Measuring Up the New Motorcycling Year – Tiny Changes Make For Powerful Outcomes!

Frequently during interviews I'm asked if motorcycling has influenced or changed my life. Questions asked to me namely by women, not men. Women aiming to link or underline the psychological benefits motorcycling may affect; defining this empowerment many women experience after learning to ride.

But it never was “empowerment” for me I always had a “no limits” approach to life right from a very early age. And as a young girl I think this propelled me outside so called gender boundaries. I enjoyed sports, building rafts, climbing trees – all that fearless stuff that the boys seemed to embrace! On top of that, I'm a pilot's daughter. I’d been speeding down farm field runways lifting off to the pleasures of being airborne in two or four seater aircrafts since I can remember!

Motorcycling for me was out-and-out “the” answer for my need to be thrilled, an activity providing me an outlet from my corporate life and one that equally challenged me. And getting back to this frequently asked question if "motorcycling has influenced or changed my life"-there is something that motorcycle racing opened my mind to. Something that I've been able to bring to daily life – and that is the understanding that just about everything in life can be altered or adjusted to make it fit for you; make it work for you!

It was racing which enlightened me to the fact that slight changes affected better performance. Just tiny transformations made for hugely powerful outcomes! Perhaps this sounds ridiculously simple. But trust me if you’re like me, one that’s never dabbled in custom bike or car building, or building wooden cabinets for that fact –this common sense is the furthest from your understanding.

It wasn’t until the end of my first supersport race season, I started to alter, fit and adjust not only my motorcycle, but my riding style. I had great resources within the race community to help me (and later years the full Ten Kate Honda team). I recall the success of simply repositioning my motorcycle rear-sets (foot pegs) -a few centimetres higher and forward resulting in a better body position to manoeuvre control. Then there was my decision to add a “quick throttle” to reduce the amount of travel my small female hand needed. I accelerated quicker with less wrist movement-this worked like a charm! Of course adjustments in racing are eternal and take into account the unique characteristics of each different circuit you're racing on. You can understand why it's so tough to become good at this sport-the constant adjusting is much about trial and error, experiments using up many dollars, on limited track time.

Sounds so simple doesn’t it?

So it’s thanks to motorcycle racing I'm a much better solution seeker. No matter if I'm loading up my trailer, finding extra space in my kitchen cupboards, improving students circuit riding techniques or working on personal relationships-I seek out the small alterations. Nearly 100% of the time I get huge results needed!

As you look forward to the year ahead and contemplate your plans and goals-try focusing on the simple and minute changes/alterations. These are easy and I’m certain you’ll find just as I have-  a little goes a long long way!

Cheers to the small stuff in 2011!

 

Faster 

 

Grand Prix Motorcycle Racers: The American Heroes 

 

Dust to Glory 

 

Grand Prix Motorcycle Racers 

 

Ducati Moto 

Edelweiss/ MOTORESS Womens Motorcycle Tour a Fantastic Ride!

Everywhere we went, bystanders and other riders exclaimed with surprise - “all women riders!?” Folks couldn’t believe that the fourteen motorcycles (fifteen including tour guide) pulling into tank stations and roadside stops were piloted entirely by women! We were an admired spectacle to local communities visited during the recently completed Edelweiss Alps and Lakes women’s only tour with MOTORESS!

Sauerkraut, Apfelstrudel, Chiemsee- King Ludwig’s castle, Salzburg truffles- beer gardens, full moon evenings on roof top terraces, historic spots and so much more. All of this accented days filled with superbly ridden roads through German and Austrian picturesque countrysides! We were a group of women who really hadn’t met each other prior to this holiday. Canadians plus one American, Diane from Miami!

Each day started with a typical European breakfast buffet followed by a riders meeting discussing our route and its high points through the area’s we’d visit. For me and as host of the tour, it was a pleasure to observe first hand the enthusiasm of women that had not yet explored EU roads or mountain hair-pins, characteristic of Alpine roads!

We were not without challenges as is often the case when travelling-particularly more so by motorcycle. Kate’s Ducati Monster stopped working so she rode the rest of the day on the BMW with me. I sure enjoyed having her as a passenger! —her laughter and fun loving spirit so infectious. She kept her helmet camera rolling so I’m sure she captured great footage! She ended up getting the BMW F650GS for the remainder of the tour and thoroughly enjoyed it!

Then the weather gave us days of damp downpour rain. And in Italy (while I was at hospital with our fallen rider) the group encountered not just thunderstorms but hail! But it was Laura who by exclaiming she’d rather be riding in the rain on these fantastic adventurous European roads than on a dry one in Canada; moved dampened attitudes to an appreciative light.

Yes the unfortunate mishap of one of our riders-second last day of the tour where she had a hair-pin encounter. It resulted in a couple of broken fingers. The hospital in Jossnitz performed surgery right away and with the support of the group she arrived back in Canada and looks to be on the road to riding again very soon!

We were a group of passionate motorcycle enthusiasts -women of ideas, abilities, resolve and determination- and yes camaraderie! We enjoyed supporting each other, sharing great roads, tales, laughs, tips and support. It was a fine experience, yes a fine one indeed!

We’ll be offering another womens only group next year-not sure where but will let you know when!

PS: greetings from The Netherlands!