Ride High on His Hog and Be a Biker Babe This Motorcycle Season

With my very first season on a motorcycle (a beautiful Harley-Davidson Fatboy) still fresh in my mind and a new motorcycle season looming, I'd like to offer some tips to the ladies for becoming a welcomed addition to your biker's ride. I have heard the phrase over and over, from newbies and veteran riders alike, "She's just too hard to ride with!" Let's make sure your man never says that about you, so you two can enjoy all the fun and good times of taking to the open road. I will start by saying that this information is not intended for those ladies who want to ride a bike themselves. I had a difficult enough time learning the ropes of the passenger, and have no aspirations to move to the front seat. Ever.

So here is what I've learned, mostly the hard way.

Check your pegs! These are the posts you rest your feet on. They are important, as there are times when all your weight will be resting on these pegs. If a peg is loose as you put your weight on it, you will lose your balance, fall into your man, and can easily cause him to lose control. To check your pegs, just wrap your hand around them and turn to the right. Remember ladies--righty tighty, lefty loosey. Or ask your guy to check your pegs. Although my Harley guy (now my darling Harley husband) is a very careful man, he had never ridden on the back of a bike nor had he ever had a regular passenger before me, so it was something he overlooked.

Pay attention. There are times when your actions or inaction can make the ride uncomfortable for your guy. In addition to taking in the wonderful scenery, pay attention to changes in the road or conditions. If you're coming upon railroad tracks or a rough patch of road, for example, lift yourself up a bit on your pegs much the way one does when riding a horse. This is more comfortable for you and keeps you from being a bumpy distraction to the driver. Obviously, you need to sit still while you're riding; wiggling around to fix a bra strap or leaning over to adjust your pant leg is annoying and dangerous. Also be aware of significant changes in speed. If you are able to anticipate a sudden stop, you can again brace against your pegs to prevent yourself from crashing into your guy. In the case of an increase in speed, such as when taking off from a stoplight or peeling out to race another biker (which I know hardly ever happens), we come to the next thing I learned...

Do hang on. Not all the time if you don't want to, but there are times when you need to. In the case of an increase in speed, you've got to have your arms around his waist and hang on. The first time I wasn't hanging on when my guy took off quickly was the last; I was forced back so far and so fast that I did a body roll and could barely grab my guy's jacket and get myself straight before he was scolding me. You also need to hang on when he's making a turn. Put your arms around his waist and rest on him a bit, so when he leans into the turn, your body follows his. Again, this is important so your guy is able to keep control of the bike.

Learn the Biker Wave. I don't know how many times I was on the back of the bike before I figured out the wave. I didn't know to look for it at first, and when I noticed it I didn't realize that the wave was part of my responsibilities. The wave is a friendly hello, an acknowledgment to a fellow Harley-Davidson rider. It can also be used with a non-Harley rider, if you're feeling generous and they wave first. My Harley husband says that he needs to concentrate on the road and prefers that I handle the waving, though if you both want to wave, that's fine too. Happy to oblige my Harley husband, my wave consists of my arm held down and out a bit and my thumb and first two fingers extended casually, held until we've almost passed the approaching bike. You'll develop your own wave based on what feels right with practice. Have fun with it!

Be Beautiful, Discreetly. Two things to keep in mind here are a) of course you want to look presentable all day, and b) constant primping will annoy your man. Men in general prefer a more natural look, and in my experience bikers even more so. My Harley husband would prefer it if I wore no makeup at all! But the fact of the matter is I tend to have bad skin, and am self conscious about it. Additionally, I was accustomed to wearing a whole lot more makeup before we met and began riding, but have managed to pare down to the following essentials. First is a moisturizer with an SPF. The sun block speaks for itself, but you also will probably need a moisturizer to protect your skin from windburn, which is common. Next, I use a foundation only where necessary, so I can make touch-ups in a hurry. A cream to powder foundation works best, as it covers well and comes in a compact that you can slide in your pocket. You will need a waterproof mascara and eyeliner, as these stay put better and your eyes may tear up from time to time due to the wind. Some form of lip protection is a must to keep your lips from drying out in the wind and sun, and a gloss with a touch of sheer color is perfect for the job. Lipstick tends to look sloppy after riding for awhile, and the gloss is easier to apply quickly when you need it. If you must wear earrings, make them small and not the dangling type, as they will be uncomfortable after awhile if you don't lose one first. Finally, unless your hair is short, you will need to secure it somehow. Since I have never mastered the art of braiding, I wind my hair up and secure it with a large clip. I do take it down and comb out any tangles during stops, but it takes just seconds to get it back up. Many biker chicks say the braid is best. I have also seen many use bandannas to keep their hair out of the way, and if you have really long hair that will stay put tightly, you may be able to get away with just a ponytail. The thing to remember is that any loose hair is going to be a tangled mess within a few miles, so get it secured somehow.

