My brutally honest opinion on why more women (or men) don't ride

"No, I don't thank you for the fish at all" (notindetroit) 11/20/2015 at 13:39 • Filed to: how to get women to ride, motorcycle culture

4

39

TL;DR: it’s because we’re too busy promoting motorcycle riding as a complete-package “lifestyle” that 80% of women/men/everyone else in the United States doesn’t care about buying into. I’m not just talking about hellbound-for-leather Harleys or roid-raging BusaBros; more on that below.

The perception

The reality

There’s an Elephant and a Gorilla in the Room, and their names are Harley and Davidson

The “lifestyle” image of the guy (or gal) drenched in leather tassels flying in the wind with an open-face helmet straddling a big fucking Hawg is, thanks to American global cultural dominance, the prevailing image of cycling around the whole world (including in many parts of commuter biking-dominant Europe and especially WWII occupation-legacy Asia - though more on that later). I don’t need to tell you how problematic that image is - it’s a double-edge sword of pushing for bikes that are simply beyond the capability of most riders (female and male) and pushing for a certain lifestyle, down to the aesthetic of the rider his/herself, that isn’t appealing to most people because most people just think it’s stupid. I hope this sounds familiar because !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! already pointed this out. To elaborate further: the big-ass Road Kings and Electra Glides and whatever stupid sounding names with engines that can out-muscle Hyundai Elantras and Toyota Corollas in the displacement game are too damn cumbersome and heavy (something that I can back up Wes’ sentiments with personal experience). Most women who try to ride one will end up just dropping it. This isn’t a sexist statement because most men who try to ride one will end up just dropping it. This drives out many of both sexes from even trying because the Harley cruiser culture is so dominant they don’t even know of most of the other types of bikes or riding styles. Of course many men and women simply put up with it, with the attitude of well dropping your bike is just a Harley thing, you wouldn’t understaaaaaand as they say to their insurance adjuster while shelling out the equivalent of a Ducati Scrambler MSRP to the repair shop.

Women Can Be DoucheBros Too, Says The Industry

Image stolen from Wes from wherever he stole it from

But enough about beating up on cruiser culture, let’s beat up on BusaBro culture instead! If Harley culture says riding a Super Ultra Double Wide Glide (With Ribs For Extra Pleasure) mandates not only certain frivolous or subpar gear but using your bike in a certain way (riding up to Sturgis, getting drunk, dropping your bike, and having it ride on a flatbed all the way back home so it can sit in a garage until next August) then sportbike culture also dictates certain uses, certain gear (or lackthereof) and a certain lifestyle.

Take this !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! (yes I’m going to pick on Wes a lot here). Can you see what’s wrong with this picture? Let’s start with the literal picture, topshot itself - said model straddling a Yamaha R6 (a bike which itself is contributing to the problem). The image communicated here is that real women ride sportbikes - and also look like supermodels strictly adhering to a Calvin Klein tanktop-only dress code. The interview itself is rife with committing to this image in written form, with the only forms of riding mentioned being the Harleys, the supersports, and a brief mention of Motocross. In other words, real women plonk down the same amount of money for a bike as they would a car still on the CPO warranty, fill it up with premium every gas stop, strap on racing spec gear and pretend that the intersection of Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Oxnard Street is the starting line at Leguna Seca.

Or how about, for all its good intentions, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! about why women on motorcycles are so much more awesome to date than other women as to make any female not on a motorcycle a total loser (because insulting them is another great way to get them to ride). The message contained therein is:

- women who ride motorcycles are sufficiently impressed with cheap beer

- women on motorcycles apparently have had their flesh and bone replaced with Kevlar(O_o)

- women into motorcycles are into leather (yeah because that’s exactly what impressed you about the Harley crowd)

- women into motorcycles will stay off her man’s back (yes because this is exactly what every feminist says is feminist)

- women into motorcycles make their boyfriend’s friends jealous (because trophy wives are feminist as long as you carefully rephrase it)

