Women Who Ride

Article & Photos by Ann Lamontagne

Where do I begin, 32 yrs ago when I was 16 yrs old I got my very first motorcycle, a 100 CC  Kawasaki, I knew nothing about bikes, just saw this beauty on the side of the road for sale! So the very next day I bought it and taught myself that night how to ride! From there I went on to buy a 400 CC Honda CMT 1980 green metallic. That same year I joined the Military and left for Cornwallis, Nova Scotia in June 1980. Once I was done with all of my Basic Training, I was posted at a base, Uplands in Ottawa. I had my parents bring me my motorcycle. I was more excited to see my bike than my parents; it had been a couple of months. The freedom you get from riding a bike just does not compare with anything else!

In 1987, I was posted to Chilliwack, BC for 3 months of training, however before I left I purchased a new 1985 Honda Magna 750CC. Instead of having it shipped to Ottawa, I had them send it to BC which was closer and I was going to be there in a week. In the three months that I was there, I toured all over Vancouver, Seattle, and the surrounding areas.  In September 1987, I rode my bike back to Ottawa. That was a great trip home! It took me 7 days to cross Canada, 8 to 9 hrs. a day with a passenger. By the time I got home, I desperately needed a new front and back tire.

My next bike was again a Honda this time a 750 Shadow Spirit 2002. Oh I loved this bike, bright yellow, beautiful! I got so many compliments on this one! We did a really nice trip to Cape Cod back in 2002 for 2 weeks. Then we did a trip to Lake Placid for a weekend, every time I could, I would be gone on the bike.

I joined a few groups, The Iron Cowgirls, The Ottawa Amazon, Ottawa Female Riders and just recently the Oldsixteeners. I used my bike every day rain or shine. I love to ride more than anything! When I am on my bike, it’s like the entire world just vanishes.

I took a trip to Daytona Beach, Florida in 2007 for Bike Week and rented a Harley for the week! Well, that is when I was finally sold on buying a Harley after all those years of riding Honda’s… I now own a Harley Davidson 2008 Softail Deluxe Anniversary Edition! In 2008, I joined the Kingston HOG and we went to the 105th Anniversary party in Milwaukee, what an amazing trip!

Unfortunately in Oct 2008, I had a terrible accident with my new bike and was very lucky to have survived! I spent 9 months recovering after slamming into a cement wall on the 401 Hwy. doing 130 km hour, my bike was totaled. However, before I even knew that my arm was ever going to work again, I went right back and bought me my new Harley, another Softail Deluxe. When I get on my new bike and start this thing up, I could ride from one end of the earth to the other! My bike and I just become one, and we can ride forever. There is no greater feeling than the open road ahead! Just last year I put on 22,967 km on my new bike in just a few months!

Born:  Welland, Ontario Canada

Age:  47

Occupation: Retired from Military 20 yrs

Started riding: 1978

Current Bike: 2009 Softail Deluxe

When not riding: Looking after my horses

When she’s most comfortable riding: When I start my bike up and we become one.

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