After over a year long hiatus (thanks covid) we’re back with the VC monthly moto meet up! Come get involved!
Read MoreVC TEAM TALKS X AYANO HIROSAKA
Read our latest VC Team Talk conversation with the awesome chopper builder tearing up the beaches of Japan - Ayano Hirosaka
Read MoreVC X DOCKLANDS RIDERS DIRT DAY
Yesterday we held the first VC X DOCKLANDS RIDERS DIRT DAY over at Docklands riders, East London & man was it a blast.
A huge thanks to Docklands Riders & to everyone involved for coming down & making it a great one.....Maaaaaaan I'm aching today.
Cant wait for the next one!
GLAMOUR MAGAZINE 2016
Thinking of coming to CAMP VC & want to know more about what its gonna be like heres a flash back to our last years Babe Ride Out UK event written by the lovely Lindsey Kelk for Glamour magazine!
VC TEAM TALKS X BROOKE BETANCOURT
Check out the latest VC Team Talk with BMX rider & motorcycle ripper Brooke Betancourt
Read MoreVC TEAM TALKS X JOSIE MILLARD
VC Team Talk with the trailblazing UK based skateboarder Josie Millard
Read MoreBUILDS - MANON HACHE & HER HONDA CB125 CHOPPER
Over the coming weeks we'll be featuring some bikes & builds we love from all over the world & the women who ride, design & build them. First up is absolute mega babe Manon Hache & her incredible Honda 125cc custom chopper.
Ever since she popped up on our instagram feed (thanks to the ever amazing Dice Magazine who's next issue she'll be gracing the pages of next month with her chop) we've been pretty obsessed with the awesome bike she built with her dad & brother at home in Belgium. With another build already on the go for this winter (this time a 79' Harley Ironhead) we had a chat to her all about her first bike build & her ideas behind it, chopper shit & her dream road trip.
Enjoy! x
GEMMA: So where are you from?
MANON : I'm a 24 years old girl from Mons, Belgium, EU. My dad is Belgian and my mom is Italian from Sardinia.
G: How did you first get into bikes?
M: My dad and my brother run a garage. They work on cars and bikes, mostly on Harleys and choppers. That's where my love for choppers comes from.
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"I spent my all days with him learning and helping him in the garage. That's the best part of building a bike- the memories and hours spent in the garage together"
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My Honda is my first bike. I decided to start with a 125 to be comfortable on the road beforebuying a Harley. When I bought it, I knew I wanted to build a chopper: A Tall sissy bar, ape bars, super tall fishtail pipes and colour would be orange. Those are the first things I was sure about. My brother @mauro__hache always has good advice - he decided about the line of the bike, also the seat was his idea, fender too, and he also did the all paint. He's the master of paint of this house! My dad did everything else, by hand: The sissy bar, pipes & the electrics. The ape bars are from a good friend of ours @alexdew. Apart from that everything was made with old parts we had at home. My dad disassembled and rebuild everything. I spent my all days with him learning and helping him in the garage. That's the best part of building a bike- the memories and hours spent in the garage togheter. I'll say it's really the result of our 3 minds. Dad, Mauro and I made my dream lil bike come true. Now I've got an original 1979 Iron head which we're staring to build this winter. Fun time again!
G: How long did it take to build from start to finish?
M: We just did it when dad had a bit of free time in the garage so we didn't work on it everyday. We started like 6 months ago.
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" That's the funny thing. Your bike ends up looking like you and your personality. The end of 60s - 70s is my favourite era for just about everything i'd say."
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G: So what made you go for this model of bike & what made you go for a chopper style rebuild?
M: Choppers are my favorite style of bike. My first influences about choppers was definitely from my brother and my Dad. I start to get into it a few years ago then really wanted to start my own project. I'm always searching for vintage pictures of choppers. I'll say I had my idea of my dream bike in my head before to start the project, but when it came to real life, it's even better than what originally I had in my mind. I was the happiest girl in the world when the bike was finished, and I am still.
