Amac Productions

Bugs/Rocks/Road Debris/Rain

Everything hurts.

Doesn’t matter what hits you while you’re riding. A bug, dirt, rock, or rain, it freaking hurts.

I once went out with a group of friends and when we were leaving they wanted to see my bike. I told them I told my car. They were confused because I said I went out riding earlier that day.

Yeah, when it wasn’t raining, and I wasn’t driving to a restaurant I ‘ve never been to before.

Eh, it’s only drizzling.

That’s what they said.

I discovered in that moment, that if you’ve never ridden, you don’t get certain problems. A bit of rain, darkened sky, driving somewhere I’ve never been is a recipe for bad vibes. So I left my bike home and took my car. It was sunny earlier, I didn’t care if I got lost because I wasn’t trying to get somewhere at a certain time for hours.

And rain is annoying.

You get wet.

It stings any bare skin.

And if it gets between the layers.

Nope, no thank you. I’ll take my damn car.

Something I didn’t know before riding and something I didn’t think about explaining until I was talking to people who have never tried riding before.

FFF (Fu*king Fanny Fatigue)

Your butt will hurt.

It doesn’t matter the seat. Though I have to say more expensive, nicer, or touring seats do help.

But eventually, your butt with hurt.

You’ll hit a bump that unseats you and cause you slam back down. You’ll ride for hours, and your butt will have enough.

My Mom is a fellow biker, and proudly responsible for getting me into it as well, she coined this term. FFF aka Fu*king Fanny Fatigue.

There is always a point in our rides where we stop and one of shouts that our butts hurt. Just a fact of riding. Preparing for it and trying to shove as many cushions as you can between you and the seat is always helpful.

N + 1

N + 1 is the equation for all bikers.

It mean, N is the number of bikes you possess. + 1 means, you’ll always want one more.

It’s a little detail I was forewarned about. No one told me this happens.

Because no one told me bikes do different things. It’s not one bike fits all scenarios. I have the Harley pictured above and a little Honda Grom Clone also pictured above.

But I totally want a Yamaha MT-09.

My Harley cruises well and was my starter bike.

Then I added the Honda Grom Clone to commute to work so my Harley didn’t get beaten up or touched while I worked for eight hours. Plus, I like goofing off on it as I attempted to learn how to wheelie and do extra tight turns.

Because dropping it isn’t so bad. It gets up and keep going and I didn’t spend a huge amount of money on it, unlike my Harley.

But now I want a little speed demon, a little zip. I like the naked bikes and the MT-09 is a middle-weight naked bike.

So that’s my N(2) + 1(Yamaha MT-09)

And I’m sure it won’t stop there either, because I love the cafe racers, and dirt bikes, and mini bikes. You can see how this might be a problem…

No one told me when I started on this journey there will always be another bike I want. Ugh.

Be forewarned, you will fill your stable quickly.

Men

This is not a dig at men by any means.

But as a woman rider, uh, men come out of the damn woodwork on you. So, this tip is for the women.

Men will flock to you like they’ve seen a woman before. I’m not kidding.

Within the first year of riding, heck, within hours of purchasing the bike I was hit on. It’s a thing. The minute you say you ride to a guy, so many things go through their mind.

And it’s never a guy you want to date.

I had a guy tell me his whole life story one day at work because he caught sight of my Harley necklace. A fellow coworker came and rescued me.

I’d had at least two divorced guys who had ten red flags hit on me.

Be forewarned that it happens and to keep your head. The nice thing, these guys are usually harmless. Each has backed off when I declared I’m not interested.

On the flip side, ladies, like men using a bike to interest women, doesn’t work as well either. If she’s not interested in bikes, she’s not into you because you have one. So, don’t do that. Please. On behalf of all women awkwardly hit on with cars and motorcycles.

No.

Community Gatekeeping

Do you know that motorcyclists treat each other with respect? Like it’s a secret little community that people without bikes don’t get to be part of?

Guess what?

In that community, it’s not all warm and fuzzy.

Harley enthusiasts declare only Harleys are ‘real’ bikes. And everyone else rides a crotch rocket. As far as their concerned there are only two types of motorcyclists. Harleys and crotch rocket.

Some people who ride Harleys won’t wave to people not on a Harley while riding.

Some people driving sport bikes, naked bikes, cruisers, etc won’t wave to Harley riders out of stereotypes.

But guess what? It’s all BS.

Yes, this shit happens. I’m not saying it doesn’t. And don’t be surprised that based on whatever bike you choose, there won’t be someone who gives you grief about it.

But don’t buy in.

One day I was riding home on my bike. I got cold so I pulled into a parking lot to add a layer. I was riding my little Honda Grom Clone. Two Harley bikers were riding by and stopped to see if I was alright.

