Hot Leathers Unveils Fresh and Innovative New Website Homepage

Any motorcycle enthusiast knows that genuine biker style isn’t achieved without a visit to Hot Leathers one-stop online shop at hotleathers.com where bikers can peruse an array of stylish and original biker merchandise for men, women and children.

freshly redesigned Hot Leathers homepage

Never willing to leave well enough alone, the industry leader in motorcycle apparel continues their quest to provide bikers with quality merchandise that not only conveys their inner rebel but also keeps them comfortable and protected from head to toe by unveiling their new and improved website homepage.

Renowned for their products’ quality, superiority, and value, Hot Leathers has redesigned their homepage to reflect these same qualities. Made over with a clean and contemporary online look and feel, the homepage offers a more appealing and efficient channel for accessing their wide selection of bold and original products.

The new design makes online shopping easier and product searches effortless by offering improved mega drop down navigation menus. Other state of the art features include new product categories including Extreme Conditions Gear and Past Event Merchandise, as well as featured products on the homepage that are updated regularly and easy access to weekly sales via a rotating banner.

In addition to improved navigation, enhanced convenience and interaction is also the name of the game when it comes to Hot Leathers’ new streamlined homepage. Customers will be able to conveniently access official merchandise for Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Buffalo Chip Campground, Fuller Hot Rods, and Laconia Motorcycle Week.

In addition, visitors will be able to better interact with the folks at Hot Leathers and find out what they’re up to just by checking out their homepage which highlights an assortment of contests, giveaways, deals, and sales. Currently they are sponsoring a photo contest which customers can learn more about by clicking the photo contest button. The contents of this button will change regularly to include an assortment of interesting Hot Leathers contests, events, news and more.

Visit the site regularly so that you don’t miss any of the fun! Hot Leathers has been outfitting motorcyclists for more than 25 years. Providing bikers with a large selection of bold and inspired designs, the industry leader in motorcycle apparel is now proud to offer customers a fresh and innovative new online shopping experience.

Enter Electric Solos custom tattooed leather solo seats (and pillion pads as well). Artist Alex Higgins uses an actual tattoo gun and ink on cowhide to create unique works of art.

Electric Solos: tattooed motorcycle seats

His art is definitely reminiscent of old-school style tattoos and he sure doesn’t have to worry about squirming and complaining while he tattoos this kind of skin!

The results are truly one of a kind and really cool. You almost wouldn’t want to plant your ass on these seats!

To find out more visit the website at electricsolos.com or visit their Facebook page.

While the rest of the country is beginning to feel a little chill in the air, Hot Leathers is looking forward to a soaking in some sun at a number of rallies throughout the country including the Panama City Beach Fall Motorcycle Rally, the Grand Strand Fall Rally, and the Las Vegas Bikefest. Each of these legendary rallies, held September 30- October 3, are mainstays on the biker rally scene and Hot Leathers, the industry leader in motorcycle apparel, is looking forward to packing up their merchandise and heading to some of the world’s best biker celebrations.

Panama City rally 2010

Twice a year thousands of riders descend on Panama City for the Panama City Beach Rally for a long weekend of motorcycle revelry and hot beaches. Hot Leathers is a sponsor at this year’s celebration which promises to be an action-packed five days of motorcycle-centric festivities including parties, rides, vendors and live music.

One rally destination that you definitely won’t want to miss, the Grand Strand Fall Rally also referred to as the Myrtle Beach Bike Week Fall Rally, is located on an arc of beautiful beach land along the Southeastern coast around beautiful Myrtle Beach, NC. Whatever you refer to it as, it’s sure to be a high octane good time with an array of entertainment and cruising. Riders will have the opportunity to enjoy the scenic coastline of the Carolinas, chock full of great restaurants, resort towns and historic attractions.

Panama City rally 2010

If you’re looking for a rowdy good time and an excuse to head to Las Vegas then consider the 2010 Las Vegas Bikefest. Nearly 30,000 bikers attended the legendary rally in 2009 and even more are expected this time around. A biker bazaar like nothing you’ve ever seen, this year’s festivities will include vendors, demo rides, nonstop music, competitions, the Artistry in Iron Master Builders’ Championships and cruising on the strip. You can anticipate a full schedule of activities guaranteed to keep you busy.

Most importantly rally-goers at each of these destinations will have the chance to browse amongst a significant selection of Hot Leather’s premier merchandise including t-shirts, hats and other products for men, women and children. Synonymous for offering the best selection of motorcycle merchandise in stores, online and on the road, Hot Leathers goes to great lengths to ensure that motorcycle enthusiasts from coast to coast have the opportunity to peruse and purchase the ultimate in riding gear at Hot Leathers’ simple one-stop-rally-shop.

Panama City rally 2010

Hot Leathers has been serving the motorcycle community for over 25 years. As a result, the company’s growing wholesale and printing facilities have earned it a place as one of America’s top 50 volume screen printers. Keep an eye out this summer for the Hot Leathers logo. It’s a brand you can trust with prices you can easily afford.

Follow Hot Leathers as they comb the nation, outfitting motorcycle enthusiasts with the quality merchandise that they desire and deserve. Check out hotleathers.com to see their full 2010 rally schedule and to peruse their diverse and original merchandise.

Created to bring order and efficiency to your work space, Z-CALZ organizational products are designed to help you find your tools fast. These magnetic and decal tool box labels are available in a variety of colors and were crafted to help organize your next project.

Detroit Brothers, the custom motorcycle manufacturers, has built unique motorcycles that focus on the mechanical and subversive since 2002. Reflective of the city of Detroit, the bothers build technological progressive bikes, bike parts and an array of apparel.

K&G Cycles has also recently partnered with Kerr Leathers. Priding themselves on producing the finest American made apparel for the motorcycle industry, Kerr Leathers creates jackets, vests, gloves, chaps and accessories from 3 ¼ to 4 ¼ ounce heavy leather which results in a product that can stand up to years of use. They also sell a variety of motorcycle helmets from DOT to novelty.

K & G Cycles

For the past 42 years Paughco has been providing the custom and restoration Harley-Davidson market with the most diverse and highest quality line of products available. While remaining on the cutting edge of modern technology and computer integration, Paughco has become the undisputed ‘Godfather’ of the chopper industry and K&G Cycles is proud to offer their line of leading products and apparel.

Also on K&G’s list of new collaborators are Pingel, manufacturer and distributor of motorcycle performance products; Samson, the leading manufacturer of Harley-Davidson as well as metric cruiser motorcycle exhaust systems and mufflers; Setwear, manufacturers of unique fitted gloves, tool pouches, tool bags, tool belts, apparel and more; and Unik Leathers, committed to serving the need of the motorcycle leather
apparel and accessories market in the United States and Europe since 1985.

