Black Girls Ride Magazine Jan 2016

BMW Motorrad USA

bmwmotorcycles.com

The Ultimate Riding Machine®

FOCUS. SPEED. POWER. LET’S DANCE. MAKE LIFE A RIDE.

Whatever you do, throw yourself into it. Give it your all.

It’s the only way to go farther than you ever thought possible. Learn more at bmwmotorcycles.com. ©2015 BMW Motorrad USA, a division of BMW of North America, LLC. The BMW name and logo are registered trademarks.

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BLACK GIRLS Ride

Want your club featured? Email us! blackgirlsridemag@gmail.com

S.T.A.R. MC

Augusta, GA - FOUNDED: 2007 (mother chapter) Atlanta, GA - Founded: 2015

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hining on the streets Georgia, you’ll find the ladies of S.T.A.R. MC. These brilliant women have forged a tight knit sisterhood based on riding and community service.

With two chapters full of dedicated women, their future is as bright as their name. Let’s take a ride with these ladies...

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“SISTERS TOGETHER, ALWAYS REAL is our motto... only the strong and committed survive.” #STARMC

Q. Tell us about S.T.A.R. MC...

A. S.T.A.R. MC Augusta Chapter (Mother Chapter) was transformed by a group of 12 determined ladies with a mission to stay together as a family. We were FAMILY for over a year before becoming S.T.A.R. MC. We are not just a motorcycle club but we are FAMILY. We genuinely care about each other as women. We were determined not to become victims of our circumstances or surroundings. And through that determination, we have transformed into Sisters Together that are Always Real.

In February 2015 we chartered our Atlanta Chapter with 8 Ladies and we have been riding and friends for a combination of up to 4 yrs together.

Q. What’s the club’s mission or motto?

A. Our mission To promote safe and fun riding while maintaining a good relationship within our community and with our fellow motorcycle enthusiasts. Our vision is to have unity and camaraderie for the female motorcycle enthusiasts, while creating a positive image of the female rider.

Q. What challenges have you faced as females in a club?

A. At first it was the Lack of Respect in the beginning from our Male MC! Now... some females will ask to join us then see the requirements and see that we have rules and we follow them and we are not just a support club that follow a male MC around (groupies), then they become disinterested so to say the least Prospective members that lack commitment!

Q. What annual events do you promote?

A. The last weekend in June every year is our anniversary event (This year it’s Jun 24-26 2016)!

Our Annual CSRA EOA Toy Drive is alway the first bike night in Dec (This Year it’s 7 Dec 16)! Our End of Year Collabo with our Brother Club (TruIkonz

Augusta Chapter) this years date TBD! We support all in ATL, including the Atlanta Female Motorcycle Xmas Toy Drive and did a Blanket Drive. We will be supporting The All Female Ride to Jacksonville in April and helping out where ever we can.

Q. What does your club look for in a member?

A. We look for added value (what are they bringing to the club) are they committed enough to prospect for 6 months! This help build a long lasting relationship with every member and not just a few! Honest, Loyal, Dedicated, Committed Motorcycle riding Team Players!

Q. What should a woman look for in an MC club?

Stability, strong leadership a club that can meet ones expectations, a family oriented sisterhood with missions and visions that are Similar to what a rider is looking for!

Q. What are your favorite cities or roads to ride?

- Country back roads from Augusta to Macon Ga - I-20 to I-95 headed to Myrtle Beach, NC, VA and Maryland - I-20 to I-26/I-40 to SC, NC, & TN mountains - Of course we love our city Atlanta (20, 285, 75/85) but there’s nothing like any open road that is new to us, as long as we are together or out enjoying with other friends as well.

Q. Are there any last words you’d like to leave us with?

A. Sisters Together, Always Real is our motto and because we struggled to stay together almost 10 years ago and we are very particular about bringing new members on board! Only the strong and committed survive! We ride, we fight, we love and we stand together as S.T.A.R. We could not of chosen a better group of women that stand for what we stand for to expand with and continue this movement.

