At Carole Nash, we know that every rider has a story, and we’re shining a light on the incredible journeys of some of our customers.
In anticipation of International Women’s Day, we’re proud to showcase the story of Kate Rimmer, who was a relative latecomer, but now is now an established rider and editor of the Benelli Motobi Club GB.
An introduction to bikes
Although her brother was into motorbikes, Kate was never interested when she was young: “I thought they were noisy, dangerous contraptions to be avoided at all costs; horses were more my thing,” she says.
It wasn’t until Kate met her husband, that bikes became a huge part of her life.
Kate found herself riding pillion on her husband’s 900cc Benelli Six, and after plenty of adventures and bringing up her two children, at age 52, Kate decided that she would take the plunge and learn to ride a bike herself.
Her first steps into riding
After deciding to take the leap, Kate completed her CBT (compulsory basic training) - the first step for anyone in the UK who wants to ride a moped or motorcycle on the road.
“I was feeling absolutely terrified but at the same time excited and pleased with myself,” says Kate.
Upon passing the training, you can ride a vehicle up to 125cc with L-plates and gain experience on the road, and you can then take further lessons and progress to the full motorcycle tests.
“My first bike, which I still have after several years, was a Benelli 125 Tornado, and riding this little bike for 18 months gave me so much confidence that I thought it was high time I had some lessons on a big bike so I could (hopefully) pass my bike test,” Kate adds.
A rocky start
Riding wasn’t always an easy journey for Kate, who says her first experience of almost put her off altogether.
“It was a Suzuki Bandit 600cc which I found so heavy and cumbersome at first that I couldn't see myself ever having the nerve to carry on, especially when I fell off it twice in my first lesson!” Kate says. “After several mishaps, it made me think ‘Why am I putting myself through this?’ but nevertheless I carried on with the lessons and amazingly managed to pass my test first time.”
After passing her test, Kate, who has been involved with the Benelli Motobi Club GB with her husband for over twenty years, had her eye on a new 400cc Benelli Imperiale. After several delays with the model, Kate stayed patient finally receiving her dream bike on her 55th birthday.
“I loved it from day one and love it still, as it is so easy and trouble free,” Kate adds.
Encouraging women to riding
Kate’s story highlights the many incredible women who ride, as she notes, “although I think numbers are increasing, I do feel that there are still fewer women in the biking community than men.”
There are many reasons why this may be, from a lack of early exposure and riding traditionally being marketed as a ‘masculine’ activity, to lack of representation and even bikes being historically built to accommodate average male heights and weights.
This is something Kate has noticed herself. “There ought to be machines that are designed and marketed specifically for women. I would say that the average lady biker (like me) would prefer something that is attractive and easy to ride and handle.”
But if Kate’s story tells us anything, it’s that riding is for everyone. Her advice to other women looking to hop onto the saddle? “Go to a good bike school and learn properly right from the beginning. It’s daunting if you have never ridden before but it’s doable if you have determination.”
Join a bike club!
Kate also recommends joining a bike club. “Being part of a club means that you can share ideas and experiences and solve problems. Riding together in a group makes you aware of your fellow riders and everyone looks out for each other to make sure that everyone has a pleasant time.
“I was a latecomer to motorcycling but I got there eventually and am enjoying every minute of it!” Kate concludes.
We thank Kate for sharing his story with us and wish her many happy years on the road.