K&G Cycles, the virtual motorcycle parts and accessories superstore that boasts over 1,200 categories of parts from over 250 manufacturers and 6 major motorcycle parts wholesalers, guarantees that you will find exactly what you need for your project. With new lines being added daily, K & G’s goal is to provide their customers with the widest possible selection of American and foreign-made motorcycles parts as well
as clothing, apparel and gear at prices you simply will not believe.

Successfully and single-handedly transforming the face of online motorcycle parts and accessories sales, not only does K&G Cycles offer with widest variety of V-Twin parts assembled online, they have revolutionized the market by providing consumers with a new caliber and kind of shopping experience. Driven by their love of motorcycling, K & G Cycles have streamlined the buying process while still offering competitive pricing and great customer service. For more information, visit K & G Cycles online at kandgcycles.com.

Since we do accept advertising here at Rippin-Kitten.com, I will not be linking to any specific websites for you to shop at or giving any pricing info. I will say that most of these boots are under $100 and totally great options to wear while riding.

Here are ten pairs of boots for your consideration.

Wanted "Spike" boots in black

• Wanted “Spike” Knee High Riding Boot with Fabric Cuff (other colors available)
  I’m a fan of tall boots but I don’t really wear them too often. I like the fabric cuff and the buckle on these.

Wanted "Skid" motorcycle boot

• Wanted “Skid” Studded Motorcycle Ankle Bootie
  These look sort of 80′s inspired. I think they’ll look totally great with the sun glinting off of all the studs and they have a side zipper for ease.

Xelement Women's Motorcycle Boots

• Xelement Women’s Advanced Lace-Up Biker Boots
  Heavy duty, stompy boots. I think my feet would feel super safe in these.

Dr. Martens Rose Skull

• Dr. Martens Rose Skull 8-eyelet boots (lots of other styles and colors available)
  I used to wear Dr. Martens all the time. They’re a bitch to break in but when they are you can wear them every day. Always diverse in styles, these are awesome to set yourself apart from the crowd.

Harley-Davidson "Tegan"

• Harley-Davidson Tegan black boots
  Another pair of great stompy boots. I will admit that I’ve owned another pair of H-D boots and not only did they look great, they lasted a long time and were very comfortable.

Dirty Laundry "Taylor Tumble"

• Dirty Laundry Taylor Tumble
  Buckles and ridgy soles. I just like the way these look.

River Road Field Boots

• River Road Women’s Double Zipper Field Boots
  Sturdy, well built and durable. Not completely unattractive and your feet will be safe for sure.

Icon "Bombshell"

• Icon Women’s Bombshell Boot (also available in black)
  I like a little heel on my boots, but not typically while I ride because I have foot pegs. I struggle with this style of boot because I can’t decide if they are really ugly or actually not that bad. If I wanted a heel while riding, I would consider these.

• BUCCO Women’s ’17-220′ Lace-up Boots
  These are total fashion boots, but they’re super cheap, nice and flat and can serve double-duty on your feet wearing a dress or skirt.

Newport News Plaid Motorcycle Boots

• Newport-News plaid motorcycle boots (honorable mention to Dr. Marten’s plaid lace-up boots)
  I have a soft spot in my heart for plaid boots. I think they’re adorable and on the right person would be totally eye-catching.

I’ll admit, I may not be a fashion guru. Sure, some of these boots are probably not the safest options to wear while riding, but might look really great at some event with a pair of black jeans, dress or a skirt.

Hot Leathers

The largest of the Maryland motorcycle rallies, this year’s rally will feature top name builders and their latest creations, live music, giveaways, vendors, the ever-popular Cruzin’ the Coast Pin Run, bikini shows, all you can eat crab feast and much more.

They will then gear up and head to Western Massachusetts’ beautiful Pioneer Valley for the Big E held September 17-October 3 in West Springfield, MA. The Eastern States Exhibition, otherwise known as the Big E, is the largest fair in the Northeast and is a New England extravaganza of entertainment, animals, exhibits, rides, shopping, crafts, a Mardi Gras parade and foods from around the world. It’s a 17 day celebration and Hot Leathers’ last blast of the summer.

In addition to the fun and festivities, Hot Leathers will be showcasing a number of their superior products. Patrons will have the chance to browse amongst a significant selection of Hot Leather’s premier merchandise including t-shirts, hats and other products for men, women and children. By visiting their website at hotleathers.com, you can also easily access a printable coupon for $10 off a purchase of $50 or more at all Hot Leathers’ Big E locations. Famous for packing up their merchandise and visiting a number of rallies and festivals throughout the nation, Hot Leathers goes to great lengths to ensure that motorcycle enthusiasts from coast to coast have the opportunity to peruse and purchase the ultimate in riding gear at Hot Leathers’ simple one-stop-rally-shop.

Hot Leathers has been serving the motorcycle community for over 25 years. As a result, the company’s growing wholesale and printing facilities have earned it a place as one of America’s top 50 volume screen printers. Keep an eye out this summer for the Hot Leathers logo. It’s a brand you can trust with prices you can easily afford.

Follow Hot Leathers as they comb the nation, outfitting motorcycle enthusiasts with the quality merchandise that they desire and deserve. Check out hotleathers.com to see their full 2010 rally schedule and to peruse their diverse and original
merchandise.

RIP Dennis Hopper: 1936-2010‎

“It gives you a whole new way of looking at the day.“-Billy, Easy Rider

Are you a Facebook user? If so, please check out the “Rippin-Kitten” page and join in on the fun! It’s a place to post fun links, photos and love for our biker culture! I also have a personal profile page that is just dying for new friends! Won’t you be my friend? [insert sad, puppy dog eyes here.]

Become a fan and friend Rippin-Kitten on Facebook

Follow Rippin-Kitten on Twitter

I use Twitter all of the time and other than my blog posts, this is the most direct way and personal way to stay up to date and keep in touch with me. So follow me today!

While Facebook and Twitter are the two social networking sites I frequent the most, you can also find me on these other sites:
MySpace
BikerorNot.com
Flickr

If you have any other social networking sites you think I should be a part of, please leave a comment and let me know!

Two-Wheeled passion seminar successfully reignites enthusiasm for V-Twin Industry

Despite having to make their annual voyage through wintery conditions that nearly shut down the entire East coast, a barrage of V-Twin dealers and exhibitors trekked their way to the 10th Annual V-Twin Expo in Cincinnati the weekend of February 6-8. The industry’s premier trade show, the V-Twin Expo is an opportunity for dealers and manufacturers to strike a deal and ascertain the overall state of the industry from veterans and colleagues. In addition to browsing an impressive array of V-Twin parts and accessories, this year’s expo also featured the “Eternal Combustion-Opportunity in the Wind” seminar.

