Black Girls Ride Magazine January 2015

4141 Lincoln Blvd, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

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ROAD QUEENS MC:

RESPECT THE CROWN Founded by President Choc Lic on January 22, 2005, Road Queens MC is a non-profit organization, created to provide a common base for female motorcyclists to bond and share mutual experieces. While providing an atmosphere of camaraderie, the Road Queens have since developed a legacy of traveling state to state, leaving thousands of miles in their wake.

They’ve become an inspiration to all motorcycle clubs and female riders, nationwide.

FOUNDED: 2005 Location: California, Arizona, Nevada www.roadqueensmc.com 8 BLACKGIRLSRIDE.COM

Since their inception in Stockton, California, the Road Queens have grown to include members in Arizona and Nevada. With their commitment to riding and sisterhood, these ladies are true icons in the motorcycle community and embody the true spirit of our Beautiful Bikers Award.

“We strive for divine excellence as

independent, strong-willed, versatile and family-oriented, business minded Want your club featured? Email us! women...� blackgirlsridemag@gmail.com BLACKGIRLSRIDE.COM

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CHOC LIC

FOUNDER & PRESIDENT ROAD QUEENS MC CALIFORNIA, ARIZONA, NEVADA

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BLACKGI RLSRIGI DRE.COM BLACK LS Ride

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FIRST LOOK:

HONDA’S 2015 CBR300R Honda’s entry level sportbike has been updated from the previous CBR250R model. The result is an affordable, rider friendly bike with plenty of power and style. We love the look and feel of the CBR300R, which takes its design from Honda’s CBR line of sportbikes. The full front fairing and integrated windscreen, makes it sleek and aggressive. The CBR300R is 22 lbs lighter than it’s nearest competitor, with a low center of gravity and narrow mid section which help to give the bike great handling. The riding position is more upright than a super sportbike for a more comfortable ride. It’s newly designed seat makes it easier for riders to touch the ground at a full stop. This is great for new riders and those looking to avoid having to lower the bike to touch the ground.

The CBR300R is well balanced, with a good mix of power and handling. The larger displacement offers 17% more horsepower than it’s predecessor, and a bit more torque. It’s tuned to offer power, both in traffic and on the open road. As an everyday commute bike, the CBR300R is great on gas. It’s single stroke engine won’t take you faster than 100 mph on the highway, but you can cruise at 75 - 80 comfortably.

The CBR300R is a great option for a first bike. It’s got enough power to allow new riders room to grow with confidence. Yet, it’s accessible enough for beginners to maneuver. With a price of $4399, it’s affordable and has a few good looking color schemes to choose from. As Honda says, you might be a new rider, but you don’t have to look like one.

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Photos by Darryl Bryant

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Name: Joi “SJ” Harris Bike: 07’ Suzuki GSXR 600 Team: Threader Racing Hometown: Brooklyn, NY Goals: Compete in the full Championship Cup Series (CCS) and select West East Racing Association (WERA) middleweight classes,consistently reaching the podium with WINS.

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nbelievably, Joi “SJ” Harris became the First Professional African American Female Road Racer when she took the track for her first season in 2014, just 4 years after she learned how to ride a motorcycle. SJ began riding in 2009, picking up quickly on the aggressive streets of Brooklyn, NY. SJ explains, “I never dreamt of racing, but this was my reality.

I didn’t know much about bikes back then.”

In her quest to learn new riding techniques, SJ decided to head to the race track. She found New Jersey Motorsports Park, 3 hours away from Brooklyn.

Determined to learn, she made the trip with a friend. Soon, she began to grasp the technical side, and grew to love road racing as a sport. SJ explains, “Road Racing is very different from motorcross and drag racing. When you go

to the track, they don’t teach you how to race. They teach you how to ride that particular track only.

We learn as we go.” The cost of road racing is a huge challenge for new riders. An average track day can cost as much as $500.

SJ wouldn’t let that deter her, often making the trip to the track alone. She eventually found a local storage spot for her track bike, to keep transportation costs down. Her message to others seeking to enter the sport is simple: “Don’t let it intimidate you. We tend to over think things too much. Try it! Just do it!”

Her competitors are mostly young, white males from affluent backgrounds, most who have been riding since their early teens. SJ notes, “I am everything people never saw in this sport.”

