Motorcycle Is Broken. This Is How We’re Going To Fix It.

/in /by

When was the last time you read something that made you want to get on a bike? Go ahead, I’ll wait. I won’t blame you if you can’t come up with any stories that made you want to get on your motorcycle, or start riding one. That’s the problem.

Motorcycle is broken. It’s too closed off, too dominated by ex-racers turned writers, too cozy with manufacturers, too unoriginal, too centered around high-end extreme performance bikes and “SUPERBIKE SHOOTOUT!” comparison tests that have little or no relevance to your average rider — or someone new who wants to get into riding.

Worse, motorcycle seems entirely centered around the deeply flawed American idea that motorcycles are just toys, that they begin with Harleys and end with 1200cc crotch rockets for our country’s future organ donors. (That’s the perception, anyway.)

That’s the wrong way to look at motorcycles. Bikes have so many advantages that cars don’t. They’re cheap, they’re easy to maintain, and they’re anathema to today’s tech-laden appliances that further dilute that intimate connection between human and machine. Sick of fake engine noises and bad electric steering on cars? Get on a motorcycle.

blog

12 Great Attention-Worthy Blogs for Women Motorcycle Riders

/in /by

When you have a motorcycle gear/travel/maintenence question, do you search for answers online? Do you consult forums or motorcycle blogs?

That’s what we do … and by now, we have a list of our favorite “go-to” resouces for all things motorcycle, from forums to blogs and online magazines.

Today, we wanted to share some of our favorite women bloggers — some of the world’s most accomplished women motorcycle riders.

Most have a unique passion or expertise — photography, motorcycle camping, motorcycle safety — but in every case, each has ridden extensively and can be counted on for a wealth of motorcycle knowledge and a unique point of view.
Check ’em out!
Belt Drive Betty- Since 2003, this site focuses on news for the Canadian motorcycle riding community. Blog sections include; Community, Law & Politics, Motorcycle Events and News. Follow Betty on Twitter @bdbetty
Chessietales- A visual delight, written by expert motorcycle rider, writer, and photographer Marilyn Elmore. A rider for over 30 years, Marilyn’s photos taken from local roads in Tennessee and surrounding states are breathtaking. Great resource re: local places to ride/visit, bike maintenance, and lots more.

How To Make The Next Great Motorcycle

/in /by

There’s no good motorcycle content anymore. That’s a) partially my fault b) a damn shame and c) a great opportunity for an enterprising enthusiast. Here’s how to do it, do it right and make money doing it.

Just so everyone’s on the same page: I have zero interest in ever again writing about motorcycles full time. Bikes are fun and all, but being the World’s #1 Dog Camping Journalist is even funner. Man, it’d be nice to read about bikes sometime though.

I bounced this piece of fellow cranky old writer Sam Smith, just to make sure I wasn’t totally off base. He told me to include the following three points:

Why bike journalism matters: Because motorcycles are awesome. Because we care about them. Because they deserve a larger place in the world and because more people should ride them. And because they’re hard to get into and most people go about it all wrong, then get scared off instead of becoming life-long riders. Because riding a motorcycle means freedom and sticking it to the man and extending a middle finger in the face of people who say you shouldn’t or can’t.