Sponsored by the Legendary Buffalo Chip and Hot Leathers, this round table gave audience members the chance to converse, listen and learn from an impressive selection of successful and established bike builders and discuss the current climate of the V-Twin industry.

Turn out for the seminar was remarkable as an impressive assortment of industry giants discussed how they have managed to capitalize on their passion within the current climate and how they have successfully turned difficulty into opportunity. The seminar was moderated by celebrated motorcycle photographer, Michael Lichter and the panel consisted of industry notables Kevin Baas, Bryan Fuller, Brian Klock, Gary Mauer, Dave Perewitz, Matt Olsen, Kirk Taylor and Paul Yaffe. An overwhelming sense of passion for the industry permeated the room while journalists, industry insiders, dealers, manufacturers and builders discussed the industry; how it has changed since starting out, how to adapt to these changes and refocus business as well as how to pass this passion down to the next generation of bike builders.

At the conclusion of the seminar celebrity moderator, Michael Lichter also revealed the theme, participants and the logo, designed by Hot Leathers, for the 10th annual Motorcycle as Art exhibit to be displayed at the Legendary Buffalo Chip August 7-13. Titled “Eternal Combustion- 30 in the Wind” this year’s exhibit will focus on the explosion of interest and passion for custom motorcycles seen over the last thirty years. The display will include 30 custom motorcycles from 15 pairs of custom builders and will feature the photography and limited edition prints of the renowned photographer. This internationally renowned and highly anticipated yearly exhibit will be on display at the Lichter Exhibition Hall on the grounds of the Legendary Buffalo Chip August 7-13. An opportunity to peruse, mingle, discuss and learn this year’s V-Twin Expo and highly anticipated “Eternal Combustion-Opportunity in the Wind” seminar was the perfect opportunity for those involved in the V-Twin industry to rekindle their passion for the business and introduce this years Motorcycles as Art exhibition.

Sturgis Buffalo Chip Presents 10th Annual Motorcycles as Art Exhibit: Eternal Combustion- 30 in the Wind

More information on the free Motorcycles as Art 2010 Exhibition, “Eternal Combustion-30 in the Wind” is available at motorcyclesasart.com and buffalochip.com.

Related post:
Sturgis Buffalo Chip Announces Motorcycles as Art Exhibit for 2010

It’s been a while since I’ve done this, but I got a new batch of stickers made up recently.

If you’d like some stickers for your helmet, or whatever else you like to stick stickers to, just email me or direct message me through Twitter with your mailing address and I’ll send some out to you (U.S. requests only plz)!

Here’s what I’ve got:

1"x3" is perfect for your helmet

4.25″x1.37″ size sticker

Dichrome is a company specializing in glass shifters for motorcycles and cars, creating accents that help make your ride stand out from the crowd. Isn’t that just what we’re looking for?

The company’s purveyor, Lunchbox, reached out to me recently letting me know about some of the more “girly” knobs that they’ve created.

Here are some shift knobs we have made with women in mind some are foot shifters and some will be “jockey or a regular shift knob”. Our knobs come with a thread system so they will fit almost anything threaded or otherwise.

Our foot shifters are brand new for 09′ and are still one off. We are working out our production line of solid color foot shifters in green, purple, pink, amber, cobalt blue and black.”

If you’re looking for more big-boy, manly designs head on over to their site since there are literally hundreds of photos to look through. While they might be a bit pricey to the Average Joe, these unique glass shifters will definitely add that sparkle to the right kind of bike.

Decked in black from fender-to-fender, the new Harley-Davidson Iron 883 brings the beat of an 883 Evolution engine backed up by a combo of gritty, old-school garage features like front fork gaiters, drag style handlebar and side-mount license plateholder.

The black powder-coated 883 cc Evolution powertrain with black covers takes the Iron 883 deep into the heart of darkness. With Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) and performance tuning with a flat torque curve, the Iron 883 delivers plenty of power for the city scene. The pipes on the straight cut shorty dual exhaust flow the distinctive American V-Twin sound.

The black chopped rear fender with its combination stop/turn/tail lights shows more of the 150 mm rear tire and black, 13-spoke cast aluminum wheel, while the front tire also rides on a black wheel. The rest of the Iron 883 gets a darker-suited presence with black front forks and fender supports, fuel tank, oil tank cover, belt guard, drag style handlebar and mid mount foot controls.

A classic Sportster solo seat with a height of 25.3 inches fits the lone rider, while a passenger seat and a backrest in complementing black finishes can be added as accessories.

Check out more on the Iron 883 and Harley-Davidson Dark Custom motorcycles at: http://www.harley-davidson.com/darkcustom.

And, as many of you are aware, Daytona Bike Week is coming up on us fast, which will include the 2nd annual MDA ride. Last year was a huge success as I’m sure this year will be as well. Ladies, if you’re interested in being part of the ride this year, you’d better shake your tail.

Sign-up is only open through Feb. 18th and over half of the spots are already full  The ride will obviously take place during Daytona Bike Week on Tuesday, March 3rd. If you’re looking for more info on the MDA Ride and how to sign up, check out: http://www.harley-davidson.com/womenriders

I will get back to posting next week. You all be safe.

Vampy kitten

How was your night?

It’s an all-new, fun 2008 Halloween inspired Rippin-Kitten wallpaper! Celebrate Halloween festivities with me and show some love for one of your favorite motorcycle blogs!

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What better way to kick off “Fashion Fridays” than to announce that Rippin-Kitten t-shirts are FINALLY here!

These are not Cafe Press shirts done up from generic clip art. These shirts were completely designed by me, screen printed using two color inks and I have them in my hot lil hands right now. When they are shipped out, they’ll be sent by me personally.

“FASTER PUSSYCAT” $15.00
Short-sleeved black t-shirt with white printed skull & wing design, featuring the original “skully cat” Rippin-Kitten logo! Available in unisex sizes SM, MED, LG and XL.

All orders will be shipped USPS Priority mail ($4.95 for shipping) and arrive in 3-5 business days from the day it was shipped (US residents only).

Get ‘em now while they last!

Marketing to women: Harley-Davidson proves once again they’re a mega-marketing machine
Harley-Davidson is a force to be reckoned with, for sure, whether you love or hate them. Since we now have a Harley in the family it’s been more and more apparent to me why people have such brand loyalty to them. They constantly reinforce a feeling of belonging to a family with their customer service, their membership programs and mailings. They’re one of the first brands to really being marketing towards women and they’ll be damned if they don’t bust into my demographic if it kills them. They were one of the first to put a special section on their website geared towards women, they offer women only garage parties and now they’re offering something that’s sure to make women feel like they belong to an exclusive community: they’re giving away an exclusive designer ring to women who buy one of their bikes.

