Arlene

Arlene rides in the middle of formation through the Angeles National Forest

For the first time in 30 years, I was on a bike for more than just a scoot through the city streets. Today was the first time I’ve driven through the mountains, faced winding turns, snakes in the road, indecisive chipmunks and teenage drivers who think they own the road. I was also going more than 45 mph. THAT is an accomplishment for me because one thing I KNOW about myself is that I don’t like speed.  You will also remember, I’m the one who dropped a bike 30 years ago and was too afraid to get back on again. It has taken me this long to get up the courage and today was the day. The California Scooter Company invited me to go out on a Friday afternoon ride with them through the forest and what a ride it was not to mention revealing…

Last week marked the day I finally received my motorcycle license. A lot of people are riding without those licenses and I confess to being one of them, BUT, after taking the motorcycle riders course, I was determined I was going to tackle the DMV and finally get that license. You can’t imagine the joy I felt opening the mail this week and seeing my brand new drivers license with that “M1” on it! Oh the sheer pleasure of something so simple and small…

I have been walking around all week like a peacock knowing that I have a motorcycle license and I can walk into any dealership that allows test drives and whip out that license and take that bad boy for a ride! And that’s exactly what I set out to do!

Into the Ducati dealership I went and no sooner did I sit on that bike than I hopped off, excused myself, left the store and got back in my car. As gorgeous as those bikes are, I KNEW that I could never feel confident on a bike like that. Then again, I’m not confident on a 250cc scooter… so much for the peacock!

GoGo Gear Scooter

I’ve spent a LOT of time thinking about getting a bike, one that goes beyond my little “louis vuitton scooter” and into having a bit more “giddyup” when I need it. I’ve been researching and asking people their opinions of their own bikes and what they think I, as a “new” rider should consider. The opinions were as diverse as the number of bikes out there and after seriously considering all of the comments and feedback I received, it ultimately boiled down to my experience today on a California Scooter Company bike…

Arlene and the California Scooter Company model for Arlene’s “CoCo Chanel” GoGo Gear bike

So, WHAT did I learn today? I learned what I am and am not comfortable with. It reinforced my feeling (and KNOWING) that I am not built for speed. I don’t want to go fast and I don’t want to be on the freeway. I don’t want to be on a big bike and I don’t care how much a bike costs. The reality is, I want to be on a bike I can handle and for me, this bike is as much as I can handle. Perhaps that will change over the years but for now, I need a bike I can handle, grow into, feel comfortable with, one that gives me so much pleasure being on it that nothing else can compare. This is something I felt today when I was out riding and I was acutely aware of how I felt on that winding road. I couldn’t have navigated that road on any other kind of bike and THAT is what made me come to the conclusion that THIS was the bike for me.

A lot of people think spending $5,000 for a 150cc bike is crazy but for me, the reality is this… I want something sublime, something so unique that there is only one of a kind… I liken this bike to my Dracula/Matrix coat. There is only one of them and it was made just for me (even though the model in the photo looks better in it than I do!). That is how I feel about this bike. It’s going to have my mark on it, be exactly the way I want it, be one of a kind and not take itself too seriously. THAT’S how I like things!

The other thing I noticed was that I’m not afraid when I’m on this bike. When I was riding today, concentrating on each of the little things I learned in my riding class, I was acutely aware of the size of the bike and how I felt on it. I KNEW that for as long as it’s going to take for me to get comfortable being on a bike again, I need to be on something that is so comfortable for me, that I don’t think about the bike anymore and all I have to do is concentrate on what’s ahead, behind and around me. THAT was a really revealing moment for me because it allowed me to just settle in to the bike, let it do its job and all I had to do was stay focused on the task at hand… riding safe.

I had NO idea when I was creating GoGo Gear that it was going to lead me back into this incredible, wonderful world of riding, FILLED with the most amazing people! As I ride down the street, no matter WHAT I’m riding, people on two wheels always acknowledge me and I them. The language that is spoken without words among those who ride is more powerful than anything I can describe and I am honored and humbled to be a little baby in this crowd, in awe of those around me and just tickled to no end that I get to be part of this.

Arlene and the California Scooter Company guys (from left, Steve, Tony, Joe and Arlene)

To the guys at California Scooter Company, who surrounded me all day on our ride, I felt like I was in a cocoon, safely tucked away in between you all, allowed to ride like a little butterfly among real riders, all the while getting to experience the thrill of the ride! And to you, Joe Berk, leader of the pack, and veteran of the bike AND pavement, you gave me one of the biggest compliments I think I will ever get, telling me I’m a good rider, like I’d been riding a long time. Man oh man, you have no idea how thrilling it was to have you tell me that! I will work hard to make you proud of me Joe and I look forward to our ride to Cabo San Lucas, my “CoCo Chanel” will be dressed and ready for the occasion!

