Motorcycle Misadventures

International Female Riders Month: Focus on... YOU CHOOSE!

It has been surprisingly easy to name 30 women who are important, influential, and inspiring in motorcycling today, and I find that I could name a dozen more. But I'd like you to tell me who you'd like to see among the women I've named so far. Please take a simple survey to let me know who you are, what you think of the list, and the one other women you think is inspiring, influential, and important in motorcycling today, and I'll share the results in a week or so. Thank you!

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY

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International Female Riders Month: Spotlight on Amy Holland

Today Amy Holland is on the roster for this 31 Days of Women in Motorcycling of inspiring, influential, and important women in motorcycling today.

I met Amy on a press trip in 2010 tearing up the dirt trails in Idyllwild, California on Kawasaki dual-sport bikes. Amy is the founder and editor of Friction Zone Motorcycle Travel and Information magazine, a free monthly available at dealers, accessory shops, and popular motorcycle hangouts throughout in the USA.

I talked with Amy on August 24 2010 Episode 281 on Sidestand Up Radio. Download the entire SidestandUp show or just listen to the segment with Amy.

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International Female Riders Month: Spotlight on Lisa Thomas

Today in this series of 31 Days of Women in Motorcycling the spotlight is on Lisa Thomas who has been riding around the world with her husband Simon Thomas for eight years now, she on an BMW F650GS and he on a R1100GS.

Lisa and Simon are riding to Australia this year, in the world's longest continuous motorcycle ride by a team. For over a period of 26 years Lisa has in some way been involved with motorcycles and if she's not riding or modifiying her bike, she's got her head buried in her dozens of maps and books deciding on the next place to explore.

She and Simon have manged to get sponsorship and find a lot of creative ways to stay on the road to live this exciting and stimulating alternative lifestyle and showing us how it's done! Hear an interview with them on Side Stand Up Motorcycle radio in iTunes EPISODE 279 on August 10, 2010, or download the audio, they're on about 3/4 of the way through the program.

International Female Riders Month: Spotlight on Sarah Schilke

Today in 31 Days of Women in Motorcycling of inspiring, influential, and important women Sharah Schilke is in the spotlight. Sarah aka SuperSarah is an avid street rider and MSF instructor turned amateur AMA District 37 desert and motocross racer. She has ridden and worked in the motorcycle industry for over 15 years and participated in the AMA Women & Motorcycling Conference as a member of the Advisory Council and Seminar Speaker. Sarah is the first woman to serve on the Board of Directors of the Motorcycle Industry Council and is an ‘Expert’ to the FIM Commission on Women in Motorcycling.

Today Sarah works as Marketing and Public Relations Manager at Shuberth (helmets), where she does marketing direction, dealer training, and working with the media. Sarah has spent her entire career in the motorcycle industry, working for companies such as Advanstar, Hein Gericke, Fairchild Sports, and the American Motorcyclist Association. She  holds an MBA in marketing and has experience living and working in Germany at various times throughout her career, giving her a unique blend of expertise in marketing, motorcycling and high-end German products.

Sarah rides both on the street and competitively off-road and is a lifetime member of the AMA. I did a seminar on solo adventure travel with Sarah and Alex Sexton at the 2009 Women & Motorcycling Conference, and it was a lot of fun to share our drastically different perspectives. Wish it had been recorded! Here's a photo from the conference with President Rob Dingman in an after-hours Marguerita moment.

Alice Sexton, Carla King, Rob Dingman, Sarah Schilke at the 2009 Women & Motorcycling Conference

For more Sarah, read her ride reports for Motorcycle USA from the 2009 Women & Motorcycling Conference and follow her Schuberth blog updates, and connect with her on Facebook.

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International Female Riders Month: Spotlight on Alice Sexton

Today 31 Days of Women in Motorcycling series focuses on Alice Sexton. Alice is probably best known as the reviver of WIMA USA -- the American arm of the Women's International Motorcycling Association -- after it lay fallow many years. As WIMA USA President, and PR Manager for WIMA World, Alice has done a lot to bring visibility to women motorcyclists, and to ignite interest in motorcycling for women who thought they might be alone in the sport. Hey, we've come a long way, baby!

For nearly 25 years Alice has raced vintage Moto Guzzis and Ducatis, including for the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA), and is still picking up a few sidecar rides each year.

Past industry jobs include Brand Promotions Director with Advanstar and Communications Director with AHRMA. Currently she is working Design/Marketing Director of Mitch Boehm’s Moto Retro Illustrated, a position inline with her creative, editorial and marketing/PR work in the powersports industry for over 20 years.