This exclusive HD ring was designed by Karen Davidson

Goldmember would be jealous: a chopper made of GOLD
This extravagant piece of art was shown at the International Motorcycle show in Seattle. It’s gold plated and only costs a mere $500,000. Where can I get one?

View more photos of this magnificient beast at funtasticus.com

Red band trailer for HELL RIDE finally available for viewing
Here it is in all it’s glory, boys and girls. Definitely not safe for work so tread lightly where you’re viewing it. Glad to see that tongue is still planted firmly in cheek after seeing the trailer and I am definitely looking forward to some raunchy sex & violence with this flick.

Anyone else still eager to see it?

Did I ever tell you how much I hate riding in the rain?

I have some emotional reasons behind it, but mostly it just sucks. I don’t like not feeling in control and not being able to see very well, knowing that cagers are flying around me and might not notice I’m there.

This is what i was thinking as I headed out the Mass Pike last Friday morning at 6AM on my way to Springfield, MA to have breakfast at Cracker Barrel. My husband has this thing about starting a road trip with a Country Boy breakfast.

After we dried off and filled our bellies, we headed north up I-91 to route 2 where we got on the Mohawk Trail and the rain finally stopped (although it continued to be overcast). We meandered our way across the ass-end of MA, then cut the corner of VT up into NY. Riding through NY we rode through a plethora of farmland.

We pulled into our campground (ugh, camping) in Lake George, NY around 3PM. After unloading the bikes and setting up the tent, we made a beeline for downtown to scope out the activity. Having been there a few years ago, we knew the layout and the weird restrictions that the town has on bikes so we went to the Holiday Inn to get a parking pass (yes, you need a pass to park at this bike rally!) Once that was taken care of, we got a good parking spot and grabbed a much needed beer.

Around sundown the clouds finally burned off and there was a bit of blue sky. The temp dropped to about 80 degrees and the humidity went down a bit, too. About 10PM we were really pooped, so we got back on the bikes and hit the 8.5 miles down winding Rt. 9N (everything is route 9 up there, WTF?) and into our little home away from home. After battling the mosquitoes for space in the tent, I got as comfortable as I could and stared at the roof of the tent while my hubby fell fast asleep. The temp finally dropped around 3AM to a reasonable 50-something (and damp) degrees. In true camping fashion, we were up with the sun and back on the road.

Our first stop was the Harley-Davidson area over at the Ft. William Henry at 8AM. It was already 85 degrees out. A quick swipe of the HOG (Harley Owners Group) card and my man had his first ever HOG pin to add to his leather vest. Then we rode down to the convention center and we were the 3rd and 4th bikes parked. I guess we expected things to open a bit earlier than they did!

We hit the vendors at the expo center then took the shuttle bus to the beach, where we spent all day looking at vendors in 95-100 degree heat. It was brutal. That afternoon we went back downtown to get some food and people watch (two of my favorite activities!). That night we sat on a bench taking pictures, watching bikes go by and talking to people until midnight. We gassed up before heading back to camp because we knew it would be a mob scene in the morning.

We got up again way too early Sunday morning. I went to clean up in the lovely campground bathroom facilities (with all of the mosquitoes and water bugs) while my man broke camp down and packed up our stuff. We had breakfast at 4th Lake Diner, which was a real bargain. At 9am when we left, it was already 90 degrees out. While riding it felt like someone was standing in front of us with a hairdryer blasting on high heat. We opted to head back through NY and VT the way we came because the roads were so nice to ride on. Once we got to Rt 2, we just kept on it all the way home.

All photos copyright 2008 Rippin-Kitten.com and Forrest Frazier.

10. If she can do it, I can do it
This was one of the first posts I wrote that tackled my internal struggles of “women only”-type things. My favorite quote (still to this day) is a quote from the Suzuki spokesperson who said “we think [what] we know is that women motorcyclists don’t want to be called women motorcyclists. They just want to be motorcyclists. They don’t want a women’s motorcycle.”

9. I’m richer. Well, my motorcycle is anyway.
Last summer I made a lot of modifications to my bike-mainly because I was having airflow issues. Of course it’s a slippery slope when you start doing mods because once you alter one thing a chain reaction of other things needs to happen. But this post details one of my first adventures of tearing my bike down, drilling out the carburator and putting it all back together.

8. Video Tuesday: Laconia Bike Week 2007
My photo slideshow from Laconia NH bike week last year. I had such a great time, the highlight was riding all the way up Mt. Washington with all of the other bikers. What a view from the top!

7. “You ride your OWN?” (and other famous quotes)
I think the title says it all, some funny ones in there.

6. & 5. Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Custom Day 1 and Anatomy of the Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Custom
I’m putting these two posts together because they relate to each other. This was a very fun time from last summer cruising around on this motorcycle.

4. October 14: a day I can’t forget
This post chronicles one of the scariest and most trying times in my life. I truly believe this was fate testing us. I hope we passed.

3. Bikers and tattoos
Two great tastes that taste great together.

2. My first motorcycle love
A fantastic guest post written by Mr. Forrest Frazier.

1. Steampunk motorcycles
Perhaps I’m biased and this is too obvious, but because I love the steampunk movement this is my top pick. Also the most popular post on this site to date.

So now I ask you guys: is there a particular post that you really like from the past year and if so, which one is it and what makes it your favorite?

Good thing there wasn’t anything red, shiny and candy-like. I’d be all done then!

Instead of me trying to write about it from an outsider’s point of view, I asked him if he’d guest write a post to share with us what was going on in his head through the whole experience. Thankfully, he said yes! I hope you guys enjoy the read as much as I did.
-Liz

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It was an uncomfortable sleep, tossing from side to side on my raggedy sleeping bag. At 4AM I emerged from my tent back out into the fluorescent lights of the conference room and back to confines of my cubicle. Stephen King’s first major e-book Riding the Bullet was set to go live in a matter of hours. The internet was waiting and investors were watching.

During the height of the dot com bubble I daydreamed of being retired at 35 riding through the South West on a Harley with not a care in the world. I had tons of stock options and in no time the world would all be using our e-book product. A few months later I was handed a severance check and a pink slip as our dot com went dot bomb. My millions in stock options were worth about six cents but I still had my dream of riding, a few grand and a clear calender.

I walked into the local Honda dealership with a wad of cash in my pocket and rode out on a brand spanking new 2001 Honda Shadow ACE. After buzzing around town for a week I over packed and headed west looking like Clarke Griswald turned biker. With no real riding experience my riding goals and motorcycle time management were ridiculous and after a few days of 18 to 20 hours in the saddle I pitched my old cubicle tent outside in fresh air on a South Dakota hillside. I finally gave in to Sturgis calling me and along with hundreds of thousands of my close personal friends rode the Black Hills and tossed back a few beers.

