Laguna Seca takes another turn for AMA Pro Racing

After experiencing one of the most exciting racing event weekends this last July 3-5 2009 at Laguna Seca with the AMA Pro Road Racing Team and MotoGP, I was shocked to hear from @MotoPress on Twitter that the DMG ( Daytona Motorsports Group) the newly dominant controlling force, had pulled the plug on the AMA racing at Laguna Seca ! I even inquired with a few of my moto Twitter friends to confirm this tragic news, and sure enough, the nightmare had become a reality! With only 3 actual races by MotoGP in a 3 day event, it was looking to be a very long and uneventful season for 2010!
Well, I think as motorace fans, we just received a ray of hope…..

As recently as this last November, the AMA Road Racing schedule was released and noticeably missing was Laguna Seca in Monterey CA and Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah, in addition to Heartland Park in Topeka, Kansas, in which, Matt Mladin and Jamie Hacking physically protested their concerns, regarding safety, by refraining from racing the track.
It was looking like a difficult season start for AMA racing and with only 9 races scheduled, and a 10Th hanging in the balance, along with manufacturers, such as American Honda pulling out, as a result of the down-turn in the economy.

But, in short few months (or less) there has been an upturn in the ever retracting season for Laguna Seca and possibly for other US tracks as well.
Still to be a mystery on many levels, it seems the self-indulging DMG has reached an agreement with the Laguna Seca coastal track and will be indeed reinstating the provisional AMA Pro Racing back into its schedule for 2010, clearly, something to look forward to!

Although rumors continue to spread about what the future holds ultimately for the AMA Pro Racing Championship, such as the mention of two (un-named) premier classes, and in suggesting the American Superbike and the Daytona Sportbike classes will be experiencing some more changes for 2010.

There is still a ways to go before we can relax and resume the racing enthusiasm that we once enjoyed, but, I have confidence in the AMA Pro President Roger Edmondson, with his commitment to the organization, feeling optimistic about the DMG and bringing back Miller along with continuing a solid partnership with Speed to ensure growth and excitement in our sport every race weekend!

Cindi

*King* of Motorcycle Travel Adverturing

Carla King is an inspiring woman that I have been following for the past 4 years.
Carla is multifaceted as a travel journalist, dispatcher, keynote speaker, teacher, author and motorcycle adventurist better known as Misadventures. Intertwining all of her many talents through motorcycling.

I had the pleasure of meeting Carla in person last week as a result of her gracious consent to my personal request to review my Style Saver Scarf. She openly obliged through email, inviting me over like an old friend, who had known me for years.
Arriving at her quaint little cottage nestled on a hillside with a picturesque view of the San Francisco Bay. I was greeted with a hug by an attractive tall, blond, slender woman in stature, with shoulder length hair and a natural soft feminine presence, that instantly allowed me to feel comfortable in her home.

I noticed her midnight blue BMW K75 parked in the drive and commented on how one of my riding friends had the same bike. She told me she loved the bike, but had plans to reconfigure the ferring because it had a tendency to act like a sail on some of the frequent blusterous days coming off the Golden Gate Bridge. After she continued on, telling me about how she was blown across several lanes one day, I thought her concept on changing the ferring was a good idea!

As I sat down on this little couch, Carla sat across from me on her ergonomic chair, which connected to her ergonomic work station, where I imagined all the Misadventure tales and tribulations were pined, plotted and transcribed for the world to enjoy.
We sat and talked informally of her recent travels to North Africa and parts of Europe, along with past travels to China and India, in addition to all the challenges of writing and self publishing her books.
I asked her about how she acquires her motorcycles while on her travels. I was fascinated to find out that numerous motorcycle manufactures loan her motorcycles to test ride while doing her travel explorations. The most famous to be ridden was the Russian Ural sidecar that she rode while solo-circumnavigating the United States in her book American Borders.

After talking motorcycles for several minutes she suddenly asked me if I liked plums and proceeded to lead me out the back door of her cottage. We entered a garden encompassed with a pastiche of pretty flowers and native succulents equipped with cozy chairs and tables to complete a peaceful, dulcet sanctuary.
Carla picked a bag full of sweet, sapid plums for me, which I later ate in two days time!