To me if you own a chopper, you can make your bike very personal. That's the funny thing. Your bike ends up looking like you and your personality. The end of 60s - 70s is my favourite era for just about everything i'd say. Choppers, music, fashion, furniture, style, womens liberation. I was born too late!
G: Whats your dream bike?
M: I've got a little preference for Panheads. But I'm pretty sure i'll own a knuckle too one day.
G: If you could go on any dream motorcycle trip where would it be?
M: I'd like to travel America on a bike. I will one day. I'd love to be lost in the mountains in the middle of nowhere and thinking: damn, i'm at the other side of the world and I'm so happy and free. We did a lot of EU bikes shows this year so it was an amazing summer. I love meeting new people who have the same interest. I can't wait for next summer!
G: Favourite thing to wear when you ride?
M: My everyday to go outfit: flares with a band or printed t-shirts from small businesses . Also my vegan leather jacket customised by pins and patches from small business too. My favorites brands for the coolest t-shirts or the best vintage custom are places like @Shopbadrevival @Shopthecreatures @Shophellbound @Backbite_ @Velvetcaveclothing @Bornabadseed and so many others....Go girls!
G: Favourite helmet?
M: My Biltwell Gringo full face. Ride safe!
G: Tell us about your business - Le rendez-vous vintage!
M: Le rendezvous vintage is my vintage shop that I opened 2 years ago. It's my dream job! I need freedom in my life. I could never wake up every day & do something I'm not happy with. I wake up with a smile everyday thinking how lucky I am to be an indenpendant women who loves her life and work.
Go follow Manon on instagram HERE & checkout her vintage store Le Rendez- vous Vintage on facebook HERE
A big thanks to Manon & Dylan Mura! Go see more from Dyan on insta HERE
MY FIRST SUMMER ON A MOTORCYCLE - GEORGIA SHERLOCK
Loving all the people that you can see taking their first steps to 2 wheeled adventures lately! Your first summer riding is something that stays with you for sure... Whether it’s full of roadside breakdowns, stalling and running out of petrol or friendships, road trips and ride outs it’s something you don't forget in a hurry.
Our good friend the lovely Georgia Sherlock just started riding this summer, so we asked her to write all about her tips, road trips, CBT stuff and her first summer on 2 wheels.
Thanks G!
x
GEORGIA:
This summer I made the massively excited but mildly apprehensive step into the world of motorcycles. At first glance it seemed like an exclusive world, dangerous and arguably aggressive but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Not only have I learnt a new skill, but Ive also managed to meet some amazing people, all of us connected by an engine and two wheels.
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"Whether it’s to clear your head, meet some mates, or just a way to spend your time, the experience is incomparable".
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So what made me want to start riding? When I was little my dad had a bike (he still does) and I always kinda thought he looked quite badass. He also used to race cars so anything with an engine makes sense to me (sort of). By no means am I a mechanic but it isn't a totally alien world in some ways. I must have been about 10 when I had my first memory of being on a bike was clinging onto my dad and his very ugly Triumph Tiger.
So, with a wobbly start and a couple of very helpful spins around a car park with the lovely Gemma of VC London, I got my act together and managed to pass my CBT in torrential rain with a bunch of aspiring Deliveroo drivers. The prospect of getting on a motorised, two- wheeled machine with minimal practise was a pretty nerve wracking thought but for anyone interested in the idea please don’t be deterred - you can all do it with yer eyes closed! My main advice would be to take it on a scooter, these are automatic and only 50cc. Get legal and then get your ass on a geared bike, there’s no rush with these things but the most important thing is that you can legally cruise the roads!
For my first bike I chose a Yamaha SR 125. I wanted something older and of more vintage style so I trawled through millions of eBay listings and stumbled across the bike I now own. Luckily the woman selling wasn’t quite aware of the market and the bike was an absolute steal. The appeal of something older was the idea of customising it and the vision of a little cafe racer, however, that’s yet to happen (but in the pipeline). After getting my bike I just rode and rode and rode, everywhere, anywhere, nowhere. It didn’t matter the occasion, or why, the liberating feeling of being sat on a motorcycle trumps any other. Whether it’s to clear your head, meet some mates, or just a way to spend your time, the experience is incomparable.