My ACE was a champ. As-long-as I lubed the chain before going to bed and shined her pretty before heading out in the morning she never complained. She was my baby and if I treated her right she would take me to places and show me things I only dreamed of before. After my first week on the road with the ACE looking more like a pack mule than a free spirited steed it was time to lighten the load. Stopping at the Sturgis High School where UPS set up a make shift depot I packed up everything but a change of clothes, my maps and cameras. It was a valuable 60 pound lesson.

The next three weeks adventure created biker stories that would be told and retold on later adventures or just swapping tales with fellow riders along my journeys. I rode through the Rockie mountains, across stretches of Historic Route 66 got caught in a hurricane in Texas, saw the biggest ball of twine and all sorts of other things that only motorcyclists would care about.

Eventually I made my way back to New England with summer in my past. When I brought my bike in for service Steve the manager said it was one of the quickest 20,000 miles he had ever seen put on a 750.

Home now I worked during the week and spent my free time keeping my bike in tip top condition for my next adventure. I’d work and save then meet friends on the road. I worked some more and bought presents for my bike. A new sissy bar and luggage rack so the next trip could be two-up. Better springs and progressive shocks so I could take a trip to the Tail of the Dragon in style. All the chrome and all the extras went into that bike. And my ACE gave back. Other riders always complimented my bike and were impressed by the miles I put on. Never any mechanical problems even after being overloaded by 150 pounds and riding through the rain and snow.

As time went on we got comfortable together and began to take each other for granted. I didn’t spend the time I used to cleaning and polishing every nook and cranny. In turn she didn’t give me the power, throttle response and confidence she once did. I still loved her and treated her well but it wasn’t the same. One night I was riding home from work and went down. Luckily I had put crash bars on the ACE and she sustained only minor damage. I on the other hand was laid up for over 6 months.

When you have a motorcycle accident, doctors and nurses are quick to let you know they refer to bikers as “organ doners.” Physical theripasts tell you not to ride again or you might hurt this or that. For me one of my main focuses was getting my ACE back in shape and going for a ride, at least one last ride.

When I was well enough to go outside I would try to detail my bike, neglected no more she was to be the shinyest bike in all the land (or at least on my block). As I recovered I thought about that feeling the first time I took my bike on the highway. All those moments of adrenaline rush and all the wonderful places I’d been on the ACE.

One May morning I hopped on my sparkling clean Honda ACE and with friends by my side hit the road again. I was nervous for about 3 minutes then a rush of emotion came over me and I was happy. I was back.

My perspective had changed, as is often the case, major traumatic events are a catalyst to other life changing decisions. My former girlfriend whom I was pursuing was by my side not to leave, ever. She also decided to take the MSF course and get her own bike even after me being busted up and other friends having accidents.

Over the next few years with my best friend and now girlfriend again riding next to me more adventures were had. The ACE once again got the nurturing it deserved even if it wasn’t the only steed in the stable anymore. She continued to give me all she had and I treated her right, knowing full well that her all was not good enough.

As a rider each experience you have on the bike should make you a better rider. Every time some jackhole takes a left in front of you, it is a learning experience. Different road conditions, weather conditions, sights, sounds, and smells are merely put there for us to learn from and grow. I found that I had out grown my reliable ACE. I want to carry more weight than she can safely handle. I want to have more emergency power on the throttle when that 18 wheeler comes flying up my butt at 90mph in the mountains of West Virginia.

We were at a crossroads. It was time to say goodbye.

This weekend I rode my faithful 2001 Honda Shadow ACE with about 55,000 miles on it into the Harley dealership and made my peace with our separation. I realized my dream of owning a Harley Davidson Road King. My FLHCI is a 2004 with less miles on it than I put on the ACE our first month together. I always said my next bike would be black, but to my surprise it’s silver pearl just like my ACE was, with all the extras I put on my ACE and all the extras I wanted for my ACE but never got around to getting.

As excited as I am to join the collective, part of me is a little sad to see the ACE go. She served me well and doesn’t owe me a thing. If inanimate objects could emote, I hope she would say she enjoyed our adventures together. Hopefully someone as festidious as me finds her some day and is inspired to treat her well. I know she will repay the favor.

“The story is amazing: I could not help but admire his courage, sheer bloody-mindedness and his soul-searching. His insights were deep and this was the aspect of the book that I enjoyed the most…Read her full review here.

It’s been a crazy couple of weeks for me and I’m glad to be returning to my normal routine. I’m looking forward to writing a regular post for tomorrow. There’s lots of new news and interesting things to catch up on!

Last night I finally had my winter frustration meltdown. I’m sick of snow and cold weather. I’m tired of layering up my clothes to stay warm. I’m ready for warmer weather and open-toed shoes. I’d even be happy with some rainy days as long as it was warmer outside.  Today is the last day of February and March usually brings more optimism.

Ok, no more complaining. I’m going to settle into bed and try to get better.

Dear Rippin Kitten author,

Our editors recently reviewed your blog and have given it a 8.5 score out of (10). Your blog is currently in the top ten in the Sports/Motor Sports Business category of Blogged.com. This is quite an achievement!

http://www.blogged.com/directory/sports/motor-sports

We evaluated your blog based on the following criteria: Frequency of Updates, Relevance of Content, Site Design, and Writing Style. After carefully reviewing each of these criteria, your site was given its score…Please accept my congratulations on a blog well-done!!

How about THAT? Go me!

And of course, a Happy VD for everyone!!!

Hell Ride premiered at Sundance earlier this week (and was reviewed favorably, which you can read here) and is a throw back to the 60′s & 70′s style biker movie that promises to be filled with lots of testosterone and violence (or according to the movie review, the three B’s: bikes, beer, and booty!)

According to another recent article on shocktilyoudrop.com, Hell Ride could eventually become a trilogy:

Leave ‘em wanting more. Films with the Quentin Tarantino touch seem to have that effect. Hell Ride may be no exception. Larry Bishop’s revenge tale, presented by Tarantino, premiered last night at Sundance to a sold-out crowd and already those involved in the project have the word “sequel” on their lips.

Co-star Michael Madsen tells us during an interview, “I hope this is going to be a trilogy.” In the film he plays a well-dressed biker named The Gent and it’s a role he’s looking forward to revisiting. “The Gent’s story has not been completely told.”

When we later spoke to writer-director-actor Bishop, we inquired about a possible “trilogy” and Madsen’s desire to slip back into The Gent’s skin, to which Bishop merely sat back, raised his eyebrows over his dark shades and smiled, “Absolutely.”

As of right now, there is no release date for the movie. Dammit.

Yours truly has been nominated for “Women riders booster of the year“-how cool is THAT? But already the competition is tough. I’ll be sure to remind everyone when the voting period begins, so you can vote your lil hearts out! Until then they need you to go nominate your favorites. Go go go!