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FIRST LOOK T

2016

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he International Motorcycle Show offers riders a chance to get up close and personal to just about every bike of their dreams. Here’s where you go to research the bikes that have caught your eye. You get to speak face to face with the brands that create the machines you love, and ask questions to make informed decisions. We are always excited to attend the press day in Long Beach, California, to get a sneak peek at the bikes for the new year. Here’s a first look at a few bikes that caught our eye for 2016...

HARLEY-DAVIDSON 2016 STREET GLIDE SPECIAL Harley-Davidson’s new 2016 Street Glide Special allows you to choose from custom options to build your bike factory direct. Choose from custom paint, engine, wheels and more features to create your dream, without losing your warranty.

BMW R nineT Scrambler The R nineT Scrambler gives a classic 50’s look with modern power and speed. The bike’s classic, purist character is enhanced by black-coated components such as the frame, swinging arm, wheels, fork slider tubes and engine housing. We love the aggressive look and the raised dual exhaust.

HONDA NM4 Inspired by Japanese Anime, The NM4 looks built for a superhero. Equipped with a 674cc Fuel-Injected Engine, a 6-Speed Dual-Clutch Automatic Transmission (this means no clutch), and Integrated Saddlebags, the NM4 is a fun daily cruiser.

The passenger seat folds into a backrest. Sometimes, it’s just the little things...

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“I want to to spread unity, continue to help others build friendships and create new riders that establish a love for riding motorcycles...”

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he community of female motorcycle riders is a tight knit group of women, who bond through their love of machines. Among them is Dangerously Persistent (or DP for short), a woman who has in a very short period of time, proven to be a leading advocate for motorsports rights. As the member of the PRO Convention team, and the Chairperson of the Women’s Coalition of Motorcyclists, she has consistently been called to serve and make our community a safer place on ground. She took a moment to speak with us about her passion for riding, and her vision to help the community grow.

Please tell us a bit about yourself...

I love riding, I started riding the summer of 2006 and by the grace of God I’m still going. #praiseYashusha LOL. Riding is one of my great passions. When I first started I had the “fever.” I rode everywhere and with anybody. I just wanted to get my miles up. I also had the competitive side where I raced anyone that challenged my abilities because of my gender. I outran plenty of dudes might I add. Twist that throttle back and I’m chucking up the deuces.

I wanted to feel and experience the fastest my bike could go. #Ridefast and #Ridehard. In 2007 I had a bad accident, well to me it was bad, it could’ve definitely been much worse had I not worn my gear.

Whew!!! A cager ran the stop sign on my way to the crib and BAM! It was all she wrote. I hit the floor hard, so hard when I jumped up in fear that I was gonna get run over by oncoming traffic I realized I couldn’t walk on my leg. I fell to the floor as I immediately lost any remaining strength I had in my leg. Desperate to get out the middle of the street and safe from ongoing traffic I forced myself up again and hopped along to the sidewalk where I fell and remained until help arrived. That moment changed my riding style. I thank GOD I had the courage to get back up and ride again. However, now I’m a bit more cautious.

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Name: Dangerously Persistent Bike: Suzuki Hayabusa GSX1300R Organization: Women’s Coalition of Motorcyclists, CopABike.com, PRO Convention As God decided to spare my life, I decided to try and help other bikers avoid similar situations. I held training sessions in a parking lot to help new riders learn the safety techniques of motorcycling.

I was appointed chairwoman of the safety and training committee of Harlem Alliance and Bikers United (HABU) in NYC. Currently I’m in school pursuing a PhD to which I pray to finish within the next 2 years. It’s hard work but greatly important. I also teach microbiology and several clinical courses at a community college in my area. As a clinical scientist I’m currently conducting research on DNA barcoding of microbial life forms. Exciting work! Well to me anyway LOL. Lastly, I wanted to give back to my black community so I helped create a non-for-profit organization in Irvington NJ. The success rate for youth there is really low, I want to help change that. I was recently voted in as the chair for ODO (Youth) Achievement Center.

I’m so excited to be apart of this new organization focused on providing a pathway of success for our people. This is extremely important to me. We’re a new organization, not even a year old but we are making great achievements so far.

