the lane, as that is where some
cars leave puddles of oil and your feet WILL slip in it, not to mention
how dangerous it is if it gets on your bike tyres. VERRRRRY slippery!
LOOK DOWN at the ground to see where you are going to place your FEET
It is VERY important to keep your balance so your feet placement is Imperative!

If you have to ride through gravel, oil, water etc.. try to remain calm (yer right!) and
keep a steady speed (ie don't slam on your brakes or you will probable skid and
lose control and don't over accelerate or you may find you will skid your back tire etc.)
Just get the hell off it as soon and as safely as you can.. remember.. REMAIN CALM!
 
BOOBS & BIKES?
Someone once said .. women have trouble going around corners and balancing a motor bike
due to the fact they have BOOBS and it tosses them off balance. Not sure if there is any
truth in this but  it made me laugh at the time. Mind you I do sometimes feel a bit *wonky*
going around some corners. Not sure if it is a confidence thing? I see some guys nearly
lay it down around some corners or look so smooth just gliding around and there's little 'ol
 me *at times* having a slight stress attack... even after all this time!  I am much better going
around a left hand bend mind you,  than a right hand bend.. not sure why... there is probably
some expert out there with some theory as to why? So if you have the same problem .. you're
not alone!



CORNERING
I have a  mate I go riding with these days and he tossed me a tip he was taught
that has helped me with some cornering..(as I used to sit up really straight even when going
around a corner .. kind of like the cops from that ol show Chips) anyway .. he said to allow
your body to bend  with the bike but keep your line of sight (ie your head slightly tilted) straight.
You know like in all the pictures of the racing bike riders where their bodies are leaning down
 with the bike but their heads are tilted up and looking ahead at where they are going. 
Same deal.... I just don't go down that low...but it has helped me not be so rigid around bends ..
although I'm still a bit of a girl around them... but who cares! I don't !

  
 I think this is a good shot to show what my friend was talking about...  while this
 riders body is leaning with the bike into the corner .. his head is tilted up looking to where he is going.

EYE EYE EYE me lassies
A great tip that has come via Lea (Red) and something I completely forgot to mention,
however it's a very important and simple part of riding is ... Look where you Want to go ..
(ie not where you Don't want to go) ...in other words, look ahead and not straight down
at the road your travelling ... and not at stuff on the side of the road etc. ...  this triggered
 a memory from a while ago .... I was out riding in Western Australia with a group of
about 20 bikes and a new lady rider was mixed in with us, she was behind me so I
didn't see what happened but she came off her bike, fortunately it was not a bad
accident... At the next stop when I had the chance to chat to her I asked what happened
and she said in a slightly embarrassed manner ... "You know I was going great and
then as we were riding down that lovely straight stretch of road I was looking at the
old fence just ahead and on the left and thinking how it was in need of repair and looking
a bit rusty and next  thing I was riding into it... Just like THAT!

This is a VERY COMMON problem and thanks so much to Lea for reminding me to
pop it into my list of tips.  As Lea explained to me .. "How many times have you been
dirt bike riding and seen that pothole or lump or what ever!! And as soon as you keep
your eyes locked on it you hit it!!" Yes VERY true .. so ladies .. 110% concentration!!
Look AHEAD where you WANT to go and if you are on a windy road then look past
the bend to the following bend.

Like my old dad would say .. riding or driving is like playing pool  ... always look and
plan a couple of moves ahead!  Mind you .. on a bike I think you need to be part of
the quick or the dead team .. and I damn well know which team I want to be on!!

I also feel that split second decision making is crucial when riding.. you are so vulnerable
and you need to get your ass out the way FAST sometimes .. so those of you who
procrastinate ....  :-(   geeze I don't want to think about that! 

LEFT FOOT FIRST!
When STOPPING try to always put your LEFT foot down FIRST (99% of people will
automatically go to put their right foot down, it's just a natural reaction), however by getting used
to placing your LEFT FOOT down means your RIGHT foot can remain on the foot brake, which
is really helpful for doing hill starts etc.
 
THAT FEELING
If you don't feel comfortable about anything *ie going around a particular
round about or turning a particular corner* then DON'T DO IT .. just keep going .. I have
ridden so far out of my way, *laugh* so many times because I just didn't feel comfortable
turning at that particular point .. so I just kept riding. *eventually I turned*
I know this suggestion probably disgusts some of the more impatient partners of those
learning to ride but GET A LIFE .... what's another 5 minutes.

FREEWAY or NOT?
Sometimes it's not always so great to take the freeway and feel you *have* to go 100 (or
whatever the limit is). Many people prefer riding in the suburbs as there you are more
protected by the trees stopping the wind and the speed limit is slower but the traffic
lights are a pain in the ass. *oh well .. you can't have your cake and eat it too I guess*
If you have to ride on the freeway and you're still not feeling confident, then ride in the
inside lane and pull over if you feel you need to have a little break. Feeling pressured
can cause so much stress, when you're probably already stressing enough just being
on the freeway. Some riders I know sing a song while they ride to take their mind off
the stress... however stay ALERT while your belting out that number! Mind you there are
heaps of people who LOVE riding their bike along freeways and many lane split...
I think, as long as this is done safely then good luck to ya! I feel more comfortable
riding in groups on the freeway.

Oh the freeway!	Lane splitters	...More land splitters

RIDING ON COUNTRY ROADS
This is a very serious subject because my little mate Leeanne lost her life
while riding on a country road so .... folks .. please keep in mind the following ...
when riding on country roads
>  there are heaps of people out doing the * weekend country drive* thing, with
     many who come around corners and go wide and enter YOUR LANE! so ..
     keep to the left (ie away from the white middle line)
>  there are tree's and leaves and branches that sometimes fall onto the road
    so LOOK OUT as there maybe a broken branch on the next bend you ride around.
>  there is sometimes DIRT or Gravel on the side of single lane country roads
    so take it easy on bends and drop down a few K's.
>  Being on a country road ...expect the unexpected .. ie .. Cows around the next
    bend or a pile up etc. and BEWARE of Blind CRESTS (ie you can't see over
    the top of a hill).
>  If it's been raining or it's drizzly then especially TAKE IT EASY as rain on any road
   can make it slippery or if there is any  BARK on a road then try to avoid riding on
   the bark as it can be like riding on ice.
> Also BEWARE of other motor bike riders - I have seen a number of sports bike
   riders cutting bends at ridiculous speeds - Although they maybe on a death wish
   I'm NOT so .. I tend to keep to the middle LEFT of the road, giving plenty of
   room to those who like to sweep around bends and come over MY side!

As spectacular as it is riding through the country, just take it VERY easy and
be ALERT and PREPARED for anything.

TRAILERS, UTES. 4x4
I do my absolute best to NOT get behind a bloody 4 wheel drive (I don't so much dislike
the cars .. it's some of the dick heads who drive them who don't know what a
rear view mirror or side mirrors are for and those who sit in the right lane!!). Then there are
those dickheads out there who tow 4x4 or 6x4 trailers and don't strap stuff down in the back ..
stuff that can FLY OUT AND KILL us bike riders.. same goes for dick heads who
drive utes and DON'T STRAP stuff down! BEWARE of all the above when you are out riding!
Get away from them .. I pass them as soon as I safely can and try to never be behind them..
when I can help it.

STUFF ON THE ROAD
Just a word of warning ... stuff on the road .. ie bit of timber .. bit of anything .. can
KILL A BIKE RIDER .. BE Alert and Assertive and Aware.. Try to always ride in
a position where you have a clear view of the road and it's condition and if there is
anything laying on it maybe stop and get rid of it (if it's safe) or report it etc.



