When Todd Spurrier pisses excellence, it’s the just the clear, yellow stuff we’re all used to. But when your body’s been through as much as Todd’s has, well, you sort of lower the bar. No pain. No blood. No hospitals. Excellent. See, Todd’s aware of more shitty things that can...
JUST RIDE!
posted by H.McCoy
It doesn’t matter what you ride, Friday is International Female Ride Day, so just get out there and ride! Not only will I be hopping on my Ducati Monster to ride on into work, but I’ll be celebrating after work with other Phoenix-area women and the folks from GoAZ Motorcycles in...
Starting Small Can Mean Big-time Fun
posted by H.McCoy
The story of my first motorcycle is a good story; better when told over a couple of beers (what story isn’t?). Not because I gush over sentimental crap like newfound adventure or steadfast dependability…steadfast? Well, that’d be half-right; it was fast. Adventure? Well, that’s one word. Let’s just say my first choice for a first bike was something along the lines of your teenage daughter getting her learner’s permit on a Lamborghini. I know. Careful when you tell an independent, free-spirited woman to go out and grab life by the horns; some of us’ll do that shit. Turns out, my dream-bike wasn’t...
Shasta Smith: Girl Grease-Monkey
posted by H.McCoy
I’ve always admired people who can be creative for a living. They are the innovators, the beautifiers, the dreamers who have the gift of being able to take something mundane and make it beautiful, take something broken and make it work, or take something intangible and turn it into a reality. It’s a pretty broad category; good thing I have a lot of admiration to spread around. Since both the mechanic who keeps my Porsche purring and the stylist who keeps my locks luxe (defiantly dyed, that is), naturally I would admire the hell out of someone like Shasta Smith.
A lot of women like me would (and probably do) admire Shasta for...
The AXO Talon Women&...
posted by H.McCoy
Once upon a time, not so long ago, looking for a track suit that fit a woman’s body was the stuff fairy tales are made of. You know, self-assured princess-type held back by some impossible circumstance she’s got no control over, embarks on a quest for some fabled object that holds the key...
How to Impress a Rac...
posted by H.McCoy
It takes a lot to impress a motorcycle racing fan. While any professional athlete in any professional sport has to have some kind of physical and psychological mastery above and beyond that of mere mortals, our athletes take all that super-human crap, zip it up in a leather suit, throw on a...
Isn’t It Time ...
posted by H.McCoy
Sometimes, I feel like AMA ProRacing needs a bonk on the head. Don’t get me wrong; I’m a huge fan. Huge! From March to October, time stands still just about every Sunday for me as I get my fix of more adrenaline than any sport has a right to incite. But the more things seem to be...
Urban Curves TV: Get Ready for Full-On GIRL POWER!
posted by H.McCoy
Remember when reality shows didn’t make you want to puke? Back when it was fun to watch dental hygenists and teachers and personal fitness trainers become survivalists, or millionares, or just get skinny? Back before Kardashions and Boo-Boos and gold-digging housewives made us all ashamed of the human race? Seriously…when did reality TV get so unreal?
Want something real? Dig this: a reality show about (pinch me)…women motorcyclists! I heard about this project in it’s infancy last summer, and I’ve just been waiting for the lights to go out before telling you about it. Turns out there’s a whole lot...
From Sweet to Street: How the T-Mobile Girl Got He...
posted by H.McCoy
Sweet is neat, but faster is master. Yeah, I just made that up, but it’s a pretty good synopsis of why T-Mobile needed a change in their advertising. Clearly, T-Mobile’s long recognized the power of the fairer sexed consumer, what with all those pretty pink stores and a girl-next-door spokesperson any of us could love. But apparently, competing in the high-tech market of smartphones and super-fast cellular service against heavy hitters like Verizon and AT&T required a marketing campaign that reflected a little more… assertiveness.
Now, as far as I’m concerned, nothing says...
Icon Motorsports: A ...
posted by H.McCoy
If you missed my first installment, click here for a little context).
Ah yes, the Kitty line. If you could wrap up every Barbie, sex-kitten, I-have-a-pole-in-my-living-room sterotype and pack it into legitimate, skin-saving, cross-stitched, Brazillian cowhide, you’d have what Icon...