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Despite what people might think you can do some serious mileage on a 125 as I did this summer. From Kent to London - Wales and all through the Brecon Beacons, I’ve made some pretty amazing memories in my first summer on two wheels.
A ride out to Kent with a motley crew - It was a Sunday, the sun was shining. Rachel Billings and I fancied a BBQ and a river to swim in so a group of about 10 of us rode on down. We cruised along some picturesque A-roads and tried to delay the inevitable Sunday blues as much as humanly possible. We all managed to avoid swallowing rat shit from the dodgy looking river, however we did not manage to avoid partial nudity from some of the guys…
"Asides from the ride itself taking a healthy 10 hours for many of us it was our first time out on the country roads"
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Babes Ride Out UK, Wales - Friday 5th August, a group of brave and perhaps slightly mad motorcyclists met at The Bike Shed in Shoreditch. The sun was shining and coffee and croissants were being consumed as we prepared to embark on our ride to Wales for Babes Ride Out UK. Asides from the ride itself taking a healthy 10 hours, for many of us it was our first time out on the country roads; hearing your bike, smelling the fresh air and absorbing the scenery was a blessing and the freedom we felt was like no other. When we eventually arrived we were greeted by a group of some of the most awesome women I’ve ever met. Asides from the cold beer and relief of climbing off our bikes, my overwhelming sense of respect for these ladies was very real. It takes a lot of courage and confidence to organise such an amazing event, the girls behind VC London are carving the way for women in a traditionally male world and bringing Babes Ride Out to the UK is just the beginning of a very long legacy.
IMAGE BY THE COSTA SISTERS
"We arrived in the pissing rain but our spirits weren't dampened."
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The Trip Out, Bedfordshire - Summer was coming to a close but there was time for one final hoorah as a bunch of us descended upon a farm in Bedfordshire. The ride up there was quick and easy… proves what a little practise and experience can do to your riding (confidence had grown since the 10 hour adventure to Wales). We arrived in the pissing rain but our spirits were not dampened. Cracking a beer, ditching the bike and watching the sun go down surrounded by a spectacular array of choppers was certainly a pleasant experience. With a well stocked bar, live music and awesome people there was very little to complain about. Differently to other events this was less about riding and more about displaying. The variety of motorcycles encountered in one weekend was an entire experience in itself and as a newbie to the scene it was quite a spectacle…
TRIP OUT IMAGES FROM SUBSCULPTURES BY JONNY WILSON
So, at the end of my first summer riding my best advice to anyone wanting to get on two wheels would be to just do it. If you’re interested and the idea of a bike gets the heart racing then book a CBT and get legal. It would be a lie to say the CBT wasn’t nerve-wracking but take it easy and take your time, anyone can do it and once the certificate is in your hands jump on a bike asap. A big car park, industrial estate or quiet country road, as long as you have space and someone with experience and patience to guide you through the gears and getting your balance you’ll be cruising about in no time.
Anyway enough from me but all I’ll finish on is the totally positive outcome of my fairly impulsive choice to hop on a motorbike. It’s a decision I’ll never regret and if you love it the rest comes naturally.
G x
IMAGE: HEIDI ZUMBRUN
BABES RIDE OUT UK VIDEO BY THE COSTA SISTERS
Missing the summer so bloody much ....But then the very talented Costa sisters send you a reminder that makes you feel next summers worth waiting for .... And believe us , it is! 😉
A massive thanks to the Costa Sisters for the awesome video.
Enjoy! x
ALLS GOOD IN THE HOOD....
BABES RIDE OUT UK BY THE COSTA SISTERS
SAT AT THE SHOP, LOOKING OUT OF THE WINDOW AT THE BUSY LONDON TRAFFIC OUTSIDE & FEELING THE BLUES 3 WEEKS AFTER BABES RIDE OUT UK & THEN AN EMAIL DROPS INTO YOUR INBOX FROM THE VERY TALENTED COSTA SISTERS THAT TRANSPORTS YOU RIGHT BACK TO THERE .....
