Black Girls Ride March 2017

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BLACK GIRLS Ride

C M Z V R U C SMOKIN D FREDERICKSBURG, VA FOUNDED: AUGUST 2010

uring this year’s PRO Convention, we came across a group of women hard at work, and learned about Smokin Curvz MC. These ladies are a part of the Block Burnaz MC family, and riders in their own right. Let’s take a ride and learn more about these ladies and their growing national sisterhood.

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

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When and where was your club founded, and who were the primary founders?

Smokin Curvz Motorcycle Club was founded in August 2010 in Fredericksburg, Va. Our two original Founders are Meka “Queen Thickness” Amadi and Crystal “Honey” Scott.

What is the club’s mission or motto?

Our mission is to promote sisterhood, selfrespect, community service and a passion for riding. We are strong women from diverse backgrounds who came together and vowed to be positive role models for the community.

We are daughters, sisters, mothers, single parents, and females that enjoy riding as much as men do. We give back to our communities with our time and contributions and strive to be the faces of what phenomenal women are.

We believe actions speak louder than words and are ready to prove that we can ride with the big boys, cook the meals, take care of the kids, uplift our community and look fabulous while doing it.

What challenges have you faced as females in a Club?

The biggest challenge we faced at the beginning was earning respect on the set.

As female riders we know we are considered “guests” on the set and had to prove ourselves on the pavement by riding. We were challenged by both males and females already in the community and rightfully so. On top of that we faced the challenges of balancing being mothers, wives, girlfriends, daughters, students, employees, bosses, etc. We knew we wanted to be a positive image and we let that guide us.

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What are your favorite cities or roads to ride?

There are so many. Smokin Curvz has chapters in Fredericksburg, VA; Macon, GA; San Diego, CA; Charlotte, NC; Augusta, GA, and most recently Houston, TX. There’s no telling where you might see a Curv; highways, backroads, in the mountains, in the city, or near the beach.

What should a woman look for in an MC club?

That’s a personal decision. Everyone looks or hopes to gain different things by joining or looking to join a certain MC, just make sure that MC has what you want. Important things we suggest are sisterhood, not that fake sisterhood from women who just call you “Sis” but women who can tell you their members real names, their kids names, who genuinely care about their members on and off the set. Also look for loyalty, their reputation, do they ride, do they follow basic MC protocol, and do they have respect on the set.

What does your club look for in a member?

We expect a lot of our members because Smokin Curvz is important to us and we want to be around for years, decades to come. We expect our members to be real sisters to each of us, loyalty, honesty, to hold themselves with respect, and to respect the set, and of course ride.

What annual events do you promote?

PRO Convention - We were actually sponsors this year for the one in Baltimore, MD. It’s a weekend filled of educational seminars, a chance to meet new people and reconnect with people you may not have seen in a while.

All Female Ride in Jacksonville Florida Lupus Foundation - This charity is dear to our heart because We lost our Sister Lisa “Addiction” Williams in 2014 after her courageous battle with this disease. Our Macon chapter hosts a walk in her memory every year. We also just try to support as many local and out of state MCs events and charities that we possibly can to show our support.

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

Smokin Curvz Motorcycle Club is proud of everything we’ve accomplished since we formed in 2010.

Many didn’t think we would be around this long and as big as we are today, but we’ve proved them wrong. We’ve faced many challenges along the way and even lost many people who were dear to us but we never folded, never crumbled, we just used that to make us even stronger. We greatly appreciate everyone who has supported us along the way and showed us love and big thank you to Black Girls Ride Magazine for thinking of us for this edition. Much Love and we hope to see you all on the road.

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he growth of All Female Rides has exploded over the last 5 years. There was a time when finding women to ride with wasn’t easy.

Jennifer ‘Lil Tigger’ Brewington answered the call for this need and created an annual ride that attracts women from all over the country. She’s the founder of the 2Wheels 2Gether All Female Ride in Jacksonville, Fl. This ride is an awesome day full of women who travel from all over the country to fellowship and experience sisterhood on ground.

