Women in driver's seats astride bikes in larger numbers : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

Carrie · 03-21-2005, 10:45 PM

story

Women are no longer taking a back seat to men on their motorcycles. The Motorcycle Industry Council said nearly 10 percent of motorcyclists in the United States in 2003 were women, up 8.2 percent from the previous year.

Debris · 03-22-2005, 05:08 PM

I don't know how they (women) are going to do it. All the women I see driving cars have a cell phone stuck in their face. Broads on bikes with phones ought to be real interesting.

sonoffatboy · 03-22-2005, 05:14 PM

ding ding round one..

hellhound · 03-22-2005, 05:26 PM

Women on bikes????? Since when are they allowed out of the kitchen? Not too mention it will be quite dangerous for them to be riding barefoot and pregnant and all...

Carrie · 03-22-2005, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Debris

I don't know how they (women) are going to do it. All the women I see driving cars have a cell phone stuck in their face. Broads on bikes with phones ought to be real interesting.

Somebody isn't getting attention from the opposite sex.

JosephJ · 03-23-2005, 01:39 PM

I Love seeing more and more women ride...
My wife rides her own....
Great story thanks for sharing!

marthared · 03-23-2005, 08:15 PM

Right now, this is a rant of mine....

Unfortunately, I also tend to have a bit of cynical view of having a large majority of the female population riding motorcycles, when it seems like so many can't drive, or do and have such limited awareness and lack of quick reflexes. The last few times I've been almost forced off the road has honestly been from middle-aged women in SUVs --- not kidding. I'm embarrased, at times, to be associated with this group of people. I'm a female, but I know that I was given a lot of left-brain connections compared to many others. I grew up a tomboy, being able to throw a football like a guy, am coordinated and athletic, mechanically and technically minded (I'm a hydrogeologist) and have always been able to do pretty much what I want to physically.
Yes, there are lots of women who, like me, drive cars just fine. However,
I've been in some of the other women-oriented forums and read posts such as "I'm terrified..." "I won't go out alone...", "I've dumped the bike 5 times...".. etc. when they're beginning to learn. These just seem like accidents waiting to happen. And the other women give responses like... "Never give up..you can do it", "You can ride if you put your mind to it"... etc.... I'd never encourage someone to ride a motorcycle unless I knew, personally, what their other driving skills were like. The "Rah Rah" cheerleading stuff is not good. There's an innate confidence that you either have or you don't, and that confidence comes from a physical ability and history of accomplishments in similar activities.
If I were a husband of a wife that wants to ride, I make darn sure, before I gave it my blessing, to make sure she was a good car driver. If she has a bad history of car driving...no way.
I guess I'm ranting about this because I'd hate to see people killing themselves when maybe they're really not built to ride, both physically and mentally. This certainly applies to the male population too, but I suggest that males, as an average, have quicker reflexes and physical abilities than women.
WOMEN..IF YOU DRIVE SLOW, ARE SPACEY, AND HAVE SLOW REFLEXES.. GET OUT OF THE SUV'S AND OFF YOUR CELL PHONES!

There, I'm done.

deb93fxlr · 03-23-2005, 11:16 PM

great post, marthared! Of course, that goes for some men too. They aren't all great drivers! Or riders for that matter.

hogg831 · 03-24-2005, 09:37 AM

marthared,
That is a very thoughtful and accurate response! My SO is one of the ladies that after years of trying, has decided that the passenger seat is for her. As much as she enjoys riding and really wanted to ride her own, it's just not in the cards.

And Deb, yep you are correct!! Remember last year how many MEN posted they crash at Sturgis and other places? Hell it seem as though we were getting a crash a day for awhile. MEN, not women..............

ravyn3 · 03-24-2005, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Debris

I don't know how they (women) are going to do it. All the women I see driving cars have a cell phone stuck in their face. Broads on bikes with phones ought to be real interesting.

I always love being around the ones fixing their makeup and hair nonstop too. You know, the ones that have their rear view mirror permamently angeled at their face.