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How did your passion for riding develop?

My passion for motorcycling began when a colleague invited me to Myrtle Beach for “Black Bike Week” in 2005. When I got down there, I was overwhelmed and impressed with the aggregation of black and brown people. I’ve never seen that amount of blacks together enjoying themselves ever in my lifetime. I was deeply impressed with the number of people and the variety of bikes. The different styles, makes, models, colors, artistry, etc. blew me away. I told my friends at that moment I’m gonna go get a bike. Of course they laughed and didn’t take my passion seriously.

What they didn’t know--I was dangerously persistent.

For the remainder of that year, upon my return to NY, I spent hours searching and e-mailing local motorcycle clubs in my area. Then finally I got a hit, someone hit me back. I told them my passion and how I needed help fulfilling my desire. He led me down the path of getting my license and even getting my first bike. To him I am truly grateful. After prospecting, I was voted in as an official member of a club. I was so excited, I was riding, I was legal. Now, I just needed to rack up my miles, and thus every opportunity presented, I rode. I started off riding within the five boroughs of NYC. I then ventured upstate to the infamous Bear Mountain, then eventually to NJ, then Philly in my first season. My second season I ventured a bit further to MD for the “MLK5 Memorial Ride”. My first real long distance ride was NY to Las Vegas for the “East Coast Meets West Coast event”. That was a “doozy”. I thought riding to MD was long distance, boy, was I wrong.

Yet, I enjoyed the ride, I enjoyed the company and the overall experience. To relive that moment, I have now rode from NY to Dallas, to Mississippi and to Canada.

Throughout my motorcycling experience I faced several challenges. The first was hate from fellow females, oh the shade! LOL. I found that females, unbeknowingly to me, would compete with me. At first I was oblivious to it, but then I caught on to what was going on. I respect the female that told me to this day. She acknowledged her flaw and apologized as she realized I wasn’t trying to compete with her. She felt badly for treating me the way she did. She realized afterwards that I wasn’t that type of chick and unfortunately she couldn’t deal with it.

Although we are not friends today, I still respect her honesty. It revealed the possible types of females I may encounter in the future. The other challenge I had was buying my first bike. Embarrassing as it is, I was doped on what I thought would be my first bike. I went to the infamous Craigslist and found the bike of my dreams. A beautiful red and black 1998 Yamaha R6 (if I recall correctly). The seller said it was in London and would ship it, but needed a down payment. Most people I spoke with didn’t notice it was a bad ad. This was really early

in Craigslist history, so many people didn’t know about this scam, including me. I went and dished out $2500 via Western Union. Boy oh boy did I make one of the biggest mistakes in my life. I was duped. There was no bike. I lost all that money and the FBI couldn’t help me. I called everyone. Only to find many are getting duped by the same means. I was discouraged and didn’t know who to trust. But we learn from experiences, right? So I created a Web site of my own years later based on the experience I had. This website was dedicated to the motorcycling community and allowed a free and safe platform for both buyers and sellers. I thought we, the motorcycle community, needed someone with a vested interest in motorcycling to run a classified website exclusively for us. And thus www.copabike. com was born. When life gives you lemons make lemonade. I don’t want anyone to go thru what I experienced. I am dedicated to educating as many bikers as I can about potential scams out there and to providing them with a safe atmosphere to buy and sell their bikes and motorcycle-oriented items.

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The PRO Convention has grown into quite a phenomenon. Can you talk more about how the PRO Convention began, how you became a partner and what keeps you going?

The MC Professional Convention AKA The PROC had its start in Philadelphia, PA in January 2004.

It began as a “Get-Together” for Public Relations Officers (P.R.O.) from urban motorcycle clubs, predominantly in the North Eastern portion of the country, to speak on current affairs within the MC Community and fellowship. From its inception, “The PROC” has grown from a small gathering of 100 or so bikers in a small bar in Philadelphia, PA for a one-day event, into a three day weekend.

