If it wasn’t for motorcycles, I’d probably be a hermit. My first instinct is always to stay home. It’s so much easier to sit down and read a book or watch a movie than venture out into an unpredictable world where anything could happen. Luckily, I have this amazing machine called a Yamaha FZ-07 whose sleek form is an extension of my own and the temptation to twist the throttle and take off into the sunrise is just too tantalizing to ignore. In other words, my motorcycle is the key to a door I would otherwise not open.
Motorcycling is more than just a means for breaking introverts out of their shells. My love for riding has taken me hundreds to thousands of miles away from home and what has made each adventure memorable were the incredible women riders I’ve met along the way. We are all so different, with unique lifestyles and values, but on motorcycles we’re sisters who share a love for two wheels.
I am truly grateful for the things I’ve experienced on a motorcycle. Whether it’s been short rides with friends, racing, demos, social events, trackdays or cross country tours, I’ve made friends I otherwise wouldn’t have; friends I can call after years have passed and start again where we left off.
This became apparent to me as I arrived for the inaugural Women’s Sportbike Rally West in 2015. On Friday evening, I met up with Christin Voros, or Oki as you might know her, for the first time in roughly four years. We went for a short walk by the lake in Big Bear and as we briefly caught each other up on the goings-on of our lives, it felt as though we had never really been apart.
The next morning, Christin and I woke bright eyed with helmets ready and rode to the meet spot for the group photo. Once there, we were pleasantly surprised by an unexpected visitor. Only those who know Jennifer Bauer, aka Cookiebug, could possibly understand her outgoing and addictive nature. I guarantee if you ever do meet her, you will never forget her and you will eagerly await your chance to see her again. So you can imagine Christin and I waiting with baited breath for Cookie to dismount her cherry red ZX-6R so we could each have our “Cookie hug” fix. As I stood aside and watched Cookie swing Oki animatedly in a complete circle, I felt swollen with pride and happiness to be with my true friends, women who have inspired me to be a better person since I first swung a leg over a motorcycle.
As I get older, my rides become fewer and it gets easier and easier to make excuses as to why staying home seems so much more ideal than gearing up on a hot day and heading out for a ride. But though the weather may test your resolve and the miles might bring about a soreness that will have you craving gel pads and ice packs, I guarantee no annoyance will make you regret the enjoyable moments spent on two wheels with your friends.