TRUCKS
Now most of the truckies I have known and seen in my life are considerate and
excellent drivers. Only problem I have with trucks is ... the rubble that flies out
from their back tyres....it can kill ya ... the wind vacuum that is created when one
is coming from the other direction... the lack of vision of road conditions when you
are behind one.  Simply .. if you can help it .. don't ride behind one.  Not to mention
the fact they are BIG and we are tiny ... need I say more... they win!

TRAM  TRACKS - CAR DOORS
Like if you have half a brain then you would figure out not to ride with your
tyre on a tram track...ie going the same way. If you have to ride around tram
tracks then ride OVER them on an angle or ride BETWEEN them.. just try not
to ride ON THEM (other than crossing over them) as they are verrrrrry slippery
and your tyre may get caught in the groove of the track and it's an easy way to
lose control of your bike. Also if you ride too close to parked cars, the odds
 are ... some dim wit is going to just open their door without looking and send
 your ass flying. This can injure you BADLY .. so Keep away (as much as possibly
 safe) from parked cars.


 

RIDING IN THE RAIN -
These days if I look outside and it looks like it's going to be a crappy day and rain
then I don't usually bother taking my bike out but sometimes I do get caught in the rain
and depending on the type of rain this is what I do ...
>  light drizzle - take it easy everywhere and start heading home.
>  constant rain - take it very easy on bends and pump it up on the straight and head home
>  pelting down pour -  Find a covered area and wait it out .. or fang it on the straight
                                       and take it really easy on bends.

KEEP IN MIND .. when it's raining and you are hanging back and then you decide to
pass a truck you, more than likely, will get totally bombarded by "off spray" from the
trucks tyres...(like someone is pointing a fire hose at you and turning it on full bore)..
so BE PREPARED as the impact can take you by surprise.

I was caught in the heaviest and hardest down pour of rain a few months ago and
I was on the freeway heading home with a buddy following me. I knew he only
had his Open Face Helmet on and a rubber face mask and his prescription glasses,
so his view of the road was very bad. I had on a full face helmet and could at least
see the car's brake lights ahead of me so I knew my buddy was close behind me
using my bike (which was glowing blue and purple with my LED's on) and it's back tail
light as a beacon in the storm. I found that I went a *lot* faster than I normally thought I
would have and being such a bad storm, I could not even see down at my speedo but
I just knew I was going VERY fast as I was passing everyone and kept up the momentum
until I got home. I found that due to the fast speed I was doing, the rain blew off my visor
and allowed me to see at least one car ahead.

I stayed in the outside lane most of the time until I saw car's entering the freeway, to which
I moved into the middle lane. Counting down our exists seemed to take forever and the
freeway seemed to go forever that night.

Fortunately I got home safe and in one piece. It was the fasted and hardest I had ever
ridden in my life and my heart was pumping with both fear and adrenalin at the same time.
I felt that if I did not get my ass home fast then I would have got hit by some car
driver on the freeway, so .. I wanted to get  home where I knew we would be safe.

Someone else may have sat it out under one of the overpasses on the freeway but  the
storm kept up and got worse with hail stones pelting down within 20 minutes of getting
home.

It's all about the decisions you make in life .... and on the road.  Your choice folks!


GOT THE WIND??

I was talking to a lady motor bike rider down at St Kilda and she is a
learner and due to the fact it was a pretty windy day, she asked me if
I ever get freaked out riding in the wind or when it's windy.

My answer was TOTALLY  YES!!

I think it's a close call between  the rain and the wind. Both un-nerve me
at times and both are very dangerous for similar and different reasons.

So my advice to those ladies who HATE RIDING IN THE WIND .. either don't do
it .. stay in for the day or if you do go out ... ride in the suburbs where you have
a bit of protection from houses etc BUT look out for flying branches from trees.
Just take it easy and if you feel nervous and stressed and the sweat drops are
running down your back even though your wearing 5 things .. THAT'S NOT
UNCOMMON.

Anyway, this lady I was speaking to mentioned a riding school that builds
up your confidence... WOW .. sounds great! I will let you all know more once
I find out more myself. Until then ... try to maintain a calm breathing pattern and
tell yourself what a bloody GREAT JOB YOU ARE DOING!! *I use that one
all the time!!*  and although I am sure there are all these great riding instructors
who may  say .. there is NO WAY the WIND can BLOW YOU off your bike or
 BLOW YOU and YOUR BIKE OVER while riding ...

I don't care what you all say .. IT FEELS LIKE IT TO ME .. and I DON'T Like
it, so I will either go out .. or I won't. (but having said that.. get practice in all
kinds of weather folks! Just in case you get caught in it one day.)   

OIL ON THE ROAD

As mentioned before, when stopping at any time LOOK DOWN FIRST check the
road ahead and don't put your foot down on oil or try not to put your bike tyres in oil.

You can usually identify oil on a road, as it goes like a transparent rainbow colour.

Some of the problems you may find if you do have oil on your tyre is ...
NO GRIP , SKIDDING, NO GRIP, SLIDING, NO GRIP, TYRE WILL SNAKE..
NO GRIP...... get the idea.

So what to do .. TAKE IT EASY - and try to use your *gears* to slow down - ie
minimal brake use and when I have had oil on my tyre it always seems to be
on my back tyre, so I tend to use my front brake more and I will ride off the road
and onto the side of the road on lawn or dirt etc and ride through it for a few moments
in an effort to absorb the oil off my tyre.  Not sure of other idea's but this helps me.

When riding on the road .. even when it's a dry day, you may notice some oil
in the middle of the road as that's where some older car's may leak onto. I therefore
tend to ride to the left or right of any lane (ie in the tyre mark) and when it's raining and
I can't see the oil mark  I do the same.

Some bike riders don't care about rain and shit weather and head on out riding
anyway, while others only have their bike as their means of transport for heading
 to work and have no choice. I like to have both my bikes and a car as a back up.
However looking at the price of petrol these days .. think my bikes are going to
get a LOT of use this coming summer!

RIDING IN GROUPS

Now this is something I think is the TOTAL BEST. I just love riding with other people
however beware that some riders can be WOBBLY .. so a very good idea is to
ride just ahead of another rider (or just behind depending on where you're at)
and make sure you sit yourself in a position so they can see YOU in their mirrors.
Nothing gives me the shits more than some rider who sits just out of my vision on my
right or left. Riding in formation can be great . It also allows all the riders to have
a good view of the road ahead. Riding directly next to another rider is not a good
idea unless you know their riding style (as they maybe wobbly and come over into
your space and hit you)  and you know them to be sensible and safe. It may be illegal
(ie side by side riding) for all I know, I don't know .. check out the road rules in your
state. etc etc bla bla

Check where you purchase your bike from and see if there is a local group you
can join to ride with. Most (ie Yamaha, Kawasaki, Harley etc.) have their own
bike groups or you can look at groups like the MRA (motor bike riders assoc)
or you might know one or two friends who own a bike and just ride with them or
form your own little group or you may be invited to join a gang or special group
etc. etc. 

It has been my experience when I lived in Perth to ride with a pretty large Yammy
group and I must say they were so very patient and good to me. *Most* groups
are considerate to a new rider and will usually have a tail end Charlie (the person
who rides at the back of the group) who keeps an eye on the slower riders. It's
very good experience riding with others and you can get lots of tips and great
experiences as well as form long lasting friendships.

If you do happen to ride in a large group there is usually the LEAD rider or the
dude in the front who is *supposed* to know where they are heading....
sometimes I recon it's SOOOOOOOOOOO funny when your in a group riding and
after 10 min or so the whole group stops and the LEAD guys says .." Does anyone
know which way now?" Their only human too!! 