Eventually, I showed her the Style Saver Scarf and demonstrated how to put it on and the benefits the scarf offers combating helmet hair while wearing a motorcycle helmet. I would later discover that she watched and listened intently, because she wrote two articles on me, quoting several statements I had made to her. This happened within days of our meeting, I was blown away!
http://bit.ly/16BtV7
http://bit.ly/U9Hx6
As we hugged goodbye after our one and half hour visit, I realized I was leaving with more than the Style Saver Scarf I had brought to Carla. With plumbs from her tree, and a signed autographed book of American Borders in tow and boundless information to take home with me.
I left feeling plenteous in more ways that I could have imagined!

To me, Carla went beyond what my expectations would be, coming from a woman so prominent in journalism, travel and as a solo international female motorcyclist.
The openness, the willingness and the time she afforded to a fellow motorcyclist and ascending entrepreneur, was nothing less than noble.

From one motorcyclist to another, I say a big behemoth thank you Carla!

Cindi

Notes:
Carla will be attending the AMA Women in Motorcycling Conference in Keystone CO August 19-22. For lectures on her travels, as well as book signings.
She will also be sharing in a Self Independent Publishing Workshop with one of her Wild Writing Women's group partners, Lisa Alpine in San Francisco, Sunday, October 4Th.
Carla's Link:
http://bit.ly/sO1sP

Update on The AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference

Well just when I thought the line-up for the Women's AMA Conference in Keystone CO was all firmed up I have now been receiving Tweets from Genevieve Schmitt @WRN on the added keynote speakers that have been recently added, along with Ducati announcing their attendance.

Deborah Grey- A seasoned Canadian motorcyclist, who just happens to be a member of the Canadian Parliament. She is a titillating speaker, who is listed in Canada's National Speakers Bureau. She will be speaking at the Street Party portion of the conference.

Ashley Fiolek- A motocross racer who will be speaking at the open ceremony portion of the conference with the aid of her mom, since Ashley is deaf. She has been racing since she was 7 and is the first women to be on a top factory level team with predominantly male riders.

Lois Pryce- is a humorous motorcycling world traveler, who wrote 2 books, "Lois On The Loose" from Alaska to Argentina and "Red Tape & White Knuckles" chronicles of her ride through Africa.

Ducati is also joining the line up of demo rides with the Monster 696 being one of the bikes on display.

On a personal note: I received an email from one of the girls, Ellen, whom I met while on my Alaskan ride I took two years ago. Thirteen women along with myself took the first all women's tour being hosted by Alaskan Rider Tours in Anchorage Alaska. A seven day loop that covered over 1200 miles of the most beautiful scenic visions I have ever witnessed in my life.

It was a special trip in so many ways, but the most endearing part is that several of us have kept in contact over these past 2 years even though we are all spread out all over the country. I am thrilled to say that 5 of us, at this point, will be reuniting at the AMA International Women's Motorcycling Conference in Keystone CO.

Ellen and Laura will be riding up from Texas together. I will be jumping on a flight out of Oakland, Jane from Connecticut will be joining me to rendevous with Cathy from Michigan at the Denver airport, then making our way to the conference.

Now, not only do I have the conference and all it offers to look forward to, I also have my sisterhood of Alaskan riders who rode with me, sharing a life altering, history making experience.

See you there, girls!
Cindi

Pretty in Pink

Women in motorcycling is a fast growing phenomenon, we are making leaps and bounds in regards to being responsible for 12% of the riding population, and rapidly narrowing that gap between male and female in the motorcycle industry.
So, why is it that when a female rider goes shopping for the proper motorcycle gear, she has little to no choice and the choices she does have are predominantly pink?!
I am all girl, and admit to owning a few pink frocks in my closet, and even enjoy wearing the color. But, while on the motorcycle, I just can’t bring myself to purchase anything pink when I am trying to be taken seriously in 12% of a man’s world, when riding my bike.
I have had this discussion with a few of my fellow women rider friends on what their view is on this “pink” invasion in women’s motorcycle apparel and what the color pink signifies to them in the riding community.
My friend Margaret said, “ It sends a message to other riders or car drivers that you are female. It is often hard to decipher if a rider is male or female and this is an avenue for women to say hey, I'm a chick on bike!”
Here’s what another girl, Stephanie, new into riding had to say; “ There’s not really enough choice out there for women’s gear. I usually look in the smaller men’s selections, but that means jackets are usually too roomy in the shoulders.
As far as pink, well, some women can pull off pink and make it look cool. It seems to me a lot of gear ‘for women is built for the Betty, not for the rider. I don’t mind the idea of looking ‘cute’ when you ride, but isn't that already a given? Since women look great riding bikes, they don’t need pink to make that more of a fact. Well-made, tough, protective gear cut for a female form is more important. I prefer the color choices in men’s gear.”

