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BLACK GIRLS Ride
WOMEN OF ROME MC H K N H C T U KL CHICAGO, IL FOUNDED: 2010 ide to the midwest, and you’ll find a rich MC herritage. Among Chicago’s finest riders, you’ll find the Women of KlutchN-Khrome working hard in the community. They are doing their best to give back to the city. We took a ride with them through Chi Town to see how they get down...
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Want your club featured? Email us! blackgirlsridemag@gmail.com 8 BLACKGIRLSRIDE.COM
Introduce your club name, founding date and founding members. The Women Of Klutch-N-Khrome Motorcycle Club was founded in 2010 under the Klutch-N-Khrome MC umbrella. The women’s club was established so the women would have their own identity, separate from the men of Klutch-N-Khrome. WKNK MC started with 8 women, and quickly increased in size to over 20 women within 3 years. To date, WKNK MC Chicago, now known as the mother chapter, has 14 active members, and has expanded to include chapters in Milwaukee, Atlanta and Detroit. What is the club’s mission or motto? The purpose of Women of Klutch-NKhrome Motorcycle Club is to promote Sisterhood, Structure, Unity, and Respect in the motorcycle community. We will broaden our awareness, while having fun and promoting unity among women. (Assisting any members when necessary.) Our Motto is “This Isn’t For Everybody” What is your criterion for membership? Membership is open to any woman who has proof of ownership of a cruiser style motorcycle 600cc or larger is required, valid insurance coverage, and a class M endorsement motorcycle license. However, ownership is not the only requirement, the club prefers women who has a passion for riding and a desire for sisterhood.
What challenges have you faced as females in Club? As with any all female motorcycle club, one of the main challenges women face is not having a voice in a male dominate society. We are strong women and we feel like our opinions matter. Some of the other challenges we face as a club are judgments, labeling, and opposition in the MC community. WKNK would like people to know that we are not here to compete with anyone. Come get to know us and you will learn that we just want to ride our motorcycles and enjoy the MC culture. What annual events do you promote? Each year our calendar begins with our spring event, which consist of either a bowling party or a fight/boxing watch party. This event is held the first weekend in May. Our riding season kicks of with our Bike Blessing held at Freedom Baptist Church in Hillside, Illinois on the 3rd Sunday in May. Our weekly summer bike night begins on the last Wednesday in May and runs through September, ending with our spectacular bike and car show. Come check us out this summer every Wednesday on California and Madison Avenue in Chicago from 7:00-10:00pm for a live DJ and entertainment. Our Anniversary weekend is the 1st weekend in November. This year is our 7th year anniversary is Saturday, November 4th, 2017 at The Gloria Taylor Center in Harvey, IL at 8:00pm – 1:00am.
What are your favorite cities or roads to ride? Our Road Captains determines all routes. The clubs safety is the most important factor in choosing a route. They take in consideration the day of the week, weather, health issues of each member, and the type of activity we would like to cover at that time. They also consider activities for those that are not a part of the club, or in the MC community if necessary. Our most common cities to ride through are Milwaukee, Missouri and Indianapolis, but we enjoy all highways, winding roads and scenic routes. Our goal is to try to visit at least 3 to 4 other cities during the summer months. Not to mention the different states we cross getting to our destination. Additionally, we try to cover on an average of at least 100 to 150 miles in local riding during a lunch run. What should a woman look for in an MC club? When searching for an MC club, a potential member should look at the mission and vision of the club. By doing so, one can determine if their personality is a good fit for the culture of the club. Learn the club dynamics (do they actually ride, or are they a partying club). Getting to know the cohesiveness of the members, and the strength of the leadership. A strong leadership is a must, but they must be even better at following. Club leaders must be assertive and fight/stand-up for
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the club views in the MC world. WKNK MC Chicago has always had strong leaders that have set the tone for our success. A word of caution, “if you run across a club that is being operated in a dictatorship manner‌Run fast!!!!