On most large rides I have been on, it is usually good etiquette that the second
person in line usually stops at the first  turn to direct everyone around and make sure
all riders take the correct turn. If there are more turns before that rider gets back into
position then rider no 3 in line will pull over and sit at the next turn etc etc.

If you ride in a private group then .... some will take it easy if they know there is a new
 rider with them .. while others don't give a toss and ride at blistering speeds.

What ever you do ... DON'T FEEL PRESSURED to go faster than you feel
comfortable doing .. NO MATTER WHAT!! If some wanker is pressuring you
to ride faster than you are comfortable doing then .. LET THEM PASS YOU
and just putter along on the inside lane.

Just because they may be on a death wish does not mean I have to follow them on
the same path. 

To ride when you are feeling pressured can be very dangerous to not only
you but also to others... but try to at least do the SPEED LIMIT.

Bikes on their way down to Willy for the 2004 Toy Run in Melbourne	2004 Melbourne TOY RUN! It was a great day!

     
 BLIND SPOT

Also being a car driver I have to say .. nothing gives me the shits more than dim wits
who ride their bike and sit in MY BLIND SPOT ... How hard is it to accelerate just that
little bit more and MOVE up to where I can see you and know you are there. So
to any new biker people who don't know where the Blind Spot is for a car driver..
it is roughly just behind the drives side, back door.  MOVE UP TO the Drivers WINDOW
and make sure they know you are there!  That extra 6 feet could make all the difference
in staying alive!

Now when you are riding with other bikes I think it's a bloody great idea to make
sure you can see them in your mirrors and they can see you. ie .. If you are riding behind
another motor bike rider, position yourself to their left or right  and far enough
behind them so they can see you in their mirrors, and you can see them.

Nothing pisses me off more than a biker  who hangs at your back tyre (ie your blind
spot on a motor bike) and just presumes you know they are there. 

The view from a drivers side mirror	The view from a drivers rear view mirror

                  BE SEEN!

LEFT OR RIGHT LANE
If I am on a 2  or 3 lane road, I tend to ride in the lane closest to the
middle of the road and away from the side streets, as I see more idiot car drivers
just pull straight out onto a road from side streets without looking.
I know when I went for my license in another state they said for the test I should ride
in the lane nearest to the gutter, however when I passed my test one of the guys there
said ... now forget what I just told you!
GO FIGURE hey!!  Although what I am suggesting maybe illegal in your world ..
it works for me.

TIRED?
If you have not had enough sleep or rest or you are PMS,  you may find you ride
terrible and if you can, it maybe safer to take the car. I know when I am tired or a
bit run down then my reflexes are slower and I'm not as *sharp* when riding... it's
NOT WORTH IT,  DON'T RIDE unless you are 100% with it .. you need to be 100% with it
as  you NEED TO HAVE your wits about you EVERY SECOND you are out riding.
I ride with the attitude that every car driver is DRUNK or ON DRUGS and
every one of them is going  to do the unexpected (ie all are going to pull out
when they shouldn't and try to cut across traffic lights as I am heading toward them etc.)
(no wonder I'm stressed? *laugh* .. nah .. just be ALERT and ready for anything!...like some
of the following stuff that I have come across while riding....low flying birds, crap on the road,
cows around the next bend, a balloon coming out of no-where, a swarm of bees, a
 helmet that has flown off another bike and come bouncing toward you, a rock that bounces
from behind a truck and comes bouncing toward you, a plastic bag across my helmet,
massive pot holes on the road, cars coming into your lane, tired car drivers misjudging
the road and nearly hit you and the list goes on and on. Uhh the joys of it all!

Repeat after me ... Be ALERT, AWARE and ASSERTIVE!
 
That's    "L" for LEARNER!!
Now speaking of being SEEN ... I headed off the other day to visit a mate of mine
who has her Learners. She hasn't had her L's  for that  long but she's been a bit
naughty and hasn't been out riding much..... so I thought it would be great to get
her out and go for a little putter with her. After she got all her gear on I told her that
I was going to tie one of the L plates to the back of her leather jacket (because I
strongly feel that's the best place for it to be seen) .. at first she quibbled but decided
to give in. (I think she thought it would look bogus .. and it probably does but ...)
Once we got out there on the road and did 5 or so slow laps around the block with
me, she told me how much more confident she felt having the L on her back as she
knew car drivers COULD NOT MISS SEEING IT... as it's at their EYE LEVEL!

 You see, at one point  she turned left following me around a corner and three or four
 cars came up behind her and she got nervous and conked out. Having the peace of
mind knowing the drivers could not miss seeing the "L" on her back, she calmly waved
 them around her and then counted to 3 and re-started her bike.  She said it really did
help her feel more secure and confident.

(thanks to Angella for the following info ...) According to a police officer who had a little
chat to Angella in Melbourne..... YOU MUST ALSO HAVE YOUR "L" plate
still attached to the back of your bike or you MAY GET BOOKED EVEN though
you have "L" pinned to the back of your jacket.

In fact .. you know WE DID have the L screwed to the back number plate of my friends
bike (where it is supposed to be ) and IT Broke OFF while we were riding ... so at least
 she still had the one on her jacket! 

Maybe having both is a good idea .. I mean they would have to be right assholes to pull
you over for having TOO MUCH signage to Warn people you are a beginner... but
stranger things have happened .. Thanks Angella for your email!

If my friend had three  L's I would of placed one on the front of her as well, because she did get
a little wobbly when oncoming traffic came toward her and I think having the L on her
front as well would have warned oncoming traffic to BEWARE!!

You know .. sometimes when I am out driving in my car, I look in the mirror and see some
fruit cake motor bike riding coming toward me at lightening speed and it's not until
they have passed me that I notice a tiny bit of the yellow L sticking out from their rego plate
and I think .. you dick head, your on a death wish ... Now .. if that rider was also wearing an L
on the front of their jacket and I saw them coming toward me in my car mirror then ...
I would calming GET THE HELL OUT THE WAY  lol ..

Below is a shot of my friend showing you all how her "L" looks .. can't miss it hey!




TO GO OR NOT TO GO?
Speaking of traffic lights .. Picture this ..
Your heading down the road and your timing really sucks because you are
kicking along at the limit, say  80ks and you approach the traffic lights and
as per usual that day they JUST change as you are really close ...
what do you do .. STOP or GUN it and GO THROUGH ...

This is such a tough call ...
Depending on your bike .. how good your brakes are, the road conditions etc.
 and if there is some car sitting at the lights waiting to turn .. you maybe better to
STOP .. but then again .. you may skid and lock it up and have a crash
trying to stop .. so do you then just fang it and go through but what if the driver
*thinks* you are going to stop so he looks ready to head across?
 
You know what I do A LOT ... to ENSURE the car driver can SEE ME ..
and know that I am going to come through ... I  HOLD MY HAND UP -
 like in a STOP motion at the pending turning car to make sure he does
not miss seeing  me and indicate for him to WAIT while I putter my way through.

The same with taking off at the lights .. or pulling up at traffic lights ...
If you feel confident enough to weave through stationary traffic  *not sure if
that is legal in your state but what the hell it's what I do* and make your way
to the front of the pack then PICK YOUR CAR CAREFULLY (ie  who you get in front of)
Not a good idea to pull up and weave in front of a hotted up Commodore with
4 teenagers in it ...why .. cause they will probably try to drag you off and if you conk
out at the lights (been known to happen!) then guess who's up your exhaust pipe in a hurry!
If you see a family wagon with mum and a couple of kids or some older bomb
or some normal boring looking car at the front, then I would pick them to move in front of.
 

