I ride because of the thrill and peace of mind that converge at the same time. Also, I’m doing something that some men don’t have the balls to do.

I saw the movie Top Gun and Tom Cruise was riding his ass off that was my first attraction to riding.

So here I am on 2’s. It’s that simple.

I don’t have this amazing story or anything. I didnt grow up riding, I didn’t grow up in this life and I didn’t know anybody that was even a rider.

I was at a difficult point in my life and I was online looking for a place to move to and a Pop Up for motorcycles came across my screen. I clicked on it out of boredom and there it was, my bike. I got the check and rented a trailer and off for a 4 hour trip I went. It took me 2 weeks to even sit on my bike and I wasn’t sure I would ever REALLY ride it.

Once I sat on it…I knew that was ME this void I didn’t realize I had, has been filled. I taught myself to ride and I took the class after about a month or so. During the class I learned of “Bike Nights” so I showed up and sat in the parking lot out of curiosity. And I was approached by other riders and it was amazing.

I made it a point to ride with whoever invited me because I had fallen in love with it, I was good at it and wanted any of the free time, that I wasn’t being something to someone else (mom, wife, sister, daughter etc), to be spent doing it. It sounds cliche but riding honestly became therapy for me.

I LOVE this life and it all came natural like something I was supposed to do. Being on the open road with my thoughts and my bike was something I was meant to do. Be FREE and be ME.

Ive never been a club goer but a bike party I loved because I could ride, didn’t have to dress up and could be in the presence of others that loved what I loved. Im not a prissy, pretty chick so this fit me well. I love the shock and awe when I pull up on my bike and see the look on peoples faces and the comments of “oh you ride?”

I can’t remember much of my life before. Its even strengthened my bond with my daughter because if she doesn’t do anything else with me she will RIDE and I feel like her hero every time we do. She can’t ask me about a dress and makeup but she can ask me about a helmet, some gloves or some bike parts. Even my boys are hype to tell people their Mom rides.

I could go on and on about why I ride but my ADD is kickin in!

It all started with my Dad, the day he put me on the tank of his Triumph Boneville at the tender age of 5, this girl was in love. The next step for me was in the dirt with my brothers and my Dad. I absolutely loved the dirt but it did not love me. After spending 2 weeks in the hospital and 3 months in a full leg cast I gave up the dirt.

Fast forward to my Navy days. At the amazing age of 21, I bought my first street bike in San Diego. A Honda Rebel that I rode all over the west coast.

Two’s have been a part of my life and in my blood since I can remember. To me it seems so natural to be on my bike, my second skin.

My bike of 13 years now is another Honda, a Sabre 1100, that’s that loyalty.

I guess you can “blame” my Dad for sparking that fire in me for the love of the road and my bike. Thanks Dad, best gift I have ever received!KO

When I came across this website by a fellow rider on FB (women who wrench) I fell in love. Here was like minded women like me, who unabashed with their knowledge of the machine and the lifestyle to which they have become accustomed to, spoke freely.

My first recollection came about 40 years ago….I came from nowhere Minnesota, on a farm, my dad had one sic purple chopper! I loved it! Now I look back and think, wow, the 70’s and Easy Rider was tits! My dad had a little beat up Rupp mini bike; I was about 9 when I jumped on my first “hog” and rode the piss outa that thing! The torque action on that piece of metal would throw me straight back and up in the air if I dared clinched and twist too much! I had the fever, thought I was invincible until I slide down a dew laid grassy ditch and had the bare muffler kiss the inside of my thigh. GOD DAMN THAT HURT! Respect. She earned it….

My dad later bought me a Honda Trailblazer for my Confirmation at about 12/13 years old, to my mother’s chagrin. In about 3 summer’s I must have put at least 3k on it! I literally thought I was Evil Knievel! I remember going all the way down to the end of the farm, hitting the ditch, where I had ridden a clean patch of 100’s of runs prior. I would give that bitch snoose; try to jump the driveway, but to only be able to bring the front tire up about 3 inches. It was still a victory!

As I grew older, of course I wanted to drive a “cage” more than anything, but always wanted a “big girl bike”. Each decade I would promise myself I would get a “hog” and make it to Sturgis. 30 came and went, and with it a beautiful daughter. 40 came and went, and I was married, and he sure as HELL wasn’t going to have me on a damn motorcycle. So, out of spite, I got my damn credit card, went online, and bought me a 150cc Chinese scooter that came 10 days later in a huge wooden box; (some assembly required)! I put it together and rode that thing like I was king shit gain. It felt great to have the wind in my hair again! Two years later I wanted a “big girl bike” and tried to make concessions. This time I was stopped fast in my tracks! I had no license; I had been an outlaw this entire time! Lol So, out of spite, I went down to my local Harley dealership, threw down the money and received my motorcycle endorsement 8 days later! My husband was actually in awe….

I bought my first “big girl bike” that fall, a 2006 Suzuki Boulevard with 700 miles on it. Perfect! No… was good for about another year, but I looked like a damn circus bear on that little one cylinder thumper! So, out of spite, I took my husband last year on Mother’s Day to several Harley dealerships, where in turn, he bought me my first “big girl bike”, a 2014 Harley Davidson Softail Deluxe.

