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

STAFF BABES RACHEL & SOPHIE

THE BEST CHASE VAN IN THE WORLD

THE BEST CHASE VAN IN THE WORLD

SAMI GRAYSTONE OF THE MEATHOOK

SAMI GRAYSTONE OF THE MEATHOOK

805 BEERS READY & WAITING AFTER THE LONG RIDE FROM LONDON!

805 BEERS READY & WAITING AFTER THE LONG RIDE FROM LONDON!

JODIE DEVANEY & AUDREY

JODIE DEVANEY & AUDREY

THE 125 CREW ARRIVE...

THE 125 CREW ARRIVE...

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RIDE OUT

THE 125 CREW ROLLING INTO BRECON

THE 125 CREW ROLLING INTO BRECON


 GOOD TIMES ,GOOD FRIENDS, 2 WHEELS

A MASSIVE THANKS TO STANCE SOCKS & RED WING !

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

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

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

IMAGE : GEORGIA SHERLOCK

BABES RIDE OUT UK X STANCE X VCC

So what can we possibly say that will do justice to the amazing time we had last weekend at our Babes Ride Out UK event?.... The official images are on their way but in the meantime the amazing Lydia Garnett was there with Stance Socks to document everything for a great editorial on HYPEBAE ..... Babes, bikes, socks & VCC MX jerseys for dayzzzzzzzzz.

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

BABES RIDE OUT UK ROLL CALL - JOLI RILEY

Next up on the Babes Ride Out UK roll call Meet the lovely Joli Riley travelling from London!

IMAGE: JOHN DOWNING 

IMAGE: JOHN DOWNING 

NAME: JOLI RILEY

 

 

WHERE ARE YOU RIDING FROM? East London.  London is my base but I spend around 40 weeks a year working abroad - Toronto this year.  So I'm flying back for BRO UK.  Spending lots of time stateside meant I got to do BRO East Coast this year and BRO3 in Joshua tree last year :-) 

 

 

WHAT DO YOU CURRENTLY RIDE? Harley 883 Iron but I'm lending that to another girl for BRO UK so I'll grab my husband's HD Lowrider S. 


 

HOW DID YOU GET INTO MOTORCYCLES?

I rode pillion for 10 years.  One day I was chatting to a guy who rode and I said "we've got a Harley" meaning my husband and I and he misheard me thinking I said "I've" .  He was so impressed I rode a Harley I didn't want to set him straight so I kinda went along with it.  The next day I signed up for the bike class so I could make the lie into a reality. 


 

BEST RIDING TRIP YOU'VE BEEN ON:  I worked in Seattle last year and most weekends I would ride to see how far we could get in a weekend.  In London I'd only ever ridden maybe 100 miles in a day - by the end of that summer I was riding 1000 miles in a weekend!  There were so many amazing rides - down to Oregon's cannon beach, Crater lake, Devils tail in Hells canyon (220 turns in 22 miles!) ... I miss the Pacific Northwest so much!  BRO3 we rode out to San Bernadino and that was such an awesome day. 


 

DREAM PLACE TO RIDE:  I love the alps - all the twisties and beautiful vistas. Plus so many US adventures left -  Tail of the dragon in NC, Going to the sun road in Glacier NP... 


 

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO AT BABES RIDE OUT UK?  The ride into camp - seeing everyone's smiling faces and the rush of emotions to think I am so lucky to have started riding when this women's moto revolution is beginning! 

 

CUSTOM PAINTED BILTWELL GRINGOS - BABES RIDE OUT UK RAFFLE

IMAGE: IMAGE DESIGN CUSTOMS

Weve been lucky enough to be sponsored not 1 but 3 amazing gringo helmets by Biltwell for our Babes Ride Out UK raffle on Saturday night!! They are all being painted up as we speak by some of the UKs most amazing female painters at Image Design Custom & the Meat Hook  but you can follow their progress here up until the event next week ! We can't wait to see them finished!!!

BABES RIDE OUT UK ROLL CALL - ASHMORE ELLIS OF BABES RIDE OUT

Image: Mikey Revolt

Image: Mikey Revolt

Next up on our roll call is the amazing Ashmore Ellis- Co- founder of Babes Ride Out & all round inspiring bad ass lady. We first met at Babes Ride Out 3 in LA last year where we had an absolute blast. We can't wait to tear it up with her in less than 2 weeks in wales!!!!!