- women into motorcycles will bash the fuck out of your crazy ex-girlfriend with her helmet before said ex has a chance to shank either of you ( ummm excuse me what the fuck? )

Again, the prevailing message is that women (and men) who ride sportbikes must conform to a certain lifestyle, and it’s not exactly an all that appealing one for many members of both sexes (or beyond). In fact ultimately it’s just a variation of the Harley image - women who ride sportbikes must conform to a certain body image, must buy certain gear for a certain look, and must extract the most performance out of their race-bred superbike even if it’s just going for 2% at Kroger’s. And while they’re at it, snub their nose at Starbucks for the hipster joint two miles further out, carefully craft their Yelp review of which smoothie joint serves the best protein muscle shake, and talk with other women about why Ronda Rousey getting a bloody nose from a high kick straight to the face is an achievement for feminism everywhere at their kickboxing class.

This brings up another issue that’s potentially steering women away from riding endemic to both the Harley and BusaBro culture - that riding a motorcycle must mean assuming a “tomboy” persona for your own greater good. And by “tomboy” persona what they really mean is becoming a female douchebro - conforming to all the stupid crap men do, except pretending that her vagina is a penis (while still trying to brag about its size). It might not be quite as extreme, but in at least some ways it would be like Gloria Steinem suddenly stumping for #NotAllMen.

Owning a Motorcycle Really Means the Motorcycle Owns You

Can you tell me what’s wrong with this picture?

Zenith Irfan is great and all (including having the most awesome name imaginable). What she’s doing is legitimately heroic and that’s even discounting the oppressive obstacles she’s had to overcome. Is she a legitimate role model? Of course. The problem is insisting that her model is exactly the same type of model every male and female rider must conform to in order to claim legitimacy as a motorcycle rider .

This is a relatively recent phenomenon perhaps in reaction to the stupid shit image perpetuated by the Harley and BusaBro cultures, but nonetheless it’s also being taken to an extreme that’s putting off a lot of riders, male and female alike. It’s the whole idea that having a motorcycle must involve turning oneself into a pre-mass murderer Che Guevara, that true motorcycle riding means having to strap every single piece of useful belonging you can to your bike’s rack (and sell everything else) and adopt a nomadic lifestyle hopping from road stop to road stop with all the fury 250 cubic centimeters can bring you. 4G LTE, Netflix, Viking double-ovens, centralized heating and air conditioning, showers, basic dental hygiene and whatever food that isn’t available from roadside farmers’ markets are luxuries that not only do you not need but are actively poisoning your soul anyway. Don’t worry about your ratty bike falling apart underneath your tattered, foam-poked seat because that’s totally legit, man .

These are the three main prevailing attitudes of what non-racing riders of all sexes, genders, sexualities and identities should conform to in terms of riding identity. Strap on that leather and strap on your Hawg and spend every waking moment not sleeping, eating or shitting just mindlessly eating up broken yellow lines; or strap on your $1500 Arai helmet and your Gixxer and and spend every waking moment not sleeping, eating or shitting just mindlessly racing from stoplight to stoplight while pretending that the middle-aged couple in that convertible Corvette next to you actually wants to race you; or strap on that denim jacket you found at The Salvation Army Thrift Store and your Honda CB-Some Numbers with a birth date preceding your own and spend every waking moment not sleeping, eating or taking a shit in that ditch by the side of the road hoping that your drum brakes actually still work. All that normal, every day shit plebeian women spend too much time on worrying about instead of actually riding - stuff like actually keeping a job (why you being a slave to the man, woman?), having a relationship (bikes are better than sex anyway!), having a family (why you keeping yourself ball-and-chained up like that?!) and smelling cleaner than Colorado’s oldest dispensary (that stink is a badge of honor, man, I mean, woman!) is what’s really keeping more women from taking up riding.

Uh-huh.

