Escarpment Magazine Harvest & Holiday 2013
20
Marilyn’s interest in motorcycles was peaked in 1998 when she was watching the Ride for Sight.
There on the side of the road she saw her friend Helen Kimble drive by on her purple Heritage Sof-
tail Classic Harley and thought “next year I’m going to be in it”.
Marilyn’s next step was to enroll in a motorcycle-training course at Georgian College. In fact all
the girls took the course before investing in a bike, and they highly recommend it. The course
teaches everything you need to know, from safety to strategy. Best of all you don’t even need your
own bike. The 19-hour course, which includes both classroom and “on-the-bike” segments, provides
motorcycles for all students. This way you can try the sport out without having to invest in a motor-
cycle. All you need is a helmet and proper footwear. Course information can be found on Georgian
College’s website georgianc.on.ca.
With the course completed the girls set out to purchase their first motorcycles. Typically riders will
start with a smaller bike and move up in size as their confidence grows. Larger bikes are more
stable and you don’t tend to get blown around as much. However they are heavier and harder to
handle at low speeds. Larger bikes also don’t always fit a woman properly, as smaller riders need
to be able to get their feet flat on the ground when stopped.
Motorcycle manufacturers are recognizing the increasing number of female riders, and are now
creating bikes with women in mind. Steve Fox from Fox Harley Davidson in Owen Sound has seen
their female clientele grow from 5 percent of their business to nearly 20 percent in the last ten years.
It is no surprise then that Harley has created a new Sportster specifically for women. As Steve ex-
plains “the new Sportster is designed with a smaller engine, lower seat height, a narrower seat,
reduced handlebars, and a lower center of gravity. Making the Sportster fit better and easier to
steer at lower speeds”.
Harley isn’t just making women friendly bikes—they are actively promoting the sport with women
and making it as easy as possible to get into riding. Fox Harley Davidson has started a “Garage
Party” for women where they do demo rides, give gear information, teach general maintenance
and even demonstrate how to lift a 900lb bike if you drop one. Fox also has a real world simulator
where an actual motorcycle is on rollers, allowing you to shift through the gears like you would on
the road. For more information visit their websit
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Riders L-R: Sharon Penyige, Suzie Wensley, Wendy Harris White, Marilyn McEachern, Nancy Dice