Robin, who recently rode by herself on a 20, 226 mile journey across country, had a very strong opinion about women riding, the color pink and what it means to her.
"I will speak to the question of "pink" in the women's sector of the motorcycle industry as a bit of a rebel, meaning politically incorrect. If you look good in "pink", then by all means wear it, but if you don't, then wearing it just because you are a girl seems a little silly. Be aware though, that marketing is very good at convincing us that we need "pink" if we are women. This "link-to-pink" is not a surprise, it's inevitable. From the time we are born we are psychologically taught that girls wear pink, boys wear blue.
I myself wear lots of men's motorcycle gear because it fits better, which is another problem in itself, and because it's not "pink". Do I need "pink" to maintain my identity as a woman on a motorcycle? Is that even important? No, the ride is what counts. No matter what color we wear, I like the fact that those odds are changing!”


But, let’s look at it from another perspective, the psychology of color is one of subconscious power. Pink is a symbol for women just like the flag is a symbol for the American way. Look at the symbol for women and breast cancer..."pink". This synonymous link with women is an integral part of marketing, and marketing is a very, very strong tool. To ignore this from a business perspective is risky, to ignore this as a woman, is our prerogative. So it's no surprise that the women's sector in the motorcycle industry is going to be inundated with "pink".

One history making woman who made sure that pink was synonymous with women and motorcycling was Dot Robinson. Co-founder of Motor Maids Inc. in 1941, the organization was instrumental in convincing women to try motorcycling for themselves. Dot set a standard for women motorcyclists, she proved that you can be a lady and still ride motorcycles by riding a pink Harley Davidson with a lipstick case built right into the handle bars!
Back in her day, in the 1930’s and 40s’, she did not care for the traditional black leather outfits after the movies of the day, that she felt portrayed motorcyclists as out laws or hoodlums, which inspired her to wear her signature pink riding outfits.
Here is a classic reminder that from as long as 60 to 70 years ago, we are still stuck predominately with a narrow selection of colors and styles.

So, I think whatever color you wear should be as individual as the make and model of the bike you prefer to ride. I would just like to see wider selection of colors to choose from, for us girls, to show more of our individuality, as women, as well as being a serious rider.

I have gathered some links of Web sites that I like to visit regularly.

http://www.bikebandit.com/product/9505
http://www.compacc.com/p.cfm/c/1002002/p/20418
http://www.newenough.com/
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/2/50/1009/CITEM/Alpinestars-Womens-Stella-Cat-Leather-Pants-Closeouts.aspx

Cindi

Moto-ette A women's guide to fashion, fun and safety

This blog is intended for all who love to ride motorcycles, whether it be a Harley Davidson Softtail to a heritage BSA, it's all the same language in the end.
My name is Cindi Servante and I have been riding motorcycles for a mere 4 years, but have found such a love for the sport, it feels like years!

I will be writing about all different types of stories related to the sport of motorcycling, from my all women's ride in Alaska, to how I have incorporated my profession in hairstyling into a motorcycle scarf that protects hair from the dreaded "helmet hair."

In addition, I will talk of my many different findings in apparel and protective gear, that I have found to be of good value and quality, with safety in mind, first and foremost.

I will also talk about many of the influential women and men I have met and read about that have impressed me enough to want to spread the word. And any and all subject matters that come to mind along the way. That could be scary!!

I will post as much information about any subject, item or person I will be talking about and that will include photos.... gotta have the photos!! :-)

Stay tuned fellow riders!

Cindi