FANGING IT OFF AT THE LIGHTS
Yes I do it as often as I can ... my theory is .. all cars are out to kill me.. so ..
I want to get the hell away from them as fast as I can.. then once I am at
a reasonable distance away from them,  I settle back down to the speed limit.
*coughs a little*  You may get some knob who tries to drag you ... your choice...
Oh I mean .. you should not do that .. it's very dangerous! *grins*  ...
Also an added tip from jadey ... "remember to look left and right,  I have
almost been collected a few times by cars running red lights."  Yep .. VERY
good point!


CHANGING GEARS  
Ok I confess, more often than not I change gears and when I at the last gear
I try to change down one more ... If you don't know what I mean allow me to
explain .. some people COUNT as they change up or down with their gears
while others just LISTEN to their bikes engine and change up or down as
needed (something I have always done) .. however when I am taking off and
it's in first gear (ie you keep tapping with your foot until there is no tapping left -
then I know I'm in first gear - simple method that works for me) .. anyway ..
once I take off I click UP once into First gear .. then as I rev my bike and
hear it's nicely revved to the  next level I click into Second gear and then
as I hear it revving up more I click into the NEXT gear and I just keep doing
that until I run out of gears. So .. more often than not I click up and I'm already
in the last gear and there ain't no more ... so I stop :-)  Only I know I'm doing
this and I just BET there are other riders out there who do the same but
probably won't admit it.

I tend to do the same thing when I come DOWN in gears as well .. I don't
count .. I just click down .. (that's your left foot ladies)  until I press my foot
down to no more clicking. You will all find you own way through your gears
and to the learners out there ... while it may all seem a lot to do when you
are doing it for the first 50 - 100 times .. it eventually will just be something
you will automatic do.

HELMET .... OPEN OR CLOSED?
I have both .. however for years I used to ride with an open face helmet and
sunglasses and sometimes a face mask. I enjoyed the *openness* of it however
in the past short while I have been hit by a few large pebbles,  (which felt
like massive boulders!) one of which nearly knocked me out, so I have invested
 in a clear visor to protect my face. (better known as *the cone of silence*)
 
Although the guys I ride with think it looks pretty DORKIE .. I don't give a rats as
I would rather look dorkie than have a massive scar across my face or huge hole
in my head or be knocked out while riding in a group and ride into one of my mates
etc etc. When I do long trips I usually wear my closed in helmet. For years I would
ride with an open face and carry the closed face helmet on the back for night time
riding home when it got cold and a zillion bugs hit your face.

When you are out trying on helmets ... tip .. if you shake your head a little and your
head wobbles inside, even if it's a little bit .... it's TOO BIG! A snug helmet that
gently pushes your cheeks in a tad is usually best .. but if it's TOO snug forget it... as
it may give you a headache etc. Just keep trying them until one feels secure and
right for you.

          
full face                          open face                            open face with screen

MIRROR MIRROR

A good habit to get into is .. check your mirrors position BEFORE you take off
and get them right.  Nothing worse than taking off and not being able to see
the traffic behind you and fart- assing around with your mirrors when you should be
watching where you are going.
 
I was once told .. check your mirrors at the least every 3 - 5 seconds.
Sounds a lot doesn't it ... but let me tell you .. in that 5 seconds SOOOOO
many changes in road conditions and car positions can happen.

For instance, many sports bikes are sleek and fast and one second you
check your mirrors and it is all clear behind you and then a  second
later you see a set of eyes peering back at you from inside a helmet.
SPOOOOKY!! Can scare the shit outta ya!

Also.. the cops ride very QUIET and fast BMW's  ...one second you THINK you're
all alone on the road and then .. you check your mirrors and HOLY SHIT where
did he come from ... either behind you or next to you he appears like the
Grim Reaper!  If you're being a good girl or boy .. then you have nothing to
worry about and try not to stress and just keep putting along. If you are breaking
the limit or they want to check your rego etc etc ra ra then he will signal you over
and just remain CALM and pull up as soon as it's safe.   

Just as a word of caution.. when out traveling between states or going
on long rides take it easy through towns and keep to the limit when
going through ALL towns.

GET OFF THEIR ASS

Don't ride up the ass of cars or any vehicle on the road.  I think you should
always give yourself time to stop and ride back far enough so you can see
what the condition of the road is like and if there is any debris on the road.
I usually sit at least  two - three - four car spaces back... but most of the time I try
to get the hell away from all cars and trucks etc on the road so I have a clear
view in front.

             
Note .. you can't see any of the road up this close     Now you see a lot more by backing off a bit

PARKING ...

If you are parking in the street,  then ride your bike up toward the curb
so you are nearly parallel  with it and then ride your bike straight out
toward the road .. (ensure no traffic is coming) and then STOP and
steady your footing. Try not to pick a spot where there is RUBBLE OR
A LOT OF GRAVEL on the road or your feet may slip when you pull up.
Take a moment to look back to see where you need to roll your bike
back to and be VERY careful and start to push your bike back into the
kerb with your feet .... (this sucks if you have a bad back!) You are doing
this so that the front tyre of your bike is facing out to the road. (ie makes for a
fast and easy take off) 

THIS IS THE TIME MANY RIDERS DROP THEIR BIKES BECAUSE THEY
LOOSE THEIR FOOTING ... ie they slip on gravel etc. SO PRACTICE
IT A LOT!

Also ...when you know you want to soon park somewhere START looking
at EXITS and HOW you will get your bike OUT .. BEFORE YOU PARK IT!

Here in Melbourne Australia we are MOST fortunate to be allowed to park
our bikes on the side- walks or footpaths .. however they should be parked
in a way that does not obstruct pedestrians from passing by.

So LADIES I have to say .. This is totally EXCELLENT when you are out
shopping .. (ie you park right up near the front door EVERY TIME!!) however
the down side is .. you can only fit SO much into a saddle bag. I call it
Restrictive Shopping   :-(  but it has probably saved me a LOT of money!

Don't park up on a foot path or anywhere  you can not safely get down from
and don't block the pedestrians walk way... remember to be a considerate
biker chick!

Keep in mind that Big Bikes can be VERY heavy to maneuver when your not
riding along.

SO THINK BEFORE YOU PARK!

     
See how it's done.. just role her back nice and easy.    A typical formation of parked bikes


BEWARE of WIRE BARRICADES

In the last year or so I have ridden in two protest rides with many other bike riders.

The first was in protest to the government implementing WIRE barricades
on the roads in Victoria .. they may also be used interstate but I'm not sure.
Tragically within weeks of the government implementing the Wire barricades,
a young rider lost his life, after coming off his bike and sliding into one.
Each time I ride past or near a Wire barricade I think of this young guy and
how tragically he lost his life.
What pisses me and a heap of there riders off is, there ARE alternatives that
COULD be used in place of these human cheese slices... yet the government
continues to install them. Power to those who write the letters and continue to
nag the government into trying to make changes.



The second protest ride I did was with a heap of other riders after a motor
bike mechanic took a bike for a test ride and a driver accidentally hit and
killed him. From what I understand the driver of the vehicle got a $50 fine
and I believe that  was it.

Then in this past week while surfing the internet, I read on the MRA site about
another rider who tragically had been killed, however this time it was a hit and
run by a DRUNK DRIVER. I understand the driver has been allowed by the court to
still drive her car (although only restricted hours, so she won't lose her job).
*OH GIVE ME A $^&*@#$  BREAK!!*  What the HELL is going on in our
court rooms?  My heart goes out to the riders family and I wish them all the
POWER in their plight to ensure the courts come to their senses!

