Posts tagged ask

Hi anonymous! I actually follow more individuals than I do blogs these days. I mean, I have my rounds that I do… but when it comes to what I PERSONALLY follow, it’s more instagrams, personal facebook feeds, etc. That being said, check these out… 

• BikeEXIF (bikeexif.com)
• The Selvedge Yard (theselvedgeyard.wordpress.com)
• Pipeburn (pipeburn.com)
• Cafe Racer XXX (caferacerxxx.com)
• The MotArt Journal (themotartjournal.com)
• Deus ex Machina USA (facebook.com/deuscustomsusa)
• Deus ex Machina Bali (facebook.com/deusbali)
• Wheels & Waves (wheelsandwavesdaily.tumblr.com)
• Ornamental Conifer (ornamentalconifer.blogspot.com)
• Godspeed 45/06 (godspeed4506.com)
• Biltwell (facebook.com/biltwell, biltwellok.blogspot.com)
• StuntBums (stuntbums.com)
• Silodrome (silodrome.com)
• Return of the Cafe Racers (returnofthecaferacers.com)
• Dave (redandblackattack.tumblr.com)
• Marie Noelle Delgado (instagram @marienoellle)
• Jada Noriyuki (instagram @pdxscrambler666)
• Ray Gordon (instagram @raygordonphoto)

I could probably keep going for another couple hours, but I’ll leave it at that. 

Hi there, and thanks for the compliments on the blog! Very glad you enjoy it. 

As for the knee armor, I have two different types that I use and enjoy for different purposes and with different boot/pant combos for comfort. 

Icon Stryker Knee Guard ($105 on RevZilla)
Some of the perks of these is that they’re very sturdy, would fit bigger people well (I’m petite and they fit fine), and that they’re lined with Hydradry which wicks moisture. Air channels help with cooling, too.

Dainese Knee V Guard ($65 on RevZilla)
The Dainese shin and knee guards are a little longer than the Icon version, and they’ve come down in price since the style I have. Mine don’t have the same lower straps (they just tuck into boots) but otherwise are very similar. The perforation in the plastic is nice too.

I would definitely suggest picking some up! While it’s not as safe as wearing leather or textile riding pants (especially with the lack of hip/thigh/butt protection) it is a huge step up from riding in only denim. 

Thanks for that. I kept your awesome tip all to myself and won them! :) 

Since I don’t personally know much about this bike, I can only go off what I read in the specs I found online (such as on bikez.com).

It’s a petite and light weight bike- 360 lbs dry (without fluids and gas) and has a low seat height of 27.5 inches… with an optional low profile seat that takes it down another two or so. These two things are going to make it a comfortable bike for someone with a shorter inseam, and also light enough that it won’t feel too cumbersome to you.

As for power, it seems pretty tame from what I can tell. At 34 HP, it’s probably a decent place for you to start. Since I’ve never ridden one I can’t really speak to the quarks of the bike for a new rider, but from other reviews online it seems that it’s a really fun and simple bike to ride. It gets really good gas mileage (or so they claim at 68 MPG) which is always a bonus. I also have no idea how these things act mechanically, if they’re a money pit for maintenance or what have you. 

But all the being said, a single cylinder 500cc (ish) light weight and petite motorcycle isn’t a terrible idea for you. But make sure you get formal training through your local motorcycle safety / training organization and for the love of god, buy proper motorcycle gear! Full face helmets are awesome, and so is having proper armor in pants and jackets. 

(Photo from whereismaggiemae.com)

Firstly, what is your prior motorcycling experience? What engine displacement / size are we talking… 250cc? A lot of it depends on your skill level and comfort level.

Hannah Johnson (~5’3”) rides a Hypermotard with an exceptionally high seat height (33.3”). She literally jumps onto the bike as it takes off. For her, size has little to do with it. You can make changes in the bike (seat, suspension, etc) to bring it down a little bit so you can put your feet more firmly on the ground. Ninja’s are pretty light weight across the board, so keeping it upright or even picking it back up if you drop it isn’t such a big deal.

If you’ve got some experience under your belt and can responsibly ride the bike and respect it while you learn more… I say go for it. But that’s just my opinion, and I might lack real-world experience in this realm that some others can shed some light on for us. I bought a big, heavy, cheap, poorly performing motorcycle to learn on.

I also just want to mention the CBR 250 from Honda. I really loved the look of that, they’re very petite motorcycles and also very light. But again, I bought the opposite of that. 

Readers, comments?

Howdy there! Yes, I can ship overseas. Leave a comment on this post with your contact, or send me an email at alicia@themotolady.com so we can get it worked out!

Thanks for writing. :)  

No specific brand of cans, custom undertail exhaust with beautiful GP welds to be done by Heath Knapp of Heathenwerks.

Only the best for the Monster Project. ;)

I don’t personally support the wearing of open-face helmets, so I don’t have any experience to draw from. Sorry!

In a nutshell, I suggest full face helmets because of this diagram. This illustrates the areas which take the impact in accidents. 

That being said, I’m sure some folks out there have opinions for you!

Haha, no. I kind of wish I had though!

Definitely this one, “Motorcycles Saved my Life.”

Aw, wow! What an awesome gift to get out of the blue! You are a very lucky woman… give that man a high five for me!

Thank you for writing… I’m glad I can help stir up some of that motorcycling passion for you. One way to do it yourself is to ride more, though. :) Go for a ride the way you feel comfortable… even if just around your neighborhood sometimes. When I first got my bike, I’d go for five mile jaunts after I got home for work since something longer was not an option. 

Hi Alissa,

You know I’m always down to help motoladies in whatever way I can… but what do you propose instead of their current form of advertising? Do motoladies not want to be sexy as well as have the same protection men do when it comes to gear?

Also, you didn’t leave any contact info. Please send me an email if you’d like to talk. alicia [at] themotolady.com