Jenn’s charm and southern hospitality make this one of our favorite rides of the year. Let’s take a ride with ‘Lil Tigger’...

goal. But, all that came to a halt when I experienced my first long distance ride. I fell in love with each journey that I went and purchased a Harley Davidson Street Glide so that my traveling would be more comfortable and relaxing.

Tell us about yourself...

I am Jennifer Brewington a.k.a Lil Tigger. I am a native from Jacksonville, FL but currently reside in Georgia with a brief stay in Virginia in between. My days are fulfilled as a professional in the health field and being a single mother of three wonderful boys 26, 19, and 15. My life goals are to simply be a better person than I was the day before focusing on a better tomorrow. But my daily goals are to build a brighter future for me and my boys.

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

Ten years from now I would like to see all women riding together building bridges state to state teaching one another for the next generation of riders.

Describe your path to how you got to where you are with motorcycling today.

Approximately 13 years ago, I started off riding a Suzuki GSXR 750 but graduated to a Suzuki GSXR 1000 and then later onto a Harley Davidson Street Glide. But each purchase was done in steps. Prior to my purchase of my Suzuki GSXR 1000, I began to learn how to make repairs on motorcycles and learn the dynamics of building a motorcycle, in which my love for speed and my love for motorcycles grew. This opened many more doors and opportunities and broadening my horizons for riding. The need for speed and knowing what modifications that I make on the motorcycle can take me to another level of thrill. I would then buy another sports bike that I modified to reach that

Can you talk more about what keeps you going?

What keeps me going is the love of freedom, the joy, the power, them thoughts, the release of stress that comes from behind the throttle. That true connection of woman and machine. That inner peace that brings me a calm mindset for a success life.

Can you relate a good story from your motorcycling experiences?

One of my best experiences while riding was when I met D Jo Jones female biker from New Mexico.

She was on the side of the highway taking a picture while the 48 states map posted on her luggage. It was an honor to have met her as she was doing the 48 states journey. It was like meeting history.

One of the most memorable times which could be categorized as bad but it was fun. This was a trip to New Orleans with a couple of my sisters, a turn and burn is how I like to call it. While in route, my sister’s back tire had blown as we were in the fast lane in traffic. We safely exited the expressway but the look on her face was told it all, not nice. We were In between cities in the middle of nowhere but we had to find a tire so we started call around looking for tires.

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Can you relate a good story from your motorcycling experiences?

But, thanks to a long-distancesisterhood, I reached out and they were quick to send help to us. Along with assistance from a friend in New Orleans, we were able to get the bike towed and acquire a new tire and able to continue our journey. After spending, most of the day on the side of the road, it was time to rest and return home. The ride home was just as adventuresome, it was a wet one. The skies opened and every lighten bolt came down towards us and the rain poured down. we decided to stop for gas when my sister says” are we riding in the rain” laughing, I looked and said “ you can stay here but we got to get home” with water pouring out of our boots and her pants taped together we embarked on the ride home that was supposed to take 9 hours but it turned into eternity. But luckily, we made it home safely with flu like symptoms. The Dream Team!

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

I f I could change anything about the motorcycling today. it would be the division amongst riders. To see every one riding together for the sake of the fulfillment of the love and freedom of the ride. One Goal One Love Do you have any advice for new riders?

My advice for a new rider would be to ride your ride.

Take time to learn you limitations and the do’s and don’ts. Take a motorcycle endorsement class to help with beginner knowledge for riding. Ride at your comfort level bonding with you machine making it apart of you.

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What’s your dream bike?

My dream bike is a 2005 Suzuki GSXR 1000 mapped out and ready to race. It’s just something about the speed.

If you could go on a ride with any of your motorcycling heroes - living or dead - who would they be?