Ashmore Ellis  ( @ashmore )

Age: 33

Job:

Copy Chief at Stance Socks &  co-founder of Babes Ride Out 

Riding from:

I am riding from London with the ladies of VC and currently deciding if I will be on a Triumph Tiger XRX, Thruxton R or a Street Twin. We do not get much rain in southern California so I want to go with something with an incredible braking system that can slice into curves effortlessly. 

Current ride?

Back home I have a XL1200s aka a sportster. It’s been modified to be the ultimate camp machine. Every detail was thought out on this bike. My measurements were taken and used to adjust seat, height, controls, everything… 

How did you get into Motorcycles:

I never thought it was for me until I moved to California 10 years ago. Bikes were everywhere, the weather was perfect, and scenic routes were endless. It took me awhile but I ended up buying a Yamaha XS350. It was from the 70’s and pristine until I dropped it a few times. I was terrified of it. I thought it was heavy and unpredictable etc. etc. I look back now and can’t believe that I ever was so timid about that bike at first. After all it’s a glorified moped but never the less, I was scared so I signed up for the safety class. That class was incredible and ultimately saved me from giving up. I learned where my hands were supposed to go and where they weren’t supposed to go. I learned what a clutch was and how brakes worked. I even learned which side of the bike I was supposed to get on and off from. YES!! That was how little I knew when I started. The rest was history. 

Best road trip you've ever been on?

I have different moments from different trips that are my favorite. One of the best trips I have ever been on is with Corinne Lan Franco aka my Road Dog. We rode Yellowstone and for the first half of the trip, it was just her and I until we met up with the Biltwell crew. We laughed the entire way, stopped at every waterfall, ate so many snacks, and had one of the best times just enjoying nature and the fact that we were alive and in this incredible moment in time together. EDR was also one of my favorite trips. It felt pretty cool to ride down to Mexico with 500 other motorcyclists. Everyone seemed aware of each other and always stopped to help one another if a bike looked out of commission. Some people’s bikes did end up on the trailer but when they got to the camp, 3-5 mechanics on the trip had all the bikes rolling within an hour (for free) so the riders could enjoy the rest of their trip…to me that is real motorcycling. 

Looking forward to most at Babes in the UK:

This year is the first year the Babes Ride Out event space has left California so to do an event in another country is mind melting to us. I never thought in my wildest dreams we would get to work with ladies such as the VC London, women who share the same ethos and want to create a space for women to feel 100% welcome and comfortable. I am already losing sleep on how incredible the riding is going to be. The route maps are just insane, the location is perfect, the partnerships couldn’t be better but the most significant thing I am looking forward to is meeting all the women who are coming out to the event! There are so many different bikes, ages, and personalities that come to these events and for one weekend, we are all present in the moment, doing something together and that is some powerful stuff. 

IMAGE: COURTESY OF SKULL CANDY (ASHMORE- LEFT & ANYA- RIGHT)

BABES RIDE OUT UK - SATURDAY NIGHT RAFFLE

IMAGE: SAMI GRAYSTONE PAINTING UP ONE OF THE BILTWELL GRINGOS 

IMAGE: SAMI GRAYSTONE PAINTING UP ONE OF THE BILTWELL GRINGOS 

We're gearing up full speed now for Babes Ride Out UK which is only 3 weeks away!!!!!

We've got some serious surprises & partying in store for everyone including free drinks from 805 beer & Sailor Jerry, onsite moto fun & games &  some very exciting news coming soon about our live entertainment in the works for both nights. In the meantime though some news about the amazing Raffle to be held Saturday night. We're lucky enough to have some incredible prizes given to us by the likes of BIKE SHED, BOLT LONDON, REBELS ALLIANCE, BEAR FACE GROOMING PRODUCTS,  MALLE LONDON, SAILOR JERRY, VAGABOND TATTOOS, BABECAVE & of course the amazing BILTWELL who have donated 3 helmets to be custom painted by the best of the best when it comes to custom lids!

Weve got the Sami Graystone painting up a bright silver glitter gringo & the amazing ladies from Image design custom painting up black & a white gringos especially for the event so stay tuned for more new on what they've got planned for them.... 

 

 

 

 

BABES RIDE OUT UK ROLL CALL- JAIME DEMPSEY

Time to meet the most babely of babes Jaime Dempsey. The loveliest, friendliest and also most badass lady on 2 wheels she's coming all the way from LA & will be here with the her womens moto brand ATWYLD that she shares with equally mega babes Anya Violet & Corinne LanFranco. Yikes!

