New Podcast Episode and Facebook Live Events

I’ve decided to record new Facebook Live Event episodes for my podcast, so you can either join me online or listen afterward!

Season 2, Episode 10 is here: Common Gear Mistakes and How to Avoid Them. I recorded it live on Facebook two days ago.

You can also rewatch this event on my facebook page here. Although looking at me on video probably doesn’t help.

If you haven’t listened to Season 1 of my podcast, you can download and listen on iTunes or on my website here.

Artwork by: Boggytown

Join me for my next two Events on Facebook:

Saturday, April 25th at 7pm EAST How to Evaluate a Piece of Riding Gear

Wednesday, April 29th at 7pm EAST Motorcycle Gear Hacks

Common Gear Mistakes And How To Avoid Them

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020

7PM East / 4PM West

Where: Facebook.com/GearChic

RSVP HERE

Join me Wednesday night, I’m going to share some common gear mistakes you might be making. This idea has been swirling in my head for months, I finally decided to just schedule a 45 minute-1 hour talk about this.

And then we’ll have 15 minutes or so for QnA at the end.

Doesn’t matter if you’re experienced at riding, or new at riding.

Gear is fluid and so much of how it works and what it does for us depends on how you may use it or want it to work.

I’ll cover how wearing a helmet that isn’t designed for your riding position can be a negative or positive thing

The human aspect of wearing gear adds another layer of difficulty sometimes because when our gear doesnt do what we want it to do, it can be frustrating or a let down.

I’m going to give you the most common mistakes that I run into when I talk to customers about riding gear. Sometimes I’m right, and sometimes I’m wrong.

Feel free to post any questions here as well, but you can rsvp and post in the Facebook Event too.

Womens Motorcycle Conference Online

Mark Your Calendars!

Women's Motorcycle Tours Announces Women’s Motorcycle Conference Online

Inaugural Virtual Conference Scheduled for April 17 - 18, 2020

I’m so excited to be a part of this very special online event in two weeks. And guess what you can attend from anywhere! I’ll be doing a workshop or two with topics to be determined. See the links below on how to register and more details on how to join. “See You” in two weeks!

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NORTH CAROLINA, April 3, 2020 — Alisa Clickenger and Women’s Motorcycle Tours (WMT) announce the Women’s Motorcycle Conference Online. The team behind WMT has an everlasting desire to bring women riders together. As a result, WMT has created a virtual conference geared toward all those who currently ride or are interested in the motorcycle riding lifestyle. The inaugural event, Women’s Motorcycle Conference Online: Reinvention, is scheduled for April 17 - 18, 2020.
 
The global motorcyclist community finds itself in unprecedented times. COVID-19 threatens to disrupt plans for future motorcycle gatherings all over the world. Amidst the uncertainty surrounding the fate of all mass gatherings for the foreseeable future, WMT’s mission remains the same: to bring women riders together under the founding principles of unity, community and the freedom of the road. With the creation of the Women's Motorcycle Conference Online, WMT continues to build a strong and thriving community of women motorcyclists from every corner of the globe, representing all disciplines of riding.

WMT Founder, Alisa Clickenger

WMT’s goal in establishing the Women's Motorcycle Conference Online is to adapt to the current stay-at-home environment as well as test the efficacy of virtual conferences as a supplement to their already rich tour offerings.  This virtual conference will produce resources such as riding school directories, a list of mentorship opportunities, DIY projects, female-friendly motorcycle media, apparel guides and more.

Beyond simply distributing information, WMT’s Women's Motorcycle Conference Online will offer up inspiring stories, valuable insights and the opportunity for female riders to communicate in real time, which is essential for success and growth in any community. The Women's Motorcycle Conference Online will feature an all-female panel of motorcycle industry leaders delivering powerful messages and essential lessons directly to women riders in the comfort of their own home.
 
WMT’s Women's Motorcycle Conference Online is being produced by Alisa Clickenger. “I am humbled that so many female leaders in the powersports industry stepped up right away to join our unprecedented online event,” said Clickenger. “That these busy women are so generous with their time and willing to join with me to inspire and uplift other lady motorcycle riders is exactly why I love what I do and why I keep on doing it. This is what true community is all about.”
 
Confirmed presenters for WMT’s first event, Women’s Motorcycle Conference Online: Reinvention, include Wendy Crockett, 2019 Iron Butt Rally champion, Tricia Szulewski, editor of WomenRidersNow.com,  Dee Jones (Momma D), author of  50 States of Consciousness, Joanne Donn of GearChic.com, Jan Plessner of Action Recruiting, Brittany Morrow of RocktheGear.org, Porsche Taylor of Black Girls Ride and Shana Slettedahl, Product Specialist at Polaris.