Arlene

The Ominous Bag

severed head inside! I definitely watch too much TV! But I digress… I spy the bag cautiously, poke at it with my finger, squeeze it a bit, further inspect it for any sign of what might be inside, all to no avail. It doesn’t feel like anything I’m expecting but I am comforted by what I now reasonably assume is no severed head inside. I walk around the table several times trying to decide if I’m going to open it and finally, I get the scissors and peak inside. ALAS! It is the 5000 GoGo Gear stickers I ordered lord knows HOW long ago! I’m greatly relieved it’s not a severed head but quite

The Contents

displeased at the fact that my stickers are now all crumpled up and strewn all about inside this bag. From the looks of the boxes they were packed in, they didn’t survive the transport and someone somewhere decided to just scoop up the whole mess, throw it in a bag, put a “SECURITY” label on it and promptly dump it on my porch. So, I’m now sitting in a pile of 5000 stickers that I can’t possibly use, or CAN I? Pondering the plight of my stickers and what I had planned to do with them (namely give them away to all the people who’ve been asking us for them), I started considering how I might use them. Now mind you, not only were they all cumpled up, they weren’t cut properly so even if they HAD arrived safely, I still couldn’t have used them. So, what to do, what to do…

I don’t know when it dawned on me but I had this thought of decorating a helmet with the stickers. That’s not an uncommon thing for people to do… they put stickers on all kinds of things and so I thought, well I’ll just use some of the stickers and decorate a helmet. WELL… one thing led to another and… let’s just say, I got a little carried away!

The GoGo Gear Scooter

Suffice it to say, I’m not satisfied to have a scooter seat that has something like a leopard print cover, I have to go crazy and turn the entire thing into my version of a Louis Vuitton Bag, complete with helmet! I don’t know WHAT possessed me to do this but one thing I will say is that I made good use of those stickers, I had a great time doing it and NOW I think I’m going to pour myself a glass of lemonade and enjoy this gorgeous Southern California Sunday!

Bottoms up!

Arlene

The event includes lunch, live music and more. Details here.

Los Angeles Harley-Davidson
13300 Paramount Blvd.
South Gate CA 90280
888.319.3398

So come on out and joins us this Saturday, April 10 at 1pm (Central).

Here are the details from Scooter World’s home page:
Saturday, April 10th. The moment all scooter ladies have been waiting for: The official unveiling of the ScooterGirls GoGo Gear jackets! As you know, these are the most anticipated arrivals to the scooter scene this decade, and Scooter World is proud to be able to host a get together to show off the new line. Arlene, President & CEO of the company will be in Kansas City on April 10th to show off the new jackets designed especially with stylish women in mind. Arlene will be on hand most of the day. However, a runway show will take place between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. at Scooter World. There will be coffee, wine and snacks available, as well as the full line of jackets to try on and swoon over. You will also have an opportunity to purchase from the limited inventory we have on hand as well as order your jacket in your size. There will be limited seating for the runway event so we will need you to RSVP so we hold a seat for you. So please call or e-mail if you’d like to be on the list. 913–649-4900 or scooterworld2003@sbcglobal.net

Get details on our April 10th event at Scooter World here.

For a full list of our dealers, check here: http://scooter-girls.com/dealers.html

You’ve probably read in the past that I dropped a motorcycle 30 years ago and was so freaked out by the experience I never got back on a bike again. It wasn’t until the middle of 2008 that I got on a scooter but getting back on a motorcycle, well, that was NEVER going to happen but then… a few months ago, I got on a California Scooter Company 150cc scooter/motorcycle and that set a lot of things in motion.

Test driving that California Scooter Company bike, I pulled the clutch and pressed it into first gear and it was as if I had never been off a bike. I began to accelerate and it was as if I could breathe again. It was absolutely exhilerating. I was on a little bike, something I could manage and the whole time I was thinking, if I drop this bike, at least I can pick it up. The bike I dropped 30 years ago was much too big for me and I had no business being on it, but being 19 and stupid, who was going to tell me anything… the car that suddenly backed out in front of me in a parking lot sent me and the bike to the ground and it being as heavy as it was, I wasn’t able to pick it up. I’m not sure if it was embarassment or the sudden awareness that I was completely out of my league with that bike that made me want to run away and cry. All I know is that I  had to call the owner of the bike to come and get it AND me because I was shaking too bad to get back on the bike. The memory has been so lasting for me that I had pretty much forgotten about riding until I got my scooters in the middle of 2008. Even after getting on a scooter, I would look at people on motorcycles and just be afraid. I would look those Ducatis and other big bikes and just shudder at the thought of being on one because they looked so imposing to me. I wouldn’t even get near one because it would just evoke fear in me. I KNEW I would never be able to pick the thing up if I dropped it. Perhaps the lesson I had missed in all of this is that you have to be on a bike you’re comfortable with, one that is the right size for you and not your ego, one that is the right height for you and not the height of what you think you’re capable of, and for me, most important, one that you can pick up if you drop it.