Dress appropriately for the ride. I'm not talking about the ridiculously skimpy, low-cut, tight, braless Harley-Davidson fashions here (which are tons of fun and the ultimate in cool, by the way). I'm talking about being sensible. As far as bike helmets go, your decision of whether or not to wear one may be made for you by the state in which you ride. Currently, only four states (Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, and New Hampshire) are free from any helmet laws. In the other 46 states the laws vary, from full helmet laws to those only pertaining to younger bikers. You can check out the helmet law status of your state at http://usff.com/hldl/frames/50state.html. If you need to wear a helmet to ride legally, be sure to get one approved by the Department Of Transportation. It will have a DOT sticker affixed to it. There are many kinds of helmets to choose from. Some offer great protection but are heavy, and the lighter ones will do you a lot less good in the event of an accident. Go try them on and see what you're most comfortable with. A pair of good fitting sunglasses is a must, to protect you not only from the sun, but also wind and the occasional bug. In the area of footwear, I believe boots are the best. They offer good protection, are comfortable and fit nicely on the pegs, and hold up well when scuffing through the gravel parking lots of biker bars. That said, anything that has a heel for resting on the pegs is far better than wearing something flat-soled, like a gym shoe. Anything loose fitting, like a flip-flop or sandal is obviously a no-no. As for clothing, there is nothing that will kill the mood of an awesome ride quicker than being too cold or too hot, and your guy does not want to listen to you whine about either. In warm weather anything goes on top and your back, shoulders, and arms will probably be getting a lot of sun, so protect yourself with a good sun block. On bottom you should be in jeans. Your legs need the protection from gravel that is kicked up from time to time, and from the heat the bike produces. Also, I hate when my legs and thighs stick to a hot seat. As for cold weather, remember that it will always seem colder than the air temperature really is once you're on the bike. Here in Illinois we ride far into November and I'd be miserable without my long johns. Underwear companies make silk thermal long underwear that are warm without being bulky. Get 'em if you need 'em. Some bikers swear by their chaps for safety and warmth. Gloves and an earband are good ideas, too. The key to dressing for cold weather riding, or for when it's cold when you leave in the morning but will be getting hot later in the day, is layers. Put on the top you expect to need once the day hits its high temperature, layer a long sleeve top or two over it, and to put on top of that you need to...

Get a leather jacket. Yes, you really need a leather jacket if you plan to do any real riding at all. Not only is it a biker standard, it's also a safety issue. In case of a fall, nothing will protect you like leather will. Many jackets sold specifically for motorcycle riding have great features that I have found truly useful. On a safety level, many jackets come with removable padding. Mine has pads protecting the upper and lower back, arms, and elbows. They are flexible enough to be comfortable while still being thick enough to offer protection. Another feature I love is the liner that zips in and out easily. Most biker jackets will have vents, which are zippers that open to allow air to circulate, so you can keep cool while leaving the jacket on. Other features include tons of zippered pockets inside and out, a separate cell phone pouch sewn into the jacket, and more. A leather jackets doesn't have to be a wildly expensive purchase if you're careful. After looking for only a few weeks, my husband found me a beautiful leather will all the features mentioned above for $199, down from $500, at a local Harley-Davidson store. Shop around.

Pack lightly. My Harley husband is a patient man, but sometimes enough it enough. Your biker guy will feel that way too when it comes to what you bring with on your ride. If you have a proper riding jacket, you have all the pockets you need to fit your cell phone, the minimal amount of makeup we discussed, a small comb or fold-up brush, eye drops (your eyes may get very dry after awhile), some cash, and your ID. My guy is okay with me stashing a camera in one of his side bags, but don't overload them, especially in warmer weather when you may need to lose the jackets.

And finally...

Have fun!