women riders – Page 7

Letter From Mary McGee

October 19, 2012 By Carol Carpenter

The following is a letter from the legendary Mary McGee, who I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with at the Ride West Event on October 11, 2012. She has led an incredible life and done things that I could’ve only dreamed of. She was so down to earth and gracious, not at all what you would expect from someone who is so accomplished. She is an inspiration to all women, she paved the way for women race car drivers and motorcyclists alike, being the first woman to race in both. I am honored that I was on a panel with her and look forward to working with her in the future to encourage more women to ride.

Hi Carol,

It was terrific meeting you and everyone at the RideWest event. I think you have a great idea going with your web site. I admire your abilities and knowledge to get into this project, and by the way it is a great name, motovixens.com. Thank you for your wonderful words on the adventures in my life. It was kinda stuffed with a lot of fun and excitement, I was lucky. You will have a lot of opportunities for many adventures in your life, and I know you will say yes when something/anything is offered.

I think the kind of women oriented plans that you, Tracy & Deb are doing is really fantastic. It is women like you that will bring more women into the wonderful world of motorcycles, and we know that many women need a lot of encouragement to get started. It is marvelous that more women are interested in bikes and people like you will draw them in. As we all know motorcycle people are the BEST.

Cheers,

Mary

Carol T. Carpenter

Massage Envy

October 19, 2012 By Carol Carpenter

For those of you unfamiliar (you’d have to be living under a rock, but OK) with Massage Envy, it is a chain of massage centers that make it easy and more cost effective for you to get pain relief. I joined many years ago at the Redmond location in Bear Creek when I was plagued with debilitating upper back pain and migraines. Unable to function, I started receiving massages to alleviate the pain. It is widely documented that massage is beneficial in not only alleviating pain, but helping you lead a better quality of life. As riders, we all have times when our bodies tell us that it is time for a “tune up” and it is up to us to listen to what our bodies need. We would never skip a tune up or ignore an issue on our bike, why should we ignore our well being? We are the pilots of our machines, if we aren’t 100% then our riding will reflect that.

Massage Envy has a few deals going, check out our special offers page and print out the flyer, take it in to a location near you and get the relief you need. Be well and Ride C.H.I.C! Needless to say…Vixens Ride!

Carol T. Carpenter

Any Lab Test Now

October 19, 2012 By Carol Carpenter

Any Lab Test Now is a facility that I came across when I was really feeling fatigued. I had always heard of B-12 shots and with my lifestyle as hectic as it is, I knew that something was missing and wanted to give it a try. I walked into the facility in Redmond, WA (across from the old post office) and met Laurie, who administered the B-12 shot. She discussed why I may be feeling run down (I am vegetarian) and said that it would be good to come in weekly to the shot. That day, I found a renewed energy and actually cleaned the whole house before I finally crashed. This was after I had run 3 miles that morning and spent all day on the motorcycle going to my appointments. I started to feel that fade where I knew I needed another shot in a few weeks, but my schedule did not permit it and I walked in the week later to get my “tune up” shot. If you have never had a B-12 shot here is your opportunity to give it a try:

Any Lab Test Now is offering MotoVixens a free (Yes, Free) B-12 shot. The only catch is that you can only receive the free one every 90 days. I personally believe once you try it, you will just buy a package, like I do. There is no appointment necessary, you just walk in, get your shot and move on with your day. You can visit www.anylabtestnow.com for locations and hours near you. Check out their other programs too, they do all kinds of tests pertaining to your health and they do it at a fraction of the cost the doctors will charge you for. They also have an InShape MD program, should you be interested. Just mention MotoVixens and get your free shot today! Vixens Ride!

This offer is limited to four Seattle area locations, Redmond, Renton, Seattle and Vancouver. In Oregon, this offer is available in Portland and Gresham.

Carol T. Carpenter

Sales of ‘girl’ motorcycles rev up

October 19, 2012 By Carol Carpenter

I recently came across this article in the LA Times and I am stunned that women are being relegated to “girl” bikes, what an absolute insult to our intelligence and abilities. Those of us that have chosen to ride, ride on guy bikes, plain and simple. There are no bikes scaled down for women, so why put us on the less powerful 250cc – 350cc bikes? What a complete put down. Sure 9 out of 10 motorcyclists is a male, but does that mean that we can’t or shouldn’t ride? NO! If anything, as women we have always had to overcome these prejudices, it is just a fact. What we can do is empower women to become better riders, give them the information they need to make decisions, educate and give them options, encourage them and remind them they can do whatever they want.