HAILING FROM CARDIFF, JUST HALF AN HOUR FROM THE BABES RIDE OUT UK SITE, THE COSTA SISTERS CAUGHT THE VIBE PERFECTLY WITH LOTS OF MOTOS, SMILES & FRIENDS NEW & OLD IN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SETTING YOU COULD IMAGINE.
YOU NEVER KNOW THERE MIGHT EVEN BE A VIDEO ON THE WAY SOON ;) STAY TUNED...
STAFF BABES RACHEL & SOPHIE
THE BEST CHASE VAN IN THE WORLD
SAMI GRAYSTONE OF THE MEATHOOK
805 BEERS READY & WAITING AFTER THE LONG RIDE FROM LONDON!
JODIE DEVANEY & AUDREY
THE 125 CREW ARRIVE...
RIDE OUT
THE 125 CREW ROLLING INTO BRECON
GOOD TIMES ,GOOD FRIENDS, 2 WHEELS
A MASSIVE THANKS TO STANCE SOCKS & RED WING !
A MASSIVE THANKS TO THE AMAZING COSTA SISTERS FOR THE BEAUTIFUL IMAGES & A HUGE THANKS TO ANYA & ASHMORE OF BABES RIDE OUT, ALL THE US TEAM, ALL THE INCREDIBLE BRANDS & SPONSORS WE HAD SUPPORTING THE EVENT & EVERYONE ,FROM OUR AMAZING STAFF BABES TO THE RAD PEOPLE WHO CAME AND PARTIED WITH US. YOU MADE IT A WEEKEND WE'LL DEFINITELY NEVER FORGET.
WE'VE GOT SOME BIG PLANS ALREADY IN THE WORKS FOR 2017 AT VC & WE CANT WAIT TO SHARE THEM WITH YOU ALL ;)
VC x
GO FOLLOW THE COSTA SISTERS ON INSTAGRAM HERE & CHECK OUT THEIR OTHER WORK ON THEIR WEBSITE
WAS IT ALL A DREAM? ......
VANS X VC LONDON HEAD TO WALES FOR BABES RIDE OUT UK BY VIVIANA GOMEZ- MORALES.
Dreamy blue skies, green fields, perfect sunsets, babes & the sound of motos everywhere.. That was Babes Ride Out UK & Vivi Gomez captured that weekend perfectly... Dream on dreamers.........
To read the full article on the VANS WEBSITE click HERE!
ALL IMAGES BY VIVIANNA GOMEZ- MORALES
Our heros...... The 125cc crew !!
IMAGE : GEORGIA SHERLOCK
Round at Rebekahs boyfriend Chris's moto workshop one day, whilst Rebecka was working on her new 125cc Honda CG build, we got to talking about the impending Babe Ride Out UK event ... " You could put your bikes in the back of a van & drive them there if you don't want to ride all that way on a 125cc" I said. "No way! I want to ride there!" said Rebecka. It's not called Babes RIDE out for nothing.... And ride out they did. A mix of 125cc (and few bigger ones too) motorcycles with riders both seasoned & literally just passed their CBTs braved the journey all the way to Wales, starting off on the morning of Friday the 5th August from The Bike Shed in east London.
They arrived tired with some sore bums but with some stories they'll remember forever & a new group of moto friends. Leader of the pack Georgia Sherlock wrote all about their adventure... Hats off to this ballsy band of nut cases!! You're our heros!
Friday 5th August, a group of brave and perhaps slightly mad motorcyclists met at The Bike Shed in Shoreditch. The sun was shining and coffee and croissants were being consumed as we prepared to embark on our ride to Wales for Babes Ride Out UK.......