If I could ride next to my motorcycle hero, it would be SeCCRet-The Cross Country Rider. She is truly an amazing person and such motivation.

She inspires me to ride outside my comfort distance and ride beyond to explore new things.

What is your favorite Sunday ride to do when you’re back home?

My favorite Sunday ride is to just ride with my sisters breaking bread with each other. No more no less!

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What kind of legacy do you hope to leave?

Unity, love, empowerment, motivation, inspiration, making a difference in the motorcycle culture is the legacy I wish to leave.

By following great leaders and learning One Love One Goal, 2wheels 2gether is simply the focus. By promoting, supporting, and planning All Female Rides together, we build a legacy one rider at a time.

Schuberth C3 Pro W Modular (Flip Up) Helmet

GMAX G35 Half Helmet

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Shoei RF 1200 Full Face Helmet

Bell Custom 500 Open Face Helmet

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he most common fatal injuries sustained by motorcycle riders are injuries to the head. The purpose of the motorcycle helmet is to help reduce fatalities and injuries resulting from motorcycle accidents. Let’s take a look at the history of helmets...

Motorcycle riders adopted the use of helmets from the military, football, auto racing and space industries.

In 1918, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) was established to oversee the development of voluntary consensus standards for products, services, processes, systems and personnel in the United States.

The first American Standard Safety Code was approved in 1921 and covered the protection of the heads and eyes of industrial workers. Many standards produced by ANSI in the 1930s promoted safety in work and home environments. ANSI based standards is essentially for auto race driving helmets adopted or endorsed for use by motorcycle riders.

ANSI formerly adopted its present name after numerous reorganizations and name changes in 1969.

Motorcycle riders wore leather caps made of sheepskin or gabardine leather until T.E. Lawrence (aka Lawrence Arabia suffered a fatal motorcycle crash and Hugh Carins lead the development of the motorcycle crash helmet in 1935.

In 1953, Professor C.F. Red Lombard submitted the first patent for a motorcycle helmet.The Snell Memorial Foundation has independently tested manufacturer’s helmets since 1957. Once a helmet is Snell certified, the manufacturer cannot make any design changes.

A HELMET MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE

BY SARAH “SECCRET” MOREAU Any structural modification made by a motorcycle rider such as drilling holes, paint, glue, adhesive stickers or solvents not approved by the manufacturer may make the helmet ineffective and automatically invalidate existing Snell certification because it could affect the performance quality of the helmet.

Snell Standards are the toughest testing and performance standards in the world. Snell examines, revises, updates and republishes many of its standards about every five years.

In 1966, the National Highway Safety Act (NHSA) required states to pass mandatory helmet laws in order to receive Federal highway funding.

In 1967, the U.S. Department of Transportation was established to help maintain and develop the nation’s transportation system and infrastructure.

In 1970, Congress amended the Vehicle Safety Act to expand the definition of motor vehicle equipment to include “any device, article or apparel…to safeguard motor vehicles, drivers, passengers, and other highway users from the risk of accident, injury or death and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was established to help reduce the number of deaths, injuries, and economic losses resulting from motorcycle vehicle crashes on the Nation’s highways.

On January 4, 1974, the U.S. Department of Transportation declared Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 218 (FMVSS-218) for motorcycle helmets.

In 1975, Congress withdrew the requirements of the NHSA and many states repealed mandatory helmet laws.

On July 6, 2012, President Barack Obama signed into law a new two year transportation reauthorization bill, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), which modified the definition of “motor vehicle equipment adding the term “motorcycle helmet” to the description of regulated items.

Motorcycle helmets sold in the United States must meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard FMVSS 218. It is a violation of some state laws for motorcycle riders and passengers to wear unsafe novelty helmets with affix stickers perpetrating manufacturers certification labels that do not meet FMVS 218.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration requires motorcycle helmets manufactured after May 13, 2013 to include the phrase “FMVSS No. 128 on the certification decal with the manufacturers name or brand name and the word certified to make easy for riders and law enforcement to identify noncompliant helmets. Prior to May 13, 2013, the label requirements of FMVSS No. 218 consist of the letters “DOT” on the rear of the helmet.