And hey, here's breaking news! Alice has recently relocated from Southern California to Austin, Texas, to join Helmet Hair Magazine and to get away from the LA freeway smog and congestion.

An avid traveler, Alice has motorcycled across the US & Canada many times, England, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Japan, and Mexico. In fact, Alice, Sarah Shilke, and I did a talk at the Women's International Motorcycle Conference in Keystone, Colorado on solo motorcycle travel.

Check out the ride report from Alice's trip from California to the East Coast, and connect with her on Facebook.

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International Female Riders Month: Spotlight on Jamie Elvidge

Today in 31 Days of Women in Motorcycling the honors go to motorcycle journalist Jamie Elvidge. Jamie has written a lot -- and I mean a lot -- of motorcycle reviews, travel articles, and road reports.

Jamie is a former editor of Motorcycle Cruiser magazine, she was featured in the 1996 documentary Biker Women, and writes really cool motorcycle articles like this:

Just Go: The Great Escape
Top Ten Favorite Rides and Getaways

She's a great role model for aspiring writers, motorcycle-focused or no. Just read her writing.

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International Female Riders Month: Spotlight on Vagabond "Chickie" Athena

Today in 31 Days of Women in Motorcycling the spotlight is on Vagabond "Chickie" Athena, well known as a chopper builder and owner of the Vagabond Chopper Company. She has always worked in the motorcycle industry and says, "I like to build choppers, because when I’m done I can see and feel the birth of an idea that initialized in my brain."

After being in business just over two years, the public began to take notice with many magazines, newspapers and TV shows doing pieces on Athena as a woman builder.

You can find Athena traveling on her chopper all across the country at many motorcycle rallies and events. Soon you will see her smiling at you on the cable box. She recently signed the contract to film a reality show with Pink Sneakers Productions.

Read her whole story here.

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International Female Riders Month: Spotlight on Jenny Lefferts

Jenny Lefferts is in the spotlight today in 31 Days of Women in Motorcycling. Jenny is the President and Founder of MAD MAPS, touring maps that have been wildly popular with motorcyclists for a long time.

Jenny has been a motorcycle and back roads enthusiast for years although her passion began long before she was licensed to ride. Her dad's idea of a summer vacation was to load up the family in the '72 VW bus and take to the road. Jenny moved to San Francisco in 1987 and purchased her first motorcycle. She was instantly hooked and began searching the Bay Area for the best scenic roads: the seed for MAD MAPS was planted.

MAD MAPS maintains rich, up-to-date, content and delivers their trademark scenic tours through cutting-edge digital platforms these days, providing riders with new options for an enhanced and memorable travel experience. Their data set includes shapefiles (.SHP) of all routes, packaged with geo-coded Points of Interest (POIs) with key information and detailed narratives.

Find out more on the MAD Maps website. Like them on Facebook, and check out this video of Jenny and her female associates on a their ride from California to the International Women & Motorcycling Conference in Colorado.

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Tonight SideStandUp Interview: 4x4 Adventure Motorcycle Panama Darian Gap Columbia

Tonight on SideStand Up at 7:45 Eastern Time I interview Christian Pelletier of Panama Passage to talk about this brand new resource center for two-wheelers and 4x4 overlanders coming through Panama. If you’re planning a trip through Panama, to the Darien Gap, and Colombia you’ll appreciate their guest services including a guesthouse, camping, vehicle repair, local resources, help with shipping, maps and... well, listen in for the possibilities and you may just decide where your next trip's going to be!

Tune in at 7:00 pm ET for the entire show about motorcycles, gear, travel, and more.

Join us live on the air and in the lively chat room.

International Female Riders Month: Spotlight on Stefy Bau

Today in 31 Days of Women in Motorcycling the spotlight is on Stefy Bau, two-time motocross world and US champion, speaker, member of the International Federation of Motorcycling, traveler, owner and instructor at 211 MX school for women by women, and PlayStation video game star to boot. Stefy, a native of Italy, is based in Tallahassee, Florida and Milan, Italy. Check out this video of her on RacerXOnline, and follow her on Twitter @stefybau.

Stefy has done a lot of coaching including superstar Ashley Fiock, my May 3rd woman in motorcycling, and who are taking motocross to countries who have never seen women on motorcycles. Find out more in my talk with Stefy on SideStandUp motorcycle radio about empowering women in action sports, motocross, travel, women in motorcycling, athleticism, and more.

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