The “PROC” encompasses: education on safety, maintenance clinics, MC protocol, guest speakers like Rickey Gadson, female panels on sisterhood, club officer breakout sessions and more. There’s something for everyone. There is also a Friday night Meet and Greet and a Saturday night after party to unwind from the rigorous schedule of daytime education and activities.

Having been around for over a decade, “The PROC” has attracted an average of 4000+ attendees from all over the country. The PROC takes place every second weekend in January in major cities likes Atlanta, Tampa, Houston and New Orleans to name a few. The MC Professional Convention is open to all bikers and the M.C.Community at large. This January the 2016 PROC will take place in Norfolk, Virginia hosted by Flaming Knights MC. This is what keeps me going. I love being in an atmosphere for learning. I have personally conducted and set up seminars for PROC. I’ve hosted a seminar with the ladies of the Women’s Coalition of Motorcyclists on motorcycle maintenance, riding legal, and buying and selling motorcycles, to name a few topics. I love being involved in the betterment of the motorcycle culture. I also like meeting new riders from other parts of the country and learning where they come from and what riding is like in their area, especially if I hadn’t ridden there as yet.

What is your vision for the future of the PRO Convention, say ten years from now?

I would like more people to get involved, the PROC is what you make it. There are many influential people out there with something great to say. The PROC definitely provides that platform. I would like participants to become empowered and to tell us what types of seminars they’d like to attend. This will help us cater to the masses. I would very much like to see more collaboration between PROC and other entities like AMA, NCOM, and IMS for example.

I would also like PROC to become more diversified and enter new states. I’m ready to meet bikers from Nebraska, South Dakota and New Mexico for instance. Eventually, maybe beyond the 10 year scope I’d like to see a collaborative effort with the bike week in Africa.

What has been your best experience while working on the PRO Convention?

Definitely meeting new people who are influential in their communities. There are a ton of great people out there putting in phenomenal work. I learned about the Round Up via PROC and had the opportunity to meet one of its founders last year in New Orleans. We had an awesome conversation on the history of the Round Up. Women riders have come a long way, but not far enough. That’s ALL about to change with the formation of the Women’s Coalition of Motorcyclists (WCM), which has united representatives from the American Motorcyclist Association, MAD Maps, Motor Maids, Pro Convention, the Women’s International Motorcycle Association USA, Women in the Wind, Women On Wheels® and the Women’s Motorcyclist Foundation in a shared objective: to double the number of female riders by 2020, and to increase and support women riders and their advocates.

Tell us about the Women’s Coalition of Motorcyclists? How and why was it created?

Promoting dynamic role models and wider riding opportunities will serve as catalysts to draw more

Women’s Coaliton of Motorcyclists women into all aspects of motorcycling. The WCM has and will continue to establish motorcycle industry partnerships to build a scholarship fund. The fund will support aspiring female rider coaches and instructors, as well as promising female competitors in all disciplines: on-road, off-road, and on the track.

I cannot emphasize enough that non-riding females must see themselves as riders to embrace motorcycling. Visible female role models as trainers, competitors and riders in all disciplines will inspire the uninitiated to become motorcyclists.

WCM may appear to be women-oriented, but it has far broader implications than its name suggests.

WCM will develop a “toolbox” of strategies and techniques for dealers to welcome and cultivate long-term relationships with female customers.

Knowing the purchasing power women have, we need all women to serve as motorcycling advocates: as riders, passengers and/or as parents and partners of those who do ride and compete.

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What is your vision for the future of the Women’s Coalition of Motorcyclists, say ten years from now?

I would like the same for both organizations (PROC & WCM). I would love more female involvement and collaboration, more opportunities for fellowship and riding with each other, more industry collaboration, more females riding and leading the charge in motorcycle safety, maintenance and mechanics. I would also like WCM to be a leading entity for females wanting to become a biker, a racer or an instructor.

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If you could change anything about the world of motorcycling today, what would it be?

Unity and the role of women in motorcycling. I would make it more unified. There is too much tension, violence and hate. We need more love, fellowship and collaboration. I understand the purpose and function of the rules and conformity but there should be a line drawn. New riders to the community should come in with a level of respect. Bikers who have been in the game for a while should take on a more educative role.

