Ladies up Front is a column by and for the women who ride in Colorado both on back and up front. Each month we publish an article written by a lady rider. You will find stories of how these ladies ended up
where they are today, with their opinions, strange and funny things that
have happened to them, their thoughts, dreams and points of view.
Some tell the stories about their journey from the back to the front.
Some relate how they came to motorcycles, some are just interesting
experiences they have had.
We believe that every woman who rides, be it on the front or on the
back, has a story to tell that is worth hearing.
When they share their perceptions and knowledge, they often have
insight and perspectives that can help us all as we journey forward.
Here you will see those experiences and hear of the strength and joy
we have found on motorcycles.
All ladies are welcome and encouraged to join in and contribute to Ladies
up Front. Please contact us at: ladiesupfront@thunderroadscolorado.com
From Passenger to Rider
Lisa Parker’s
Story
learned about the “no” zone
while traveling near tractor
trailers, that motorcycles can
accelerate and stop much
faster than multiple axle
vehicles.
I have only been riding up front
since June, 2007, and have
learned a lot about being a safe
rider in that time. I was first
exposed to motorcycles when I
was quite young, my cousin got
me on a dirt bike with him and I
immediately fell in love (with the
bike, not the cousin). When he
told me I rode like I was born to
ride, I knew I wanted to continue
riding. Unfortunately, we had to
travel to Illinois in order for me
to ride.
When I reached dating age, I
always chose the boy with the
bike. Eventually I married, and
though I didn’t marry a rider, my
passion for riding never left me.
When my marriage ended and I
was on my own again I decided
it was time to return to riding
and find others who had an
open seat on the back to allow
me to enjoy riding once more.
Eventually, I grew impatient when there were no open seats
available and I made the leap from the back to the front.
When I moved from passenger to rider, it was amazing how
my point of view changed. I don’t know if the basic rider
course I took through ABATE http://abate.si2.com/ABATE/
TRS.nsf/Home?OpenForm caused this paradigm shift
or not. I do know that the class taught me many things to
help me to become a safe rider; how to maneuver over or
around debris in the roadway, basic operating techniques
for clutching, braking, shifting, stopping and starting; how to
share the roadway with cars, trucks, and tractor trailers. I
24 Thunder Roads Magazine® Colorado
During the course, we were
required to wear long pants,
boots that protected our
ankles, long sleeves, gloves
and helmets. While there are
classes that teach us how to
be a safe operator, there are
no classes to teach us to be
a safe passenger. Everything
we do while on two wheels
affects those around us, and
most importantly, ourselves.
The difference for me between
being a passenger and being
an operator is that as a
passenger, I didn’t really think
about what it took to be the
operator with a passenger on
board. I didn’t know that every
little movement I made caused
the bike to behave in a certain
way and the operator would
have to make adjustments for
my movements. It didn’t really dawn on me that I shared in
the responsibility for keeping us both safe. I just rode on the
back. I often wore shorts and unsafe footwear when I was
on the back, never really giving it a second thought (except
when I burned my leg on the pipes).
The moment I had my own bike I donned full gear from fullface helmet to jacket and pants with pads and it took me
a little over a year of daily riding (my main commuter was
my bike) to relax a bit. I believe it takes time to become
“one” with your bike. New riders like I was are typically stiff
February 2015
www.thunderroadscolorado.com