aas female motorcyclists (online)

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Weather | Traffic 60° Clear H: 59° L: 42° Thursday, February 12, 2015 Austin Statesman Search Site Welcome to statesman.com Hi, luciabenavides | Sign Out HOME / LIFESTYLES / RECREATION Resize text Lauren Matthews was inspired by an Aaliyah video when she was younger and decided to buy her own motorcycle when she ... Read More Loud motors and wind-blown hair are part of a motorcyclist’s everyday life. In your mind, you might be picturing a man with a thirst for risk-taking as the person atop the Harley. But a 2012 survey by the Motorcycle Industry Council found that about 1 out of 4 riders is a woman. That number is increasing, up 20 percent from 2009 to 2012. At the start of the Republic of Texas Biker Rally, in which thousands of bikers will descend upon the Travis County Expo Center and downtown this weekend, we look at some of the local women who have discovered the thrill of the bike. Why they ride: Female motorcyclists talk inspiration before ROT Rally Posted: 12:00 a.m. Wednesday, June 11, 2014 By Lucia Benavides - American-Statesman Staff HOME METRO & STATE INVESTIGATIONS BUSINESS SPORTS AUSTIN360/LIFE OPINION VIDEO SHOPPING A A A MIGUEL GUTIERREZ JR. advertisement 0 1 0 43 In this Section Theater review: Zach Theatre’s ‘Peter and The Starcatcher’ is a delight Austin360 arts calendar, Feb. 13- 19. Austin restaurants: Valentine’s Day specials Austin360 music shows, Feb. 13.- Feb. 19. Odam: The Grove Wine Bar and Kitchen getting a downtown address Film listings, Feb. 13- Feb. 19. Photographer seeks ‘rainbow proposal’ couple 9 things to know about ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ Every ‘Vision for Valentine’s’ margarita begins with 30K How ‘Fifty Shades’ has shaken up American sexuality LATEST HEADLINES Wal-Mart sues state to sell booze in Texas NEWS Austin police investigating bank robbery downtown CRIME & LAW Ice cream vendor sentenced to 15 years prison for abusing child CRIME & LAW Why they ride: Female motorcyclists talk inspiration before... |... http://www.mystatesman.com/news/lifestyles/recreation/why-th... 2 of 8 2/12/15 4:56 PM

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Page 1: AAS Female Motorcyclists (online)

Weather | Traffic

60°Clear

H: 59° L: 42°

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Austin Statesman

Search Site

Welcome to statesman.com

Hi, luciabenavides | Sign Out

HOME / LIFESTYLES / RECREATION

Resize text

Lauren Matthews was inspired by an Aaliyah videowhen she was younger and decided to buy herown motorcycle when she ... Read More

Loud motors and wind-blown hair are part of a motorcyclist’s

everyday life. In your mind, you might be picturing a man with a

thirst for risk-taking as the person atop the Harley.

But a 2012 survey by the Motorcycle Industry Council found that

about 1 out of 4 riders is a woman. That number is increasing, up 20

percent from 2009 to 2012.

At the start of the

Republic of Texas

Biker Rally, in which

thousands of bikers

will descend upon the

Travis County Expo

Center and downtown

this weekend, we look

at some of the local

women who have

discovered the thrill of

the bike.

Why they ride: Female motorcyclists talkinspiration before ROT RallyPosted: 12:00 a.m. Wednesday, June 11, 2014

By Lucia Benavides - American-Statesman Staff

HOME METRO&

STATE

INVESTIGATIONS BUSINESS SPORTS AUSTIN360/LIFE OPINION VIDEO SHOPPING

AA AA AA

MIGUEL GUTIERREZ JR.

advertisement

0 1 0 43

In this Section

Theater review: Zach Theatre’s ‘Peter and TheStarcatcher’ is a delight

Austin360 arts calendar, Feb. 13- 19.

Austin restaurants: Valentine’s Day specials

Austin360 music shows, Feb. 13.- Feb. 19.

Odam: The Grove Wine Bar and Kitchen getting adowntown address

Film listings, Feb. 13- Feb. 19.

Photographer seeks ‘rainbow proposal’ couple

9 things to know about ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’

Every ‘Vision for Valentine’s’ margarita begins with30K

How ‘Fifty Shades’ has shaken up Americansexuality

LATEST HEADLINES

Wal-Mart suesstate to sell boozein Texas

NEWS

Austin policeinvestigating bankrobberydowntown

CRIME & LAW

Ice cream vendor sentenced to 15years prison for abusing child

CRIME & LAW

Why they ride: Female motorcyclists talk inspiration before... |... http://www.mystatesman.com/news/lifestyles/recreation/why-th...

2 of 8 2/12/15 4:56 PM

Page 2: AAS Female Motorcyclists (online)

Pamela Larson loves to ride the highways and upoverpasses. “It’s like you’re entering an alternativereality. You feel so alive,” ... Read More

Teffany Lovell

During the day, Teffany Lovell is a mother and an emergency room

nurse at St. David’s South Austin Medical Center. On her time off, she

is a motorcycle rider.

“I think people are

split between those

who love to ride and

those who think it’s

crazy,” Lovell says. “I

have always loved it.”

Lovell has been on the

back of motorcycles

since she was 15 years

old and began riding

dirt bikes at age 19. It

wasn’t until six years

ago that she finally

purchased a Harley.

The day she first rode

her bike, which she

named “Zoe Jane”

after a Staind song,

home, she was

undoubtedly nervous:

the kind of

nervousness you experience before you get on a roller coaster, she

says. After a few days of getting a feel for the bike, she began to feel

like she was flying.

“It’s so freeing,” Lovell says. “The smell when you pass a laundromat

or a taco joint. The scenery around you.”

MIGUEL GUTIERREZ JR.

