what's legal? - Motorcycling Matters

done the Black Forest and the
Pyrenees, as well as Ireland, and
I can't wait to do Italy and the
Alps', adds Meg.
While touring is most definitely
a buzz, training gives Meg as
much satisfaction. 'For young
inexperienced riders, some
instructors can be a little
daunting, especially if the rider is
female. I worked with a young
woman recently who was very
nervous and I thought: "that was
me five years ago!". I do a lot of
motivational work in my commercial life,
and it was relatively easy to put her at
ease. And that gave me an even greater
feeling of accomplishment when she
passed her test', Meg smiles.
So, what's it like being an attractive
blonde biker? 'Well, I honestly haven't
had too many problems. The occasional
36
FEMALE PERSPECTIVE
biker in the past (on both the instructing
and pupil side...) has obviously thought
"she's just a blonde; what would she
know", but that is usually the first
impression. And I have had other riders
try to see what I am like as a rider out
there, but then I make no claims to
being a fast rider, per se; hopefully a safe
“There is something almost poetic
about the smooth inputs into a bike
and how it responds
”
Meg loves touring;
here she is with her
BMW up in the
Pyrenees a few
tours back!
It’s winter but the Fazer
is out and ready to go!
one, but not the quickest. I have
done a few track days and really
loved them, and they are a buzz,
but I know I am not the fastest
rider around, and I really don't
want to be!
'However, I love riding well and
quickly within the limits and there
is a real buzz when the Fazer
overtakes and gets the job done
swiftly and efficiently. I did some
ballet when I was younger and
there really is a connection
between balletic dance moves and
riding smoothly. There is
something almost poetic about the
smooth inputs into a bike and how it
responds'. And if you think that is just a
feminine view, watch carefully some of
the best racers. The fastest are the ones
who work with their machines as a whole,
and are gentle with their inputs even at
the racing limit.
For Meg Morris, her busy schedule
beckons, so it's on with the leathers for a
business trip to Cambridge. The recent
snow and ice may have curtailed her
riding, but nothing else does, and it is
just lucky that her 12-year-old has too
much gear to take to school as for sure he
would be on the back of the Fazer for the
school run, much as the turkey (frozen!)
was which had a pillion ride back to
Chez Meg for Christmas dinner! ●
Meg’s garage is a
Yamaha domain...
bedfordshire-biker.org