Comments on: Biker Chicks

By: Thomas

Thomas — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 17:58:56 +0000

MP, I think there is an exception to the “windshield rule” (From MP’s blog, that one becomes CHiPs with a windshield): small wind deflectors as part of British bikes made between 1948 and 1975, because they could reasonably be cafe racers, and some cafe racers had wind deflectors. Bikes made to go ton-up (100mph+) on a public motorway with drum brakes just don’t bring Erik Estrada to mind.

I have a few bike photos here

By: Mighty Ponygirl

Mighty Ponygirl — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 15:47:31 +0000

I wrote about my motorcycle a while ago. It’s so pretty. I also write general manners when talking to someone who’s gotten a motorcycle, and also some instructions on how to get a motorcycle if you’re interested.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 13:55:22 +0000

So that’s a 1941-ish WL, right?

Also, credit where it’s due. Months ago, I picked up American Iron to look at a bobber, my favorite of the US custom styles. There was another bike, super-low, built and ridden by a 5′2″ woman named Shorty. Now, there’s a very standard presentation for the bikes in those magazines: two big pictures, one of each side, one or two insets with details, and a picture of the bike with the owner or builder. But since the builder in this case was a woman who worked as a spokesmodel in the industry, with bottle-blond hair and huge surgically enhanced breasts, and since she had a lot of help from her friends to finish her first bike, they ignored the format and put up lots of splashy cheesecake of the builder while ignoring the bike, right?

Wrong. Standard layout: two big pics of each side and an inset, one small picture of Shorty with the bike.

The world is a shitty place full of sexism and misogyny, so when someone does something decent, I’m always a little surprised.

By: Mnemosyne

Mnemosyne — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 06:38:32 +0000

I’m more of a Vespa girl, myself. What can I say — I’d rather cruise around town with big sunglasses and a fluttering scarf saying, “Ciao” like the Pope.

By: Nenena

Nenena — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 01:10:31 +0000

Reading this made my day. I don’t have a whit of interest in motorcyles, but reading about Harley’s right-headed attempts to reach women buyers has just restored a tiny bit of my faith in humanity. It’s a good feeling.

By: John Lucid

John Lucid — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 23:00:58 +0000

What’s wrong with a pretty, pink Barbie bike? Besides it being hideous and tacky, that is.

By: Mighty Ponygirl

Mighty Ponygirl — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 20:49:28 +0000

My motorcycle is the “chick model” for the company that makes it, and it’s called the “Virago.”

I’m not sure how I feel about it.

Actually, I’d wanted to get a larger motorcycle for longer distances, and I’ve found that most of the bikes are emulating the chopper look, including huge wide tank. I don’t mind sitting up a little higher, but having your legs splayed out because men want to pretend like their bike is a big fat cock is a little uncomfortable and doesn’t seem as safe to me. They’re harder to handle and steer in low gear. Plus, it’s not ladylike! :p Harley Davidson, for all of it’s over-pricedness (behold! I have invented a word!) does appear to have slimmer tanks and sleeker design.

By: FashionablyEvil

FashionablyEvil — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 20:17:59 +0000

The Broadsheet post on the article was icky, and, I think, seriously missed the point.

Not to mention, as anybody who has seen the Dykes on Bikes at a gay pride parade can attest, there’s just something totally, weirdly transgressive about a woman sitting on a motorcycle

So I should ride a motorcycle because a man thinks it’s “transgressive.” Who knew?