What does your club look for in a member? Even tempered women with a devotion to ride her motorcycle. A pleasant personality is always a plus. It is very important that a potential member represents herself in a respectful manner and has an eagerness to learn the MC culture. Most of all, she must possess the ability to genuinely cooperate as a team player and respect sisterhood. What are their strengths and weaknesses? We must know the good and bad in order to empower the member to improve their weaknesses. Are there any last words you’d like to leave us with? We are all women on life’s journey, but because of our love of motorcycles we have crossed paths with some really amazing people that has made this an awesome adventure. “KNK ALL DAY” How can we find you on social media? Like us on Facebook.com: Womenof Klutchn Khrome, or visit our website at Wknkchicagomc.com Club contacts: Isis, President 708-299-8358 Good-N-Plenty, VP 815-483-0977 Reesee, Bus Manager 708-730-2575
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JOIN US FOR A RIDE IN HONOR OF
JOI “SJ” HARRIS
SUNDAY • OCTOBER 22 • 9AM SHARP 4000 S FIGUEROA ST, LOS ANGELES, CA
Photos courtesy of Delshataki Izquierdo
W
omen and youth riders continue to be the fastest growing segment among motorcycle riders. These young riders recognize their passion for riding early, and with the tool of social media, they’re able to share their stories with us all. Meet Delshataki “Dirtybird” Izquierdo, a teen-aged cross country rider, who has fast become a motorcycle riding sensation. Dirtybird first began riding last year, when she joined her Dad for her first cross country ride, at just 16 years old! Dirtybird amassed 16,089 miles in her first year of riding! As a high school student, she’s managed to gain more miles than most adults, and she’s just getting started! Along with her mom and dad, she has since traveled to 49 states and Canada over the summer, on her Victory Cross Country. Now, in her senior year, she continues to ride, and has begun her “Dirtybird” brand of t-shirts and patches, which help to fund her rides. She’s becoming both a distinguished ground pounder, and young entrepreneur. As she continues to define her legacy, we are super excited to share her story... Tell us about yourself... Hello! I am Delshateki Joseline Izquierdo and I love to ride motorcycles. I am seventeen years old and I attend Ellison High School in Killeen, Tx. I wrestle and do shot-put in track & field. I started riding my very own 2013 Harley Davidson 883 Sportster 18 April 2016. Since then, I have ridden a Victory Cross Country, Indian Chieftain, and a Goldwing. My favorite so far is the Indian Chieftain, but I currently own a Victory Cross Country. During my first year of riding I rode 16,089 miles. I have ridden to Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and of course Texas because I live there and I have done it all on a motorcycle. I love riding because it allows me to get to know me. My father and mother are riders along with my sister so it is a family affair.
I look forward to riding in other countries and leaving a legacy that other women can add to.
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Describe your path to how you got to where you are with motorcycling today... In 2006 my mom Thunderkat (Blaque Pearls MC Killeen) started riding motorcycles with my dad Big Hump (Sons Of Solomon MC Killeen) I always rode as a “backpack” my parents bought me a little blue and white chopper and I would ride around my neighborhood until I grew out of it. I was back to riding around as a “backpack” which I loved. As I loved being a backpack I was ready to get on my own iron. I always talked about getting my license for my car then soon after my motorcycle. I received my endorsement April 2016 and a couple of weeks later we set off on the road to go to Little Rock, Arkansas for the International Female Day Ride, where I was one of the leading bikes and from that moment on from looking back and seeing so many women on bikes made me feel so good, just an unexplainable feeling.
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Since then, I’ve went on other trips with both my mom and dad. My “biggest” trips have been from Killeen, Tx to Orlando, Fl to Key West, Fl then to Atlanta, Ga to finally meet Ms. Stephanie Hampton also known as the editor and chief of Get Yonder magazine with my dad and uncle Don Juan. From then on we headed back to Killeen, Tx. Now I was under the assumption I was done riding for the summer... little did I know, my parents had something totally different planned. Maybe a day later, after we had returned from our long trip my parents called me into their room and asked me how I felt about going to the grand cayon and I automatically think they werent serious so I started laughing a little and they were like we are serious do you want to go and at first I said no but i thought about it and ended up changing my mind and i’m so glad i did. we took off in the middle of august to the Grand Cayon once we arrived at the Grand Canyon we kept on going to the Four Corners monument, Hoover Dam and all the way to California.
DIRTYBIRD BLACKGIINRLSRI DE.COM 25 HYDER, ALASKA
Dirtybird, you’ve grown into quite a phenomenon. Can you talk more about your path in motorcycling & what keeps you going? On my path to success I see myself making motorcycling my “job” and I say this because I’ve always said as a younger child that I wanted my job to have me traveling the world, so why not combine the two things i love to the most into one. what keeps me riding is honestly my love for the highway. For me riding around my town feels as if I’m riding around in my car but when I hit the highway it is a totally different ride. That’s where I find myself and get to learn things about myself i may have not noticed before. I learn more about the one’s I ride with, we make unforgettable memories and I learn a new lesson about life almost if not every time I get on the road.
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What is your vision for the future, say ten years from now? Ten years from now I want have rode all 50 states of the US and I want be have traveled in other countries of the world. What has been your best and worst experience while riding? My best experience while riding was when I traveled to Orlando, Florida with my Dad and uncle to get my hard saddle bags and batwing put on to my first bike as a gift from my uncle cesar and uncle omar, then continuing to Keywest, Florida. My worst experience while riding was getting shaken up from cross winds from 18 wheelers.
