...A little about yourself

[Mostrobelle]

This is a very cool, new thing. Not sure what we're going to chat about on here, but I like the fact that an estrogen component is being recognized here on the DML. [thumbsup]

So, why we get a little cozy? Tell us a bit about yourself and post up picts of your bike (and yourself if you like.) I've been told that this place is to be leg-humper free, but I'll believe it when I see it.

I've been on the DML for a couple of years now and hang out with the SF Chapter. I've been riding for a few years as well, and have had the same Monster most of that time--a '94 M900. I owned a Suzuki GS500 at the same time and gradually made the Monster my primary form of transportation--the Suzuki's history--hated that thing. I've even sold one of my cars (a '69 Alfa Romeo) and bought a track bike instead--an '89 Yamaha FZR400. Just started doing track days last year and I can't get enough. <checking account winces>

Here's my bike. Not the most recent picture, as I've gotten new rearsets and a lot more wear and tear on the old girl. She just passed 36K a week or so ago. 18K of those are mine. I've even gone to the track on her once or twice and she just keeps plugging along. I'm learning how to wheelie...slowly.




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[MetalDuc]

Judging by all the tools it looks like you just completed a valve adjustment [laugh]

[Mostrobelle]

Sadly, it was just a tail chop. [laugh] I've only attempted one valve adjustment on my bike. The next one's coming up in a few weeks. [thumbsup]

[Ducky]

Hello Fellow Monster Women! Good to meet you and hope you are doing well.

I've been reading the DML for a few months and not long ago I started posting and meeting the San Francisco crowd.

I've ridden 5500 miles to-date (since Fall '04). My first 1000 miles was on a Ninja 250. A year ago, I became a Monster rider Since then, I haven't stopped smiling. I admire those who work on their bikes -- as for me, it's better that I leave it alone when not riding - to give you an idea why that is - I checked the tire pressure once (the first and only time) and let all the air out and had to call roadside assistance to put air back in. Can't go dumber than that!

I ride as often as I can these days ;D When I started taking the bike outside the city to the twisties, I realized I didn't know how to corner well. That led me to track school. I've taken the Monster to track school once - we both did well. Since then I've returned to track school a few more times but ride the school's bike, a Kawasaki 636. I'm in the midst of getting a track bike.

Here's a couple of pics - my current Monster life and pre-Monster days. Oh, I always ride with full gear - that one is me riding in a parade, an annual without gear exception [cheeky]

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[barbarabee]

Okay girls, here's me and my bike...


It's got 15,000 miles on it (all mine except the ride home from the dealer). I've been riding over five years, now. Live in Sacramento where it's way too hot to ride in full gear, but I do it anyway. Haven't yet taken the track day plunge, I do fear for my checking account.

I've also got my Blast, but it is sitting at home with a dead battery, so what does that tell you?

[SheMonster]

Kudos to you girls who have posted up already! Great to hear from you and your backgrounds. Me? Well, I am in Arizona, and can't even think about riding right now, really looking forward to the Ouray trip and getting out of this hellacious heat.

I bought my Monster back in March 2002, a total impulse, I had never ridden a street bike myself before that. I had been dating a guy who had a 996, and I hated riding "cupcake", it was a miserable experience every single time we got on it as I am 5'9" and the way the passenger seat and pegs are put my knees pretty much up by my ears. To make a long story short, after yet another grueling 200 mile motoGP style ride through some canyons, we ended up at the Ducati dealer where he had to check on something. As I stood there waiting, with every part of me screaming in pain legs, arms, neck, butt, etc. I saw the new '02 620 Monster sitting there. The owner of the store saw me glance at it, walked over, I asked him if he thought I could ride it, he said "yes" and I was signing a purchase order about 30 seconds later. I was willing to do anything not to have to get back on the back of that 996! Biggest and quickest impulse buy I have ever made.

Took three weeks to actually get it, so I took the MSF course in the interim and got my "M" endoresement, so was ready to go when it finally got to me. Found out I really loved riding! The lil' Monster now has about 15,000 miles on it. Last November I bought an '05 749 to add to the garage ;D Sadly I sold that about a week or so ago with about 5000 miles on it.

I don't have any great pictures of me with either of the bikes like you all have posted, but I do have a couple that were taken at the Freddie Spencer School that I attended last March.



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[t-byrd new]

I too was a "cupcake" and decided that I didn't like not having any say in just how fast we would go. My hubby gave me my MSF course for my 30th and I got my bike the following spring.

I've been riding just over 2 yrs now and the 620 was my first bike ever, I've just sold her :'( because I have a new to me bike parked in the garage now. I splurged and decided in a matter of a day that I was going to be the winning bidder on an M900, and I was. ;D

With the 620 I learned how to take corners...wrong, but luckily with a couple of track days under my belt learned to corner properly. Unfortunately for my 620 I learned to ride harder than that bike could handle. At the track I was getting my bike and my body so far over that I was scraping parts...bad. At one point my rear tire left the ground as I used my pipe to scrape along instead. Talk about a pucker moment. :-X

I've learned alot in the past 2 yrs of riding and will learn a heck of a lot more with this new bike of mine, I'm sure.

The first pic is me on the 620 at a local track, and the second is of my new ride. ;D

Tanya


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[aprilmaybe]

Cool!

Well, here is some background....

I've been riding 3 years, I started on an old Kawasaki EX 500. Got the Monster new in 04, she's my baby. Just turned 15,000 miles on the way back from Laguna Seca. I'm in SoCal which means I can ride pretty much year round. I've started getting into track days which is an awesome experience, if only my bank account could keep up.

Here is a beauty shot of the bike, there have been a few changes since then but the bike is largely stock


my first open track day---check out that lean angle : [cheeky]

[img width=600 height=399]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0703/aprilmaybe/MM3I3781.jpg[/img]

[Mostrobelle]

Awesome ladies! [clap] I already know more about all you in this little thread in one day than I have in my entire time on the DML. The photos of everyone on/with their bikes are great. It's nice to put the names with the faces. Let keep it up--cept for me, cuz I'm a big chicken in front of the camera. ;D It would be great to use this thread as an introductory place for all the women on the board.

btw, t-byrd, saw photos of you on the new bike in another thread. It looks great! Very unusal Monster....never seen one quite like that. I like it a lot.

Aprilmaybe...no bashing on yourself--you got on the track. How many other women did you count out there? Yeah...give yourself a pat on the back chica.

SheMonster--that's about the cutest pic ever. You look so happy! I can't help smiling when I see it.

OK, I'm done being all mushy and supportive now. Aren't we supposed to exchange recipes and start raggin' on each others' hair? [cheeky]

[czaja]

I started riding in 1983. I learned on a Sunday in an empty parking lot and then bought a Yamaha Seca 750 the next day. Now 23 years and 5 bikes later I ride a 2000 Monster 900sie. I did my first track class at Laguna in 1998. My partner Laura came to Laguna with me this year for the first time. After walking the track, she could not believe that I made it through the class! I remember getting chided for not going FAST on the front straight. My thought is that is easy to go fast in a straight line. It is the corners I want to focus on. Even now, I would not call myself a fast rider. I like to be smooth and focused, trying to get a sense of flow.

I am glad for this space in monster land. To often a thread ends up with pictures of half naked women. At 42 with a head full of grey hair (started at 15) I don't think my picture is what the guys want to see [laugh]

Mary