We dressed up and roamed among them, scaring children and adults alike. It was fun!

Here I am in all my zombie creepiness! Check out all of my Halloween night photos at my Flickr page!

Now the town is back to it’s sleepy quietness and I am sad knowing that I will soon be putting my motorcycle into it’s winter hibernation.

I received my first piece of fan art. How cool is that??

I’ve made some friends over at Kawasaki Motorcycle forums and this is from Thunder Lizard, who lives in Lethbridge, AB. He rides a pretty ’07 VN900 LT that he calls “Lil Angel.” His reason for creation?

“After reading the RK blog for a while last night, this goofy idea blew into the large space where my brain should be, and the next thing I knew, I had made a Rippin Kitten graphic.”

Thank you, Thunder Lizard! This ROCKS!

If anyone else would like to send in a piece, PLEASE DO! I would love to create a page dedicated to your contributions. Don’t be shy!

• I recently discovered that I have the honor to be included on a highly exclusive and coveted list: I am #5 on the September list of The Most Bangable Blog Babes. Thank you, thank you very much…
• The word about rippin-kitten.com keeps on spreading (obviously, Kawasaki loaned me one of their frickin’ motorcycles! omg!) and more and more female biker blogs keep popping up. Everyone takes different approaches with the content of their blog, but it makes me wonder how long some of the newer blogs will stick around. I guess it depends on how dedicated they are and the quality of content being served up.
• Random question: does anyone still watch American Chopper? How have they survived the whim of Discovery Channel’s motorcycle programming over all of the other motorcycle shows?
• And finally, I’m happy to say that “Rippin-Kitten” stickers are available again! YAY! These cutie stickers are a great size for your helmet or anything else that you like to put stickers on! And they’re absolutely FREE. **Update: STICKER GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED FOR NOW**

This is a 4.25″x1.37″ sticker

This is 1″x3″sticker-the perfect size to put on your helmet!

If you would like some, all you have to do is send me an email with your mailing address (U.S. requests only please) and I will mail them directly to you! Did I mention that they’re free?

(photo grabbed from Choppers Inc. and Copyright Choppers Inc.)

I realize that this is not a big deal. I just thought it was funny that technology invented in the latter part of the 1800′s is now cutting edge. The monocycle is nothing more than a larger version of Billy’s hub-less wheel. Billy, by his own admission, had the plans for years and gives credit to the original inventor. It just happened that he was able to take the concept and hammer it out to make a working prototype for a bike.

I am not a frequent viewer of the Food Network. I have caught a few shows here and there and am familiar with who Alton Brown is. I have seen his other show Good Eats before.

So, while scrolling through the cable program guide the other night I saw the listing for Feasting on Asphalt and with my trusty DVR I recorded a few shows. I’m really glad that I did.

The premise of the show has Alton and crew road-tripping on motorcycles (BMWs, no less) across the country to find and highlight the places and history behind American “road food.” They avoid highways at all costs, pledging to ride the forgotten back roads to find the dwindling, one of a kind roadside eats. Alton Brown an enigmatic and well-educated food-geek, the show itself is an interesting blend of road-tripping, history and mouth watering food!

From foodnetwork.com:

“Feasting On Asphalt merges a little Easy Rider with good eats and great tales from our road food’s past and present, while preserving the map for its future.”

Season one had them riding across the south from S. Carolina all the way to Los Angeles. For the recently kicked-off season 2, they head up the great Mississippi from the Gulf of Mexico up to Minnesota.

“Most motorcycle problems are caused by the nut that connects the handlebars to the saddle.”

This quote is particularly true in describing yours truly this summer. I have created my own problems by trying to enhance the performance and bad-assness (did I just make up my own word?) of my motorcycle. I’m a bit frustrated because the summer is half-over and I haven’t done any real riding since bike week in Laconia.

The good news is that the pilot jet I was waiting for is finally here! The bad news is that it’s suppose to rain for the next few days.

And today, of course, is the beginning of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. I have never had the pleasure of attending, but I hope to someday. The past few years money and occupational commitments have prevented me from packing up and heading out there. Not to mention the fact that I live on the east coast and it’s pretty damn far for me to ride!

But I will do it some day.

The weather was good this week so I thought I would take it out for it’s maiden voyage after all of the work we put into it. Turns out that wasn’t the greatest idea. It was the most frustrating and stressful round-trip rides I’ve had in a long time.

Even though I’ve got the mixture screw turned out 4 times, the bike is still running lean. It’s not getting enough gas unless I really lean on the throttle, then it takes off like a rocket ship. Plus, I have to keep the choke out or else the bike stalls out. And that causes it to idle really high. The thing is, once it has enough gas it really flies.

More consulting on my motorcycle board tells me that I should swap out the pilot jet. Some folks who rejet say you don’t need to do that, Dynojet says you don’t need to do it, but then there are others who say you absolutely need to replace it. I ordered one the day before yesterday. If it comes in tomorrow then I know what I’m going to do this upcoming weekend.

The saga continues…

I literally got goosebumps when I watched the “Live by it” video and knew that I had to post it here because it doesn’t matter what kind of biker you are, this short video will speak to you in some capacity.

Head on over to the Harley Davidson website to see/learn about the creed film.

It’s time to get off of the computer and attack this motorcycle again to fix the problem. I want to be out riding this weekend!

Motorcycling and organ donation are two things that almost seem to go hand in hand. I was an organ donor way before I learned how to ride a motorcycle, however I feel that with taking up a seemingly selfish (and often dangerous) pastime I owe it to the community to give back if something were to happen to me.

So as a member of BlogCatalog, we bloggers are sometimes asked to raise awareness of certain social issues. This month it’s about organ donation and the issues surrounding it. I didn’t realize that it was such a controversial issue for some people until a lot feedback on the subject came pouring in.

For me, it only seems like a logical choice: if you die, you can save other people with your organs. You can save families from pain of losing a loved one and for the recipient, you’re giving them a second chance.

Where I live (Massachusetts) it’s very easy to become an organ donor, we are presented the option at the registry of motor vehicles when we get/renew our licenses.

So, if you want to become an organ donor, visit:
http://www.OrganDonor.gov
http://www.organdonor.gov/donor/index.htm
http://www.unos.org/
http://matchingdonors.com

We finally got internet access into the new house last night. I know you’ve all missed my insightful and witty posts terribly. I could be like other motorcycle blogs and just regurgitate motorcycle news out at you, but I find that so…lazy. (If I want to read motorcycle news then I’ll just either add it to my RSS-feed or I’ll go to a biker news site.) Know what I mean?