BUT I DIDN'T THINK THE CAR WAS GOING TO PULL OUT...??
I think far too many people are presumptuous drivers and riders. For instance,
only yesterday I went for a little fang with a friend and in the space of
3ks we saw 3 near misses. We were in the middle lane (a place I like to
be when cruising) and ahead of us a car came flying out of a side street on
the left and turned sharply into the road totally ignoring the fact he cut off an
on coming vehicle. The next was a woman leaving a car park and driving
very fast toward the exist where everyone but ME presumed she was going
to STOP and give way to oncoming traffic before pulling out ... she did STOP
but not until her car was half way into the inside lane causing all that traffic to come
into the MIDDLE LANE where WE WERE!! .... seeing  this *might* happen I
moved right over to allow the other drivers room to  swerve.
And last was another driver who decided to NOT GO when the lights changed
Green - we were behind them in the middle lane - and I could see the traffic
coming up behind us  thinking we were going to move ... so I started
tapping my foot on my break while yelling a few choice words to the confused
driver who was attempting to get into the left lane.

I presume everyone IS GOING TO DO WHAT THEY SHOULDN'T!! and
again ... everyone is OUT TO GET ME!!

Ladies use your intuition,  6th sense and common sense ... ie
 TRUST NO ONE ON THE ROAD!!

WHAT IF I DROP MY BIKE?

First I would say .. try not to panic and get yourself out of harms way... ie if you
are on a road then get off it fast and safely so you don't get hit by oncoming
traffic. Your bike can be replaced ... you can't.
Next ... sometimes when people have dropped their bikes it's such a huge
adrenalin rush that they find the strength to pick it up. This usually expires about
10 seconds after the event, so if you stand there thinking how your ever going to
pick it up .. you probably won't be able to. For the ladies reading this .. THIS IS
the time to do the CHICK THING and Hollar for help or flag someone down.

I had a close call once and had just had a new spray job on my tank so when I
laid my bike down because a driver decided to appear in front of me *how rude!*
 (it was like in slow motion and fortunately I was not going very fast) I allowed my
bike to lay *on me* so the tank did not hit the ground. How's THAT for total dedication
and pure dumbness! But the TANK!! Thank goodness I had 2 other riders with me
and they came to my rescue! That's when you also understand the importance of
GLOVES .. the first thing I did was put my hands down on the ground... on the
scratchy ouchy bitumen ground!

Beware of petrol leaking from your tank if you lay your bike down or drop it ... ie
your paint work will get eaten away and make sure there are no naked flames
around ..ie smokers ... GET YOURSELF SAFE .. should be your first thought..
*unlike me .. but do as I say not as I have done! *Grin*

WHAT TO  WEAR?

Ok ladies as much as this is NOT a fashion show .. oh deary me .. I can feel another
of the above lines coming on ... You *SHOULD* always wear a helmet, leather jacket and
leather pants and leather gloves.  Now days they have jeans called Draggin Jeans
and similar, which have this stuff in them called Kevlar .. it's like a woven mesh sewn
into the jeans and it means if you get tossed off your bike and dragged along the
ground, they are going to last so many seconds longer than normal denim jeans
before falling apart etc etc. The moral to this story .. STAY UPRIGHT! However...
sometimes it might not be YOUR FAULT so leather up ... is best!

As for colours .. the most popular colour  is BLACK .. which I do love however ...
I did get a full set of hot pink leathers made (and one day I will get back into them!)

For now I am going with the white theme .. but hey that's just me.. your choice!
(Below is a shot of some of my great riding mates... oh I'm the bird in the white jacket)

 

For all my riding life I wore full leathers (ie jacket, pants etc) and it has only been
the past couple of months that I have opted to wear  jeans on very hot days and
not my leather pants. Now this is really pretty DUMB but .. I can recall nearly
passing out at the lights last summer as I was overheating wearing all my leathers
but hey .. don't do as I do .. do as I say .. LEATHER UP LADIES!! Protect yourself
as much as possible. If black bores you shitless then search the net for colours or
pay to get something made.  YES.. it's all about YOU and what makes
YOU feel good and comfortable and most of all its going to PROTECT you if you
have a fall.

Mind you when I see these little chicky babes on the back of  a bike and they are
wearing nothing to protect their skin ...   I get so confused as to who I think needs to
be slapped senseless first? Hello GIRLS ...I don't think you should get onto a bike
 with someone who does not give a shit  if your skin is covered or not and girls ...
 you know how a split nail hurts when it breaks right up high ... well times that by
about a MILLION and that is how your skin will feel if it connects with bitumen or
gravel. Cover UP ladies when out riding or being a pillion... jacket, pants, boots, gloves!

Also ... another lady (Alison) emailed me and said a friend got her a high visibility
vest to wear at night ... great idea! In fact I got one from the $2-00 shop and when
I remember, I do wear it at night.

Also, as yummy and warm as some of those thick gloves may LOOK I have found
that the thick padded ones make my hands ache or I can NOT feel my controls etc.
I have now opted for wearing suede gloves that have a bit of padding in them in
summer or cut off fingerless leather gloves with studs (offcourse! *laugh*) and thin'ish
leather gloves in winter. Rivet and Mar's leather have a good inexpensive range.
They are warm and light and I can FEEL my controls (ie clutch and brake etc). 
Oh yes my summer gloves are soft PINK!! *ok guys you can cringe now* ha ha

Attire for the brainless	My hot pink leathers.. hmm one day I'll get back into them!	Traditional black Leathers	Wet weather gear	If you don't wear your gloves this .. or worse could happen!

FLARE IF YOU DARE!!!

Ok so you want to wear a pair of sexy jeans or leather pants or those verrrry
HOT Chaps .. and you want to wear the ones that flare a bit at the bottom or
you may have just got yourself a pair of those great cargo Draggin Jeans.
That's great BUT BEWARE because the bottom of them may just catch on
your CLUTCH or on the little bit that sticks out on your BIKE STAND.

It usually happens at the WORST Time .. like when you are heading toward
a set of lights and your about to pull up and you go to put your foot down to
 balance your bike and your foot WON'T pull free cause your pants are
caught on the clutch!!! 

That's about  when you feel your heart dive into your mouth and you VERY quickly
do a re-shuffle and balance your bike  with your other foot and then release
your pants from hooking the flare off the clutch.

If  you have ever done this ONCE you soon learn to throw your leg out before
going to put your foot down to balance your bike when pulling up.


FOOT WEAR on BIKES ....

You know it only just dawned on me the other day when I jumped on
my bike to follow my buddy somewhere and  for the first time ever
I didn't bother changing into my motorbike boots as it was very hot.
I had my sneakers on and looked down and thought .. well .. heaps of
 guys riding sports bikes wear these ... so they can't be that bad.
 
I have to say it really did feel *strange* and *nice* having air flow through
my sneakers for the first 10 minutes but then I had a stone fly up and
hit me on the shin and immediately realized I missed not having my
boots on.  Once a old biker said to me ... "for Christ sake girlie make
sure you always keep your ankles covered and wear sensible boots!"
He limped off with a walking stick and I had always worn big heavy
leather boots... well .. up until a few years ago ... Now there is such a
fantastic choice.. I have put a few pics below to give you some idea's.


Thongs, flip flops or high heels are really not for on a motorbike ladies..
I mean come on!!


Ok above are some of my favorite .. I have a thing for cowgirl boots and
they are nice and high so they keep your shin better protected... and your ankles too.
The last white boot with the silver chain  is my boot  :-)
REMEMBER TO Check boots have Rubber souls and NOT plastic or
leather or you will SLIP Badly!! Just take them to any boot joint and
get rubber put on the bottom. It's not expensive and you'll be wrapped
when you have to put your feet down.


Above are some other great options which are also available
out there on the internet and in shops today for women!!
I love the New Rock design .. first and second left.