I got to spend this last week around a lot of bikes in all shapes and sizes and just being around them and watching beginners learn how to ride them, the fear that I have had of these bikes slowly started to dissipate. Perhaps it is that I came to recognize what I am and am not comfortable with and that is a huge accomplishment because it means that whatever I do with respect to having a motorcycle one day (if ever), I will have the one that is right for me in all respects.

As I got the chance to ride a motorcycle for ten hours between yesterday and today, I grew increasing comfortable being on the bike, trusting the instructors to guide me through the proper and safe operation of the bike. I chose a bike that was the right size for me and I settled in for the ten hour training. With each new exercise came more confidence and I practiced hard those exercises that help you deal with unexpected occurrences in traffic AND parking lots! Today culminated in a test of our skills and concentration and a final determination of whether we passed.

My excitement knows no bounds when it comes to doing something I hadn’t expected to do and when the instructor announced that I had passed and I could dismount the bike I was on, I promptly hopped off the bike and walked away without putting the kickstand down! It took a moment for it to register that the bike was going down and I instinctively jumped away from the bike but in doing so, I could feel the bike catch my foot and I threw myself away from the bike, went airborn and landed on my shoulder, elbow and thigh with a big THUD! And quite unbelievably, I got up laughing because it was so stupid of me to jump off the bike but I couldn’t contain my enthusiasm and look at what it got me…

The lesson? You HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION to EVERYTHING when you’re on a bike and you CAN’T allow yourself to be distracted by ANYTHING. And the bigger life lesson for me… whatever lasting fear I had from 30 years ago is gone… I was so afraid after dropping that bike 30 years ago that I never dreamed I would get back on a motorcycle. 30 years ago I didn’t know what I was doing and today, I DO (except for that kickstand part!). I spent 15 hours over the past week going over how to ride safely from the classroom to the riding course and in that 15 hours, I learned how to ride over obstacles, do U-turns inside a box, make quick stops, accelerate through the curves, look forward through and past the curves, swerve to avoid things that can suddenly happen to you when riding. The list of things I’ve learned this week are too numerous to count but suffice it to say, who I am today as a rider is completely different from who I was 30 years ago and even who I was a week ago.

Ten or fifteen hours of riding instruction certainly doesn’t make a person an accomplished rider but it DOES make you more aware of how to ride safer and with confidence and I think it’s reasonable to say that these 15 hours have been probably among the most important of my life.

Ride safe everyone! And remember… ALWAYS wear your gear and PUT YOUR KICKSTAND DOWN!

Arlene

PS — And how did the GoGo Gear perform? (Yes, I had my GoGo on!) Beautifully! Took the impact of the fall, no skin torn and a jacket that still looks beautiful!

This blog entry is a LONG time in coming! Sorry about that, I’ve been a little busy the past few months! Today’s blog entry is significant because I am right now flying from Washington, DC to Los Angeles on the same day as our first shipment of coats is leaving on a cargo ship out of China. This monumental effort of going from starting

Cargo ships leaving China

with an idea to actually having that idea come to fruition in the form of protective riding gear that people actually want is beyond anything I could have ever dreamed possible.

Arlene on the Great Wall of China

I am coming to the end of a grueling six month travel schedule that has literally taken me around the world 2–1/2 times in terms of miles flown. During this time, I have spent seven weeks in all parts of China, two weeks in London, Milan, Lake Como, Bellagio, Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC, San Francisco, Seattle and all points in between. I have been on the Great Wall of China, in Tianemen Square, at the Forbidden City, Yangtzhe River, Beijing, Shanghai, Ningbo, Nantong, Hangzhou, Xiamen, Shenzhen, Hong Kong,

Flying over Siberia

Tokyo, Seoul, I have flown across Siberia, I have seen the Queen of England and Prince Phillip right in front of my face in their car, lugged hundreds of pounds of luggage across the globe, had Italians ask if our designs are Italian, received hundreds of emails from women seeing our website for the first time saying “FINALLY!”, had plus size women convinced we won’t have their size and see the joy on their faces when they try them on and see that they actually fit.

Winning at LA Fashion Week

We were invited to show the line on the runway as part of LA Fashion Week and WON, exhibited at the largest motorcycle show in Europe (EICMA 2009), been written up in the press all over the European Union and the UK, selected as a finalist for the Top 10 products of 2010 (winners yet to be announced!), had major motorcycle magazines publish stories about the line, fashion bloggers writing stories, had women ordering jackets en masse with personal notes about how they can’t wait to get their jackets, exhibited at the New York International Motorcycle Show and now preparing for

Arlene About to Throw Herself Down a Hill in GoGo Gear

the all important Dealer Expo in Indianapolis and let’s not forget throwing myself down a hill in one of our jackets!