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NAME: Jaime Dempsey

AGE: 40 going on 30

WHERE ARE YOU RIDING FROM: Flying from Los Angeles to London and riding from there! I don't really know who I'm riding with or even what route I'm taking but at least I have a bike all sorted. The rest I'll figure out as the time comes! 

WHAT DO YOU CURRENTLY RIDE: I currently own a 2014 Triumph Bonneville which I have spent many a dollar customizing into a real beauty. Every time I open my garage door to see her there I feel so proud to be riding her. I'm a daily rider and this is one of the most reliable bikes I've ever owned.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO MOTORCYCLES: I was pretty much just naturally drawn to motorcycles. I liked the sense of freedom and independence they offered, and I was curious to see if riding was something I could master. A little over 10yrs ago I met a guy who rode, and I asked him to teach me. I fell in love twice that day. 

BEST RIDING TRIP YOU'VE BEEN ON: When I moved out to LA from Philadelphia I rode cross country with my boyfriend and some friends and it was so much fun. We didn't spend much time with our feet on the ground and there were definitely a few mechanical issues along the way. When you have a good crew though almost any journey you take together is a fun adventure.

However the most beautiful ride I've ever taken was through the mountains of Kalinga in the Philippines. So many green rice terraces and breathtaking views. I kept having to pull over for photo ops!

DREAM PLACE TO RIDE: I have so many on my list... New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Vietnam... and the UK!

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO AT BRO UK: BRO UK is really special to me because I actually grew up in Surrey, and I spent all of my formative years causing havoc in and around London. Now I get to come back as an adult and do something I've never done there- ride motorcycles! I'm excited to see some of the friends that I made at BRO 3 in Joshua Tree, and I'll even take a little time later in the week to catch up with some old school mates. Maybe I can even squeeze in some time for a new tattoo??

OFF ROAD TRAINING WITH BLACK DESERT @ BABES RIDE OUT UK

PHOTO: DAMIAN PAJAK

PHOTO: DAMIAN PAJAK

Theres only 3 and a half weeks to go until Babes Ride Out UK now & we can't wait to show you all that we have in store for you!!!

First up on the list is a special on site surprise we have with the BRO UK site owner & enduro champ Tamsin Jones who will be running off road training all day Saturday for you babes who love dirt just as much as the road!

Designed for all levels of rider from complete beginner to sportswoman level Tamsin will take take you through the basics and help you develop your techniques off road riding!  

The classes will be run from 9am - 12pm or 1pm - 4pm, leaving time to get out for a ride before or after in the amazing surrounding Breacon Beacons scenery  & will be in small groups of just 5 people per lesson so you get alot of one on one time learning some serious off road skills! 

Skills training will include learning strong riding positions for off road, correct use of controls specific to off road riding, braking and cornering off road & navigating obstacles small & large riding Honda CRF 230s, Yamaha TTR 230s or TTR 125s.

You can sign up for a half days pro training session on site with Tamsin for just £75. This includes the bikes, kit, insurance & fuel all in & to top its all off the first 5 people to sign up get a VCC off road jersey not yet even available for purchase thrown in! 

To sign up for this part of the event please email through to Tamsin Jones directly at info@blackdeserttraining.com & to read more about Tamsin Jones & her background in enduro sports click HERE!........but hurry! We only have very limited places available for the either the morning or afternoon classes so first come first served ladies!

BABES RIDE OUT UK ROLL CALL - LAUREN CARBUTT

Not long to go now!!!! We're so stoked that Babes Ride Out Uk is almost here & we've got so many incredible ladies signed up from across America, Australia, Switzerland, Amsterdam & of course all across the UK. This is an event to bring people together, make new friends & have a right old party so heres the first of our attendee roll call shout outs....Meet Lauren Carbutt from Birmingham!

NAME: Lauren Carbutt

AGE: 24

WHERE ARE YOU RIDING FROM?

I live in Redditch it's about half an hour away from Birmingham, so if there's any other girls near that area..id be happy to meet up!

WHAT DO YOU CURRENTLY RIDE?

I'm currently riding a Harley Davidson sportster 883.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO MOTORCYCLES?