Women in the Industr...
posted by H.McCoy
From girlie gear to shortsighted sales clerks, women who work in the motorcycle industry had plenty to talk about at a meeting at the Progressive International Motorcycle Show in Long Beach, California, December 7th. The get-together, organized by Advanstar Powersports brand director, Tigra...
Icon Motorsports: A ...
posted by H.McCoy
Try to define a brand. It isn’t easy. An entire industry is built around trying to do just that. As clever marketing-types know, the recipe for brand-identiy is simple: focus on the consistent use of a key adjective or two that somehow resonates with consumers and bam!, brand success....
FEMMEWALLA!
posted by H.McCoy
The parking…the crowds…strollers…Admit it. You’re sick of shopping. Take your frustration to the track and turn it into something awesome! Soak up some girl-power with like-minded women at Femmewalla 2012, an annual, all-girl track day at the amazing Chuckwalla Valley...
Thanks For The Littl...
posted by H.McCoy
This isn’t going to be one of those cheesy, I’m-so-thankful-for-my-family-and-my-health-and-for-all-the-people-I-love sort of articles. Not that I’m not thankful for those things; I am. But today, as I rode through the desert past date palms and golf courses and orange groves...
The Vertix Raptor-i ...
posted by H.McCoy
For a long time, helmet intercom systems have been a bit like walkie-talkies. Or ham radios. Funky old things with primitive technology that were fun when all the the stars were aligned, the weather was perfect, and you were pretty much right next to whoever you wanted to talk to.
Rider 1:...
Win Some!
posted by H.McCoy
It’s true. If you look around, there’s all kinds of free stuff to win on the internet. But if you’re like me, handing over your e-mail address to a slew of hungry marketers better offer something worth getting spammed over, right? Here are three chances to win prizes I...
BACK TO SCHOOL!
posted by H.McCoy
You hear that? Shh…listen…that’s right…it’s the refrigerator.
And that was a bird.
Oh, and didja hear that? That was the sound of me doing a little dance. The kids are back in shool! Woo-hoo!!!
Well, now that you too may have a just a little time for yourself, why not...
California Girls Tak...
posted by H.McCoy
99-riders showed up for Round 8 of the 2012 AMA Pro RoadRacing series July 27-29th at the Mazda-Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, California. 99 riders, and a bitch ain’t one…there were four (it’s a JayZ song; just go with it). Shelina Moreda, Elena Myers, Melissa Paris, and...
Riders Take Time (do...
posted by H.McCoy
I didn’t get a chance to get to know him; we didn’t really talk. Reading about him in this morning’s paper, sounds like he was someone I would have liked. Loved nature, motorcycling, serving the Lord…well, two out of three ain’t bad. When I came upon him that...
The Wrapter: Cool Gi...
posted by H.McCoy
It’s not possible. It’s a myth. You know, like make-up that lasts “all day” or a bathing suit that actually makes you look “slimmer”. You can’t stuff your long, gorgeous hair into a helmet, hop on your motorcycle, then shake it out like some kind of...
RESULTS–The 20...
posted by H.McCoy
So, last week we learned that today’s typical female motorcyclist is somewhere between the ages of 30 and 50 who rides a sportbike or cruiser, likes formalized instruction, and didn’t get a whole lotta help from other chicks back when she was learning. Also, that I have readers...
Results: The 2012 Wo...
posted by H.McCoy
In January, I threw out this twelve question survey to women motorcyclists with the intention of trying to help define just what kind of woman rides a motorcycle these days. Although we are repeatedly identified as the fastest-growing demographic of riders, to the best of my knowledge,...
Win a Bell!
posted by H.McCoy
Check this out…Bell Powersports is giving away a helmet a day…and it looks like the contest has already started! All you have to do is head over to their Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/BellPowersports and fill out an entry form. Every THURSDAY from June 1st to June...
Do a Vet Proud
posted by H.McCoy
This post has nothing to do with motorcycles. It has everything to do with Memorial Day.