This summer, before I turn 48, I will head on a 2000 mile trip to Sturgis with my brother. Excitement, love, fulfillment, joy can’t express my feelings on this awesome chapter of my life.

Why do I ride? Because I have come full circle….

Thanks Dad.

I knew that it was inside of me all the time.

Not just a knowing, but a feeling. A restless child inside my soul who couldn’t be still. The whispered voice that wouldn’t be silenced.

I wanted to RIDE.

But not only did I not know how, I didn’t know anyone else who did, and I didn’t know how to go about learning.

But the desire was always there. Every time I would see a beautiful bike cruise past me on the street or roar past me on the highway, something would stir inside of me and I knew without a doubt that one day that would be me. So much so that I would purchase and wear t-shirts of my motorcycle of choice Harley-Davidson. As I think back I realize that perhaps I was getting ready.
Good thing I did because it was coming. The universe has a way of giving us what we believe we deserve.

I met my future spouse who had already been riding for many years. After we had been together for a few years we decided that it was time for me to learn how to ride. I was told that if I was going to learn how to ride that I had to learn on the most practical bike available to us. Our 100 year anniversary Harley-Davidson Fatboy. Of course I had reservations about learning on this bike because it’s beautiful and I didn’t want to mess it up in any way.
Logically, my first thought was maybe I should learn on something smaller because I was a woman. The response I got was, “Why? You’re going to ride it, not carry it. Besides I’ve seen women make that mistake for years. Invest in a bike that they out grow in no time and now they’re stuck. That’s not going to be you.”

So at 5′ 4″ tall I learned how to ride that Fatboy with the 18″ apehangers that were already on it. We both had confidence in my abilities; although, my biggest concern was the carpal tunnel that I have in my right wrist and how it might affect my riding. Well there was only one way to find out.

We headed east one Sunday morning to ride as far as possible to see how far I could go. 225 miles and one state over we stopped to have a bite to eat. Then headed back home. 225 more miles. Not bad. So four days later we tried it again just to be sure. About 400 miles and four states later I took a picture by the state sign. Utah, Life Elevated. Seemed appropriate because that’s how it feels when I ride. Of course I had to make the ride back home through the desert heat. I was ready. For my accomplishment I was given that beautiful Fatboy as a birthday gift.

I know that you get me when I say that when I am on the road the bike and I are one. There’s nothing like moving down the highway with a 360° view of God’s beautiful creation. Nothing. No other experience can compare.

In the 3 years that I have been riding, I have been out of my home state on ground multiple times and my rides have taken me to Mexico and Canada. Unfortunately, I have also experienced the downside of this life as well having been hit on the freeway at 70 mph. But we all know that you can’t keep a good woman down. 2 days after I got my bike out of the shop from being repaired you know what I did to celebrate?
Got on that motherfucker and rode out of state like I stole it. Still sore as hell, bad weather, and all.

Growing up as a kid, my Dad’s friends would come over and give me rides on their bikes. I loved the feeling of it. When I got older, I had a few friends who rode and would take me for quick rides around my city. I never purchased a motorcycle of my own, because I was a single mom and figured that my time, energy and money should be spent on my child. Well in 2003, my son passed at the age of nine. I was heartbroken and realized that we only live once and that we could go and anytime.

I started saving for my first bike. I wanted to pay in cash because I didn’t want a monthly bill. Once I got all of the money needed for a motorcycle, I took the motorcycle course at the Community College here in my area. After completing the class and passing the test at the DMV, I purchased my first bike and named him “JR”. It was a small bike, but I rode that thing like it had done something to me.

At one point, I was the only female riding with the guys in my area. They took me out and helped me craft my riding skills. They told me that I was a great listener and that I could ride with them ANYWHERE. It was times when they would take off and book down the road, but they always made sure that I was ok, by waiting for me up the road somewhere.

Time went on and I started saving for the motorcycle that I have now. This motorcycle is called “DREAM”. I love both of my bikes and they both have taught me so much. YES, I said it; they both have taught me so much.

It is not always easy being a female rider, because there have been plenty of trips where I had to ride on my own. I made sure that I had directions, my gps, or I just knew where I was going. I would check in with my husband at every gas stop, and just prayed and kept it moving. People would always say “You rode all the way here by yourself?” And I would tell them, “How else would I get here.” I am glad that I made that step to take the class, purchase my motorcycle, and get out there. One of the reasons I ride, is because I have met so many great people; and so many of you have changed my life.

I ride, because it was something that I always wanted to do. I ride, for the freedom. I ride, because it clears my mind from all the troubles in the world. I ride, because I can do it on my OWN. I ride, for the new TRUE friendships. I ride, because I LOVE IT.

Hmmmmm….This is a good question ? I have thought about this question and could give you 100 reasons “Why I Ride”. If you look around an take stock of, and pay homeage to, and learn from of the ladies who rode before us and what they’ve done, and the ones who ride now and what they are now doing, and the ones who will ride in the future because of what the past and present ladies have done and are doing I can answer that question with just 3 words……BECAUSE I CAN

What motivated me to learn to ride…
Being told by my brothers that I had to learn how to ride and to never jump on the back of anyone’s bike.

What inspires me to ride…
The fact that I am able to represent females on two wheels. Although these bikes are powerful machines I have a sense of control and independence.

What keeps me inspired…
It is freedom, relaxation and also creates a separation from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.