As of this date, there are no regulatory limits on the age of motorcycle helmets that may be used to comply with a state motorcycle helmet use law. Motorcycle riders and passengers can wear helmets with “DOT” made prior to the May 2013 label change requirements.

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If you are planning a motorcycle ride crossing state lines, check the current helmet laws.

As of 2017, there is no helmet law in Illinois, Iowa and New Hampshire. Alabama, California, District of Columbia, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia and Washington require all motorcyclist and passengers to wear a helmet under universal helmet laws. Partial helmet laws states of Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming requires motorcycle riders to have medical insurance coverage.

Higher insurance premiums for motorcycle riders that wear helmets in states that do not require protection because helmetless motorcyclist in most cases are uninsured at the time of serious injury or fatal accident.

For example, the state of Michigan requires motorcycle riders to have at least $200,000 in medical coverage on their motorcycle insurance if they plan to ride without a helmet which would likely raise insurance cost. If a motorcycle rider is uninsured or under-insured, their treatment cost is often funded by state public health programs.

A high number of motorcycle crash fatalities has shown motorcyclist wearing sub-standard motorcycle helmets not intended for highway use providing little or no head protection resulting in high cost to taxpayers.

When shopping for a motorcycle helmet check for the following labels to certify the helmet: - Meets or exceeds FMVSS 218.

- DOT prior to May 13, 2013 - FMVSS No. 128 after May 13, 2013 - Snell inside the helmet.

- American National Standards Institute (ANSI) inside the helmet - Manufacturers name on or inside the helmet stating model, size, month and year of manufacture, construction materials and owners information.

- Make sure your helmet is a good snug fit and it can stay on your head after fasting the chin strap when you shake your head from side to side and up and down.

If your helmet takes a hit or drop on the ground, it should be replaced immediately because the expanded polystyrene (EPS) inside the helmet absorbs the energy of an impact spreading the forces throughout the helmet material, which is used to protect your head and brain. Although the helmet may appear normal, the inner EPS foam may have lost absorbing capability and may provide little or no protection during a motorcycle accident. You may consider contacting the manufacturer to request having your motorcycle helmet x-rayed by a professional to confirm if the inner layers of the helmet are still in good condition.

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Beautiful Biker, Chocolate T survived a harrowing motorcycle accident with facial injuries and lives today to bravely share her testimony with us. She graciously allowed SeCCRet to interview her for our Helmet Safety feature and here’s what she had to say...

Where are you originally from?

Fort Worth, Texas How did you get the name Chocolate T? I gave myself the name because I have a client who goes by Chocolate on the set and I felt like we favored (Laughs) But I added the “T” so it wouldn’t seem as if I was trying to be her (Laughs).

CHOCOLATE T’S TESTIMONY Did you tell Suicide that she inspired you to ride? Yes, I did. We could talk at the Round Up in Oklahoma. I rode to Oklahoma and I was able to take a picture with her and able to converse with her for a little bit and that was real cool.

Have you taken any motorcycle safety courses? I did before I was able to get my bike I had to take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course.

How long have you been riding motorcycles?

I have been riding for 4 years now.

Have you taken any advance motorcycle riding safety courses? No

What was your first motorcycle?

I had a Harley Davidson Sportster 883 first.

What motorcycle are you currently riding? I’m on a Harley-Davidson Street Bob (FXDL) at the moment.

Are you a member of a motorcycle club?

No I’m not.

How did you get into motorcycle riding?

I started helping out a local bike club for extra money and I rode on the back of a few of their bikes but I knew I would eventually want my own.

I was tired of asking for rides (laughing).

Who inspired you to ride motorcycles?