Can you relate a good story from your motorcycling experiences? Riding back from Phoenix, Arizona with my Mom, Dad and ShowStoppaz MC Killeen, we got caught in the dark for about 300 miles, now I have rode at night but, not so much like on the roads we were on. My Dad had warned me that if a deer was to come out in front of me to simply slow down and let the deer decide what it was going to do. If the deer was to be behind me, keep riding and speed up a little to get away from the deer. Now mind y’all we have a bluetooth device called Sena which is used so we are able to communicate with each other while we ride in case of an emergency or to simply talk. So we’re riding and we approach a group of deer’s on the side of the road by my dad says by the time we reach that spot the deer would be gone. We get to where the group of deer was, and they are nowhere to been seen,but we have also slowed down the pack. The women in front of me start to pick the speed back up and as I am going to speed up, in my peripheral vision I see this figure running towards my direction and when I realized it there was a deer literally riding with me, side by side. So i get on the bluetooth with my parents and i ask my dad “okay so I know you told me what to do if an animal comes in front of me or behind me but what if the deer is riding with me” and both of parents bust out laughing then my dad precedes to tell me if he starts to come over, start to lean your bike towards it and kick the h*** out of the deer. I thought that was the funniest advice my dad has ever given to me. Do you have any advice for people who want to get into motorcycling? I encourage any and everybody to ride if that is what they desire because riding can change you as a person for the good, keep you sane or simply something you do for fun. Whatever the reason is don’t let anyone deter you from getting on your iron and riding like there’s no tomorrow.
If you could go on a ride with any of your motorcycling heroes - living or dead - who would they be? I would ride with Ms.Bessie Springfield, Ms. Dayna Grumbles, Ms. SJ Harris, My uncle Smiley, Ms. Kurves because I have already rode with Ms. SeCCret, Ms. Porsche, Big Cell, My Uncle Shareef, Ms. Cali Cat, and Ms. Showtime. If you could teleport to any other place and time in history and ride your bike, where and when would that be? I would travel back in time to the 1930s-40s to get the chance to experience how different it was for Ms. Bessie Springfield to ride compared how it is for us to ride. What’s your dream bike? If you could design your dream motorcycle, what would it look, sound and feel like? If I could design my own motorcycle, I would have the fishtail looking pipes and they would have a nice loudness to them, but not too loud to where its annoying. I would have designed a hot/cold seat that massages your booty after riding for a good hour. I would design a gas tank big enough to where i could ride a good 300 miles till i had to stop for gas. I’d have my bike decked out with matching lights to my custom paint job. My music would be so clear you’d think you were at home listening to music in my room. Finally my license plate would be digital and say Dirty in Red letters. What is your favorite Sunday ride to do when you’re back home? My favorite Sunday ride when I am back home is when my mom and I take a ride over the still house dam and then before the dam ends we pull over take pictures and enjoy the scenery and half the time we end up making funny videos.
Any good music you have discovered of late? Lately I’ve really been into the 90’s R&B, more of the “old school” songs because those are the songs where I can really sing my heart out while riding and the music is calming. What kind of legacy do you hope to leave? I hope to leave a legacy of a women who loved to ride her iron with family and friends. A women that wanted to change the bike set across the world. The women to achieve new accomplishments and make an impact on the people all over young and old.
Any thoughts about Black Girls Ride Magazine? Black Girls Ride Magazine is an inspirational, inspiring magazine for those who do not ride and also for the ones that do. The magazine recognizes people that have done something in there city to make a difference or they may have accomplished a big trip. Black Girls Ride Magazine is a awesome way to stay up to date on what the latest events and many other things to come. For more on her adventures, follow Dirtybird’s online at: www.dirtybirdtravels.com
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On the front line, providing temporary financial assistance to people with any form of cancer for more than 10 years.
Bikers Against Breast Cancer, Inc. is a national 501c3 organization. Your kind donation helps us continue our mission.