Well my main hobby was always cycling I use to compete at a competitive level when I was younger, that's kind of been passed down the family mainly through my dad and his brother. My dad and my grandad used to have motorbikes and I always liked the idea of one day riding one. My mum at first thought it was a bad idea but as I got older she came to terms with the fact that I was old enough to make my own decisions. One of my good friends who was a little older than me was also a keen motorcyclist and for my birthday he bought me my CBT, which was a big push for me.. After passing that I got use to riding my 125cc and then felt I needed something more. That was it then once I'd made the decision to go for my full bike license there was no stopping me. 🏼

 

DREAM PLACE TO RIDE:

I love America! It's a trip that I've always wanted to do, but also me and my friend have been talking about at some point just loading up our bikes and travelling around Europe! I don't think there would be anything better than seeing places you've always wanted to on two wheels.

 

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO AT BABES RIDE OUT UK? 

This will be my first Babes ride out event! When I first heard it was coming to the UK I was so excited. Actually meeting the people you've spoken with on social media for the first time and getting to do one of the things you love is amazing. Also just letting your hair down as well and having a good time that's what it's all about. Making it a weekend you'll never forget.

 

SAILOR JERRY RIDE - GO TEAM ORIGINALS!!!!

Not long now before our girl Gemma Harrison heads out on the Sailor Jerry 2016 ride competition starting this Saturday with her team THE ORIGINALS! Follow Gemma, Hex , James & Fids on their journey on their instagram to watch them compete against 2 other teams !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Meanwhile heres some shot of them working on their Harley Dyna build for the competition by the amazing James Grant.

PHOTO: JAMES GRANT

JULY CBT DAY

Summer is here & we're teaming up with the lovely chaps at London Motorcycle Training again to run our ladies only CBT days throughout the summer months! 

The next one is on Saturday 9th July with a discounted rate & limited spaces so get in there quick if you want to book in !!!!!!

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For more details call London Motorcycle Training on 0207 2411111 & quote VC ladies CBT day to book in!

VC X JENNY O'GRADY

We recently spoke to fellow brit rider & mega babe Jenny O'Grady for We Buy Any bike blog about all things VC, The Shop, VCC & of course Babes Ride Out UK!

Check it out below x

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VC London is an all female biker collective, inspiring and supporting women riders. The group are East London based, from their workshop, The Shop Customsthey throw parties, design their own women’s Moto label  and even organise CBT training.  

They believe in ‘MOTO RIDING, GOOD TIMES & FUN SH*T. SIMPLE’

I caught up with Gemma Harrison, a founder of VC London and got some insider info.

 

 

Jenny: When and how did you get into motorbikes? What do you love about riding?

Gemma: I started riding just over 5 years ago. My husband had always been into racing cars mostly but since we lived in  London we’ve never had the space to keep them so he started riding. He got his licence and a Triumph pretty fast so his SR125 was handed down to me to give it ago. That was the first bike we rebuilt together & I still have it today. I still love riding it even now I have other bikes too. Its a little ripper & perfect for around the city! To be honest I just rode with my husband for a couple of years at first until I started teaching a few friends to ride & helping them to get on bikes. 

The community here in London is pretty amazing & were all very close from different groups of builders, riders & moto businesses so that’s something I love about riding here in London.  As much as I love riding with other people, its also my alone time that I love to just having to myself sometimes too. Especially in a busy place like London where everyone is so crammed in together, it’s nice to feel like you’re just on your own a bit.

J: How would you describe London biking culture at the moment? Have you noticed a difference in the amount of women riders?

G: Slowly I’m seeing more female riders here in London. It’s still not super common that you see lots of women riding by on a motorcycle in London even now though. It would just be nice to see more giving it a go because it’s so much fun! I mean we don’t claim to be the first women to ride a motorcycle in London for sure, but were hoping that what were doing by helping a few people take their first steps in riding is doing its bit to inspire more to give it a go. Everyone has to start somewhere! We’re just trying to make it a little more accessible to get into if you want to.

Although we support a lot of women to start riding to be honest I’m very much of the mind that I don’t think you have to be boxed in with a “ female ride/ male rider” tag. To me I’m just a motorcycle rider who enjoys riding with everyone or anyone, disregardless of what bike they ride or how long they’ve been riding. With VC we are just saying say hey, if you always wanted to give motorcycles a go then we can give you a hand. We’re women so we’ve just done things from a woman perspective with some of the challenges we’ve faced being women riding. We’ve actually given a few guys their first go at riding too recently which has been pretty rad!