Respect the game, respect the colors, cut out all the bullying. We also have to collectively come to grips with the nuances that surround our world. We have to leave some room for people to be individuals and recognize the game can’t, won’t, and shouldn’t remain the same throughout generations. As long as basic principles are maintained like prospecting, riding and fellowship remain the same, then stand down. I.e., a rider wants to make his colors more visible at night so he decides to line his lettering with reflectors. He’s part of a motorcycle club not a motorcycle gang.

If his club isn’t into criminal activity then let him live, he took a creative and innovative approach to being seen at night. Something that was not available at the start of the motorcycle club creation. Either 1903 when the first motorcycle club in the United States was created or 1945-1947 when outlaws decided to go against the norm and form their own clubs that purposely didn’t comply with AMA sanctioned rules and regs.

As mentioned previously I would also change the way women are viewed in the motorcycle community. I recognize that women have been subjugated by men for centuries. It’s even referenced in the bible.

But Women are the building blocks of creation. We should be honored as queens not treated as beneath men. As I see it, we have an equal role in society.

Women in the motorcycling community have been seen as less than wholesome. Granted there are many less than wholesome females in our current community, but there are also wonderful, dynamic, wholesome females who are phenomenal women, powering through adversity and misconceptions. In order to change the way men look at us collectively we have to inspire women to value themselves more.

Do you have any advice for people who want to get into motorcycling?

For those that wish to get into motorcycling I’ve devised a 10 step process. This should transcend cultural upbringing and background as well as riding styles and preferences.

1. Research: So, you want to ride? Find out what type of bike “grinds your gears”. There are many to choose from (sport bikes - for my speed demons; cruisers - for those who want to lay back and enjoy the ride; sports tourers - for those that want the speed of a sportsbike and the ride of a cruiser, etc.).

Visit a bike show and be sure to sit on as many bikes as you can. This will give you the feel of different styles of bikes at once. With this process you can narrow down the choice to the bike that’s just right for you. Please note, bikes at the bike show will be the latest model year. For your first bike you want something much older (See below: step 4). Also visit your local DMV’s website to determine the motorcycle licensing process. Lastly, find out what local motorcycle riding clubs are in your area.

and get the study guide for the motorcycle test.

When ready, take the written portion to obtain the permit. Once completed you have 2 options; Learn and practice riding with your buddies, then take the road test with your local DMV or attend a motorcycle safety school, which will provide all the basics and safety techniques for riding. Successful completion of their program will garner you your motorcycle license. I highly recommend the latter approach to obtaining your license. Remember each state is different so the process may not be the same in your state (Refer back to step 1).

4. Buy old - something raggedy but decent that you wouldn’t mind beating up. Raggedy doesn’t mean barely running, but more on the lines of something old that you could wreck and won’t cost an arm or leg to fix it. Everyone one goes down or at least drops their bike once in the first year. It’s a learning process.

5. Buy what you can see and feel before money is exchanged: I have an awesome guide for buyers on my website you could reference. Be very weary of a seller who claims to be in the military, aboard with their bike and willing to ship it. You should always personally inspect any potential vehicle before dropping any money down and never use Western Union as a form of payment. PayPal is a much safer form of payment.

6. Take a mechanic: Bring someone who is bike savvy with you when you’re going to scope out your first set of wheels.

7. Safety first: Even if you get really good at riding, never put yourself above the bike. Respect the machine at all times. This “thing” can result in severe injury or death. Gear up! It’s for your own good.

2. Gather around like-minded people: They will help guide you towards the purchase of your first bike.

This could be a motorcycle club or local riders in your neighborhood.

8. Don’t be afraid to travel: Motorcycling is better experienced on a nice road trip with friends.

3. Take the test and get your license to ride: This is a very important step. Head to your local DMV

10.) Have fun and ride safe: This is self explanatory.

9. Attend a track day: Not only is it fun but it will also enhance your riding skills on the street.

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GEARED UP

MOTOCHIC’S LAUREN BACKPACK/TOTE BAG

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or those of us who ride motorcycles as our daily commuter vehicle, it’s nice to have accessory options that are both stylish and functional. We were eager to take Motochic’s Lauren bag off the bike and for a spin around town...