Ahar · 03-26-2005, 01:37 PM

my ex bipolar b*tch from hell could not ride with me, and I got a full bagger with back bag. I explained that when on the back to not make any sudden moves and if she was goint move to put her hand on my shoulder in the direction she is going to move..........so suddenly i am zooming accross 2 lanes of traffic and into the oncoming traffic. I look in the mirror and this *#^&*+%###^*etc.
person was leaning off the side trying to open the saddlebag.
when I comented on how I would really appreciate not getting killed because she needs to move around, she claims it was the wind.

She decides that it is to much trouble riding on the back and signs up for the safety course. I have a video of her running the instructor over. I talked to the instructor about how it might not be a good idea to certify her. He gave me the PC line and certfied her.

She had this bullheaded thing of having to be in front, and it only took one time of following this toad to see she did not have a clue.
She would fight to keep the bike upright to the point she would be doing 5 mph threw a 60 mph sweeper. She was trying to steer the bike threw the turn and whenever she tried to steer right and the bike would go left she would slam the brakes on to go slow enough to steer threw the turn.

The good thing with this new form of freedom she found some dirtbag biker to make her his b*tch. and she left me.

less than a year later she disappears from her work. a month later she shows up in a upper body cast. She has multiple broken bones and is beat to hell. She claims she fell down while climbing over a fence. But one of her workmates says he saw her bike. it was in boxes.

Not saying all woman are this screwed up, but there are some people out there that are a hazard on any wheels. I think that the safety course instructors should drop there PC crap and deny them certification. Just my opinion.

But then if she had been denied certification, I would have missed the pleasure of seeing her in pain. But that is another story.

bullzeye · 04-22-2005, 07:06 PM

marthared..... DITTO, DITTO, DITTO..... so very well said - I, like you, hate to be in the catagory of women, who are just bad drivers on that darn cell phone!!!

apache36 · 04-23-2005, 01:27 AM

ok i have to admit that ther are terrible drivers of bolth sexes. i myself pride myslef on my driving, no wrecks or tickets in more years than i can remember. my wife on the other hand...lookout. after getting back from iraq and getting my soft tail she comes up to me one day and says i think i want to get one. i told her that before i even think of ploping bown 10g's or more on a bike for you you need to do two things. first you need to ask yourself do i have it in my heart that i want to ride and have the commitment to what it takes. second your gonna take a MSF class and i'm going to watch to see for myself that you even posess the ability. just because the instructor passes you doesn't mean that you have what it takes to keep a bike on two wheels when the going gets tough. she tells me ok that was about a month ago, and i haven't heard any thing more about it. THANK GOD!! she won't even get on the back of mine, and hasn't since the day i brought it home. i've offered many times to take her out with me. every time she turns me down flat, so i stopped asking. now i have a nice solo seat and go out on my own and enjoy the central texas roads myself. i knew when i told her the conditions that she'd think twice. it's not in her heart, and to be quite honest i'm kinda glad.
josh

marthared · 04-26-2005, 02:32 PM

Way to go, Josh! Exactly what a caring husband should do. Sounds like it definitely wasn't in her heart... we all know what it's like to have the "biking bug" in our hearts..... we dream about it, waste time on forums like this

, spend hours going through American Iron, Hot Bike, etc...., and can't wait to get back on our Ride and back on the road!
Take care, and be safe!

lazyjames · 04-27-2005, 02:45 PM

But in some cases it might be a good thing.

Contrary to many of the opinions expressed here, I'll offer this: my wife, who I would've called a terrible driver, is an AWESOME rider. Not only that, but riding has made her a much better driver. When she rides she can't talk on the cell phone, can't do her makeup, can't worry about work, can't drift off into "commuter complacency." She passed the MSF course with flying colors, and her riding habits reflect this: always very alert, constantly scanning, absolutely dedicated mentally and physically to a safe ride. In turn her driving habits have improved: no more cell phone, no more makeup, constant awareness of surrounding drivers and conditions. She even reads signs now, and doesn't get lost anymore!

It's only because she's my wife that I'll check my pride and admit that my experience bests her's by 12 years and one MSF class, but I think she's naturally a better rider. Yes, in this house the woman learning to ride has been a very good thing.

LJ