Read the LA Times article here

Many women want to ride, yet they always tell me that bikes are too tall, too heavy, too scary, etc… So let me tell you that I am what they term “vertically challenged”. I am 5’4″ tall and I have found solutions to my “shortcomings” because for me there was never any question what types of motorcycles I wanted to ride. I presently ride a 2012 Ducati Monster 696, I have ridden the BMW S1000RR’s mostly on my tiptoes and a Ducati 848 EVO that was equipped with lowering links (on the balls of my feet). I don’t look at these challenges as problems, it just requires more creative tweaking. The desire to learn just has to be there and the mindset to overcome these minor challenges. Don’t let others put doubt into your mind (i.e. that bike is too heavy too powerful for you, etc.), educate yourself, practice, persevere. I knew I wasn’t a confident rider when I started so I fixed that, I researched and then attended a track school (track schools are not just for people who want to race, they are for everyone). It was the best investment I ever made, I made that investment in me, I am a mother, sister and aunt, I want to enjoy my sport without fear. Fear comes from being uneducated, so educate yourself and be a confident rider, you are worth that investment.

Read the LA Times article here

As for the motorcycle world, we can’t change Rome in a day. It will require many more years before manufacturers will listen, but they will if we express our grievances in numbers. When 9 out of 10 riders is male, we are small potatoes even though we are growing in number every year. Be patient things will change, we can be part of that change and pave the way for future women riders everywhere. I love liter bikes, I love the raw power, but I have yet to find one that fits me perfectly (I’d give to touch the ground on the balls of my feet). Maybe that will happen someday, but for now it forces me to be a better rider than a male counterpart who does not even have to consider all the issues I must overcome just to ride that same bike. Women riders are a special group of people, we don’t complain, we do. It is up to us to speak out and tell the industry what women want because I don’t know about you, but I would like to see more adjustability in suspension, more dealerships offer free setup, more knowledge in helping women enjoy their rides. Let’s make them start thinking for us, that is how we can get the ball rolling. But in the meantime, Vixens, let’s ride!

Read the LA Times article here

Carol T. Carpenter

Body Evo

October 13, 2012 By Carol Carpenter

Body Evo is located at 14024 NE 181st Street, Suite 201, Woodinville, WA 98072 and their number is(425) 224-2700. They are a technology day spa that offers many different types of treatments to help keep your body healthy and toned. Please visit the site and try the Computerized Muscle Stimulation treatment that helps tighten and tone your body, if anyone remembers Bailine this is similar to that concept. Misha, the owner, is offering 50% off your first muscle stimulation treatment for anyone who mentions “MotoVixens” upon making their appointment. There is also another special going on:

“Come warm up in our Alpha thermogenic Infrared sauna POD and choose from one of our slimming, detoxifying body wrap/pack treatments and receive $25 off throughout the month of October!”

I am a regular client of Body Evo and stand by the CMS treatment completely. I use it for maintenance (once a week) and it keeps my core nice and strong. It however is not my only source of conditioning, in addition to this treatment I run at least 3 miles daily and do yoga 3-4 times a week (schedule permitting). Since doing CMS, I can actually run longer without fatigue and also hold my yoga poses for longer durations of time with much less effort than when I first started. I have been doing CMS for about a year and a half and slowly watched my body transform into the lean and strong machine it now is. The added benefit is that with my core so strong, I am able to ride centered on my bike and corner with more efficiency, ride longer without muscle fatigue and actually feel like one with my motorcycle.

Misha and I will be doing the unthinkable and actually videoing the results that CMS offers, this will not be edited in any way, this is actually our bodies and we are 20 years apart. We hope it will make you look at the benefits of technology spas and try them for yourselves. Stay tuned!

Carol T. Carpenter

More ‘Motorcycle Mamas’ Hitting the Road

October 9, 2012 By Carol Carpenter

A recent study showed that 1 in 10 motorcycle owners is a woman, and additionally, the number of female riders is increasing at a higher rate than men. TODAY’s Jenna Wolfe hops on and finds out who these fearless females really are.

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For all you future MotoVixens, I hope this video gives you the motivation to join a sport that we all love. With any sport, it can be dangerous, but with the proper education and instruction, it is safer than most people think. As motorcyclists we tend to be more aware of our surroundings and we are better riders and drivers because of this. Distraction is not an option when you ride, you have to be alert and scan for hazards at all times. It is challenging and rewarding all in one, I hope this brief clip encourages you to join us….MotoVixens ride!

Carol T. Carpenter

Motorcycle Setup for Women

October 3, 2012 By Carol Carpenter

This is an interview I had with Brian Trudeau of Fluid Suspension Science (aka FS2) at his shop at home in Spanaway, WA. When Brian first started working on my bike (2012 Ducati Monster 696 ABS) the front forks were very soft and the rebound was way too high (causing the forks to spring back quickly). Brian changed the fork oil to slow down the rebound, he changed the 7.5 wt oil to a 20 wt oil in the rebound fork (compression and rebound are controlled by separate forks) and in the compression fork he changed the 7.5 wt oil to 10 wt oil to take out some of the “sloppy squishiness” from the forks. On the rear of the bike, Brian found that the sag was too little and needed to be relaxed, he explained that I didn’t weigh enough for proper amount of sag and it needed relaxing. I mentioned that my ride was rough and my back end tended to skip when I took corners (READ: NO TRACTION LADIES – very bad!). Brian took 4 turns of preload out of the shock and checked for correct rider sag. I took the bike out for a spin and I was stunned the difference it made. I had always said I didn’t trust my bike, but after I had this setup done, I could honestly say that I not only trusted my bike, I could enjoy cornering at higher speeds with confidence.