I actually came across an article and I don’t even know the ladies name, but I later found out about Suicide and I read a story about Suicide going across country and she was the one that really inspired me.

Have you met Suicide in person?

I have…yes, she is awesome.

What positive contribution(s) do you contribute to the motorcycle culture as a female motorcycle rider? I do a few charity events. Feeding the homeless and I donated some time and energy at a woman’s shelter and a few fund raising rides.

How many times have you gone down on your motorcycle? One time.

What injuries did you sustain as a result of the motorcycle accident? I got road rash, 13 stitches in my upper lip, knocked out a front tooth and chipped the other front tooth.

How long were you hospitalized as a result of your motorcycle accident? Overnight

What were your thoughts after your motorcycle accident? I was upset. I was with a group of 6 and 1 of the guys had never rode in a group before so the road captain had to teach them how to stagger at the gas station before our ride.

Unfortunately, he was in front of me towards the back. As we got into heavy traffic, he was riding the middle lane. As traffic slowed down, instead of him breaking, he down shifts and I hit my front brake, making me fly forward. I hit the middle of my handlebars and fell off the bike. Slide 15 feet and was knocked out in the middle of a major highway.

We were going 8 mph when it happened. We had only gotten .02 miles into the ride. I had purchased the half helmet 2 days prior. I had a full face before that day that was my biggest regret.

What fear(s) did you have to overcome after your motorcycle accident? Self image. I loved my smile before, but over time I grew in my skills to ride better and safer. So my ego left and strength in knowledge entered.

Prior to your motorcycle accident, what type of motorcycle gear did you wear? Prior to your motorcycle accident, what type of motorcycle gear did you wear? Full face at first. I had a summer riders jacket. Then I put on a leather jacket and half helmet. The jacket was cheap and torn up my arms (Laughs)…never again!

What motorcycle gear from head to toe are a must for you to wear when you ride? I rock my full face, leather jacket, heavy denim jeans, and Harley boots or chucks now.

What type of motorcycle helmet would you suggest for a motorcycle rider and why? I love my modular helmet. It’s not as stuffy in my opinion.

And it can be lifted up for the openness some may look for.

How would you respond to someone afraid to ride in a pack with other motorcycle riders?

I struggled with being able to trust the people around me. Start off small with two to three

people, get the feel of owning lane spots and get comfortable and go along, you have to do it or it’s not going to be safe for you or anyone else around you. It’s necessary to build up a certain level of trust when you’re on a bike because in case of an emergency, you’re by yourself and these people are like well you don’t want to ride with us…you know people get funny like that, they’ll leave you on the side of the road and not care.

How did your family and close friends respond to you when you decided to ride your motorcycle after the accident? My mom and dad are deceased. I’m one of four children. I’m the third youngest. My sisters were upset. My brother didn’t really say anything. My daughter is 18 and she was upset because my motorcycle accident happened Mother’s Day weekend so instead of hanging with her I went for a ride. The accident happened that Saturday and Mother’s Day was Sunday. Once I explained to my family the situation that I was not acting foolish and I wasn’t being reckless then they started getting a little bit better and I explained to them it wasn’t my lack of knowledge or education that got me there, it was somebody else’s lack of knowledge and that just goes with anything, when you get in a car, you have to be understanding of everybody else around you, so it’s just twice as difficult when you’re on a bike and you’re riding with these people, so they are better now, it’s one of those things now I still have to check in, take a picture and let them know – Hey I’m here and I’m still alive (Laughs).

How has motorcycle riding change your life or your outlook on life? It’s broadened my horizons.

I wasn’t necessarily a narrowed minded person, but I wasn’t privy to the different cultures and the different groups of people that rode. To be able to see Caucasians, African American and also see Native Americans or Asians, it kind of inspired me and made me see things in a bigger picture and understand that it’s a love for the openness, just to be able to see mountains and different terrain, it’s amazing.

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