Hi Lois,
best thing being a lady rider!!

L - lovely curves... me not the bike
A - attention to detail.... we girls consider everything even the makeup.
D - determined to get out there and give it a go
Y - young at heart. Riding smooths all the wrinkles and the smiles light up our face and wipe the years away.

R - Ride within our means. We are not drawn into the testosterone battle
I - inquisitive and comfortable to ask dumb questions and try new things (on bikes!!)
D - delicate - us women are delicate both physically and mentally and it helps men get in touch with their feminine side.
E - energetic - men have troubles keeping up with us women
R - randy... we make good company after a fantastic ride.


Kat

KatGirl...I LIKE IT!! ...a lot :-)

how long did it take to think this up?? it about sums it up perfectly.
cheers

__________________
Lisa
www.2ridetheworld.com

Maria, I was only playing !!!

Of course I wasn't offended.

I was just trying to point out that we all make assumptions based on our preconceived ideas. More often than not, they are wrong.

Kindest of very kind regards

BYT

Lisa, just a little comment from the other side, My wife is much the same as you in the above remarks. And just to add a little clarity, at least from my perspective. I do feel much braver when I'm with her, I'm happy to deck out of the ten, stand up for her, yes. However It's becuase she is there I react differently, I can tell you I'm a bl00dy great wus when I'm on my own! It takes alot of inner strength to do things - It's why I like to travel on my own, it forces me to face up to things that I know I can.

---

Lois - there's a common thread here about the reactions to women, and just to chuck a spanner in, I feel some kind of relief about seeing women on bikes, I think they bring a great deal to the world of bikes from sportsbikes to old relics. Some of the best conversations I've had is with women bikers and one or two of them I know are great riders, and one in particular also has the technical knowledge to back it all up, and she's show on a number of occastions that she's got bigger goolies than many men.......

Personaly, I just see bikers as bikers.... I'm sure there are lots of guys out there who think the same.

Now to clean the sodding car off for my wife......

Hi all,
Thanks for the excellent comments, really warms my cockles on a snowy morning. Funny and insightful - I expected nothing less of course!
As has been pointed out by both men and women on this post, we're all in this together and each provide something for the other.
Hopefully see you all somewhere sometime...
Lois
PS How about Maria for Prime Minister?!

__________________
www.loisontheloose.com

Oh dear and I'm supposed to be a moderator here.

I'm turning into a grumpy ol' woman!

I really need to give up the day job and get back on the road.
Ok I'm done with the ranting!

One big advantage of being a woman compared with blokes is, if there is a problem, and there are many problems on the road, women can sometimes be more assertive (some would say "fiery"!) rather than trying to tip toe around the issue.

When some idiot guy on a giant KTM crashed onto me, in Chile, destroying my bike, I was ready to compromise at first. As it became evident the guy washed his hands of it and I was left with over 4000 USD in repairs, I went straight for a kill and sued him. My husband was more keen on a conciliatory approach. Well not me! It got me results: I got some cash out of him! (It was lucky this happened in Chile though...)

I have no problems to kick arses when necessary so that things get actually done! But maybe as I said, because I am turning into a grumpy old woman?

__________________
Maria

www.franglais-riders.com

Hey Lois,

Loving this thread, and wanted to add my thoughts as a relatively new rider (got my L-plates in July, going for my full-blown test next Sunday, yeeha!).

The best thing about being a "lady rider" is the attention you get - a lot of people definitely think motorcycling is cool, and even more so if you're a biker chick! When I pull up on the bike somewhere, there's invariably somebody who wants to have a look at it, asks about it, and wants to know if it's difficult to ride as a relatively petite lady (I'm 5 foot 2). All of which is a great way of meeting people - not to mention a real confidence boost! Love it!

Worst thing about being a girl on a bike is not having enough choice of bikes to play with!! I've got a low-slung cruiser (Suzuki Marauder) at the moment but would love to have a go on something that goes off-road. But pretty much everything I've looked at has a 10-foot tall saddle (ok I'm exaggerating a bit, but you know what I mean!) and is clearly designed with guys in mind. Even when I sat on a BMW adventure touring bike with lowered suspension recently, it just felt like a guy's bike, not something a girl would ride. So c'mon, bike manufacturers, how about an adventure touring bike for the girls???