To become a sponsor, a volunteer member, or to donate, call 973-819-3519 or email us at babcfund@aol.com www.bikersagainstbreastcancer.com
FIRST RIDE: 2018 POLARIS SLINGSHOT
Is it a Motorcycle or a sports car? No matter what you call it, the 2018 Polaris Slingshot is fast, fun, and fabulous! Technically, the Slingshot is considered a 3-wheeled motorcycle, but it’s certainly unlike anything we’ve ever experienced. Because it’s considered a motorcycle, you’ll likely need a motorcyle endorsement to ride and you should always wear a helmet, but laws vary from state to state. Check with your local laws to be sure. Also, if you can drive a stick, you can ride a Slingshot. This opens up the thrill to a lot of women who may not be able to ride a bike, but want the feel of the wind on their face. Our friends at Polaris invited BGR to take a test ride of the new 2018 Slingshot models, riding along the gorgeous coastline and canyons of Malibu, CA. Let’s get behind the wheel of this trendsetting ride... From first look, the new 2018 models keep the same body style of last year. They new S model comes in gloss black and starts at a lower price point of just $19,999, perfect for those looking for an innovative riding experience. The Slingshot S is a 5 speed manual transmission ride, with a GM Ecotec 2.4L DOHC 4 Cylinder Engine, with 173 Horsepower, projector beam headlights, ABS Disc Breaks, Power Steering and Traction Control. This ride leaves lots of room to make the ride your own, with the new 2018 Slingshot accesories. 2018 Slingshot SL models ($25,499) come equipped with a back-up camera,18” Front Machined Cast Aluminum Wheels, and the new Polaris Ride Command system, made popular on the 2017 Indian Motorcycle Chieftain and Roadmaster models. The 7” multi touch display offers great visibility and ease of use, both with and without gloves. The Ride Command system includes includes a 7-inch multi-touch display with Bluetooth connectivity, phone integration, USB and customizable information screens. On the SLR and SLR LE, Ride Command includes turn-by-turn navigation. 2018 SL colors include navy blue and sunset red.
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The 2018 SLR Model ($28,999) includes Sparco racing components, an extra-wide 305mm rear tire, and high performance forged aluminum wheels. Premium SLR-branded seats offer extra support in the corners. The Slingshot SLR also includes the Ride Command system and the has improved suspension, the powerful Rockford Fosgate 100 watt sound system, a bigger rim and tire, Sparco Components and racing seats, and the ride Command system. 2018 brings a beautiful new colors including Electric Blue and Orange Madness. The new addition to the Slingshot family is the 2018 Slingshot SLR LE ($30,999). They’ve included every feature available in the SLR, and added Bilstein 10-way adjustable shocks, making your suspension customizable in just a few clicks on the fly. The suspension on the Slingshot SLR LE makes for an amazing ride through tight turns. The SLR LE also includes an upgraded 200 Watt Rockford Fosgate sound system, and premium sport seats. The new Slingshot SLR LE is available in Ghost Gray with Lime Squeeze accents ans special edition graphics.
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Polaris has expanded their line of accessories to include 31 different ways to personalize the look of the Slingshot to make it your own. From front grills, tented windshields and lighting kits, to a rear fender, wider rims and tires, they’ve taken a lot of notes from the customization happening in the streets to bring you the cleanest looks imaginable. All models can add upgraded seats, components and the premium 200 watt Rockford Fosgate audio kit. Our favorite new accessory is the Slingshade, a removeable sunshade that turns the Slingshot into a hard or even a t-top. The Slingshot is already a head turner, but cruising around town with the Slingshade got a ton of looks from kids to exotic car owners, alike. The Slingshade is available in all colors, ranging in price from $2499 - 2999. We really enjoyed the handling of the 2018 Slingshot in the Malibu Canyons. It’s a ton of fun to ride!
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LACE, GRACE & GEARS RALLY Photo Credit: Julie Nordskog Andrews, Ruby Izquierdo, and Porsche Taylor
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he Lace, Grace & Gears Rally (LGG) took place on Friday, September 28 - October 1, 2017 in Bandera, Texas. The LGG rally brings women together to try and break the world record for the largest female motorcycle rally. The number to beat was 1132 riders, currently held by the ladies in London. Lace, Grace and Gears Rally isn’t just about the numbers. The focus is on fellowship and education of women who ride. LGG founder Layne Neueufeld says, “Our goal is to put together an event for women they can be proud of.” This year’s rally featured a Sheroes panel, featuring women who shared their experiences and passion for riding. The panel was hosted by Moira Zinn and featured Lupita Velasquez, Porsche Taylor, Delshataki “Dirty Bird” Izquierdo, and Junie Rose. The LGG schedule was jam packed with scavenger hunts, dirt biking, guided rides, live music and more! Black Girls Ride Magazine was on hand with gift bags for the riders, courtesy of Indian Motorcycle and Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys. LGG was a great place to meet new buddies, and, although we didn’t break the record, 732 women came from all across America to be counted!
A Portion of Proceeds will benefit Tidal for Puerto Rico
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www.polarisslingshot.com