Warning :
Unlike the vast majority of articles on our site, this new section does not only report information, it leaves a certain freedom, even a certain freedom, to the thoughts of its author accustomed to the literary world who will publish under the pseudonym Vernon Stoner.
Here, we relate, of course, but we also extrapolate, we speculate, we construct, in short, we discuss and exchange!
You have the right to respond in comments, to correct, to proclaim your indignation, or, at worst, if it really gives you heartburn, to change the section...
Are you still there? Little curious people, go… Come on, gaaazzzz!
Article in 3 parties.
It was planned to combine everyday bikers with those who compete, but I had underestimated the enthusiasm that this survey would cause. The mass of data to be processed is already considerable, I will write about women pilots in a future column.
PART 1
The women who whispered about motorcycles…
Is motorcycling a macho discipline?
Big question at a time when political correctness, the "everyone is beautiful, everyone is nice" as demagogic as possible, seems to have become the dogma to be adopted urgently under penalty of being immediately categorized as racist with a tendency misogynist, even a neo-Nazi working in the shadows to resurrect the Third Reich... Has the basic biker also moved into the modern era and does he wear a broad admiring smile when a girl makes him brakes, or is he more the type to whistle at the lady's buttocks while thinking that this panorama is really the only interest in seeing a woman put the right handle in the corner?
At first glance, many elements allow us to attest that unfortunately, we would rather be in the second option. Which of you gentlemen is capable of naming even one woman in the history of biking? Come on, if there is a fan of MotoGP who remembers the surname of Maria Herrera ou Ana Carrasco, it will already be beautiful, admit it… And what about the term “sandbag” from biker jargon? So much so that there are Facebook groups defining themselves in this way and bringing together girls in need of a passenger saddle to take a ride... If we can see it as something cool, a way of drag..., sorry, of communicating Personally, I rather see a kind of pejorative supremacy which, fortunately, tends to become obsolete. Because the girls are taking charge, no offense to the sexists of the Mesozoic! The girls are sending more and more wood, and so much the better! For a sport to develop, it must be democratized!
But what about the reception reserved for the fairer sex in this environment oozing testosterone like clogged carburetors spewing their overflow onto crankcases oiled with Travolta-style rubber? And those affected, what do they think about it, why do they ride motorcycles, how do they approach all this? To get a little more clarity, I carried out a survey of 26 questions to which 500 bikers agreed to answer. Here is the summary, without any tricks, modifications or risky extrapolations (um, not sure…), which result from it.
We shift into first gear calmly, release the clutch gently, and turn the handle delicately to start with a few gentle questions, before going wheelie...
1. What made you want to get into motorcycling? ?
For the most part, and unsurprisingly, the family heritage stands out, with the dad largely at the head of the gondola. Cousins, uncles, brothers, and some friends are also popular.
Just behind are the sensations and freedom, roughly tied with a passion-fascination innate.
Finally, there is a jumble of the useful aspect, the feminist challenge, the tribute to a deceased person, the biker fraternity, the cinema, the passenger-pilot transition, etc.
Special mention to the two answers that made me laugh: “ My partner was driving badly ", And " Gendarmerie bikers on TV » ! Probably a fan of the series Crisps. As for the other, I will refrain from any comments, the ground is too slippery…
2. At what age?
50% of respondents said they started riding a motorcycle between the ages of 18 and 27. A quarter fell into it during adolescence, or even in early childhood like Obélix and the magic potion, while the 25% remaining decided later, between 35 and 48 years old.
3. At what age did you get your driving license?
Logically, the answers overlap with the previous question. Approximately 75% obtained their pass between the ages of 18 and 30. The last quarter concerns old…, sorry, more mature women.
Well, this little appetizer was very nice, but it doesn't really advance the schmilblick... No need to ask the guys to suspect that the results would be, within a quarter of an ant's hair, similar. What if we started to tickle the heartstrings?…
In order not to find myself drowned in an encyclopedia, I... No, I'm not saying that women talk too much, that's not it, but... In short, I preferred to offer a choice of answers rather than to let chatter…, ouch, express yourself without moderation. So, in numbers, it looks like this:
4. How was this approach received by those close to you?
32,3% : Very good – It’s cool!
23,4% : Enthusiastic – A girl on a motorbike, that rocks!
18,1% : Good – And why not?
10,4% : No opinion – The motorcycle? Ugh…
8,4% : Very bad – It’s ridiculous!
7,4% : Bad – It's not for women!
5. Did you feel considered equal to men during your driving lessons?
72,3% : Yes
18,8% : Not entirely
7,1% : No
1,8% : Horrible…
6. Did you feel considered equal to men while obtaining your license by the examiner?
84,7% : Yes
9,4% : Not entirely
4,6% : No
1,3% : Horrible…
For the question 4, by replacing “It’s not for women” with “It’s too dangerous”, I think the nuance with men is minimal. It's after that that things get a little stuck... A quick glance at the results, everything seems to be going pretty well since three quarters of those surveyed, if anything, have good memories of their license. Alas, this also means that a quarter, i.e. 125 biker girls, suffered from open misogyny… That’s still a lot of people, right? But what annoys me the most is that I proposed the “Horrible…” option, more as a joke, telling me that apart from one or two neurotic saints (yes, there are some annoying people who are never happy, must admit), no one would check it. The fact is that, by adding up the answers 5 et 6, it gives 3,1% very bad experiences, either 12,4 women. Yeah, the 0,4 doesn't count, I know. Even if Mimie Mathy was there? OK, I'm out... In short, we can find these figures insignificant, of course, but I doubt that 27% men have had to endure condescending bigotry when getting their license…
After these delicate questions, we are going to ease the pressure a little by leaving the things that annoy us, and talk about pleasure. These Amazons of two wheels, what mounts have they set their sights on?
7. What is your current bike?
54% : Mid-size Roadster
15% : Sporty Mid-size
9% : Trail / SM Mid-size
5% : Big Cube Roadster
5% : Sports Big Cube
5% : 125 cm3 and less
2% : Trail Big Cube
2% : Custom / Neo-retro Mid-size
2% : No motorcycles currently
1% : Custom / Neo-retro Big Cube
Special mention to six bikers who have a road bike, and one track bike. Well, mam’zelle, that’s not a joke!
8. What is your dream motorcycle?
36% : Athletic
30% : Roadster
16% : Custom / Neo-retro
5% : None
4% : As many as possible, or even all!
3% : Trail / SM
3% : I already have it
3% : Crazy stuff like Hayabusa, Kawa H2, etc!
What a pleasing result! What do you mean I'm not impartial? Women have good taste in motorcycles, that's all. They are reasonable, roadsters are on the rise and Mid-size engines in all categories are well ahead with 78% owned motorcycles, but they know where the truth is based on the results of the bike they dream of. No, really, I don't see the problem... Well, some people are obviously far from being sane, otherwise they wouldn't fantasize about death machines like the H2! As for those who want all the world's production in their garage, I know quite a few bikers who would pay a lot to have their telephone number. I have a thought for the few who responded that they no longer had a motorbike, but children… Well, no one warned you?! You had to think about it before too... Fuck, I wanted to avoid things that upset me, I think it's worn out...
Vernon