When the lovely Gemma Harrison, co-founder of VC London heard we were thinking of organising a 125cc ride out to the Brecon Beacons she was all for it! She organised us a free breakfast with the wonderful people at The Bike Shed and sent us on our way; little did we know what was to come…
The ride itself took us 10 hours but what an awesome 10 hours they were. We cruised through London and almost made it to Oxford before our first stop. For many of us it was our first time out on the country roads; hearing your bike, smelling the fresh air and absorbing the scenery was a blessing and the freedom we felt was like no other. Drama struck when Katy and her pocket rocket (Honda cg125) broke down but thanks to her organisation skills and know-how following the Sailor Jerry ride last month, she had arranged for a support van with our honorary mechanics Siobhan and Von Leadfoot who saved the day.
By the time we got to Oxford it was lunchtime. The service station didn’t know what had hit them when twelve lovely ladies and their equally lovely bikes rolled in. We ate and dreamt of cold beer but we still had a long way to go! With Katy’s bike back up and running we were soon on the road again, cruising through winding lanes and enjoying the rolling hills of the Cotswolds.
VIDEO: DAVID HARTLEY AT INCOMING CHAOS
Eventually, we arrived in Cheltenham and the Welsh border felt within touching distance. Unfortunately, at this point, Rebecka and her custom built Honda ran into a few minor problems, so the decision was made to chuck it in the van. It’s important to mention that Rebecka had only been riding her bike for 3 days before the trip so massive respect goes out to her (I wouldn’t have got that far!).
Having stocked up on snacks, cigarettes and avoided the temptation of beer, we hit the road again and powered our way to the Welsh border. As the sun was setting and the breeze turning colder, the sense of achievement began to set in. A massive amount of team work was shown by all and I’d particularly like to thank Jennie who held us together from the back, picking up anyone with problems and generally supporting the group - you were ace!
Come 7pm we’d crossed the border and were climbing the Welsh hills, I think it’s fair to say we were all stunned by the landscape. It was the only part of the trip where we actually enjoyed getting stuck in traffic purely so we could appreciate the break-taking surroundings. We spent just over an hour tackling the Welsh bends, when eventually we arrived.
IMAGE : GEORGIA SHERLOCK
We were greeted by a group of some of the most awesome women I’ve met. Asides from the cold beer and relief of climbing off our bikes my overwhelming sense of respect for these ladies was very real. It takes a lot of courage and confidence to organise such an amazing event, the masterminds behind VC London are carving the way for women in a traditionally male world and bringing Babes Ride Out to the UK is just the beginning of a very long legacy.
Thank you Gemma, Mai, Namin and everyone else involved! Until next time!
Georgia x
IMAGE : GEORGIA SHERLOCK
VC’S GEMMA HARRISON TALKS BABES RIDE OUT UK x VANS
The latest partner to jump on board for the Babes Ride Out UK debut is legendary footwear brand, Vans. A firm favourite of the VC, the London ladies rarely have anything else on their feet.
Celebrating their 50th anniversary earlier this year, Vans has a long tradition of supporting sports, art and music events that embody the brand’s ‘Off the Wall’ mentality. Enabling creative expression is at the heart of everything they do…and they make pretty rad shoes too!!
Gemma Harrison is one VC chick who rocks the Vans sidestripe on a daily basis…
Tell us about yourself:
My name is Gemma Harrison & I run VC. I'm 31 years old & I live in east London but I'm originally a Yorkshire lass from Leeds. I work as a luxury womenswear designer alongside running VC & I also design VCC with one of the fellow VC founders Namin Cho.... In a nutshell :)
VC’S GEMMA HARRISON TALKS BABES RIDE OUT UK x VANS
The latest partner to jump on board for the Babes Ride Out UK debut is legendary footwear brand, Vans. A firm favourite of VC, the London ladies rarely have anything else on their feet.
Do you remember your first pair of Vans?
I can't remember how old I must have been but I was pretty young. It was a pair of old skools in black... I wore them until they literally fell off my feet.
What connects you to the Vans brand?
For me the lifestyle aspect of Vans has always been the thing. It just seems to fit with how we live our lives here in London with the VC & The Shop. It’s all just bikes, friends, hanging out & having a damn good time whether that’s with motorbikes or whatever we do.
What does Vans stand for to you?
People doing cool shit.
