Vixens, as riders we tend to start out at a disadvantage, but being female riders I think shows we have “balls” and we definitely do get major credit for that. I believe it takes a certain type of woman to ride, she has to be confident, outgoing and let’s face it the majority of us have quite the personality to boot. Come on, think about it…getting off your bike with helmet in hand, you can start conversations with anyone and they have a huge amount of respect for you, women because they see how strong and independent you are (yes they want to be you) and men because they think it’s sexy (yeah, they can’t help that, it’s the way they are wired). I only state we are at a disadvantage mostly due to the machines we ride, they were developed without us in mind and I mean this in every way. It limits what kind of bikes some of choose to ride because as beginners it is intimidating to climb onto a machine which may weigh up to 300+ pounds more than us, the seat height is too high and we are unable to touch the ground or feel secure in touching it even 3/4 of the way, the handlebars are too far away, the suspension is too stiff for our body weight, etc. The truth is that many of us don’t want a bike we can’t flat foot at a stop and that ends up limiting what types of bikes we choose to ride as our starter bikes. Don’t get me wrong, starting out with a bike you are completely comfortable with to learn the in’s and out’s of motorcycling is incredibly important, but I find that the fear ends up dictating our choices and before we know it we have outgrown the bike we started with and aren’t fully enjoying the ride.

I will make myself an example in this, I bought a Ducati Monster 696 ABS as a starter bike. I wish I would’ve just bought the 796 (the seat height was also a determining factor, it was slightly higher) instead, but because I was being told that the 696 was more power than I would need, I chose my current bike. In the line of Ducati’s it was the one where I could get the most leverage for my feet to touch, but no one mentioned to me that it could be lowered by shaving the seat down, adjusting the suspension, etc. The truth is that dealerships are meant to sell you a bike, they aren’t there to help you enjoy it or get the most out of it, they are there to turn a profit. It is solely up to us to help educate each other and give each other advice that otherwise could not be learned through them. The first week out while on my tiptoes at a stop, I dropped the bike, it was so embarrassing and it really pissed me off. I went back to the dealership and discussed my issue, but the fact that they were guys, they had little (useful) advice to offer or maybe coming from a guy I just tuned them out. At the time, there was a gal named Rachel, that worked once a week at the dealership and she was way shorter than me and also rode. I asked her the same questions I had asked the guys and she was a plethora of information, the first was to have my seat shaved to gain leverage, lowering the bike using lowering links (which I still have a hard time getting behind unless you are only using the bike for pleasure riding and not leaning your bike in any way), suspension (which is still my go to) and just plain old seat time. I shaved the seat and got my suspension done and guess what? I could’ve gotten that 796 I wanted had someone just been a resource for me and told me what I needed to do to get my bike to fit me. Leverage is a huge factor for a beginner, but as you progress and get more seat time, experience and confidence, fully touching the ground doesn’t become a factor (while it is nice) and you can manage with one foot touching. Don’t be afraid to ask other women riders for advice, especially ones who fit your body type, they understand your struggles and will jump right on board to help you get more out of your ride. Sad to say, but we are the minority when it comes to riding so manufacturers concentrate of the major population of riders which happen to be men, so it is that much more imperative that we band together and show the industry that we do matter. I would love to see the day when a woman can walk into a dealership and be greeted by a knowledgable saleswoman, dealerships that offer free setup for women riders, offer workshops on how to maintain your bike, offer discounts to various businesses that can help us customize our bikes to fit, etc…Yeah it’s a pipe dream, but it isn’t impossible. Until that day arrives though, it is up to all of us to help educate and give each other advice on how to absolutely love our rides.

Tell other women riders about us and have them register on the website and like us on Facebook, we are here to help and make this the best online resource there is. If we can improve in any way let us know. We want to provide you with interesting information for riding and for women’s issues as the two go hand in hand. If there is an event you want posted, an issue you want discussed, etc. let us know via email and we will do it. MotoVixens is a community of women riders that are passionate about riding and their health, as riders we must maintain a certain energy level to focus and ride and it is all about being healthy and fit. Here’s to looking at all us fabulous Vixens! Now go out and Ride C.H.I.C!