Stop Forcing Every Woman to be the Next Courtney Force

And then we get to the prevailing attitude when it comes to actual motorcycle racing - that is, every ride is a motorcycle race. In other words, being a BusaBro again except desperately clinging to the belief that there’s some legitimacy to the way you do it because you actually ride your bike straight to the track in lieu of all that plebeian normie stuff (see relationship, family, job and hygiene stuff discussed above).

Of course trying to get more women interested in all forms of motorsports is important, but stop trying to act like being a weekend racer is the only way to legitimize riding or automotive interests period . Not all women who want to ride or are potentially interested in riding want to do so in order to conquer track times. And guess what, #NotAllMen are interested in becoming the next Isle of Man TT champion either. Unfortunately, the prevailing attitude is that you’re somehow less of a man, or woman, or whatever your identity happens to be because you’re not taking your riding skills or your machine to the max and being a role model to others as to why women kick butt in sports, yo!

Whatever Happened to the Gentleman (or Gentle...uhh...Lady?) Rider?

Image shamelessly stolen from Sean

Remember all the way at the beginning I said that Harley Hawgs were the prevailing image of motorcycling the world over, even in some parts of Europe? Are you familiar with how the rest of Europe sees motorcycling? They see it the same way you might see driving a Toyota Solara convertible.

And that’s how it should be.

Motorcycling should be a fun hobby or activity or just a means of transportation, not an entire fucking lifestyle that your waking moments must entirely be restructured around. Stop trying to turn every damn thing into a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! or a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! just because you can; stop trying to look at whatever Harley has the highest MSRP on the official site or whichever Japanese supersport happens to put out the highest HP numbers as your aspirational bike.

Do you see !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ? The bike that doesn’t have chrome, doesn’t have any race-spec piston heads, doesn’t have any stupid fake intake plastic bits glued to the fuel tank necessary to signal this isn’t a naked bike, it’s a streetfighter , doesn’t have the words “scrambler” anywhere on it and doesn’t have a stupid beak poking from just below the obligatory round headlight? That is your aspirational bike . That is how you get more women (and men) into riding.

My favorite kind of rides are the rides I take for maybe two hours max, going down roads that look pretty, going to a little stop I haven’t been before (or maybe I have), using my bike as a means to a short journey, not as a journey itself. A short journey that’s an escape from a little boredom or a little stress, not as a means of escape from occupational, amenity-addled oppression forever and ever. A short journey where I’m still assured reliable, on-demand access to Orange is the New Black , Keurig coffee machines, my Twitter and Facebook updates and an actual bed, shower and toilet. A short journey where I don’t feel threatened by having my penis or vagina rights revoked if I’m not doing professional racing instead and proving the superiority of my penis or vagina by finishing ahead of other penises and vaginas.

We’re so busy trying to prove the superiority of one motorcycle lifestyle over another that we’ve become completely blind to the fact that it’s the very concept of motorcycles as a lifestyle, period that’s turning off new riders. Every high school student Miata owner drives his or her Miata when he or she needs to and then keeps it in the garage or parked somewhere; he or she doesn’t suddenly have a revelation that his or her Miata is some sort of mechanical Jesus on four wheels that he or she must be an apostle to.

So why the hell do we keep insisting on that for motorcycle culture?

wiffleballtony > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/20/2015 at 13:46

3

One word: safety.

In a Mini; let them mock me as My Mini Countryman is higher than you > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/20/2015 at 13:52

1

The in jokes from this are going to be dank.

jariten1781 > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/20/2015 at 13:58

0

Huh? In the US motorcycling is straight up a lifestyle choice. You’re adding risk and not saving appreciable money or time over driving your 10 year old Civic (there are a few exceptions to that, but not a lot). You don’t do that for fun, you do that because you identify either with the lifestyle or thrills.

Your post kinda reads: “The way to get more women into motorcycling is to make it more plebian and boring”.