Favourite style / pair of Vans?
A pair of black Sk8-hi ... I think people are pretty shocked to ever see me without a pair of these permanently glued to my feet & my leather jacket on. ha ha
ALL IMAGES BY JAMES A GRANT
VC X THE EVENING STANDARD - MORE WOMEN ON THE OPEN ROAD
Stoked to see this article in the Evening Standard after the lovely Liz Conner came down to take her first try at riding recently!
Click the link to see our chat with her about all about starting riding, presenting the first Babes Ride Out UK this year & launching our label VCC!
Weeew!
TO read the full article & interview click HERE
#MYSTORYUK - BBC X VC
Totally stoked to be involved with the instagram project #MYSTORYUK.
The project & exhibition celebrates inspiring visual story telling by women all over the world & how they use Instagram to share it all. From mommas to models, skaters to shepherdesses, activists to artists they got us all together to celebrate!
We had a great night meeting so many amazing women, getting completely wasted, hearing the lovely Lauren Laverne announce "Motorcycles, good times and not giving a shit" to the entire room, teaming up with all girl skate crew Nefarious crew ( our new girl crush ) & skating through the exhibition space sealing both our reputations as the complete reprobates of the event....
Shout out to Frankie, Marieka, Michelle, Charlotte, Lauren & all the ladies that made it happen! x
INTERNATIONAL WOMENS RIDE DAY - VC LONDON RIDE OUT
PIC: ALEX GRANT
We had a rad time at The Shop Customs for International Female rider day yesterday.
Thanks to all the badass ladies who came down! Think this will be the first of many summer ride outs!
Thanks to Alex Grant for the shots!
DICE MAGAZINE X VCs
Last Saturday morning we had the pleasure of dragging our sorry hungover arses to The Shop to hang out with the lovely Dice Magazine. Watch out for Issue 67 to read about us blab on about rubbish that may or may not have included motorbikes. Thanks for putting up with us Matt!
x
IMAGES FROM: @dicemagazine & @jmbrln
SALLY McGEE - DRIFTING
Ever dreamed of getting away from it all? Yep, you and most of the people on Instagram. Endless adventure accounts & images popping up in our feeds making us daydream about hitting the road & finding an adventure. The same images posted over & over with scenes from tent doors, long winding roads & camping in far off places may not belong to us but make us want a piece of that life all the same. Well meet one woman from the UK who decided to give it all up to go have a few of those adventures for real....
IMAGE: TOM BING AT www.thewestroad.net
Sally McGee, along with her partner- photographer Tom Bing aka @driftervisual, have set out on a 15,000 mile, year long trip on motorcycles, riding & surfing their way across the west coast of America, starting at Santiago and ending up..... well, who knows where, But thats how all good adventures should be isn't it?
After only passing her full motorcycle test in the UK less than 2 weeks before the start of their journey it shows that its not just seasoned riders that can set out on a moto adventure anywhere in the world. We've been following their adventure so far on their blog The West Road & caught up with Sally recently to talk about what inspired them to go on this life changing trip & take the steps to get themselves well & truly on the road.
If you don't feel inspired to do a bit of drifting yourself, you will after reading this......
IMAGE: TOM BING AT www.thewestroad.net
What made you decide to set out on such an epic trip together?
The main reason for such a long trip was to surf, spend time away from the UK especially during the winter, more to do with the darkness than the cold. We both had pretty intense, stressful jobs for the past few years working in a secondary school and we craved a bit more freedom. Tom was really concerned that teaching in a secondary school was going to be the rest of his life and he hated it, he was really unhappy and under a lot of pressure constantly. After a summer spent riding motorbikes and surfing in Indonesia last year, we both felt a bit more empowered to make that kind of lifestyle last a bit longer. It didn't even cross our minds that the route might not be possible, we found out it had been done before and that was it; we started making plans. In order to try to make a different lifestyle sustainable, we started implimenting changes in our lives that would help us both on the trip and when we return. I trained as a Beach Lifeguard and a Surf Instructor and quit my job in the school and spent a summer on the beach saving up. The plan was always to pick up a few bits of work or exchange skills along the way. Tom went to part-time at work and started concentrating on his photography work, so far it has been a really positive change.