Joanne Donn (left, GearChic.com) and Brittany Morrow (Rockthegear.org, Brittanymorrow.com)

On April 17-18, 2020, these industry powerhouses as well as others will be covering a range of topics focused on reinvention, stretching boundaries and creating a new normal as women, community members, and motorcyclists. WMT’s Women's Motorcycle Conference Online: Reinvention will include round table discussions, focused workshops, an author's corner, a meet & greet on Friday night, and online networking time for all registered lady riders to get to know each other.
 
Registrants of  the Women's Motorcycle Conference Online will be able to interact with their fellow riders as well as the presenters over a two day period in a way that is comfortable, convenient and community-minded. The schedule is structured, but workshop attendance is flexible, and registrants can choose to join one, several, or all of the workshops offered throughout the weekend for one low price. The concept of Women's Motorcycle Conference Online is to allow women to take control of their own learning based on their current interests, and interact in a way that is tailored to each individual’s desired level of participation.
 
Those interested in the latest information on Women's Motorcycle Conference Online can sign up for WMT’s mailing list at https://tinyurl.com/wmtnewsletter. Registration for Women's Motorcycle Conference Online: Reinvention will be available on Monday, April 6, 2020 athttps://womensmotorcycletours.com/conference/.
 
Women's Motorcycle Conference Online is open to sponsorships and activation opportunities. Interested organizations and companies can connect with the WMT team at Office@WomensMotorcycleTours.com.
 
“As part of the new normal in the powersports industry, I can definitely see this type of gathering becoming a regular event. Apropos, then, that our first conference's theme is reinvention,” said Clickenger.
 
About Women's Motorcycle Tours:
Women’s Motorcycle Tours (WMT) offers fabulous motorcycle experiences, support, coaching, weekend riding retreats and premium tours throughout the USA and abroad. WMT’s mission is to uplift other riders and show them the magic of the road. Presented by Alisa Clickenger, WMT is a female-owned motorcycle experience company exclusively focused on women. With years of event planning experience and hundreds of thousands of miles behind them, the team at Women’s Motorcycle Tours understands the power and excitement that an epic journey can offer. The camaraderie and friendships that form over the course of their tours have proven to change lives, establish life-long friendships, and bring families together in a way that only riding motorcycles can. #ByWomenForWomen

Some Tips for New Motorcycle Riders

Me in 2005? on our (me+husband) first long ride outside of San Francisco to Half Moon Bay when we still lived in San Francisco. Up until that point, I had only ridden inside the city limits.

Since Corona Virus has forced me to work online for RevZilla Chat Customer Service, I’ve been chatting and emailing with a lot of newer riders. And everytime I chat with someone, I am reminded of how exciting and scary learning to ride was.

When I was riding this 2003 Ninja 250 there were virtually no other small displacement motorcycles available compared to the choices that exist today.

The women’s gear market was really just starting to change and grow, and events like the Womens Sportbike Rally didn’t really exist.

So much has changed in the last 15 years for new riders, especially motorcycles!

With that, a lot has changed, especially options in everything from gear to motorcycles to accessories.

Here are a few things that I hope will help you or some other new motorcyclist that’s just being born in this decade. These are very broad, because you can deep dive into all of these areas, like gear :). But this is just to give you some high level things to think about and prioritize as it works for you.

These are in no particular order:

CURZTOOLS RTM3 METRIC TOOL KIT

TOOLS

If you're really into tools and want a great comprehensive kit, I recommend putting together a kit based on this company's motorcycle toolkit. Very simple tools to get started without feeling terribly overwhelmed.

• Cruztools RTM3 Metric Tool Kit; they also offer one for HD and BMW

But if you’re really into tools, this is the one that my husband and I use for our two bikes. But we got really lucky because we preordered them for half the price when they launched a year ago. It features an incredible selection of wrenches, screwdrivers, sockets and more. Every tool is cut out and fit to it’s specific spot. It comes with the entire toolbox with every tool inside.

• https://sonictoolsusa.com/troy-lee-designs-filled-moto-toolbox/

The elbows on my Revit leathers after crashing 5 years ago on a low side. This is one of the many reasons I love them so much!

GEAR

Make it a point to google every piece of gear you intend to purchase along with the word "crashing" because you want to know exactly what that piece of gear might do for you. This is especially important if you want to see the tangible benefits of choosing shoes v. boots or non motorcycle clothing v. real motorcycle clothing or half helmets v. full face helmets. 

