Saddle up, ladies and gentlemen… especially you ladies. Rippin-Kitten blog is a motorcycle blog written by a female motorcycle-enthusiast named Liz. She lives in the greater Boston area, not too far from me from what I can ascertain… Liz writes of her adventures with her 2004 Suzuki Volusia LE, and the reactions women bikers receive from the round world. It’s not a Harley, but it’s more of a bike than I have. So I throw her a big thumbs up and say “will my fat ass fit on your bitch seat?”
heh. Rippin-kitten don’t like it when you ask if you can ride bitch… especially if you’re a guy.
In one of her first entries, she writes: “My problem is that not all of us are typical, fringe-wearing “lady bikers†who’s nickname is “Gypsy.†I am not a lesbian or a feminist with a chip on my shoulder out to prove myself to the world. I’m not middle-aged and out there to empower myself after being divorced. Definitely not an “outlaw†or a badass that belongs to any kind of riding club…I’m a cool-ass chick looking for other ass-kicking chicks that ride (boys are invited, too, if they behave). Those who are looking to obliterate the perception of what a “biker chick†is just by being themselves (and who want to ride motorcycles instead of posing on them). Let the boys keep their trophy girls who are content to ride on the backs of their bikes. But let’s make them drool over us cute girls who ride our own and make ‘em wish that they were the riding next to us.” And that pretty much sums it up, and it is a female biker philosophy I can get behind.
The entries start back in April 2007, and the “myblog.com” community blog layout she has chosen, the design of the pages, the categories and archives are easy on the eyes and make the wind blow through my hair, when I’m in a state that lacks a helmet law (take THAT Massachusetts!)
My favorite entries are where she examines motorcycle culture and how women fit into it. The “If she can do it, I can do it” entry of April 16th focuses on women motorcycle riders and motorcycles built for women, and the differences between the two. It was a really interesting read and kind of inspirational. She also writes that “a woman’s place is in the garage,” and discusses maintenance work that she conducts herself on her bike… and not just the detailing/cleaning kinds of stuff. She really takes a wrench to it, which is pretty cool. I know how to fill my windshield wiper fluid reservoirs up in my car, and that’s about it! So hats off to Liz here for her interest, her passion and her enthusiasm. I was also happy to learn that “Biker Chick Burnout” isn’t a biker lady who is tired of bike riding, and Vibe Rider looks … kinda scary and interesting at the same time. I enjoyed her photographs of her commute, her Laconia Bike Week 2007 experience, and the overall visit to this blog was a really good one.
And her favorite scene from Pee Wee’s Big Adventure is the same as mine, aside from “everybody I know has a big but…” So I had to laugh when she included the video clip in a June entry. Thanks a lot, dudes!
The only objection I had about the blog was the picture of herself with a guy from the band GWAR. That nasty codpiece he’s wearing will haunt my dreams for nights to come… Eww. And I’m not a huge fan of the calendar-based navigation to move through the archives. But that isn’t her fault, it is the blogging tool.
That minor criticism aside, I’ve added the Rippin-kitten to my blogroll. I signed up for the Weblog Review to find more blogs that are worth reading, and I’m happy to say I’m glad to have found a second one to add to my list after sifting through some less than stellar sites.
I give her a 4.0, and look forward to more stories of cycling to come… now that the decent weather is upon us North of Boston types.