J: Tell us a bit about how and why you started VC London

G: The VC started as a bit of a joke really between a few friends. We’re not really a club or a gang, just a kind of collective of people riding, building, hanging & having a great time doing it. We’re a pretty mixed bunch of riders and bikes from 125s, bobbers, cafe racers, Triumphs & harleys to dirtbikes .The 4 of us who are the sort of main people who run the VC ( Myself, Namin, Mai & Jo) all hang & work out of The Shop Customs in East London, where we allwrench, ride & hang together with a bunch of other guys and girls. In the beginning I was just kind of using our Instagram to document all that we were doing, learning about bikes, wrenching etc & it just seemed to catch on.

J: Are there any women biker groups or individual riders who have really influenced you?

G: Argh! There are too many to mention! Since we started the whole VC thing I’ve been lucky enough to hang & ride with some incredible women from all over the world. 

Anya & Ashmore of Babes Ride Out are a pretty inspiring pair of ladies! Jaime Dempsey & Brittany Wood are also a total gems that helped us out so much when we went t LA last year! Closer to home there’s the lovely Sahra Lewis (@roxysunny ) from Warrs Harley Davidson- most smiley lovely, positive lady ever, Sami Graystone (@sami_graystone) – complete bad ass on the road or on the track & of course the other VC girls (well I had to say them didn’t I ?!). Jessie Gentry ( @jessiegentry ) of the Velvets, Joy Lewis ( @mouthfulofjoy)  & the lovely Shelby Rossi ( @therippinkittin) of Scarlet headers are a few more ladies I’m pretty desperate to have a rip around with stateside.

J: You also offer CBT training now, how did this begin? Where do the lessons run and how do people book in with you?

G: We originally put a post out on our insta offering anyone that wanted to give riding a go to get in touch. We just thought that if someone didn’t know a friend or a partner with a bike where they could just take them along to a supermarket car park to give it a go then how would they be able to start? The response was pretty huge so we started teaching the very basics in some private land, nearby our workshop, to a few girls. The next natural step was to hook up with a local training school to get them a CBT certification & get them on the road. A few of us did our tests with London Motorcycle Training & we thought they were great so we hooked up to do all female CBT days with discounted rates for everyone. A lot of the women that have been on the CBT days have made close friends with each other, riding together & going away on moto trips, so that’s pretty rad.

J: VC London now have an awesome fashion label too, how did VCC start up? How would you describe the VCC style?

G: Myself & Namin Cho (another of the VCs founders) originally met through work about 3 years ago. We have both been working as fashion designers for over 10 years, so as time went on we started designing our own clothes for riding as we couldn’t find anything that we liked in terms of stuff to ride in. About a year ago we started developing the VCC collection which is a fusion of moto inspired styles, gear with some safety features like our heavy cotton worker jacket (that comes with an option to have a full kevlar lining) to things like motocross style jerseys. We just couldn’t find styles that their arms were too long for us (mens sizes) or if they were made specifically for women they usually came with a big flower on them bike gear wise. Cool if you’re into that sort of thing, but it’s just not really us. 

VCC is pretty London street wear inspired, easy to wear stuff that you can wear on or off a bike just as easily. Hopefully its modern way to look at clothes with a hard wearing, functional angle meaning you don’t have compromise on your own style. We’re not trying to compete with moto safety brands with full armour, but just present another option that we felt was missing for riders like us.  We actually have a lot of interest in  VCC from some rad women who are into other scenes like skateboarding & riding bikes so I guess it’s quite organically going the way of a lifestyle brand which is pretty awesome!

 

J: Massive news – You are bringing Babes Ride Out to England. How did this come about and what does it involve? What are your hopes for the event?

G: Yes! We’re super stoked about this!

We went out to The Babes Ride Out event last year in Joshua tree & had the most incredible time. We met some great new friends, rode in the desert, partied our arses off & when we got back to the UK we started talking about how great it would be to bring that type of event here to the UK. We started talking to the lovely Anya & Ashmore about it all & that’s when the idea to do Babes Ride Out UK came up. 

Its gonna be great to see women riders from all over the UK & internationally coming together to ride & hang in what we think is one of the most incredible places to ride in the UK. We’re hoping to bring people together & create the same welcoming, inclusive vibe to the event as we experienced in Joshua Tree last year, with some mind-blowing riding routes & of course one rad party at the end of it all!

J: Do you have an end aim or goal for the collective, what is your dream for VC London?