Anyway, enough musings... Gotta get on and practise my slow-riding skills for my test next weekend...wish me luck!!

Jeanie

I'm glad you feel that way!

Can I tell you a little story? I hope this won't affend anyone. If the post ends up in the BIT bucket, I'll understand.

A little boy and girl were playing in a yard.

Little Boy:
Hey! Lets go behind the garage....I'll show you mine, If you'll show me yours.

Little Girl:
Ok!

Little Boy:
Pulls down his shorts.

Little Girl:
Lifts up her skirt.

Little Boy:
Starts laughing....Hey! I got something you don't have.

Little Girl:
That may be true....But my mum told me with what I got, I can get as many of those as I want.

I'm reminded all the time that women rule the world!

Ride Safe Everybody!

daryl

Hi Lois,

Sheonagh and Pat (aka Dusty old Bags) here. Also in Thailand (hi Lisa - we're doing the loop heading for Mae Hong Son) and we've been on the road for exactly a year now.

Huge advantages being women on the road - starting with Respect! Very good for the ego! Add our ages (61 me and 57 Pat) and people are amazed (we simper modestly...). It just makes us determined to stay as fit as possible for as long as possible.

When policemen in Peru stop you and you take your helmet off, they think - "oh my God it's my mother" and are very polite. We even escaped the clutches of an officious Nicaraguan cop without paying the bribe, though it took a while.

Yesterday we went into a Honda shop in Sukhothai to look for some bits and they ended up changing our oil for us (which we'd bought elsewhere) and washing our bikes all totally free of charge - because the lady manager (yes!) took a liking to us.

Disadvantages - Pat was constantly directed to the gents in Korea as she is 5'8" and has long legs (big advantage the rest of the time) and was even sent into the men's onsen in Japan which she exited in a hurry.

We're a bit chicken about wild camping (sorry Lois not as brave as you!).

Keep up the good work! All the best from both of us.

On advice of legal counsel, I deny all responsibility for the content here. This is for information purposes only. Do not try this at home.

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Dear Auntie Lois,

Slightly off topic and maybe one for the "mens section" of the mag, but I'd like to see something about how we get more of you ladies to ride.

I know plenty of what we could charitably call recreational riders. Sports bike or Cruiser, does 2000 miles a year to the coffee shop of choice with a 7 day tour to some event. The wife/girlfriend seems to either get left at home or stuck on some hideous pillion seat with a rucksack bigger than she is wishing she'd stayed at home. I think a good proportion of these couples are fine on the basis that "absinth makes the heart grow fonder" or whatever the phrase is.

However, some of use like having our other halves along. My wife rides pillion and we have the outfit for when we want to bring the Dog, tent you can stand up in, contents of beauty salon, contents of wine cellar etc. This is close to having cake and eating it, but there is however still a limit. What would add greatly to the flexibilty of these expeditions is if my wife would get her license. We'd have a choice of bikes. I'd happliy ride the outfit while Karen enjoyed the Bonneville and it'd be great to take the MZ places that might require a tool kit knowing I had a support bike/outfit along*.

*I'm not struck with the idea of (Does Al Murray voice) "A GS for the man, nice little F650 for the lady", I'd prefer two the same even if they were both the smaller bike, but even this has to beat two adults on a CBR600RZZRABCDE and I guess gives both riders the bike they like? (I have an advantage here, I simply don't get the feel of bikes, they are just machines to me so really won't care less if both bikes ended up as Harleys or Ducatis or whatever, it'd just be more work finding the right tyres).

So; How do I stop my wife crumpling at the knees at the thought of doing her CBT to see if she likes it? Why, despite me saying time and time again that they are only machines (which I drop reasonably frequently) does she insist that I'd be upset if she dropped one of "my"/the bikes and we therefore havn't got space for one for her anyway? How come if the pillion seat is so great she doesn't want to ride?

Confused of Leeds (Andy)

PS:

Ladies who want off road but can't do a GS/KTM, imagine one with a narrowed as well as lowered seat (helps) and consider the likes of the Triumph Scrambler (not just a dressed up cruiser) and older GS (more of a conventional shape). I've found the bike doesn't need to look like a GS to do the journey, it's about tyres, bash plates etc.

