The average female in the United States is about 5-foot-4—the average male, about 5-foot-10. The average sportbike rider is (overwhelmingly) male. You can see where I’m going with this. If you’re an average American female, go out and find a stock sportbike you can reach the ground on. Go ahead… I dare ya.
READER PRODUCT REVIEW: ICON Bombshell Boots
Two years ago I bought the new Firstgear TPG Monarch jacket. Here are some things that real women riders need to know about the jacket. I am not a fair weather rider. I ride a BMW K 1200 GT and ride between 10,000 to 15,000 miles a year (wish I could ride more). I’m not a big women, but I am no skinny minny size 2 model either.
READER PRODUCT REVIEW: Firstgear TPG Monarch Jacket
A note from editor Genevieve Schmitt: One of the most common questions I’m asked is if changing out the stock suspension on one’s motorcycle to lower seat height will compromise ride quality. I’m answering the question here based on my experience riding 20 years and owning five motorcycles, followed by a more in-depth explanation by an expert of why and how this done by.
Changing Your Motorcycles Shocks to Get Lower
One of my great finds walking among the vendors at Arizona Bike Week in Scottsdale in April was Lycaon Custom Leathers. The high fashion stylish nature of the leather jackets hanging on the rack catches my eye. These are no ordinary riding jackets. I learn that each jacket is tanned with hydrology tanning technology, which has revolutionized the leather tanning process. This allows the leather to be cleaned by putting it in the washing machine.
A New Kind of Leather Motorcycle Jacket
For years, Honda’s Shadow line of cruiser motorcycles has offered riders a pleasing combination of comfortable ergonomics, lighter weight, adequate power and lower price point, and its popularity has proved that the bikes are anything but scary to legions of motorcyclists. Now Honda has unveiled a newly styled model whose looks better reflect the dark nature of the Shadow name.
MOTORCYCLE REVIEW: 2010 Honda Phantom: The Dark Shadow
There are a lot of biker themed accessories out there but here’s one I bet you havent seen yet: a biker themed candle. Black Corset Candles is introducing a 100 percent soy wax candle in an hourglass shaped container that’s wrapped in leather with a satin ribbon corset in the front. Works perfect for my biker themed office.
REVIEW: Candles With A Touch of Biker Naughty
Now motorcycles with radial mounted brake calipers like the Kawasaki Concours 14 can take advantage of the extra lighting that Motolight auxiliary lighting adds to ones ride. Motolight recently introduced a version of its auxiliary lights that fits bikes where the brake caliper mount bolts are on the backside of the downtube instead of the side.
See and Be Seen with Powerful Auxiliary Lighting
I finally got my opportunity to ride this infamous three-wheeler that has onlookers everywhere doing a doubletake. Women Riders Now reviewed BRPs Can-Am Spyder roadster in 2007 when the unusual three-wheeler first hit the market. WRN contributor Perri Capell test rode the Spyder then. Now two model years later with improved handling and more options, Im getting my chance to feel firsthand what all the fuss is about.
THREE WHEELER REVIEW: Can-Am Spyder RS-S
I am riding along the spine of the Middle Atlas mountains when the electrical storm hits. Hail pelts my helmet and bolts of lightening streak horizontally across the snow-dusted road ahead of me. There’s no shelter where I can pull over to bundle up under my gear, but thankfully I’d zipped the waterproof liner in before I’d headed uphill.
PRODUCT REVIEW: Olympia Moto Sports Airglide Pants and Jacket
One of the first things a lot of motorcycle owners do when they buy a new bike is change out the stock exhaust pipes for an aftermarket brand for a better sound and added performance. Cobra is introducing two new exhaust products that not only look good but sound great.
New Stylish Exhaust Pipes and Mufflers