Calling all Ladies

[Debbie Kemp]

Are there any ladies out there who want to get more involved in the VOC without having to prove they can strip a Vincent engine? It's about time the Ladies Section was revived but my past attempts at contacting you all via your section organisers has failed....so maybe this will work Then again, maybe you just aren't interested

The Ladies section doesn't just have to be known as the group that sits in the corner at rallies and sews or knits....what do YOU want to do? How about an afternoon outing or a general get-together over a few drinks at a rally? Would you prefer a Ladies section rally - like a weekend away at a hotel or Health Spa?

Do you have anything interesting we can put in the Ladies Section review? If so, pass it on to me and I will gladly make sure it goes in the MPH.

It's OUR section, lets make it something to be proud of Marie has fought hard to get the section off the ground but she can't do it all herself anymore. I have volunteered to help her....but there's no point in organising anything if no-one turns up.

 

[Diogenes]

Pillionists

Firstly, I am not a female, just an ageing male.
But one thing has struck me over the years, listening to my favourite pillion passenger [wife], is that conditions on the pillion are generally worse than for the rider. For example, it is bumpier, as you sit right over the rear wheel. And it is colder, as you get fully turbulent air flow all over you. And if you poke your head round the rider's helmet to see where you are going, you get a blast of air in the face, where the rider may be partly protected by a windscreen. And there is not so much fun being a passive passenger compared with actually controlling the bike.
Many Vincent riders have little or no recent experience of riding pillion, so they wonder why their passengers are not as keen on the 500 mile trip as they are. Maybe they could be encouraged to do some pillion riding - they might then ride a bit slower over bumpy roads and be a bit more considerate about responding to requests for rest stops? And fit a fully sprung rear seat?
Just my ideas - I hope you get some more responses.

 

[Debbie Kemp]

Hello again,

You are right, life as a pillion is not quite as fun as riding up front. Being on the back where you can't see in front of you and you have no control over what happens can take some getting used to. However, it seems that your wife and I are the lucky ones - my partner has forgone his original Vincent seat in favour of a modern, more comfy one which is fully sprung so that riding on the back is as good as it can get. I am currently teaching him to give me a signal when appraoching road humps so I know when to jump rather than suddenly get a shock!

Having said all that, I love riding pillion. We are riding over to the French rally this weekend and hopefully it will be the start of many long trips, though I am hoping that one day I will be riding to rallies on my own bike.

The main emphasis of the ladies section is to provide some kind of social group for get-togethers while the guys are busy talking about their bikes at rallies. So far I haven't managed to drum up enough interest but you never know what the future holds - maybe we could start a "pillion section" instead so we don't restrict it to ladies only? Any suggestions are very welcome