Totally agree on the "getting things done" advantage, but I'm sure the middle approach between tippy toeing round it and the things my dear wife shouts at Rugby matches (in the firm knowledge that the prop forward who's head she'd like to see stamped on will come looking for me not her) might be the way?

Knitting BTW is a very useful skill. No need to put up with badly made, ill fitting winter kit for the middle layer when Karen and her mum make to measure. Hideoulsy 1970's/the goodlife as it may look, my knitted tank tops that come over your bum and seal the jacket-trousers gap are a big factor in being able to ride at minus stupid. Ditto the scarf that buttons on the chest, seals the collar but doesn't restrict/chaff. Wool insulates when wet too. One tip though, put a cork on the needles when packing in a canoe sack!

You might have yourself to blame. I learnt to ride after my first ever long distance pillion ride. If the rider had been more considerate, I might still be riding pillion now. So, in a roundabout way, he did me a huge favour!

Basically though, you can't make someone do something they don't want to. I would hazard a guess that most women riders on here learnt to ride because they wanted to, not at the behest of their partners. And a lot of those that did may have bikes gathering dust in garages now. You can take a horse to water...and all that.

Debs

__________________
‎"People who say it cannot be done shouldn't interrupt those who are doing it" George Bernard Shaw

hi maria,
if you dont like what you (dont) read in most bike mags whats stopping you taking a leaf out of lois' book and submitting an article of your own?

emeline pankhurst rode a motorbike, she wouldnt just sit there sulking, she would untwist her knickers, dust off that old typewriter from the secretarial classes she took before trapping a husband, and jolly well knock one out before getting his tea.




















TeeHee!

__________________
dave

Pat who is very good at maps and spannering wants to add her bit:
Disadvantages of being a woman on the road (or anywhere for that matter):

Heaven preserve me from men who think they understand maps and snatch your's off you assuming you don't know where you are. Ten minutes later it is returned with a grimy fingerprint and a triumphant "you are here" comment. Yes I knew that.....

the mechanics who insist they know better... like
a) the one who insisted "O" rings must be glued down with great globs of gasket sealant
b) those who insist on winching up every nut and bolt including those into alloy housings to something I cannot undo without a tame gorilla
c) the one who wanted to squirt degreasant into all the oilways before putting the oil filter back.

and many other examples which result in a big argument!

Having said that, we have come across many wonderful mechanics who have let Pat loose in their workshops, lent her tools etc and not taken offence when she says how she wants something done.

I've found that most mechanics have been great and have taken at face value what I have said is or may be wrong with my bike. They never mind me being in the workshop and I never feel in the way. That said...Simon is usually working with another mechanic on his bike at the same time...is it because he is also there? I would hope not.

I agree with Deseed - no amount of persuation, gentle or otherwise can convince someone to do or try something (whatever it may be) until they themselves are convinced. However, once a rider there is no going back! you may even regret it as now everything will be duplicated and this means double the cost as well!

"A GS for the man, nice little F650 for the lady"....I couldnt work out if this idea made me defensive over a femal standpoint or if its demeaning about the F650. ?? I'd like a bigger bike but I would not be able to touch the floor (Im only 5'3") and at the end of the day its about getting a bike that you are comfortable with whether that be the image you want to convey or how it makes you feel when you are riding it.. a bike has to 'work for you'.

so I think my point it is to Threewheelbonnie- if you want your wife to ride she must choose her own type of bike and not start off with one of yours. even though you say that the bike is just a machine to you, she sees it as YOUR machine. she has to understand the benfits of having her own bike rather than you trying to get her to see the benfits that you see.....if you understand what I mean!?

BTW - its my opinion that its not the bike that limits the rider but the rider that limits the bike...

when i first started to ride again after not being able to afford a bike for a few years I found that the mainly male group of riders were (apart from a few) full of bravado. Testosterone levels were high and for some reason I think they always felt they had to proove they were a better rider than I was.

do men generally feel threatend when a woman rides her own motobike..and if so why?

so - just a few of my ramblings. this appears to happen more and more the closer to 50 I get!

__________________
Lisa
www.2ridetheworld.com