We started this effort after losing our jobs during the worst economy in decades and have emerged with something that people want and need, not just a jacket but a story of how it’s possible to turn adversity into something really positive. We have had the privilege of meeting some of the most incredible people ever, people who, like us, believe that ANYTHING is possible and they have embraced us and our efforts in a way I could have never imagined. And, most important, we have met people across the country and all over the world who continually demonstrate the best of humanity.

The Twitter people we met in New York at the International Motorcycle Show, the “early adopters”, who fiercely believed in GoGo Gear, having never seen the jackets and coats and yet were willing to go along on this journey with us. It was absolutely thrilling to have them finally see the jackets and get their “thumbs up”! And, to have Paulette

Arlene and Paulette Kincaid at ACE Motorcycle and Scooter, Chicago, IL

Kincaid (husband Don, @donkincaid on twitter), one of the first people I wrote about at the beginning of this journey, approaching the booth with the biggest smile on her face… her husband told me she needed a large coat and I promised him that we would make it. I also promised I would send a coat for her to try on.  And there she was, all the way from Indianapolis, coming to try on her coat to check the “fit”. I told her there in New York, I wanted to make sure she knew I hadn’t forgotten my promise to her and she simply said “Arlene, I knew you didn’t forget…” To finally meet the ScooterDivas from www.scooterdiva.com who have consistently been encouraging us with their feedback and support. To meeting @polianarchy from Twitter who I was almost afraid to meet because I knew this was one woman who could slice and dice just about anything with a few keystrokes on her computer if she didn’t like it and to take her measurements and have her tell me she was willing to wait for a jacket her size

Arlene and Elaine in Atlanta

because she knew we were going to get her that jacket. To Elaine (@ageekgirl) in Birmingham, Alabama who has patiently been waiting for her grey trench jacket since September and knowing that in a couple of weeks, she is going to receive that jacket.

Arlene has a special reunion upon returning home from China

I reflect back on all of the people who have been a part of this over the past six months… providing continued encouragement even in the darkest moments when I was in China…  from before Thanksgiving, up through Christmas and anticipating that I would not return until after the New Year, the emails and twitter comments made me know I wasn’t alone while so far away, and people recognizing how hard it was to constantly keep pushing through this journey, exciting yes, but so very hard… to Karen in northern Wisconsin, who struck up an email conversation with me, where I could remove myself from my environment in China and just return to some sense of normalcy simply through the conversations we were having about what it means to ride a scooter or a motorcycle and the freedom we feel… to Stephanie Towner (@scoutfinch2271) in Chicago who has been a soldier through SO many things and continues to press on, during which time she has provided us with invaluable legal counsel (and for rates she would never confess!), to the people at @wilsonsmc in Fresno, California who seem to tune in at just the moment I have done the next stupid thing along the way such as losing my car on a street and having AAA come and break into a car that wasn’t even mine or throwing my arms around a complete stranger in a restaurant because I think the guy is pulling my leg about the fact that he is NOT who I think he is! And @DetroitScooter in Royal Oak, Michigan, a guy who everyone should have the honor of sitting down with for a pint.

You have Dennis Johnson, editor of the Dealer News (www.dealernews.com) who believed in the GoGo Gear long before he had ever seen it, as did Yvonne McAvoy from the All About Bikes magazine (www.allaboutbikes.com). These are but a few of the people who have taken a leap of faith in believing, and writing that, this is the real thing. 

You always hope that what you’re doing is consistent with what you say about it and now, at the end of this very long journey, I can say with confidence, this IS the real deal!  GoGo Gear started as an idea, was engineered into a reality and will continue to evolve into something even better than what it is today. My excitement knows no bounds because I already know what we are doing for 2011 and the other products we are working on that we will be bringing to the market (yes guys, we ARE going to get you your GoGo Gear too!).

For those of you who have been here from the beginning and even late arrivals, I have said it before… what has been most thrilling about all of this is to be able to share it with you.  I have referred to you in the past and the list is growing longer and longer so while I may not be able to provide continual references to individuals as we go forward, suffice it to say, my interactions with each of you, even if it’s in email replies when you ask to be put on our mailing list, I am deeply touched by every communication I have with anyone who expresses an interest in what we’ve done and what we’re doing. To be honest, I don’t think any of this would matter as much to me if it weren’t for all of the people who’ve been part of this journey…

Ladies (and gentlemen!)… we are about to get our GoGo on!!!

Arlene

GoGo Gear Hangtag