That doesn’t ring true to me at all.

Future next gen S2000 owner > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/20/2015 at 13:59

1

I was with you until the second to last sentence. You must not be familiar with the sainthood that has been bestowed upon the Miata on here.

Blondude > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/20/2015 at 13:59

2

citizennick > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/20/2015 at 14:02

1

Ugh, the worst is the liter bike owners on the local car enthusiast page making fun of people spending so much on making their car fast when they could have got a bike instead. They seriously don't get it...

Justin Hughes > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/20/2015 at 14:10

2

Interesting points. I’m going to have to chew on that a while.

Me, I ride because I enjoy riding. Crazy talk, right? I do enjoy longer trips. My best experience on a motorcycle ever was taking a week to ride from MA to Cape Breton Island, NS, and back, riding the Cabot Trail. I’m still set up to do trips like that, but I simply don’t have the time anymore. I have interests besides riding, and they all compete for those precious few moments outside of work and sleep that I do everything else in my life. I suspect that’s only about to change with my impending move into a house with a yard and garage. I’m not going to be nearly as interested in leaving home when I so many reasons to stay there.

I’m too chicken to take a bike to the track, so most of what I end up doing is what you do - a few hours here and there, after work or on the weekends, with occasional trips longer than that. Does that make me less of a biker? I don’t think so. But I also don’t care what other people think. I do what I do because I can and I enjoy it. If it ever stops being fun, I’ll sell my bike and take up another hobby instead.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/20/2015 at 14:14

2

I like the scrambler movement. Standard ergonomics died a decde ago and thus, easy motorcycling died with it. Scramblers and the honda CB500s and similar are how you get everyone into motorcycles. Even the new indian scout sixty is how you do it. Simple, yet purposeful lines with a seat you don’t need a specialized procedure to get on. I love my old nighthawk for a first bike because it is an old standard with discs all around and electric start (hate on me, I don’t care. Kickstarts suck for just riding to the store to make the milk run more fun).

B Reynolds > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/20/2015 at 14:16

1

I love this article. Did you read mine and write this in that short a period of time or is this some crazy coincidence? FWIW I never stepped foot on a track, dirt or pavement, and I don’t think that matters the least, or should not anyway. I do like to adapt the gypsy style moto travel once a year. It gives me the feeling that my normal life is not all that there is.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/20/2015 at 14:30

2

Because how else is The Motor Company going to continue selling branded crap to their riders?

(Disclaimer: I ride a Triumph Sprint ST 955 and want a Moto Guzzi Norge GT 8V)

I think the best thing to do is get people riding old UJMs (or a newer Bonnie), and be comfortable with riding with other people. Be honest, do you really want to be associated with most people who ride Harleys?

#YouMeetTheNicestPeopleOnAHonda

McMike > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/20/2015 at 14:47

1

Long joke is long.

Berang > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/20/2015 at 14:49

1

smobgirl > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/20/2015 at 14:57

1

I’d love a motorcycle. I have no idea how to ride and every guy I’ve dated has said no (they won’t let me and they won’t teach me). I don’t have a single friend who owns one and have no idea how to get into it.

(To the ex-boyfriends’ defense, I have some depth perception issues that have caused some serious accidents in other sports so I can’t really blame them, but I’d at least like to try)

desertdog5051 > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/20/2015 at 15:03

3

Curious, how long have you been riding NID?

CaptainReallySlow > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/20/2015 at 15:38

1

I can’t speak for women, but this: http://lanesplitter.jalopnik.com/this-is-the-de… is pretty much a catalog of why I’m not interested in getting a motorcycle.

#happyinmycage

McMike > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/20/2015 at 16:20

2

I’ll show you what’s wrong with this picture.

She looks uncomfortable.

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 11/20/2015 at 16:32

0

Styles are cyclical with bikes. The scrambler is the latest incarnation of the UJM (universal Japanese motorcycle) or "standard bike". Simple, inexpensive and non-threatening styles is how mfrs will get more folks on bikes.