That’s my dad, there on the left. Staff-seargeant Hank O’Hara, age 22, circa 1942. I’m really proud of my dad. Really proud. He’s a member of a very exclusive group of...
The Bell Star Carbon...
posted by H.McCoy
Girls like nice stuff. If you sell shoes or clothes or jewelry or purses, you know what I’m talkin’ about. If you’re a girl who wears shoes or clothes or jewelry or (carries) purses, you know what I’m talkin’ about. If you sell motorcycle gear, let me tell...
Pro Women Racer Upda...
posted by H.McCoy
With most of them having at least a season-opener under their belts, women racers are making an impressive grab for the action in the 2012 professional motorcycle race season. Not a girly league out there, and kudos to the commentators who’ve given the girls their due: SPEED’s...
E-bike Ennui? I may ...
posted by H.McCoy
Faster than a speeding Prius. Farther than a drifting Leaf. Brammo’s new Empulse, the first consumer-ready electric motorcycle to achieve a 100-mph and go 100-miles on a single charge, was introduced to the moto-media in L.A. last week. (Zzzzz…). I’m...
The Mandatory Helmet...
posted by H.McCoy
Behind every stupid mistake, there’s a stupid reason for making it. Beer goggles, fake pregnancies, making celebrities out of those Kardashian people…you know…things that are just impossible to justify because the logic is so stupid. Like not wearing a helmet on your...
Icon’s 2012 Al...
posted by H.McCoy
I’m sorry…did I miss something? When it comes to helmets, where does it say if you’re going to splurge on style, it’s gunna cost you in comfort? And is it a mathematical proof that DOT+ECE + SAI+SG = (cost of motorcycle/monthly income) x annual insurance premium?...
Win Stuff!
posted by H.McCoy
As you can see, I review a lot of gear. More than one girl can use. Want some? All you have to do is ‘like’ RevGirl’s Facebook page. That’s right; just click that f-bomb icon up in the corner (or click here, if that’s too much work). Every couple of...
The 2012 Suzuki GSX-...
posted by H.McCoy
I’ve wanted to ride this bike for a long time. Suzuki’s GSX-Rs are incredibly popular in just about every sportbike circle: racing, stunting, street riding…kids dig ‘em. I just figured it’s because the gixxer is a great looking bike that, like most Japanese...
The AGV PistaGP: re-...
posted by H.McCoy
With MotoGP teams hitting the track for the first official testing of 2012, AGV introduced the absolute latest thing in motorcycle helmets at a track-side press conference in Jerez, Spain on Friday. The AGV PistaGP, utilizing a totally new production concept, is the first in a generation of...
Oh, My-My-MYERS!
posted by H.McCoy
Elena Myers Leads the Way for Women Riders at Season Opener in Daytona
Women competitors impressed everyone at the AMA Pro Racing season opener last week-end in Daytona, Florida, led by 18 year-old Elena Myers, who made history on St.Patrick’s Day as the first woman ever...
The 2012 Zero S
posted by H.McCoy
Wouldn’t it be cool if you didn’t have to depend on anyone for anything? I’m not talking about living in a cave somewhere, but wouldn’t it be great to not need tech support or printer ink or $4/gallon gas? Ah…think of the freedom…
Motorcyclists are...
Where I’ve bee...
posted by H.McCoy
I didn’t really want to write about this. Not because I don’t like talking about myself (I don’t), and not because I’m sick of the subject (I am), but dropping the momentum here for a month seems to require an explanation. Ugh…you know what they say about those.
Here’s the...
Arlen Ness’s 2...
posted by H.McCoy
Love is the most beautiful of dreams and the worst of nightmares”.–William Shakespeare.
My sentiments exactly. Track-riding is bliss, and gear-shopping blows. Notoriously ill-fitting and woefully sub-par, finding a decent women’s track suit is like finding a needle in a...
If you could choose&...
posted by H.McCoy
This survey’s for everyone:
You’re at the flea-market. It’s early; hardly anyone there yet. You come across this little old lady who’s got a bunch of men’s clothes strewn out over various sporting goods. The clothes are marked with pieces of masking tape...
