Impressive Skills of Italian Police Motorcycle Drill Team 1950’s

If you’ve ever watched motorcycle trick riding performances for exhibition, competition or just entertainment, you’ll most certainly stand in awe of the performance– even more so if you're a rider. We know how challenging riding slow is!

Here is a video I came across that’s certain to bring a smile to you face (if you’ve not seen it already!) It’s a synchronized riding demonstration by the Italian police for the public and local officials. The kicker is, this was sixty years ago! It was during a time when two wheeled machinery was simple, likely more lightweight, yes, but even more challenging to control and to manoeuvre! You had to have skills and a very practised co-ordination!

You’ll see a part in the video where they ride up and over a small bridge – we had to do such a similar thing back in the early 1980’s in order to pass the motorcycle training course!

Enjoy!

Meet South Africa's First Black Female Motocrosser

Dolly Mdiniso, from Kensington Johannesburg South Africa had never ridden a motorcycle. She grew up in Soweto, the second of four siblings raised by a single mother, graduated from high school and got a job. But all she ever really wanted to do was ride a motorcycle. It's probably the dream of many but for Dolly it was a silent passion- until she came across an advert in a local magazine for a woman’s motorsport day.

At thirty three, older than most riders entering into motocross, she arrived at “Wild Thing Raceway” with little idea of what to expect, but convinced instructor Neil van der Ross that her passion to learn and ride bikes was genuine.

Neil took her under his wing from that day forward and patiently trained Dolly into a competent and able motocrosser, utilizing his own time, money and resources. Neil decided to approach Yamaha for possible assistance. They immediately saw it as a great opportunity to promote motocross, and motorsport in general, to the greater population of Southern Africa – and to women and couldn’t pass up the chance to support Dolly.

South African’s in Gauteng and within the motocrossing circuits are very proud of Dolly, for you see - she is South Africa’s first black woman motocrosser! Feeling very proud of the fact herself, she has big plans and wants to try hare scrambles, enduro, Supermoto and even circuit racing!

She’ll be a great influence to women in Johannseburg area.

Go Dolly!

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 

Finding Other Women Riders

Finding other women riders has never been easier yet I still often hear the complaint from many women I encounter that they don't know other women to ride with and end up riding with the guys, or alone.

“Where the girls are” can be somewhat of an exploration and especially if you're just getting into motorcycle riding. The truth is it’s never been easier to find other female riders- of all disciplines- scootering, touring, motocross or sport bike! We’re nearly 23% of the rider population now and I’m sure you’ve noticed the numerous female riders piloting bikes on our roads.

Internet and social networking platforms (facebook, forums, etc) are bringing so many women and rider activities together. Websites, e-newsletters sent by local motorcycle dealers promote product awareness and localized events. International Female Ride Day has grown to a globally huge success thanks to internet networking and has brought so many women together – admittedly this was one of the goals of the campaign! Indeed it's easier to find other female riders. We're simply a small populous that requires a little bit more effort to find. This can be indeed misinterpreted-even more so if living in a small community.

Women’s groups and clubs are booming and those that have already existed for decades are expanding in membership. Nevertheless the fact remains, that woman entering motorcycling, particularly “solo” have feelings of apprehension about their riding future. They’ve achieved the license, the bike and now wish to find the right club or riding friend to hangout with. But really, just like many things, new to anyone, this feeling soon subsides once we become more informed.

So taking a ride down the information highways first will bring you into female rider communities. And if that doesn’t work, the first Friday in May is International Female Ride Day, a guarantee in meeting other women riders!