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > wiffleballtony 11/20/2015 at 16:33

0

Safety is relative. Motorcycling of course has risk, but you can manage the risk and minimize it by having proper training, equipment, attitude and a well-maintained bike.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/20/2015 at 16:34

1

That’s a very sensible-looking motorcycle.

There is an ISIS-like faction of motorcyclists out there, the ones who want to intimidate every automobile driver they can, post video of themselves tormenting the police, view lane splitting as an invitation to anarchy, turn city streets into the Thunderdrome. That’s a significant turn-off.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom 11/20/2015 at 17:11

0

Style is cyclical, ergonomics shouldn’t be. We need cruisers, standards, and sport bikes (among others), not just one or two. All have reasons for their controls and layout to be the way they are. Sure, the old circle headlight was a style feature on vintage UJMs and standards that doesn’t need to come back, but the CB500F’s angles does’t change the standard control layout and posture.

472CID > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/20/2015 at 17:43

1

Motorcycling shouldn’t even be a “lifestyle.” It should just be a fun alternative to four wheeled transportation.

I like pizza but I don’t conform to a “pizza lifestyle.”

Chasaboo > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/21/2015 at 12:55

1

The biggest problem with motorcycles is that there are so few options that are motorcycles for gentlemen. Motorcycles are generally broken down into crotch rockets, cruisers, or adventure bikes. What’s missing is the gentleman’s motorcycle, something like an older Triumph or Vincent, or Norton.

I have been quite excited by the new Triumphs that are coming out next year, with more power and exceptional components.

atfsgeoff > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/21/2015 at 14:29

2

I ride a motorcycle because it’s fun. It combines the open air experience of riding a bicycle (which I also do for recreation) with the utility of covering great distances on public roads in reasonable amounts of time.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/21/2015 at 23:43

1

I considered getting a motorcycle at one point... but then I decided to get back into bicycle riding instead.

Motorcycle riding = fake tough person

Cyclist who can ride for hours = genuinely tough person... bonus points if they ride through the winter in places that get snow.

If I ever change my mind and decide to get a motorcycle, it’s unlikely to be anything much more powerful than a 300-400cc bike... and it definitely won’t be a Harley. And while I would invest in the proper gear, I wouldn’t invest time or money in the culture. If I had a motorcycle, I would use it to go places that I actually need to go to... not just to fuck around driving to nowhere... which is what I see many motorcyclist do.

atfsgeoff > smobgirl 11/22/2015 at 00:09

1

If my significant other wouldn’t ‘let’ me ride a motorcycle, signing up for the MSF safety course would be the first thing I’d do. Now that I think about it, my mom said I wasn’t allowed to ride a motorcycle, back when I was 18. The day after she told me that, I signed up for the safety course and got my license a couple months later.

Xyl0c41n3 > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/22/2015 at 00:23

2

There’s something else you didn’t mention about why more women don’t ride: the idea that women can’t/shouldn’t/don’t want to ride because they’re not strong enough/they’re not trustworthy enough/they’re not skilled enough.

I’ve covered a few bike shows in my time, and I try to strike up conversations with bikers of all stripes as often as I can, whether they ride a hog or a sport bike. And one thing I have found over and over again is that a LOT of women are perfectly comfortable being a bike passenger, but not a rider themselves. Every time I ask them if they ride, too, inevitably their response is to laugh, shake their heads, and say no. When I ask why not, they point to their male partners and say “he does all the riding.” When I ask if they’ve ever thought about it, I’ll get varying “no” answers about how the bikes are too heavy, or too scary. And more often than not, I’ll get the worst answer of all: the guy will pipe up to say that he won’t “let” his wife/girlfriend/partner ride a bike. The decision isn’t even up to her, it’s made by him.