I’m not going to go on and on about this topic because well, you’re on my website, right?!

YOUR FIRST MOTORCYCLE

I’m not going to tell you that you have to buy a used bike, or that you should. Just that your first motorcycle should have a few qualities:

• Encourage and inspire you to learn and grow as a rider at an exponential level. Anything that is making it 10x’s harder for you to figure out things, learn to ride proficiently and increase confidence is never good for your success and confidence. (example: Your S/O give you their 1,000cc motorcycle which was perfect for them but not for you other than that it was free)

• Be so affordable that you can easily spend what you need to on proper riding gear because gear is never optional

• Make you look forward to ride, not dread it. Whatever the reason, whether it’s mental or physical, if a motorcycle doesn’t make you happy then it’s time to move ON. Acknowledge the mistakes you may have made in choosing it or buying it, but learning to ride is one of those things that truly depends on a proper match of bike and owner to really progress, figure things out and ride well enough so you don’t panic going into a corner.

Generally, you can't go wrong with Japanese Brands because they offer lots of accessories and affordable pricing like insurance, parts and more. Think of them as the Hondas and Toyotas of the motorcycle world, very reliable and affordable. They're excellent options for learning and figuring things out.

Also, think about the fact that you're learning in the beginning, so it's normal to upgrade your bike later when you're ready to move on. You always want to think about what your current riding needs, in order to build the experience because it’s all about making that learning curve as fun as possible. 

Mine came with 3 booklets: an Owners Handbook, Service Records Book and Riding Tips

OWNERS MANUALS

Read your owners manual from cover to cover. If one isn't included when you buy the bike, you can typically download it from the manufacturer. The basic owners manual is typically shorter, not super detailed (like torque value for a particular bolt or nut).

So many little problems come up that can be easily resolved by just following your manual. It has little details like proper tire pressure, correct oil weight, warning light definitions, and what every basic part exists on your motorcycle.

I also recommend searching for a full Service Manual that has very, very detailed schematics and diagrams about every component on the motorcycle like Electrical diagrams, removing your engine, etc. Even though you may not reference it as much as your standard owners manual, it will still be an incredibly useful reference tool especially if you’re shopping for bike parts and to know how about certain pieces on your motorcycle!  

This simple list of frequent safety checks works for any motorcycle! I wouldn’t say that you need to do it everyday unless you ride everyday. But it’s also reasonable to do it every other day if you ride that much :)

Think of it like any friendship or person you trust being close to you. Isn’t it important to get to know them a little bit better so you can learn to trust them? It’s very much a relationship, and one that you will be working on and learning about every time you ride.

Getting to know your bike like it’s your best friend is So Important!

FORUMS

For pretty much every motorcycle in the world, there is an online forum that exists where thousands of riders like yourself are talking about everything there is to know about that motorcycle. As an example, here’s a forum dedicated to Triumphs: TriumphRat.net. There are subforums dedicated to all the various styles of Triumphs that exist. You can dive into topics like what tires are best, what oil you should use and more. They are the best interactive manual for your motorcycle and I guarantee you’ll find one for whatever you are riding. Google is your friend! When in doubt Google It.

BOOKS

You can’t read your way through motorcycling, but it certainly helps to have some resources available for some general, no nonsense feedback and advice. These two are a couple of my favorites right now that I really appreciate and enjoy:

• Woman's Guide to Confidence and Motorcycling By Alisa Clickenger. Building confidence is the #1 struggle most riders experience in the beginning of their riding careers. It doesn't matter that you're a male. The concepts all apply to you as well. It's just that the majority of men won't admit that this is a problem in their riding. You will absolutely benefit from the tips and advice that she shares. She's a very good friend and colleague of mine, so that's why I recommend it.

• Riding in the Zone by Ken Condon. This book is a top level view of everyone should approach motorcycling in order to become the most competent, proficient, safe and confident rider. He covers a little of everything but mindset in motorcycle is far more important than physical ability. Anyone can squeeze a lever or press a pedal. But not everyone can make the right decisions that will literally save your life.  Ken’s tone is like a motorcycle guardian angel, someone giving you solid advice that will stay with you and make you feel cared for without being talked down to.

That’s all for now. I’m sure more things will pop into my head but these are just a few things that stood out to me recently.

Feel free to add any tips or advice that you’d like to share in a comment below.

Wherever you are, Ride Safe and Be Well.