G: I think the main aim is to keep enjoying what we’re doing together. Hanging out, riding, doing events, launching our womens brand VCC & getting more people to give motorcycles a try, that will be as into as we are & for the long run! It’s all just about having a rad time. If people dig that then that’s cool but if not it would still be the same for us here at the The Shop just doing what we do.

To read the rest of the article click HERE

BABES RIDE OUT UK -RENTAL DEALS

For all you babes travelling to Babes Ride Out UK from far off lands, or for the ladies wanting a little something different for the weekend we've set up some great deals with some of London & the South of Englands best rental dealerships for all Babes ride Out UK ticket holders!

Just speak to any of the below places & quote Babes Ride Out for all they've got on offer! Jump in there quick as they get booked up FAST!

x


WARRS HARLEY DAVIDSON - WEST LONDON

Up for grabs : Heritage softails, street glides & sportsters.

******** 10% OFF ALL RENTAL PRICES WITH A BABES RIDE OUT TICKET**************

Also stay tuned for an arranged ride out to Babes Ride Out UK campsite from Warrs Harley !!

EMAIL FOR BOOKINGS : matt@warrs.com/ sahra@warrs.com

TEL: 020 7736 2934


ABOUT TOWN MOTORCYCLE HIRE - LONDON

www.abouttownbikehire.co.uk  

A range of bikes from Triumphs to Harleys

********** 10% OFF ALL RENTAL PRICES WITH A BABES RIDE OUT TICKET**************

EMAIL FOR INFO: Michael - abouttownbikehire@hotmail.com

TEL: +44 20 8871 1112


LIND HARLEY DAVIDSON - GUILDFORD, READING & NEWMARKET

http://www.lindhd.co.uk

EMAIL: axel@lind.co.uk

TEL: call +44 (0) 7984 277 199, quoting "Babes Ride Out UK" to receive our special rates and services.

For the period around the weekend 6/7 August:

- Sportster/Street 750: £240/ Softail: £315/ Touring: £360

 You can extend this for 24 hour period before and/or after the basic rental for:

- Sportster/Street 750: £95/ Softail: £125/ Touring: £140

The price includes VAT, HOG Assist Breakdown Cover, unlimited mileage and insurance. The insurance excess is £1,500, which can be reduce to £750 for £10/day.


OTHER RENTAL DEALERSHIPS:

ROAD TRIP: - http://roadtrip.uk

RACEWAYS: - https://www.raceways.net/rentals/

SAILOR JERRYS - THE RIDE 2016

Its back! The Sailor Jerry Ride for 2016 is here & they've had the total lack of judgement to let us along for the ride! Gemma (@ghwfive ) is part of team originals & will be setting off on July 2nd on what seems like its gonna be one mental trip (and they don't even know where to until the first day of the ride)! 


SAILOR JERRY HITS THE ROAD FOR ROUND TWO OF THE RIDE

Iconic American brand, Sailor Jerry, will be hitting the road once again for round two of The Ride. Kicking off on Saturday 2nd July, three bad-ass, bike building teams from across the UK will be tasked with a series of epic challenges and compete against each other on a hell raising journey of balls-to-wall riding.

This year’s teams, hailing from across Great Britain, include Hackney Wick’s finest bike specialists, Kingdom of Kicks, Welsh motorcycle club and hot rod masters, FTHaters and 2015’s returning challengers, The Ride Originals,who will take on an action packed schedule of hard-hitting challengeson this 9 day tour, in a bid to crowned champions of The Ride 2016.

Before setting off, teams will be tasked with customising their own brand-spanking new Harley-Davidson Street Bob; from sweet handlebars to awesome paint jobs, the public will get to vote for their favourite ride with the winner collecting those all important points. 

Each team will be handed their challenge book and routes as they set off, and tasked with making their own way across the country, competing for points along the way. Nationwide challenges will see the teams fight for the lead as they take on epic eating competitions to pit bike races, cutting each other’s hair to wearing their helmet for 24 hours straight- the teams will go head to head to win their Harley and a trip to Norman Collins’ spiritual home, Hawaii. Rolling towards the finish line on the 9th July, the riders will have 24 hours to complete their final challenges face to face ahead of the winner being crowned on 10th July.

All the madness and mayhem will be captured in a series of six videos airing across Sailor Jerry channels from w/c 18thJuly. So…dust your leathers off, start your engine and follow us via #TheRideSJUK, it’s going to be one helluva ride!