Perfect example of this: the other day I saw a sweet strom in a parking lot of a restaurant. When I went inside, it was easy to see who it belonged to because the couple were still in their gear and their helmets were sitting beside them. This was an older couple (late middle age) who weren’t on a giant cruiser, so they didn’t fall into the leathered out Harley cruiser crowd OR the super young, reckless crotch rocket crowd. I introduced myself and we had a great conversation about bikes. The husband has been riding bikes since before his toes could touch the ground. The wife has been riding as his passenger as long as she’s known him. I asked her if she rode, too. She scoffed and said no. I said it was never too late to learn. She said she didn’t want to, and then her husband cut in to say, “I would never let her ride.” Like, what?! Why? Internally, I was pretty shocked. Externally, I just laughed and kept the conversation going. But really, it shocked me because I’d mentioned a few minutes before how I’m saving up for my first bike and how I’m excited to be able to learn how to ride soon. And I told him all about the bikes I’m interested in and stuff and he was super encouraging and even offered some friendly advice. So, it’s ok for a strange woman to ride a bike, but not his wife? Like.... What?

So yeah, aside from the cultural stereotypes you’ve mentioned about why more women don’t ride, there’s also a very pervasive sexism that tells women we SHOULDN’T ride, and that we have absolutely no say in the matter.

knowonelse > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/22/2015 at 01:35

1

Here’s why I stopped riding. The level of paranoia required to be safe while riding was messing with my mind, and it spilled over into my non-riding life. To everyone else out there you are either invisible or a target and that just messed with my head too much to be that way all of the time.

Xyl0c41n3 > smobgirl 11/22/2015 at 01:35

1

Ha! I just wrote a huge, long comment about how men won’t “let” their partners (wives, girlfriends, etc) ride bikes, and here you are proving just how prevalent that mentality is.

I don’t know if your vision issues would preclude you from riding, but if you want to learn more about riding, bikes, and pretty much anything else motorcycle related that you can think of, look up PeterBlack SV Wrangler (he might be going by motorcycleprof) here on Oppo. He's written an entire series of informative articles about riding, and he's also a motorcycle riding instructor. He's a really good source of information and encouragement.

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/22/2015 at 01:39

0

Not to rain on your parade but I have never encountered the motorcycle “lifestyle”. Maybe it’s just me but I have no idea what you are going on about (and according to what you wrote I think that’s a good thing!). I got onto a bike because it’s been a lifelong dream of mine and it’s pretty awesome.

I’ve been to some meetups and went on a few sportbike rides and the people I met are very diverse. Nobody in my immediate circle of friends or family rides and that’s because they’re all too scared or it’s just not for them. I’ve asked them about it too and their response is “I don’t want to die”.

Xyl0c41n3 > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 11/22/2015 at 01:41

1

“ISIS-like faction of motorcycle riders...”?!

You’re equating cocky, reckless bikers with.... Murderous, extremely radicalized terrorists? Are you serious?

Xyl0c41n3 > Chasaboo 11/22/2015 at 01:46

2

Wat? Not enough bikes for “gentlemen”?

Triumph Bonneville, Royal Enfield Classic, BMW R nine T, Moto Guzzi, used Honda CBs, a whole spate of Yamahas. I mean, if you think there’s a lack of refined, standard riding style bikes, you’re just not looking hard enough.

TheOnelectronic > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 11/22/2015 at 02:10

0

To be honest, having ridden a few older UJM’s to prove that they were in working condition, I’m not sure I’d wish one on a new rider. Then again I don’t get to ride any -nice- ones, so...

Sam > Xyl0c41n3 11/22/2015 at 03:06

0

To be honest, I wouldn’t condone anyone I care about riding a bike. It’s very dangerous and it’s better to not be the person considered responsible if/when shit hits the fan. “Our daughter/son didn’t ride that murdercycle until he met you, you evil, evil man!” - parent of person in hospital/coffin. Same reason that I’ll never carry passengers if/when I get a bike. Too much responsibility for someone else’s life.