Anyhow ladies ... that was the first and probably the last time I will
wear my sneakers on my bike ..  And why is it .. when there is a
motor bike accident shown on the tv , they always seem to zoom in
on a lone sneaker laying a few meters from the riders body ..

THAT SO ISN'T GOING TO BE ME!!

Also when it's pissing down raining it's so Great NOT to have your
boot full of water and squishy sox. You see rain can get in through
the ZIP's on some boots and through HOLES in the souls of old
boots ..(been there done that) .. so that's the other reason I love
my cowgirl boots (no zips) and no HOLES in them Souls!

WHAT BIKE SHOULD I GET?

That's a personal thing .. however a lot of people I know swear by the little
Yammy Virago 250cc. You can pick one up for about $3K - $5K ish and they
don't usually have too many k's on the clock as many just use them to get
their license and then trade them in. Also they are a small chopper style so
they are pretty low to the ground and most people can touch the ground on one.
You may however prefer a sports bike but beware as some of the 250cc sports
bikes go like a clappers. It all depends on the style of riding you want to do ..
 ie cruising or sports.

Remember what ever bike you get .. try to ensure that your feet can touch the
ground ... very important when stopping and don't be put off just because a
bike LOOKS big ... it does not mean it's harder to ride and in fact some
larger bikes can be more comfortable and easier to handle and ride.

If possible take a lot of different bikes for test rides.. and sit your butt on as
many as you can because even sitting your butt on a bike can make all the
difference to your choice.  
 

WHERE TO GO TO GET YOUR BIKE?

Again there are heaps of different bike shops around Melbourne and Australia
and the world and  sadly when I first started phoning around the first 2 places I
called to get advise, spoke to me like I was some dopey female and pretty much
 blew me off without giving me any real assistance. Then I rang Harley
Heaven in Melbourne (and spoke with a guy called Frank) and he was excellent
and gave me all the time in the world. Because of how helpful he  was, I called in
there the very NEXT DAY and purchased my first Harley off the floor in 30 min flat. 
I TOTALLY HATE bad customer service and I commend good service . So way to go! You
get out there and check as many places as  you can .. and if anyone is condescending
 or rude to you ... hang up on the  assholes .. they don't deserve your business!
Depending on what bike you want .. will depend on which stores you will be dealing
with ..ie Yamaha, Suzuki etc.  GOOD LUCK!


GEEZE HOW DO I GET IT UP?  (the bike ladies!! *laugh*)

Ok I was chatting to a mate about her first experience when she sat on her Harley
and she said she was sick the morning she knew she had to go and get it and
her butterflies were so bad she nearly didn't  go in. When I went to pick up my
Harley (and keep in mind I had been riding my Yammy 1,000 for a number of years)
I got into the workshop (where all the GUYS were) and they said .. here it is!!
And I go ... *shitting myself*  GREATTTTTTTTT ! I thought holy shit .. it's WAY
heavier than my Yammy and It's Soooooooo BIG!! Then I thought .. Buggar IT...
I'm NOT going to give in just because it LOOKS BIG ... so I sat on it .. put my
feet flat and solid on the ground .. did a bit of a weight lifters Groan and Pulled
it up off the bike stand. I tried to calm my breathing down and just sat there for
a couple of seconds balancing the bike and myself. I then hit the starter and
it began purring with it's new non standard pipes. Now it was time to RIDE OUT
of the shop... geeze .. why did I have to have an audience :-((( Naturally the
guys all stood around watching so was I under pressure .. YOU BLOODY BET
I WAS!! I turned the throttle, released my clutch and took off down the narrow
side street wanting to get out of the city as fast as possible. Being quite
claustrophobic the city is the very LAST place I wanted to be, so I confidently
glided my way around the corner and out of the guys sight and took my
first breath. Then over the next hour riding home it was time to ENJOY riding
my bike. Mind you .. I was still pretty freaked but felt the pressure was off and
rode as safely and calmly as I could home.

The moral of this story is ... everyone finds their own way to LIFT their bike
off their bike stand... because I have a stuffed back and foot I tend to do
prep myself every time ... position my feet and legs and then do that little
groan and pull it up. Now after lots and lots of practice it's easy peesy but
it did take me a while to get confident doing it.


BUT IT LOOKS SO BIG ?

Now now ... can it ever be toooo big? *laugh*  Hmm I have seen a couple of those
BOSS HOGS and my god they look just a wee bit too big for this little duck
to ride but to the ladies reading this .. I am 5 foot 6" tall .. I am about a size
16+ *sob* ok 18 but I'm trying to shrink a bit... anyway .. I don't work out and
I am just your average to curvy sort of female...
Ok so I'm a little bent and twisted but hey .. ya get that! At first I thought,
holy cow how on earth am I ever going to ride this beast!
But then ... I did ..I  found that once I was off and riding I was just fine ...it's all about
balance ladies  ... the trick is when you STOP!! It's then that  you soon realize the absolute
importance of "foot placement" and balance. Without it you may drop your
bike. For me, it's only when I have to maneuver my Harley in a tight area that it becomes
a bit of a struggle. (having an injured back and foot does not help) However
remember FOOT PLACEMENT .. LOOK WHERE YOU are going to park
BEFORE YOU GO THERE and make SURE you can get your bike off or
out of a parking area... if you don't  think you will be able to do it .. DON'T
PARK THERE and find another spot that suits you.

PRACTICE MAKES Purrrfe... ... Well it sure as hell HELPS!

Some favourite  places you can take your bike on a weekend to practice or get
used to it's size is .... An industrial park's parking lot  and do heaps of figure eights
in their car park ... they usually have large open parking area's and not many
people are around on a weekend in an industrial area. Some shopping centre
car parks are good if they are closed on the weekend or a new housing development
where they have made the roads but no houses are there yet.

I think it's easy to go fast on a bike but it takes skill to handle and control any
bike at slow and very slow speeds. Practice lots of stop and starting and getting
off and on your bike and rolling it backwards. (ie as if you are going to park it)
KEEP AWAY FROM GRAVEL though when doing this! Doing lots of figure 8's
are a huge help in getting used to the size of your bike and to help your balance
as well as practicing a few EMERGENCY stops. Then you really do feel the weight
of the bike beneath you when the ass of the bike tries to skid out .. it's good to
FEEL this *safely* so you learn how NOT to brake and to use the correct  percentage
of foot and hand brake to avoid the ass skidding off to one side.

Riding as many k's as you can will build up your confidence and even if it looks shitty
outside and it's raining adn cold etc. It's ALL good practice!! Learning to ride in
ALL conditions is such a huge help to build your confidence and just being on the
road with the zillion other road users is an experience in itself!

BREAKING ... foot brake and hand brake

Braking is such an important part of riding and I tend to use 65% foot brake (back
brake) and 35% hand brake. (not sure if this is the *go* but whatever .. it's what
I use)  It's practice which helps to find what combination works for you to control
 your bike when having to pull up hard and fast. If you use too much foot brake
then the ass of the bike will tend to pull to one side and possibly skid and if you
use too much hand brake your bike may try to tip up on the front wheel. (I saw a
guy do that on a brand new Duke, his head was looking straight down at the road
and the ass end of his bike was straight up in the air, he hung there for about 5
seconds balancing it and was white as a sheet and just before it fell to it's side
hitting the ground he looked at me standing right next to him on the sidewalk shaking
my head.. I'm pretty sure he knew what I was thinking ... (ie ... YOU DICKHEAD ....
you Do have a footbrake too!! *laugh* .. he was soooooooooooo embarrassed!
 .... not good Jan!)... the bike did end up falling to one side and as much as he
tried to make it a nice gentle fall, I cringed when I heard a crunch as it came down.