Dainese’s New ...
posted by H.McCoy
There are phones, and then there are smartphones. There are tracksuits, and then there’s the D-Air Racing suit. Holy crap…we’ve come a long way, baby.
On Monday night, after a decade of research and development (as in lots and lots of crashing), Dainese introduced the first...
The Icon Reign Boot:...
posted by H.McCoy
Some like it hot, some like it dry. When it comes to our feet, there might be a few of you freaks out there who like it all, but most of us don’t like ‘em cold or wet. Lucky for us, there’s a bunch of die-hard biker-types in the Pacific Northwest who know just how...
New Women’s Su...
posted by H.McCoy
Ok…STOP PRESSES! If you’ve been looking for a serious women’s track suit A) I’m sorry, but B) here’s one that just may fit the bill (and the boobs): The 2012 Ladies Mag Suit from Arlen Ness. If it fits anything like the 2009 version (The Suit With the...
FREE POSTER! Print R...
posted by H.McCoy
Hey race fans, need something to make your cubicle or office or refrigerator look good? Print out this poster from RevGirl of the 2012 AMA Pro Road Racing Schedule so you can keep up with the women racing AMA Pro: Elena Myers, Shelina Moreda, and Melissa Paris. Get out your calendars, call...
2012 Naked Bikes
posted by H.McCoy
Milan is a beautiful city. Beautiful streets, beautiful buildings, art, fashion…but what I was most struck by after my first day at the EICMA Show last month was all the nakedness. Among manufacturers, I mean. I mean, bikes. I mean motorcycles!
Taking a cue from the soaring,...
Take the 2012 Woman ...
posted by H.McCoy
Ok, even NFL Football is marketing with a woman on a motorcycle. Sure, it’s a dopey slaughter of a Joan Jett classic (I know, blasphemy right?), with country star Faith Hill dressed in a pleather cat-suit and stilettos looking more like she’s off to an audition for...
Actress Learns to Ri...
posted by H.McCoy
For her starring role in the uber-creepy “Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”, actress Rooney Mara told NPR’s Melissa Block she had to go to some pretty dark places and do some pretty scary things. But what unnerved the 26-year old actress the most? Yep; riding a motorcycle....
What’s In A Na...
posted by H.McCoy
So, what’s in a name you ask? Well, everything. But when the name starts taking on too many meanings (as in too many similar-sounding sites), it just gets confusing. For everyone. But the success of Sportbikechic has given me a bigger vision: a site that covers all things women...
Sexy Little Things: ...
posted by H.McCoy
If there were a category of women’s motorcycle gear called ‘sexy little things’, I would have stuck Icon’s new Women’s Justice Mesh gloves in that drawer. At least, at first glance. Strictly for street, they have a sporty, fit-at-the-wrist shape, a splash of...
Back-to-Back US GPs ...
posted by H.McCoy
The calendar for the 2012 MotoGP World Championship has the US races back-to-back, with races at the fabled Brickyard of Indianapolis on August 19th following a short 3-week break from the Mazda Laguna Seca race in Monterey, California, July 29th. It only makes sense; zigzagging across the...
Where To Shop
posted by H.McCoy
If you’re like me, you will avoid malls and parking lots at all costs this week. But, if you’re like me, you would like to save some dough. So, if you’re shopping for any motorcycle stuff, here’s a little chart comparing shipping rates (how much you have to spend to...
Ducati’s 1199 ...
posted by H.McCoy
When is a motorcycle sexy enough for it’s own Hollywood premiere? When it’s Ducati, that’s when. The Italian manufacturer’s all new superbike, the 1199 Panigale, fresh from it’s introduction and “Most Beautiful Bike” award at the EICMA Show in...
Sexy Supersports: Be...
posted by H.McCoy
“A great bike for women riders”. I hate that phrase. It’s man-speak for ‘yawn’, and it usually precedes an ode to some Shetland pony of a motorcycle: sturdy, dependable, and so not sexy. Who wants to yawn on a motorcycle? Just because the average female...
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8th Annual Women's Sportbike Rally, Sept. 6-8th, 2013