So, my motorcycle is still out of commission. I’ve been mainly concentrating on moving and getting the place into a livable condition while my poor bike just sits pathetically there under it’s cover. I hope to remedy the situation this weekend since we’re in a pretty good place with the house. I don’t look forward to ripping everything apart again trying to figure out where I went wrong, but I need to get this thing running. There’s considerable riding time that I’m missing out on!

Wish me luck, ok?

Check it out, dudes!
http://www.theweblogreview.com/review/3395/

Bust out your box of tissues, this one’s going for the heart rather than the throttle…

Well, the answer to that (and reason #2 why I’ve been so quiet) is because I JUST BOUGHT A HOME! (*cheers, applause, hooray!*) Yes, it’s true. I’ve become a member of the landed gentry. So my life is in complete upheaval! In fact, I have to get out of here to go paint a room. But I wanted to do a quick update and say ‘hi’! Now I gotsta go!

Taylorblue from the Mom’s Out There blog nominated yours truly for the “Rockin’ Girl Blogger” award. Isn’t that kick-ass?

She kindly said:

If there was ever a rockin’ blogger it has to be her!!! I love how everything revolves around her motorcycle…

Now I must choose 5 women bloggers worthy of the “Rockin’ Girl Blogger” award – so if you get tagged, place your pretty pink badge on your site and then list 5 of your favorite Rockin’ Girl Bloggers. (only if you want to-no pressure!) There are a lot of great bloggers to choose from, but here I go:

VampireFaust-horror is near and dear to my heart and “Eternal Vigilance” showcases her writing, graphic design and knowledge of the culture keeps me going back for more.

Thrift Shop Romantic-she’s got the best home decor ideas with a Victorian flair. It’s all stuff that you can do yourself, doesn’t cost a lot of money and the end result is lovely & unique!

Cooking with Anne-as a self-proclaimed foodie, her site has a lot of great recipes & insights. This is one of her three blogs. Oh, and she has seven children! Seven…whew!

Logotree Design Company-great resource for many aspects of smart business design including logos, web & print. As I am a web designer by trade, Natalie’s site is a great resource for inspiration.

Corset Girl-Corsets are cool. End of story. She hasn’t updated since May, I hope she hasn’t abandoned this site! I dig it!

And don’t forget to track my riding in real time by going to the “where am I” page.

The official Rippin-Kitten myspace profile is gaining friends exponentially. If you haven’t added me as a friend, what are you waiting for?

And let’s not forget about my biker buds over at Bikerworlds (it’s a myspace for bikers!). Definitely a passionate, optimistic and good-hearted group of peeps. Oh, and someday soon you may see this blog (among others) featured as an RSS feed in their forums.

I’ve also made a lot of friends (and even picked up a stalker!) over at BlogCatalog.com. There are a lot of smart bloggers over there who are quite possibly some of the most supportive people on the world wide web. I never realized how large and diverse the blog-world really is.

If you haven’t done so already, make sure you get some Rippin-Kitten stickers while they’re hot! Response has been great so far! There’s a few ways you can get some of these bad-boys:

1. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
Rippin-Kitten
c/o Frazier
P.O. Box 851
Salem, MA 01970

2. Next month look for me at the Laconia Bike Rally (details to follow!)

Again, I thank everyone for reading and caring about this site. Keep visiting!

I wanted to be able to take some pictures to share the lovely commute to work I have everyday. And the only way to do that is to be on the back.

Here I am, ready to go!

This is the old Salem jail, now haunted and waiting to be condos!

Dave Frank’s is the local motorcycle and gun & ammo shop. I firmly believe that they have a gimp in the basement.

This is the view from the Salem to Beverly bridge that I go over everyday. It’s nice to finally see boats in the marina.

Passing by Montserrat College

Look you can see me in the mirror!

This is the entrance to Long Hill

Here’s a wild turkey

And this is the long, winding driveway to go to work!

There are some benefits to working up in the sticks! It only gets more lovely as the warmer weather gets here.

Well, I just found Silly Helmet Covers, which are latex rubber covers that fit over half helmets. I suppose these things are fun if you’re walking (or riding) around at a rally or just a plain old goofball…

Do I make you horny, baby?

All you would need is some shin guards and a battle ax and you could ride down the streets looking like you’re friends with GWAR. (GWAR rules! I met them 10 years ago-Oderus wanted to kill my family and make me his slave…)

Full-face helmet wearers feeling left out? No worries, SkullSkins for you! Made of machine-washable fabric and they come in a verirable plethora of designs to choose from!

But this is really important stuff to us bikers that want to look good after a long ride. Granted, we are somewhat limited with just how good we can look with a helmet ruining our ‘dos, dirt and exhaust caking our face and let’s not get into the bug-thing…

I know a lot of women bikers probably don’t even bother with worrying about hair and make-up and are probably laughing at me (and my vanity) right now. What can I say? I still try to be a girly-girl even when I know I’m going to get dirty from the road.

Now, hair in many cases can be a lost cause when doing long rides. I usually wear my hair in braids to avoid those scalp-wrenching tangles and that attractive sweaty, plastered down look. Bandannas, ‘do-rags and hats all help disguise the dreaded helmet-hair, of course. For shorter rides you might have a fighting chance and still be able to salvage your coif without too much damage.

I couldn’t believe how dirty I got during my first season of riding. My face, already slathered with high SPF sunblock, would get covered with dirt, exhaust and pollen (notice I didn’t mention that thing about the bugs?). And my complexion suffered from it. So, I started carrying those facial cleansing cloths in my saddlebags. They are incredibly useful to keep on hand and don’t take up too much room. I also make sure that I adhere to a consistent cleansing regiment.

Wearing make-up requires some skill and good products. I typically don’t wear a lot of make-up while riding. It usually wears off or smudges from your eyes tearing up due to the wind. And, I almost always have to touch it up once I reach my destination. My essential arsenal consists of: waterproof mascara & eyeliner, concealer and lipstick. With those things I am good to go.

Lipstick is tricky. If I’m wearing a darker color I usually matte it with powder from my compact so that things don’t stick to my lips. But sometimes that gets gross. I like to use Revlon Colorstay lip color (in sheer colors) because that stays on pretty well and when I arrive at my destination I just add the glossy topcoat and I’m instantly gorgeous. OK, well maybe not gorgeous but at least I don’t look like a dumpster rat!

Recently I discovered two companies marketing to the biker community. Biker Skin Care products offer skin, foot and tattoo care for motorcycle enthusiasts. There’s also a company called Bika Chic that features a whole line of cosmetics for the “hardcore ladies”.

I’ve not tried products from either company so I cannot vouch for the quality of the products, nor can I say if these biker-specific items are any better than any cosmetics and skincare that you can buy at drugstores. I’d be curious to find out if anyone else has tried them. If you have, feel free to contact me and let me know about your experience.