If and when you ever have your first experience of having to pull up HARD I can
tell you .. You will feel your heart dive into your mouth ... I just hope you keep your
bike upright and even if you lay some rubber in the process, (which can be pretty
common when pulling up hard)  I hope it's a straight line and the ass of your bike
doesn't slide into the next lane. Remaining in control is the key and that will take
PRACTICE ladies so ... as kind of *scary* as it is to zoom around an industrial park
even doing the limit and then deliberately press HARD down on your foot and
hand brake it REALLY WILL prepare you for when you REALLY have to do
it in real life ... like when a KID'S SKATE BOARD comes flying across the
road in front of you or just shit timing at the traffic lights etc... 
 PRACTICE PRACTICE .. it WILL help you.

ALSO >>> if you can book into an advance riding course or - build up your
confidence course, they are GREAT and you will learn heaps. I went to a
couple in Perth and they were well worth it. If you belong to any *group* ..
ie HOG Club or Ulysses or WIMA or a zillion other clubs,  they usually do
these courses and get them cheaper for group bookings. It's definitely
worth checking out.

If you ever see the cops holding advance or ANY motor bike riding courses
then GO FOR IT as all the motor cycle cops I have ever seen riding have
totally excellent motorbike skills. (especially the ones who have chased me!! -
*laugh* only jokin!! )

GET A GRIP  & HANDLE BARS

Ok so you have decided to go out and purchase a big'ish  bike ... so you sit
your butt on it and reach out to grab the handle bars and they feel like
they are 400 miles away or your arms are stretched to the max to grab hold.
There are HEAPS of different handle bars you can get ..for instance..
sit up and beg, western, fat boy etc etc ..

A good rule of thumb I learnt with bikes is that your arms *should* be slightly
bent at the elbow when your holding your bars. This will allow you to ride for
a longer time because your arms are not stretched out and it's a more relaxed
style of riding.

Go sit your butt on lots of different bikes and feel all the various handle bars ..
if you find a one  you feel more comfortable with, then speak to the sales rep about
having them fitted to your bike. Many things are "inter-changeable" or they can be
"modified" to suit YOU!  Don't PUT UP with uncomfortable bars when something
can be done about it. At this point in time I am still struggling with mine (I had
western and have since changed them to fat boy. Both are too wide for me ..
i.e. when I go to do a full turn lock on the bike I nearly can't reach out that far...
and I am "clipping car's side mirrors when trying to ride between stationery traffic".
So I am going to try to get them turned into the tank more by about an inch.

The GRIPS are the part you hold onto on a bike and on most Harleys I have sat
on they are pretty chunky .. (ie thick) .. with many riders coming from smaller
250cc bikes where the Grips are thin, you may (or will) find your hands or
arm will ACHE a LOT when out riding for 30 min to an hour. One trip I did to
SA with a set of new fancy looking fat grips and I thought I got RSI in my arm.
I nearly had to stop the ride and was paranoid my arm was stuffed and I would not
be able to ever ride again... not realizing it was all due to the thickness of the Grips.
So when I hit Adelaide I went to a bike shop and told them of my woes and they
suggested I change my Grips to thinner ones and UNREAL .. nearly INSTANT relief
and I could then ride for hours! So as much as the fancy fat grips might LOOK great ...
BEWARE if your hand or arm starts to ache. 

Oh yes .. and if you are a new rider and you find your hands sweat a lot and you
are gripping onto your grips like your hanging off the edge of a cliff ... THAT'S
NORMAL!! Just try to calm your breathing down and as soon as you feel comfortable
just slowly start to release your SNAP LOCK grip on the bars... it's about feeling
relaxed (and safe)  and that will come with time. You just need to get on out there and keep
practicing more and more and more. Eventually you will find you won't grip so hard
and it will be a lot more pleasurable riding without your knuckles going white.

On my old Yammy my arms were bent and very comfortable due to my "sit up and beg" handle bars.	I found my new Western handle bars and the Fat Boy bars I purchased too wide for me, so I got them cut in the middle by about 2 inches and now they are heaps better.

BUTT BUTT BUTT

Being comfortable on your bike is imperative and it may take a little
bit of time to figure out a few things you may wish to update, change or
modify. Having your feet touch the ground comfortably while sitting on
your bike is a VERY GOOD THING! Some bikes have air shockers which
I am told can be let down a bit .. which sometimes lowers the bike
enough to make all the difference. Changing your seat or having it modified
can make the world of difference to your seating position on your bike as
well as be more comfortable on your back. When I see the position some
Harley riders ride in ... you know .. the slouchy look .. with their back curved
and their arms reaching down to low front bars... I think .. my god your back
must give you hell after half an hour of riding? And then when I see some sports bike
riders laying on their tanks I think .. My god how do they do it? They must have
really good backs. Funnily enough the more riders I meet ... the more who say
they have pre-existing back problems (ie not necessarily from bike riding) so
MANY understand the importance of COMFORT. Lots of Harley riders I see
change their seat from the standard one to a new or modified style
as shown here .... 

I am changing my seat as I need more support for my lower back.	Something sleek	Something supportive	Something cushioned

PANIC ATTACKS ..

I tell you what .. I bloody hate these things ... Knowing they have a name
kind of makes me feel a little bit better but ..  I try not to let them get the better of me!
If you have ever suffered from panic attacks then you know where I am coming
from ..and those few close mates I ride with who know I suffer from them,
understand why sometimes I hang back a bit and then fang it and then hang
back a bit etc....  Although that sounds a bit erratic ..what I am actually doing
is dealing with the attack and working / riding through it.

They really shit me because it's not that I'm not confident .. I have heaps of confidence ..
it's not that I am stressing .. I'm loving being out there riding.. but when those bloody
attacks hit me... I have now devised a way that usually works for me .. to work/ride
through them...

I feel like I am the only person on the planet who suffers from them in this kind of way
and I only notice them when I am out riding and for those who have no idea what it's
like to have one ... Picture this .. cruising down the freeway .. loving the ride .. sun's out
.. buggar all wind and then it starts ... my breathing get's heavier .. my confidence
starts to waiver ..I get pangs of nervousness .. (NOT GOOD STUFF) ...
and that's when I have to START the diversion process...

I immediately get angry and begin a conversation with myself which goes something
like this ..

"YOU have to be Bloody Joking .. it's a great day .. there's no wind .. the sky
is blue.. now CUT THIS CRAP OUT and GET A GRIP .. You love to ride and you are
NOT going to let some stupid bloody panic attack get you ... so &%*#  IT .. now how
does that song go again .. oh yer ... Cruising down the freeway heading down the road
feel the power thumping and feel the engine go ... See you're doing Great .. now
take a long slow breath and catch up to your friends and cut this crap OUT!

( I sound like a total fruit cake don't I *laugh* oh well .. shit happens!)

The horrid feeling lasts from 30 seconds and can keep hitting me for up to about 1 - 3 min
off and on. I HATE THEM ... and during this time, if I am with friends riding, then I just hang
back a bit while I sort my *attack* out.. and then once it's over, I catch up to them.

My panic attacks don't really care when they try and *get* me .. it can be just
one when I am on my own riding or I can have a few of them during a whole day riding.....
they are VERY Exhausting.. but I get through them and I will NOT allow them to stop me
from  going on a ride. You see that's the thing .. they are sneaky bloody things because
there you are feeling all good about going on a ride .. so you head on out there and
within 20 min or 10 min or whatever it try's to stuff up your ride by popping on by and
saying "hello .. I'm going to try to &#$% with you so you have to pull over and give into
me and then I can ruin your ride!"

So ,,if you suffer from them too then your NOT ALONE!