Why did you choose to do the trip on motorcycles (especially Yamaha xr150s) as you didn't ride for long before you left?
We were both riding 125's on a CBT before we left, we had an old 70's Honda CB and a newer XR, mainly because we were planning this trip. When we were in Indonesia, Tom was the one always riding the bikes and to be honest I was happy sat on the back, but for this trip there was no chance of that happening, we have too much gear and Tom just wasn't having it, so I'd have to get myself there. It's been a real challenge but it's starting to feel natural. There are positives and negatives to riding a bike on a surf trip, already we have been able to access some pretty special places purely because we are on bikes. We have dreamt of a car or van at times but we wouldn't have travelled on some of the roads we have done, the ones that are going to have the lasting memory. We get some crazy looks riding down the highway with surfboards attached to our bikes (along with the odd shaka which is always a boost). The amazing thing is that we always feel part of the landscape on bikes, we are in it, not separate from it as you are in a car. There is a romance to the idea of it and rolling into a town, tired and filty, chased by dogs gives us a real sense of achiement. As for the 150cc's, they're cheap, £1,500 each for brand new bikes, we have never broken into a tenner filling both tanks and these bikes are everywhere, a new engine will be cheaper than one sensor for a BMW that has to be shipped from Europe or whatever, these bikes are really simple, single cylinder, carburettor, mininal electronics. We don't feel like we're screaming 'we have money' when we arrive or pass through a town.
Not having surfboards with us was never an option & this is initially a surf trip so 80kmh is tops for our safety. The XR150's sit happily at that speed, any bigger would be a waste for us. Plus, if I drop my bike, I can just about pick it up...The XR150's defintely aren't 'cool' either but they're doing a really good job so far. Fuck me, you couldn't do this trip on an Enfield or an old Harley, there is a romance to that too but I think we already have enough of that with the route, let alone sitting in lay-by's all day. Although an XR250 is appealing at times!
IMAGE: TOM BING AT www.thewestroad.net
What made you choose your route, starting from Santiago?
San Fran is one idea... Or we might end up in Texas or Mexico, plans are always changing. We read about two Australian surfers travelling through an area in Western Mexico we were planing on going through who wound up dead, burned to death in their van the first night they got there; places like Sinaloa and Geurerro are crazy. We have nothing to prove but we do have flights out of LA at some point. As for starting in Chile, it's well known that Santiago is a good place to buy bikes and its near really good waves. We have made it to another surf town in the North now, nearly 2000km's up the coast; we thought the Atacama desert might have waves but the swell was small the whole time we were there. From here on up to California there is good surf pretty much all the way. There is one language too which is a bonus, we're learning Spanish and it's going OK so far.
Whats been the best part of your trip so far?
Two free weeks in a dreamy log cabin next to Punta De Lobos (an amazing Chilean wave), surfing an amazing spot surrounded by beauty and surf heritage, being in the sea with whales and dolphins was amazing. That and meeting great people, in particular Alejandro Briones and his family from Herencia Rides in Santiago. He built our racks and has supported us fully the whole way, giving us keys to said log cabin. Looking back there are lots of high points but at times its hard not to think of the low points too. I think the lowest point was the Southern Atacama, 12 hours riding through dirt tracks and goat roads that we knew nobody has used for a long time. Going over the crest of a mountain hoping for a town as the sunets and seeing more mountains and nothingness, switching off the engine and coasting down the mountains and hair pin bends to save precious fuel. There were tears and I wanted to give up there and then. Looking back, that was unforgettable, it was incredible and we are sure that will be the most memorable and amazing experience.
IMAGES: TOM BING AT www.thewestroad.net
How long are you planning on travelling for?
We are aiming for a year in total but who knows. We quit our jobs and the flat rented out withing a day of being online. We might end up quitting in a couple of months or spending a bit of time somewhere we fall in love along the way. We are totally open to ideas of how to live for a while.