FIRST IMPRESSION: Motochic’s Lauren bag is extremely well made.

The quilted leather gives the bag luxurious feel. All of the closing seams are really well done. From the first look, the design is fun and fashionable.

THE REVIEW: We took a test ride with the bag in backpack mode. The hardware used to keep the bag closed and secure while in transit is impressive.

The reflective panels are great for high visibility in night traffic. The backpack straps are just long enough to ride comfortably, although an additional inch on each side wouldn’t hurt.

Retail $325.00 Available at www.motochic.com

With a few quick tucks and zips, the backpack converted into a cute tote bag. The tote straps could be just a bit longer, or even adjustable.

Inside, there’s lots of space and separate pockets for anything you might need to carry, including a laptop or hydration pack. Both on and off the bike, you’ve got a great daily bag, created for the rider that easily transitions from day to night.

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TECH SAVVY BMW MOTORRAD’S NAVIGATOR STREET

BY GARMIN

Retail $550.99 Available at www.irvseaverbmw.com

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n road trip, your GPS device is a must have. BMW offers it’s new Navigator Street by Garmin. It’s a premium device at a lower price, and a perfect solution for bikes without navigation prep, and older or used bikes.

The Navigator Street is super easy to use and comes packed with tons of features.

While it’s made for BMW bikes, it can work on any bike, however the issue of wiring and mounting for non BMW motorcycles is up to you. It has been designed to fit all known motorcycle specific holders by BMW Motorrad (not included), it features a 12 V connection cable for connecting it to the optional accessory connector for use with the motorcycle’s electrical system to provide power for the Navigator Street. You’d need a cradle to hold a standard Garmin GPS unit.

Just be sure to charge it often while off the bike or you can also wire it into your bike’s system, to charge as you ride.

Our favorite features include the highcontrast 4.3“ touchscreen which can be operated reliably with gloves and is also well readable in direct sunlight. You can select the quickest, the shortest, even the most exciting route on your trip, using the “curvy roads” option. The bluetooth capable GPS navigation system can transmit navigation instructions directly to the helmet and allows the rider to make outgoing calls and accept incoming ones while riding using the handsfree function. The BaseCamp software is ideal for planning every inch of your route in advance. Map data comes pre-installed, and you have lifelong free map updates via Garmin.

bgr goes

camping! oreau

eCCRet” M

By Sarah “S

M

otorcycle riding and Camping goes hand in hand and it’s a liberating experience to sleep outside under the sky with your motorcycle parked next to your tent… this is true biker life!

We met prior to our camping trip to go shopping to ensure we had everything we needed on our list for a comfortable camping experience at Babes Ride Out 3 in Joshua Tree National Park during Tarantula Mating Season!

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On October 23, 2015, at 9:00am, Black Girls Ride leave the city life behind for Joshua Tree National Park to spend time outdoors in the desert.

SeCCRet on a 2007 Harley Davidson Road King and PT on a 2015 BMW R1200RT. The weather is perfect for motorcycle riding. The sun is shining bright in the clear blue sky with a few scattered clouds.

While enjoying our lunch, we took the opportunity to charge our cellphones so we could at least take pictures at the Joshua Tree campsite with the anticipation of no service.

When we stop to take a picture at the 2015 Welcome Babes to Joshua Tree sign, we met a wonderful woman selling beautiful handmade hats and scarfs. She gave us her hats and scarfs for free to wear during the night to keep us warm. She refused to take money from us, not even a donation.

Thankful for generosity!

We finally arrive to the Joshua Tree Campsite for Babes Ride Out 3 and given instructions to park our motorcycles behind hundreds of other motorcycles and stand in the registration line divided by last names A-L and M-Z. While standing in line with hundreds of female motorcycle riders from across the United States and from around the world, we are given a release form to sign.

Socializing and taking pictures with female motorcycle riders while standing in line for

almost two (2) hours until the sunset was lots of fun.

Camping is a lot of work if you have to put up a tent in the dark with a headlamp.