It's a Great Day when I have NONE .. and that happens too :-)

They are VERY GOOD DAYS!

nb.. I am sure having lots of sleep and zero stress in your life and living in a perfect world
all helps to minimize them from happening. *breath in .. breath out .. repeat 20 times :-) *


RIDER ETIQUETTE

I have found that most riders are pretty pleasant and friendly .. *some even
more so when they realise you are a chick riding a bike*. If you pull up at
the traffic lights *most* riders will look over and nod ... *that's after they
do the double take and get rid of the shocked expression on their face
that you're a chick*. I have found that on weekends riders coming toward
you  tend to do the *NOD* thing more often .. whereas Mon - Fri they don't
do it as much.... I think they are in *work mode*. I have found 99% of other
riders on the road are considerate to other riders on the road, which is
really great! (unlike car drivers) I have found that most bike riders will
have a chat and give you the time of day if you are polite and pleasant
and don't get in their face to much.

If you see a group or gang of riders ahead .. it's fun to catch up and
ride for a few minutes with them but I have found that groups and gangs
tend to keep to themselves and don't usually take on stragglers trying to join them
along the way. Sometimes if you are out of town and you pull up at a service
station and a group pulls in and you are all heading the same way .. you maybe
invited to join them.

DO NOT TOUCH ANOTHER RIDERS BIKE >> EVER >>> Without their permission!
NOT EVER!!  You can point .. you can go  uhh and hmm and yummm but
DO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING! In my experience that is Very rude to do and
disrespectful to the owner. (ie it's like opening someone's car door and sticking
your head into their car and having a look around and pressing a few of the
buttons on the dash... ya get my drift!   Ya can LOOK... but don't touch!

Most riders leave their helmets on their bikes or over their mirrors or
on their gear shift or under their bikes, while others take them with them.

Me... it depends on where I am .. most of the time I leave it on my bike
whereas .. other times I take it.

Being a female rider I usually carry a lot of STUFF .. better known as CRAP
by the guys I ride with. You know stuff like a jumper in case it gets cold, a
spare helmet in case I feel like a change, a spare T-shirt in case it gets hot
etc. etc.  Therefore .. let people know you will need a good 5 MIN WARNING
Call before everyone is ready to head off. Nothing worse than trying to rush
and tie stuff down on your bike with 20 or so screaming engines revving up
waiting for YOU! So prepare ladies .. get all your STUFF ready early so when
someone says LETS RIDE .. (and it has been my experience that it happens
pretty fast!)  you need to boogie along or you maybe left behind.

Now days I have my bike key, money, mobile phone and lipstick all in my vest.
That way I don't have to unpack everything to find the basics I need when I
get off and on my bike.

THE SHOW OFF FACTOR .. GETTING COCKY.. AND DICK HEADS!

Now I think there is the HEALTHY show off factor, you know .. the Harley riding
guys (and gals!) who look just a little bit too cool .. and good luck to them ..  and then the
guys and gals on their awesome custom choppers.. good luck to them... and then
the guys and gals on their amazing sports bikes (oh if only my back could cope I would
have one in a flash!) and then there are the  trikes etc. etc. etc. I just love to see all the
different styles of bikes and attitudes! It's all GOOD ..

However .. BEWARE as there are a very small handful of dickheads out on the road who
do REALLY DUMB STUFF .. like pull mono's when it's unsafe .. (that means lifting
the front wheel off the ground and heading along the road on your back tire while
the front tyre is raised up).. OR .. some wanker cutting on your inside LEFT .. you
don't usually see them until they have passed you and it can scare the crap out
of you.... OR Some moron who decides to ride between you and another bike you
are riding next to ... OR some wanker who rides close to you and lets go of his
handle bars... OR some goose who decides to do a burn out and YOU are behind
him and you get smoke and gravel and crap in your face... OR some tosser who
cuts in and out of the traffic at break neck speed (ie lane splitting) unsafely and
cuts cars and trucks off .... or some dickhead who is over confident and starts taking
too many risks and is so busy showing off, they forget to watch the ever changing
traffic conditions and where YOU are on the road.

Sadly all this sort of stuff is what the car drivers see and then many tend to brand
all bike riders based on these wankers acts.

I am very glad to say that it has been my experience that 99% of the riders I
have seen and ride with have been totally excellent!
 

Ok this is sort of a mono ..(Ie front wheel up)  but the rider looks like they are on a race track (best place to try out any and all riding stunts ALONE!) and no-one looks to be near so .. I would say ... this dude is doing it safe... if there is such a thing?	This is a Burn out ... and it would really suck  if you were behind him sucking in the fumes!

TERMINOLOGY
Wearing colours ... means that a bike rider belongs to a gang / group etc.
and if this is the case they usually have a big emblem on the back of their
jacket or vest (ie Hells Angels, Coffin Cheaters etc) That emblem is called their
"colours" and  it signifies the gang or group they belong to.  For many bikers
their colours signify their family and / or brotherhood and they are taken
VERY seriously. Many larger gangs and groups I have met or read about
have done a LOT of work helping various charities and those less fortunate.
Many keep to themselves with their members very close knit. Sadly the media
over the years has portrayed a pretty black image of some bike gangs and clubs and
while I am sure there are some who fall under this negative cloud,  I am sure
there are heaps that are a positive and empowering group for it's members.

You may see some bike riders who have a heap of different badges on their
jackets or vests. These are usually acquired from various bike rides. Some
riders prefer to not display badges, while others go to town with them.  If you
go on any large organised runs then they will usually have a badge for sale
to commemorate that particular ride.

If you hear someone say .. where is my LID .. they mean their Helmet.

INSURANCE

Yes .. this one is up to you.. some riders have been ripped off by some
larger insurance companies while other riders have been looked after.
Each person you speak to will give you a different story. This one is up
to you. My advise is to ring around and get lots of different quotes.


FRIEND FACTOR ...
You know .. I have had the absolute pleasure of riding with so
many wonderful people from all walks of life. I have met people from
all over the world and some from very close by and made some terrific
 friends. The nice part is, we all share the same passion.. RIDING ..
ENJOY IT FOLKS and keep yer knees in the breeze!
      

This is a shot of MY DAD (at 80 and still going strong!) taking off on MY BIKE ... as usual, without my permission!	A few mates popped over and stayed .. my garage will never be the same again!	You can make some excellent long term friends and riding buddies once you get on out there! Here is a shot of my buddy Kaz and I in 2006.

This is me OCTOBER 5th 2008 at the Tooradin Pub watching the guys head home from Phillip Island	I did my bike up and had fun riding it with about 10.000 others at the Xmas Toy Run .. and .. I won first prize too! Whoo hoo!

Places I go riding ...
Uhh Melbourne has some fantastic places to go riding but  I
usually end up in AKLAND STREET, ST KILDA on a lovely Sunday afternoon
enjoying the atmosphere and there are some great little eating places where you
can sit and have a coffee and keep an eye on your bike. I park near the top end of
AKLAND Street opposite the Zenith Bar Restaurant. Also I often head on down to
WILLIAMSTOWN for a wander and it's also a nice ride. If you see me.. then come on over
and say Hi.

Don't forget SUNSCREEN .. You can get wind burn and also burn
through your clear screen helmet!

If you would like to send an email to say Hi or you have
any comments about my web page please feel free.
tazfembiker@yahoo.com.au

Also...if you happen to be a PET LOVER you may one day require my
services .. not only do I love motor bike riding,
 I also love my pets as well. 

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Helpful or useful Links  

 http://www.flamesonmytank.co.za/ride.htm 
Motor Bike Riders Association   http://www.mraa.org.au/ 
NetRider   http://www.netrider.net.au/

All  content on this page is the  property of Taryn Bock (Taz)
Copyright © February 2000