As an employee of the Laidlaw’s Harley-Davidson staff, I sometimes find it hard to admit that not only do I not drive a Harley, but I have also never been on the back seat of a motorcycle in general. Being female and coming into a life-style that is said to be male dominated, I sometimes find it intimidating to speak to customers about the knowledge I have acquired from working here at Laidlaw’s. However, May 28th, 2009 I found myself helping out at the female’s garage party, an event to gather women who are thinking about riding as well as experienced riders, hosted here at Laidlaw’s.
I was told that I would be showing the females how to stand the motorcycles up after sitting on them, because I am one of the smallest females in the company, if not the smallest. This was to make smaller riders feel at ease and feel as if they too would have no problem picking up the bike, or riding. The only problem with that is I myself did not know how to do that. After a fifteen minute crash course I felt confident enough in myself and the quick lesson I received, to carry out the task. When the ladies began to flow the nerves set in. The R.S.V.P. count was set at about 97 women, and it was no wonder as to why out of no where I felt as if I was unable to show what I had learned.
The event started of smoothly with Rachel Hernandez, from the Motorclothes department, as our M.C. It was surprising to me to see so many women who had never met feel so comfortable with one another because of their curiosity to ride, willingness to learn, or in the case of experienced riders their want to tell their story and help other women learn to love what they love. After they had all had the chance to eat they had been split it up into groups based on the type of bike that was written on the card they had received once checking into the event; softails, dynas, sporsters, and streetglides. There were four stations and after about fifteen minutes had gone by, the women would rotate to a new station, until they had been to all four.
At the end of the evening, after the women had been to each station, Bob Laidlaw rounded up the group and escorted them into the rentals center where the event originally began. There he would say a few farewell words, the women could hand in the survey they received in the beginning of the evening to receive a gift bag, and then were free to purchase items, ask additional questions, or talk amongst themselves. When I went to change out of riding boots into my normal shoes, I found that women who had never ridden were looking for me to ask how to pick up the bikes, an experience I never thought would happen.
I later found myself engaging in conversations with the women about what they found the most interesting, or what helped them the most. To my surprise a lot of very experienced riders said that Jennifer Heine in service helped them the most. She showed the women how to pick they’re bike up in a situation if they had dropped it. One woman said that she was so worried the first time that she dropped her bike that she called her husband, but had she known before she would’ve been able to do that herself, and it would’ve really saved her the intense fear she felt that first time.
The night seemed great, it really encouraged me to be interested in learning more about the bikes to help other women. And I saw in a lot of those who attended, whether they have never ridden, or they’ve been out there for years, a willingness to explore the things they didn’t know about, and share about the things that inexperienced riders may find useful throughout they’re starting up process. I honestly found myself willing and curious to become a passenger, if not a rider. The passion that female riders have is unlike anything I’ve ever seen and it makes you want to be a part of that if for nothing more than to have something to be passionate about.
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