After napping I flipped through the channels and landed on Metric Revolution. I generally get bored watching bike builder shows, but daytime tv is horrendous and this was semi-interesting to me. Now, I respect that there’s a chick builder on the show. Dana D’Oench looks like the typical blonde, biker-party girl. And hell, I couldn’t figure out how to build a bike on my own. So I definitely admire that. And her bike is atypical of what everyone expected her to build. They figured since she was a women that she’d build some kind of girly-bike, which is insulting.

However, I think she over-compensated just a little bit because her chopper is a monster! It’s so big I don’t even know how anyone can ride it. But I like it. It’s evil.

I bet that’s a phrase that’s familiar to a lot of women who have gotten into motorcycles. I know I said it to myself a few summers ago. It certainly changed my life. I hope that seeing me out there riding has made other women say it to themselves, too.

The more I’ve researched while trying to launch this site the more I realized that a lot of the back-stories from other women riders is very similar. Common words used are “freedom” and “control.” I certainly wanted to be in control of my own machine, rather than relying on someone else-always fearful of falling off the back when hitting a very large bump in the road. And being in control is so much better.

This article talks about the growing numbers of women motorcyclists (or “Biker Babe” as the title suggests). Harley Davidson added a women’s section to their website, which I feel is both good and bad. Yes, it’s great that they’re recognizing the economic growth of women buyers, but I feel like the addition is almost patronizing. It’s a bit transparent, in my opinion, to employ this tactic to get women to buy. Especially when they’re marketing a Sportster for their first bike. Ladies, there are so many motorcycles out there to choose from. Don’t sell yourself short.

Also in the article, Suzuki acknowledges that they know 12 percent of it’s buyers are women, but they aren’t creating any special focus on women. Their company spokesman was quoted as saying “…we think we know is that women motorcyclists don’t want to be called women motorcyclists. They just want to be motorcyclists. They don’t want a women’s motorcycle.” YES!!! That is EXACTLY how I feel! Finally somebody gets it! I wish more companies would employ that opinion.

Just because I’m female doesn’t mean I want a clutch-less, pink motorcycle, pink helmet and matching pink jacket. I know there are women out there who want to flaunt the fact that they’re a “biker babe” (sorry, I couldn’t help myself). Maybe it empowers them or something. It’s just not my bag, baby.

I’m optimistic that the gender separation will die out someday (although not anytime soon). Wishful thinking, perhaps, but I’m confident there will be a day where it won’t be such a novelty to see a woman riding her own bike. I know the nearly nekkid models on motorcycles with their asses up in the air will continue to perpetuate. However, I’d like to think there will be more women writing articles in regular motorcycle magazines and advertising feature women riding, not posing.

Here’s the countdown:

3. VTwin Mama-Of the three sites this one is the least sophisticated, but it’s a great forum to have any riding-related questions answered. It also has longevity behind it, having just celebrated it’s 5-year anniversary.

2. Real Divas Ride-Promotes a sense of community, well-rounded content that’s sure to appeal to a variety of women.

1. Women Riders Now blows the doors off of the other two sites. It’s superior in content and information, robust with stories, articles, letters from readers, etc. It’s all you need, all right here.

I’ve seen plenty of people out and about on their bikes already, but I live in an area where parking is at a premium and because I’m a renter, not an owner, my motorcycle is still frustratingly still in storage. Plus, there’s still a fair amount of sand on the ground leftover from the latest snowstorms (and the forecast is for more snow this week, argh!).

I”m just itching to bust it out, make it nice and shiny and get it going for the season. Plus I have a few modifications I’d like to do, like lowering it two inches and possibly getting some new exhaust pipes…besides, I just got a new leather jacket that I’m dying to break in!

I’ve just created a Rippin-Kitten profile on MySpace–go add me as a friend!

Upcoming features include:

• Adding lots of photos to my Flickr page
• interesting polls
• vodcasts
• road trip diaries (including real-time tracking of me on the road!)
• user submitted photos
• T-shirts & sticker giveaways
• and a lot of my freakin’ opinions and hopefully a lot of yours, too!

If there’s something that you guys would like to see added to the list feel free to let me know. By the way, you can find Rippin-Kitten on Myspace now. C’mon over and add me to your friends list!

I would jump on the back of any of my friend’s bikes when given the opportunity. Every summer I would go up to bike week in Laconia to hang out for a day and just immerse myself in what was going on around me.

I couldn’t wait to have a boyfriend who had a motorcycle so we could just take off. One major flaw: my boyfriends would get motorcycles after we stopped dating. WTF?!? Finally one summer I noticed more and more women on their own bikes. It finally dawned on me that I could get my motorcycle license and get my own damn bike! Duh.

So that’s what I did.

I won’t lie about my experience taking the MSF course. It was a mild disaster. First of all, I was the only girl in the class, which threw me off my game. It immediately made me insecure. I felt like all eyes were on me and everyone was just waiting for me to screw up. Which I did. A lot.

That first day of the course I almost gave up because I sucked so bad. I didn’t cry while I was in the class but as soon as I got in the car to drive home I was a mess. I cried all night long. My boyfriend spent that night pumping up my ego and encouraging me. Everyone does bad the first day, he told me. So after a few tear-spilling hours I started to get mad for feeling sorry for myself. I decided to suck it up and conquer it.

The second day of the course it was pouring rain. I had my BF’s rain suit which was a lifesaver. Our instructor was late, so we did laps around the track until she showed up. Later that morning she said she thought I didn’t show up because she didn’t recognize me out there-I was doing so well. That was the encouragement that I needed. I ended up passing, but not with flying colors. About two weeks later I bought my motorcycle (a 2004 Suzuki Volusia LE). Two days later I went for my first ride-100 miles to Laconia. Woo!

So what’s my problem?

My problem is that not all of us are typical, fringe-wearing “lady bikers” who’s nickname is “Gypsy.” I am not a lesbian or a feminist with a chip on my shoulder out to prove myself to the world. I’m not middle-aged and out there to empower myself after being divorced. Definitely not an “outlaw” or a badass that belongs to any kind of riding club. (And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with women riders who are any of those things.) It’s just not who I am. I just like to ride and have fun and experience life from my motorcycle. And I think there are more chicks out there who feel like me.

So who am I and what do I want?

I’m a cool-ass chick looking for other ass-kicking chicks that ride (boys are invited, too, if they behave). Those who are looking to obliterate the perception of what a “biker chick” is just by being themselves (and who want to ride motorcycles instead of posing on them). Let the boys keep their trophy girls who are content to ride on the backs of their bikes. But let’s make them drool over us cute girls who ride our own and make ‘em wish that they were the riding next to us.

Now its your turn.

I know you guys are out there so sound off with your comments, download the RSS or e-mail me!