How did you find doing your test in the UK?
I found the process of the test really difficult. I failed my Mod 1 the first time round because I ran over a cone pretty much immediately. The Examiner wore a helmet in the yard the whole time and had piercing mean eyes. I didn't feel like I was actually taught to understand how to ride and instead just told to do it. I changed riding schools and found the next guys teaching style way more helpful, less chauvanist and spent time explaining things more logically. For me actually learning to ride was way more important than passing my test if that makes sense. It cost money but I ended up taking my time, having more lessons than they would usually give. The only problem then was that I was cuttting it really fine with regards to the trip. I knew how important it was to have my license for so many reasons but in particular to cover me insurance wise, I am sure there are countries out here that you would never be asked. We cut it so fine that the morning of my flight I had to take a detour to pick up my new license which had just arrived. It was pretty stressful and I ended up putting a hell of a lot of pressure on myself to pass but I did first time, that was after getting the wrong date for my first one, I turned up two days too late and ended up sat in the waiting room next to my old instructor, that was a bit shit, ha. I spent the whole test itself thinking that I had surely failed and when in fact I got two minors for hesitating, smashed it. Never been so happy to finish something and never have to do it again to be honest. Most people I speak to say the same thing, it's not an easy process. I don't mean to discourage anybody because it really is well worth doing, it feels amazing to know that I can now legally ride any bike I want.
How do you think riding in the uk differs from riding in South America?
It's early days yet but after nearly 3,000km's there are definitely positives and negatives. On the plus side, the weather is amazing, it never rains, is always warm and dry. Chile is so big that the cities are really spread out, the infrastrucure is not the same as the UK, there are 'gas gaps' of up to 400km meaning you have to carry a jerry can really to avoid getting stuck. In England I wouldn't ever choose to travel on a motorway, here you have no choice sometimes, its the only option for part of the country. The Ruta 5, the Pan American Highway here is pretty horrific, there are huge trucks and busses flying past way quicker than necessary, and then they come up behind you and sit on your tail being really menacing. The smaller roads and dirt tracks are absolutely amazing though; stunning scenery, sea to the left, mountains to the right and when you inland a bit its like a cross between Mad Max and Jurrassic Park, not another car for miles and plenty of empty beaches to camp on for free. Those big stretches of empty roads never get boring. One big problem is the dogs. Everytime we pull into, or leave a town on the bikes, dogs chase us, snapping at our legs. They don't seem to like the noise of the bikes and they really mean business, I am writing this having just returned from hospital after losing a battle with a German Sheperd last night, although that was nothing to do with a motorbike. I'm OK.
Will you be getting a bike the UK when you get back?
We kept our XR125 for when we get back. I can imagine after a trip this long that it would feel strange not to have a bike, I am becoming quite attached to it. For me, the romance is where motorbikes can take you, I'm not bothered about the aesthics and heritage as much at the minute, though I can appreciate the appeal. Right now, my dream bike would be anything that can let me ride though any terrain, particularly sand and dirt maybe with one of those long range tanks. A set of good OS maps and some better tires would also be mint!
What advice would you give to someone considering to do a similar trip who maybe spent have their licence yet?
I would say that I am not really able to give advice quite yet, but having your licence gives you so much confidence when riding. If you're even thinking about a trip like this, start the process get your license, but do it nice and early! Before this trip, I had no desire to ride bikes really but having this skill feels amazing, that said, I am dreading the next part of the journey (400km's with no fuel on the 'Most Dealy Highway's in the America's). What I would say is get a Garmin GPS, use Bikehike.co.uk to plan routes and take a good tent, a jerry-can and a Primus Omnifuel stove (as these run off petrol). My top tip is a pair of decent old Levis (when they were proper denim), take them to the old lady in the Indoor Market and get her to sew in E-bay Kevlar into the knees and hips, I live in these jeans, on and off the bike, Tom too. Trying to find decent ladies riding gear is a nightmare and it really doesn't need to be expensive.
IMAGE: TOM BING AT www.thewestroad.net
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