Women riders really need to look at setup for their bikes, the fact is that bikes are dialed in for the average 175-200 lb. male and if you are lighter than that, your ride is definitely too stiff for you. The honest truth is that you have no traction ladies…no traction is bad! If you find your back end hopping or you have no rebound, you have no traction. Please don’t think that setups are only for racers, they are for everyone, get one done and see the difference it will make in your ride and confidence in your bike and how it will perform.

Carol T. Carpenter

Why MotoVixens was started…

October 3, 2012 By Carol Carpenter

Carol Carpenter

I started MotoVixens as a tool to empower women riders. While starting my company, I discovered many women riders knew very little about their motorcycles (including how to inspect their bikes before a ride) and how to make their motorcycles run optimally for them. As women, we need to make sure our motorcycles are setup to function properly under our weight and height (for those of us that are height challenged this is even more crucial). Please see our video with Brian Trudeau of FS2 under our blog posts.

There are also very few options for continuing education after the Motorcycle Safety Class where you receive an endorsement to operate a motorcycle. You can’t attend an intermediate class quite yet, since chances are you aren’t quite seasoned enough to be confident in that class, so now what? Private lessons are available, check with your instructors or contact different schools in your area and find out if they offer any. Ask other riders, they are incredibly friendly and will give you recommendations. Truly though, it is about practice, seat time and real life situations. I rode with others when I first started out on the street, having that added security helped me feel more comfortable while I was starting out. It is hard to transition from a parking lot to the street then to the freeway, there is so much to look out for and it requires your full attention. Don’t be hard on yourself, learn, ask questions, get educated (read, join a riding group or attend a riding school) like I did with California Superbike School (see blog).

In Seattle, WMST, has an On-Street course that takes students out on the road under the watchful eye of instructors. Each student is wired into a Bluetooth unit that they can hear their instructor with as they take you on the challenges of the road you will face every day, so check them out at www.gowmst.com and see all this school has to offer. WMST also offers women only classes so you not only learn, you can let your guard down and really have fun. Another option is also track days. Track days can be nerve racking, but we are currently working with track schools to put on “women’s only” days so that women can rule the track for a day without worrying about being cut off by men zipping around the track. This gives you even more opportunity to hone your skills or ask for help with lines, breaking and cornering speed.

I am the Ambassador for Women’s events for Ducati Bellevue (Bellevue, WA) and am working to offer day rides (in the spring and summer), maintenance events, track days and seminars with a hope someday Ducati will implement this program through their dealerships nationwide. Ducati Bellevue is one of the first to implement a program like this and I am honored to be a part of the Ducati family and their desire to educate women riders.

My wish is to help women not only learn the basics of their bikes (like how to change their air filter or oil filter) or what your checklist should be before going out for a ride, but to love riding so much that they want to know everything about it. We should educate ourselves so we can know our bikes inside and out, but at best knowing the basics is essential. Having that knowledge makes the ride more pleasurable and allows us to concentrate on the task at hand, enjoying our bikes, friends and the beautiful scenery. I am looking forward to many years of sharing my passion and helping women RIDE CHIC (Confident, Hard and In Control). See you all out there on the road.

Vixens Ride!

Carol T. Carpenter

How Did I Get Here?

September 25, 2012 By Carol Carpenter

Carol Carpenter

Have you ever pondered how you got where you are and then wondered number one, “How did I get here?” and then number two, “What the hell am I going to do now?” That was my dilemma when I divorced after 21 years with two teenage boys. As women, we sacrifice for the better of all and then when things don’t go as planned, we find we never considered a backup. I should’ve, could’ve suddenly doesn’t matter because you didn’t.

I threw myself into my passion for motorcycle riding and learning everything I could about riding techniques. I attended the CA SuperBike School, Level I & II in April 2012 to whet my appetite for conquering those dreaded corners. Then I took those concepts and applied them directly on the track and street. In July 2012, I went back and finished Level III & IV, in the numerous hours of riding I spent applying those techniques, the sense of accomplishment, the love of the sport in it’s purest form, I found myself. I joined riding groups, spent endless hours riding all over Puget Sound and I finally found my peace. Riding came to me at the most inopportune time, yet it became my saving grace.

Things happen for a reason, we may not fully comprehend what those reasons may be, but it seems to always work out. You just have to have passion, surround yourself with amazing individuals and persevere. Riding and helping women riders is and continues to be my passion. As any woman rider will tell you this is a male dominated industry. We are after thoughts, we don’t have the same access to gear, products and information as men do and as a result it makes it incredibly intimidating to not only learn how to ride, but ride confidently. I hope that my website can help you find what you need and give you valuable information in one easy to navigate site. It is my goal to continuously work at bringing you the latest information, update reviews and resources as quickly as I can, in order to help you make informed decisions and improve the enjoyment of your ride.

I say we Vixens need to stick together and Ride C.H.I.C. (Confident, Hard and In Contol). Hope to see you out there on the road.

Carol T. Carpenter