Another day, I was driving in my car home from work. There was a biker in front of me, he started having some kind of issue. He kept looking down, and then he pulled over. So, I pulled over with him and put on my hazards.

After a minute, he got his back started again and pulled back out.

Then his bike stopped running again and he was forced to pull over – on a dangerous turn. A turn where you can’t see before you’re in it going either way.

So I pulled over again, turning on my hazards. He glanced over his shoulder, slightly worried. But I waved kindly.

“Don’t want you to get hit.”

After a few minutes of fiddling while I waited in my car, he got his bike running again. I cheered. He smiled and waved. He hopped back on and took off, waving at me the whole time. We ended up driving for a while in the same direction. Eventually, we came to a two lane set of lights.

I was going straight and he was turning.

He honked and waved. I smiled. And honked and waved back. He knew without words, I just wanted him to be safe.

Because riding on two wheels, no matter what style, we’re bonded by those wheels. We watch out for each other.

And that’s how it should be. So ignore the gatekeepers and enjoy the ride.

Money Pit

It’s an endless money pit.

New tires every other year. More than one bike. New gear. Helmet every five years. Endless customizing options. Things breaking. Things leaking. Carburetors not cooperating.

It takes less money in gas and insurance, but they break.

Motorcycles break.

They can be customized anyway you want.

You’ll always find something to tinker with or change.

Every year it needs a tune-up before spring. Oil change, filters, kick the tires, and inspection. In my state, registration are renewed every year. Not every two like cars.

If you don’t ride during the winter, you need to winterize it. Charge the battery.

There’s always something.

People like to say or think it’s cheaper than a car. On paper, sure. In practice? No.

You will always be spending money on these things. I promise you that.

Commuting Complications

I have a commuter bike.

It’s smaller than my Harley. Less storage. Less space to put my lunch or spare shoes.

For me, I have a dress code where I work and I stand for eight hours. My riding boots and shoes don’t work for this job. So I bring my sneakers with me. I bring lunch. I ride home at night, so sometimes I have to pack extra layers. The lock for my bike.

A hairbrush to not look like I got into a fight with my helmet and lost.

Hair products to get it back in line, because my hair can be a jerk.

I have to get up early. Account for putting on my gear, loading the bike so nothing flies off or hits me during the ride, account for locking my bike up, taking off my gear, and packing it up at work while making myself presentable.

Whew. It adds extra time to your commute.

But… It’s worth it.

My stress from my workday melts away while I ride home.

But no one told me there would be extra issues with riding to and from work everyday. Something to consider.

Cars Are Trying to Kill You

I’m serious here.

I’m not saying everyone is trying to outright murder your during your ride. But they are. Without even noticing it.

They don’t look for bikes.

Ever.

You have to keep your head on swivel when you ride. You have to think that every car is out to get you. You have to imagine they can’t see you.

Keep in mind that they’re not thinking that following too closely means they could run you over if you go down. They’re thinking about what to have for dinner or whether or not they turned off the stove. They are thinking you’ll have two tons of steel and airbags to protect you.

You don’t.

And don’t ever forget that.

My Mom told me it’s important to be a little afraid I get on my bike. I’m not afraid of my bike or what I’m going to do. I’m afraid of the guy who’s late for work and is speeding. Of the person texting or putting on make-up.

That little dose of fear keeps me alert. On my toes.

And I didn’t know that before I started riding how important it is.

Winter Storage

Some people can’t ride during the winter or don’t care to brave the cold to ride anyway.

Totally fine, but winter storage comes with it’s own set of issues no one explains when you buy a bike or are thinking about it.

That bikes needs a place during the winter.

Do you have a garage? Can it fit in there all winter? Will it get hit? Will it be in the way? No garage? Where are you keeping it? How will you protect it from the elements? Can you afford to have it professionally stored?

Do you know that some places like that won’t let you take the bike out whenever you want it? That you have to wait because the bikes are crammed nose to nose and you have to wait for it clear out a bit?

Can you afford a regular storage unit? Do you know some places won’t let you store a bike in their storage unit? Others require paperwork and extra insurance? Do you know how much that will be per month?

Do you know how to winterize it? That you need a fuel protecter to keep things from going bad.

Did you know fuel can go bad?

This is the kind of thing no one told me before I purchased my bike. And I was so overwhelmed.

Take into consideration what your plans will be if you’re in a place that doesn’t have sunshine 24/7/365.

It’s important.

…

I’m not trying to scare you out of buying a motorcycle. I think everyone should have one. Especially women. I need more lady bikers in my life.

Just prepare yourself.

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