I wouldn’t care if the person previously rode and continues riding, but I wouldn’t want them to start.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > TheOnelectronic 11/22/2015 at 07:56

0

The classic UJM is more a feature of the standard riding position, which is far easier to deal with than a cruiser or sport riding position.

Now if your UJM needs a lot of work, then perhaps it would be the nicest thing to ride. But they are simple to learn on, and much lighter than a Harley or a Yamaha FJR/Kawasaki Concours/etc.

yamahog > Xyl0c41n3 11/22/2015 at 10:47

1

I get that and variations of that ALL THE TIME.

If I’m carrying my helmet, by myself: “Oh, what does your boyfriend ride?”

....nothing?

“OH WOWWWWWW YOU RIDE A CROTCH ROCKET I WOULD NEVER LET MY DAUGHTER/GIRLFRIEND/WIFE RIDE”

...my parents are a lot of things but they sure as hell didn’t raise me or my sister to think we needed a man’s permission to ride our own motorcycles. My dad himself is a biker and when I told him I wanted to get my license, he jokingly said “can’t you wait until I’m dead?” and then taught me anyway.

yamahog > Sam 11/22/2015 at 10:57

1

I appreciate that sentiment as I do not carry passengers and I’m not one to explicitly *encourage* people to ride (if they’ve obviously already made up their minds and want my advice, I’ll give it to them) because I know it’s dangerous as hell.

However, that’s different than the attitude Xyl0 is talking about, where grown adults are acting in a paternalistic manner by actively forbidding their partners from doing the same things they themselves do. My dad was in a situation like that where he was dating a woman who wanted to learn how to ride. He didn’t tell her “No, I won’t let you,” he was realistic and brought up the fact that since she had a 17-year-old daughter still very much reliant on her, maybe now wouldn’t be the best time to start a dangerous hobby. She ended up taking an MSF course anyway, no objections from my dad, just the aforementioned advice.

Jennai > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 11/22/2015 at 12:40

1

Really sad thing that Harley has done is milk their image to the point where it ruins a potentially great experience for so many.

My dad was Navy during the 60-80’s, travelling around the Mediterranean and through most of Europe, then considerable time in the US South and on the West Coast. He owned, fixed, sold or at least drove almost every model bike from those eras. Still has a few Bonnevilles, a Ducati and some others. He rode em hard, sometimes did things that sound incredibly stupid to do and occasionally got in trouble.

His all time favorite bikes were always his Harleys. He really doesn’t like their brand image anymore and says it’s a shame, since he’s on the fence about getting another and the image isn’t helping.

Sadly, nowadays most people who don’t ride think one of the extremes you listed and people almost always diss on Harleys - in large part to the image Harley markets....yet my dad owned 6 of em, bought em all in cash. The Motoring Company is out of touch with a lot of potential buys, probably most of them are well off,

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Xyl0c41n3 11/23/2015 at 08:40

1

I wrote my comment with some care. Seek offense from it if you must.

Palo > No, I don't thank you for the fish at all 03/04/2017 at 15:15

0

I enjoyed this well-written and amusing tongue-in-cheek article, but I didn’t think much of the obvious bitterness that inspired it. It doesn’t reflect well. That first link of yours lets it slip, unfortunately. Amber Arbucci is extremely good-looking (which is why she’s a Victoria’s Secret model), courageous (dives with sharks or something) and wealthy (an angel investor who backed Uber). All of these things are good qualities that people admire. It’s natural that, as a woman, you would want the same things for yourself. Does a woman rider have to be ugly to meet your feminist criterion? Actually, don’t bother answering that. We all know what human nature is: 50% greed; 50% jealousy. It doesn’t matter what any of us says or whether we deny it. However, I believe it would have shown more character if you were happy for her success and continued to work towards your own than to write about her as ‘some model [I’ve] never heard of’.