She described her first race day, “I was alone for most of the day, scared and in tears. I had no one

to talk to, and I didn’t know what I needed.” Never one to back down from a challenge, SJ dug her heels in, and began the work of making her mark on Road Racing. She is the founder of Threader Racing, a team funded almost entirely by her day job as a medical professional. After her first season, SJ has successfully secured sponsors, including Comet Racing Leathers, Markbilt Race Bikes, Nexx-USA Helmets, Moto D Racing, Vortex Racing, ArmourBodies Race Plastics and Absolute Cycle Experience. Her ultimate goal is to bring Road Racing to more women and African Americans. She says, “Sisters on the track are few and far in between. I want to show them that there’s more for them to be exposed to. I want to get the kids interested through experience.” Sounds like SJ is leading the pack in more ways than one.

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GET !

G N I O G EPS TO ST ic s a b 5 OUND GET ON GR

So you want to ride...

Congratulations! Deciding to overcome the fear and ride a bike puts you among a great class of women.

Motorcycle riding is a great way to relieve stress, bond with friends, and experience the freedom of the open road. Women often don’t know where to start or what questions to ask to begin motorcycling. We’ve compiled these basic steps to give new riders a place to start.

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go to class

No matter what type of bike you want to ride, it’s important to start learning from a professional. Every state offers a motorcycle training class with curriculum from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.

Classes are usually 18 hours over 2 days, covering rules of the road & riding techniques. Cost may range between $150 - $250. Upon completion of the class, you’ll receive your motorcycle certification. Visit msf-usa.org for info.

Choose your bike Do you want a fast, agressive sportbike or a laid back cruiser? Each has it’s own benefits, and you should test ride a few before you decide. A few things to consider are engine size, your height and weight, and your experience. All of these issues factor into choosing a bike you can control. There’s no shame in starting small and going bigger latter.

Get Geared Up

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Safety gear is essential to the ride.

Get started with a helmet, jacket, gloves and boots. These items will protect you f rom elements on the road, like dirt, rocks, gravel, and weather conditions. Safety gear can also save your life and limbs in the event of a mishap. The cost of these items will vary, depending on your needs and riding style. Find a salesperson you can trust to make suggestions on what you need to get on the road safely.

hit the road

Now, you need to get some ground time. Practice makes perfect, and the more you ride, the better you’ll get. You’ll want to focus on highway riding, defensive riding, group riding (or riding in a pack) and night riding.

Advanced techniques, like counter steering and swerving, may come with the roads you choose. Find a few experienced friends to ride with, who’ll give you advice and show you how to handle issues as they occur.

Always, ride your own ride.

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DON’T OVERTHINK IT

Don’t overthink your decision to learn to ride. Sure, there’s lots more to cover, and these five steps are just to get you started. As you learn more about riding, you’ll learn more about bike size, different riding styles and traveling long distances.

Whether you learn to ride to make your commute easier, to compete for sport, or to travel the country, you’ll be glad you’ve made the decision to join the movement!

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1. Seccret, Ms. Showtime, Dynamiq, and Brown T. Sugar 2. Ladies of Road Queens MC 3. Beautiful Bikers Group Shot 4. Road Queens MC Accept the beautiful bikers award 5. true passion SC accepts the sisters in service award 6. ms. showtime presents dynamiq with the ground pounders award 7. brown t. sugar accepts the lifetime achievement award 8. Beautiful Bikers Event Producers Anthony Lewis, Porsche Taylor & Maria Evangelista

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n Behalf of Black Girls Ride Magazine, Byte 1 Syze Marketing & Promotions and HDTV, thanks to all of you that came out to support the 2nd Annual Beautiful Bikers Celebration for Women Who Love the Ride. As we sit back and reflect on the 2nd 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: Chocolate Rider, Law Tigers, Ms. Nails Mobile Tax Service, It Works Global, L8D Ryder Gear, and Set Life Magazine, The Cork at La Tijera, and Bartels Harley Davidson. Special Thanks to the men of West Coast Busa Riders for acting as our Road Captains. We appreciate your support!

Our goal is to make this a national event, in celebration of all women from coast to coast. This is an open call to all women who ride and Female MC Clubs: If you couldn’t make it this year, please save the date for next year! Let us know about your rides and community service, as we are always looking for honoree candidates! Our 3rd Annual Beautiful Bikers Celebration will take place on Saturday, November 21, 2015. Be sure to save the date! Get more pics at www.blackgirlsride.com/beautifulbikers Photos by Porsche Taylor & Karla Washington

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