Situation-specific hearing

Why they ride: Female motorcyclists talk inspiration before... |... http://www.mystatesman.com/news/lifestyles/recreation/why-th...

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Page 3: AAS Female Motorcyclists (online)

Teffany Lovell is an emergency room nurse and amotorcycle rider. She’s been to three Republic ofTexas bike rallies.

Lovell has attended the

ROT Rally three times.

The first two times, she

volunteered at the

medical service tent,

which used both her

skills as a nurse and

her knowledge of

bikes. The

overwhelming number

of motorcycles at the

event is always an

amazing experience,

she says.

“I ride any chance I

get,” says Lovell,

whose favorite route

includes the Three

Sisters Ride in Medina.

“Texas weather lets

you ride any time of

the year.”

As a female rider, Lovell gets people who approach her to help, even

when she doesn’t feel she needs it. When she rides with a group,

fellow male riders take on the situation assuming she’ll be slower

than the rest. It takes a while to gain their respect. There’s nothing

about being a woman that gets in her way, though; she always keeps

up.

MIGUEL GUTIERREZ JR.

NEXT: HEALTH

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Page 4: AAS Female Motorcyclists (online)

Kate Layton rode her motorcycle up and down thecoast of Brazil.

“When you ride, you’re

one with the machine,”

says Lovell. “You get to

know how the bike will

respond to different

situations.

“When I go on long

trips, everything I need

is behind me: a

toothbrush, a change

of clothes, and most

importantly, my bike.”

Kate Layton

Kate Layton, Latin

American studies

graduate student at the

University of Texas,

has been riding

motorcycles since she

was 17. Before going off to college, her father wanted to give her one

last important present: a motorcycle license. In order to acquire the

license, Layton took a class where she learned how to ride. Along with

this present came a motor scooter, which she used until moving to

Brazil in 2013 for a Fulbright scholarship.

“I immediately loved it,” Layton says. “It’s a sensory experience: the

landscapes, smells, even the bugs that hit you.”

During the nine months she spent in Maceio, Brazil, her main mode

of transportation was a motorcycle. It was much quicker than taking

the bus and easy to navigate among the city’s busy traffic. She was on

her bike at least four hours a day, and for recreational purposes, she

would ride with local friends up the Brazilian coast once or twice a

week.

“I would definitely get looks at the light when I was in Maceio,”

Layton says. “There were hardly any women riders.”

While male motorcyclists tend to be enthusiastic when they

encounter a woman who rides, most of the sexism comes from

outside the bike community, Layton says. She did experience random

acts of support from fellow women in Brazil. One day a bus carrying

female students cheered Layton on as they drove past.

MIGUEL GUTIERREZ JR.

Why they ride: Female motorcyclists talk inspiration before... |... http://www.mystatesman.com/news/lifestyles/recreation/why-th...

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Page 5: AAS Female Motorcyclists (online)

“When you ride, you’re part of the machine,” says Layton. “The car is

a shield, but a motorcycle is a companion.”

Lauren Matthews

Ever since watching Aaliyah’s “More Than A Woman” music video as

a kid, in which the late pop star rides a motorcycle, Lauren Matthews

knew she wanted to bike. For her 21st birthday last November, she

finally gave herself that present: a motorcycle license and her own

bike.

“Learning to ride was a lot more work than I thought,” says

Matthews. “At first I was afraid I bit off more than I could chew.”

Eventually, the fear wore off and the exhilarated feeling began.

Matthews says she can feel herself smiling when she rides, and she

has learned to appreciate how fragile life is. She is able to take in the

city as she rides along her favorite neighborhoods, something she

wouldn’t be able to do if she were on any vehicle other than a

motorcycle.

“I’m treated a lot cooler and get asked a lot of questions now,” says

Matthews. “Sometimes I get unwanted attention, but it’s all worth it.”

Pamela Larson

Since 2010, Pamela Larson had sworn off motor vehicles. It was an

attempt to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle, and as a

community transformation grant planner at the city of Austin, the

issue hit close to home. Bicycling around town eventually proved to

be difficult, however, and she found herself unable to get to certain

places. Last year, she began to borrow friends’ motor scooters, and in

January, she finally purchased her own motorcycle.

“It really makes you feel empowered,” says Larson.

Larson was attracted to the fact that motorcycles use a small amount

of gasoline but can still take her to distant places. While her bicycle

continues to be her main mode of transportation, her motorcycle is

used about once a week. Her favorite part of riding is getting on

highway overpasses.

“The amount of wind up there is incredible,” says Larson. “It’s like

you’re entering an alternative reality. You feel so alive.”

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Why they ride: Female motorcyclists talk inspiration before... |... http://www.mystatesman.com/news/lifestyles/recreation/why-th...

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Page 6: AAS Female Motorcyclists (online)

The Republic of Texas Biker Rally

One of the biggest motorcycle rallies in Texas and one of the largest

motorcycle events in the U.S., it will be held rain or shine.

When: Thursday-Sunday

Where: Travis County Expo Center, 7311 Decker Lane

Tickets: $65 for all four days, and attendees must be at least 18 years

of age. No bike is necessary. The price includes full access to concerts,

shows, attractions, exhibits and vendors. Acts include Dale Watson,

the Reverend Horton Heat, Omar and the Howler and Sammy Hagar.

ROT Biker Rally Downtown, presented by Austin360

When: The parade hits Congress Avenue about 8:15 p.m. Friday.

Stunt show, demo rides, music, vendors and food 10 a.m.-midnight

Friday-Saturday. Acts include Ruby Jane, Bright Light Social Hour

and Los Lonely Boys.

Where: Statesman parking lot, 305 S. Congress Ave.

Tickets: Free, ROT Rally ticket holders get VIP treatment and

parking.

Information on events at both sites: www.rotrally.com

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