We quickly came up with the bright idea to use our motorcycle headlights so we can see and put up our tents‌mission accomplished!

We woke up early to breathtaking sunrises and morning walks around the lake.

One of the highlights of Babes Ride Out 3 was the selection of Motorcycle Rides for Saturday, October 24, 2015. Black Girls Ride chose Salvation Mountain because it was the longest (248 miles) and it took us back through the other end of Joshua Tree National Park for a fee of $10.00 per motorcycle. On our way to Salvation Mountain we made a wrong turn onto a dead end road in the middle of nowhere and we could not resist stopping at Salton Sea.

After our motorcycle ride to Salvation Mountain, we road back to the Joshua Tree National Park campsite at 4:00pm for the Babes Ride out 3 group photo.

The group photo did not happen because there was more than 1,000 female motorcycle riders.

On our way home from Joshua Tree National Park, we stopped to eat breakfast at Crossroads CafÊ and so did other female motorcycle riders from Babes Ride Out 3. The food was awesome! We’re definitely looking forward to attending Babes Ride Out 4 in 2016!

BGR Staff: Sarah “SeCCRet” Moreau and Porsche “PT” Taylor

THUNDERKAT’S TIPS STOPPING ON AN INCLINE

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topping on an hill how do you handle that? So have you ever been riding and come off an exit and “POW� there is an incline and you are not in the right gear? Well, hell it has happened to me.

When stopping on an incline the first thing you should do is get in first gear, pull the clutch, place both feet on the ground to support the weight of the motorcycle, and use your front brake to stop you.

Check your surroundings before you start to take off because you will be in traffic nine times out of ten. Do not allow the horns to distract you from getting off the incline.

Keep your front brake engaged, twist your throttle to get the engine going.

Release the clutch to the power point to where the motorcycle moves forward, release the rear brake but, do not let the motorcycle roll backwards. Keep in mind that there may be a vehicle behind you that will probably be right up on you.

The formation is staggered this is to allow the rider space and time to react to any hazards and be able to maneuver in event of an accident. The leader rides in the left third of the lane and the next rider is at least one-second behind on the right side of the lead and everyone follows staggered.

Get it in the power point and twist the throttle and pull out. Knowing your power point is the key to getting off an incline.

These tips may not work for everyone but, they work for me and I have not always gotten off an incline easily but, I have gotten off the incline. Everyone will find their way to maneuver their motorcycle so find your niche and allow it to make you a better rider.

- Thunderkat

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O

n Behalf of Black Girls Ride Magazine, thanks to all of you that came out to support the 3nd Annual Beautiful Bikers Celebration for Women Who Love the Ride. As we sit back and reflect on the 3rd Annual Beautiful Bikers Celebration, we remain in awe of all of the wonderful ladies and supportive men that came out to ride with us. This year’s event was sponsored by: Law Tigers, BMW Motorrad, Chic & Curvy Boutique, Citizen E-Cigar, LA Harley-Davidson of Anaheim, and Set Life Magazine, and The Cork at La Tijera. Special Thanks to the men of West Coast Busa Riders for acting as our Road Captains. We appreciate your support!

In addition to our annual awards celebration, we added the first ever Beautiful Bikers Happy Hour, inside the BMW Motorrad booth at the Long Beach IMS Show.

We invited our readers to come out and see the new innovations at BMW. Those who stopped by Irv Seaver BMW to test ride any new bike received a free ticket to the IMS Show.

Photos by: Sarah Moreau, Sean Ray, Frank Rios and Porsche Taylor

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If you couldn’t make it this year, please save the date for next year! Our 3rd Annual Beautiful Bikers Celebration will take place on Saturday, November 19, 2016. Be sure to save the date! Let us know about your rides and community service, as we are always looking for honoree candidates!

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BEST SHOT

WITH US!

@BLACKGIRLSRIDE #BEAUTIFULBIKERS #BLACKGIRLSRIDE

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Beautiful Bikers 2015 Ground Pounder Honoree

PU’KEY

Next Ad Date: Feb 15, 2015

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