Any ladies here willing to admit????

[Kerry_129]

Originally Posted by Riceaholic

What I was getting at is that you obviously have the experience to ride extremely competently the correct way. Speaking for myself, I was never riding past 75% at any time during the rally because honestly, there's no reason to ever push that hard on the street.

Wow - thanks Josh, I appreciate the compliment (back atcha ) and agree totally on the wisdom of a '75%' or less pace. The hard part, for me anyway, has been finding and maintaining that pace somewhere between 'too slow to have fun & feeling like I'm brake-checking myself' and 'gonna get myself killed eventually'.

Originally Posted by The Chi

Older more experienced guys tend to think of those things more, but still manage to sometimes get "caught up" in the moment and go all out, only considering the consequences later, when they have the "what was I thinking" moment.

Yup!

Originally Posted by TIGGER

I don't know but I still want to believe that it's similar as to why there aren't many black racers. I still think that it's because people aren't out buying their daughters pocket bikes or XR50s when they're 3 or 4 years old, like they do boys.

I definitely agree with that. It seems virtually all your top-ranked racers started on 2-wheels around the time they could walk, and to a degree it boils down to which 'demographic' was handed a training tool right out of the crib.

I think this has evolved into an apples vs. oranges debate though - women tending to be competent-within-their-skills/cautious/non-dumbass street riders vs. being capable of becoming top-ranked racers.
Oh well, it's all good - carry on....

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by Kerry_129

I definitely agree with that. It seems virtually all your top-ranked racers started on 2-wheels around the time they could walk, and to a degree it boils down to which 'demographic' was handed a training tool right out of the crib.

I think this has evolved into an apples vs. oranges debate though - women tending to be competent-within-their-skills/cautious/non-dumbass street riders vs. being capable of becoming top-ranked racers.
Oh well, it's all good - carry on....

Well, I'm focusing on racing myself. For example, I've watched women do barrel races for years. In fact, it's a purely female sport I think, and quite dangerous at times. Oh well. Hayes' girlfriend just started racing a few years ago and she's doing okay. Imagine if she had started when she was 3 years old, that's all I'm saying.

[skiergirl]

I agree it's the way our brains were built to function that stops most women from stuff like. Of course, there are always exceptions but we do have a larger sense of self preservation and danger than men. I don't have the 'need' to push things nearly as much as the guys I know. I can enjoy a track day without living every moment on the edge and to race or excel in anything you really must be willing to be on that edge.

[azoomm]

Originally Posted by TIGGER

Okay I'll accept that! You're in a position to know. Why can't girls win races but they can cliff dive? I'd like to believe that if you took a 3 year old little girl and a 3 year old little boy, put them on pocket bikes and gave them the same training, the girl could be as fast as the boy. Also, on another note, why aren't there that many black motorcycle racers? Are we biologically incapable of going fast as well?

I think "biological" is a bad term for it...

But, I know plenty of women that started riding dirt when they were wee ones, and they aren't the fastest things out there. Not slow, just seem to have more of a will to live than their male counterparts. I think survival of the species is something to it....

Black riders - no idea. The color of the rider's skin hasn't ever occurred to me as an issue. I'd think sociological in that aspect. You are right in that exposure is a factor.

[Trip]

Originally Posted by azoomm

I think "biological" is a bad term for it...

But, I know plenty of women that started riding dirt when they were wee ones, and they aren't the fastest things out there. Not slow, just seem to have more of a will to live than their male counterparts. I think survival of the species is something to it....

Black riders - no idea. The color of the rider's skin hasn't ever occurred to me as an issue. I'd think sociological in that aspect. You are right in that exposure is a factor.

I agree and I have examples:

My cousin (a girl) and her teammate (a guy) of the same age both started riding on 50s at the same time because their parents are friends. Both progressed into average riders for their region. Both had supportive parents that encouraged instead of demonizing motorcycles. The boy is 10x faster than the girl will ever be. The boy gets 100x less support from sponsors because of the size of the fields he runs with and he is quite below average in a wider region or national level. My cousin is about average in the wider region. She gets a lot of support from sponsors being a girl in the minority, so has a ton more opportunities to ride than the guy.

There is something more to it than when and how you start riding. Be it biological or mental. However I am not suggesting a girl won't do well. There is always people who will break the mold and do what people thought impossible.

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by Trip

I agree and I have examples:

My cousin (a girl) and her teammate (a guy) of the same age both started riding on 50s at the same time because their parents are friends. Both progressed into average riders for their region. Both had supportive parents that encouraged instead of demonizing motorcycles. The boy is 10x faster than the girl will ever be. The boy gets 100x less support from sponsors because of the size of the fields he runs with and he is quite below average in a wider region or national level. My cousin is about average in the wider region. She gets a lot of support from sponsors being a girl in the minority, so has a ton more opportunities to ride than the guy.

There is something more to it than when and how you start riding. Be it biological or mental. However I am not suggesting a girl won't do well. There is always people who will break the mold and do what people thought impossible.

Oh well, then I guess women just can't race and it's appropriate to throw a celebration whenever one is just slightly above average... The funniest thing here is that while I (Tigger the asshole, douche, dick, etc) am standing up for women, all of the "nice/sensitive guys" and the chicks are saying that women will never be as fast as men on the track and can't compete... Okay, where the fuck is that Rod Serling motherfucker hiding?

[azoomm]

Originally Posted by TIGGER

Oh well, then I guess women just can't race and it's appropriate to throw a celebration whenever one is just slightly above average... The funniest thing here is that while I (Tigger the asshole, douche, dick, etc) am standing up for women, all of the "nice/sensitive guys" and the chicks are saying that women will never be as fast as men on the track and can't compete... Okay, where the fuck is that Rod Serling motherfucker hiding?

Hey, no one is arguing anything.... we're discussing a topic. Can you get down off the cross please? It's a topic that has always been curious to me - and it bugs me that everyone DOES celebrate when a chick even gets put on a grid.

I'd love to know the "why"

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by azoomm

I think "biological" is a bad term for it...

But, I know plenty of women that started riding dirt when they were wee ones, and they aren't the fastest things out there. Not slow, just seem to have more of a will to live than their male counterparts. I think survival of the species is something to it....

Black riders - no idea. The color of the rider's skin hasn't ever occurred to me as an issue. I'd think sociological in that aspect. You are right in that exposure is a factor.

Well, I'm not trying to make a racial issue out of this. I was merely pointing out that women aren't the only group that has a hard time being successful on the track.

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by azoomm

Hey, no one is arguing anything.... we're discussing a topic. Can you get down off the cross please? It's a topic that has always been curious to me - and it bugs me that everyone DOES celebrate when a chick even gets put on a grid.

I'd love to know the "why"

Did you miss the ""? I'm not on a cross here... Btw Kathy, Ebbs or whoever had the theory that people take me too serious because I don't use smilies... Hahahahaha!

Hey wait, I reread my post, I never used the word "argue" or any implication thereof.....

Anyway, it's hard for me to understand how women can be so self destructive and yet the theory remain that they have a great sense of "self-presevation". I know that here or there can be found examples of girls being "allowed" or even encouraged to race at a young age but, and please hear me out, isn't possible that because the cases are so few and far between that the encouragement and resources are being wasted on girls without talent. While the girls with some natural talent are kicked off their brother's XR50s and told to go play with her Barbies?

What if the girl from Trip's example just plain doesn't have any natural abilities? If the same "gifts" would have been given to Rae, who has a lot of talent, when she was young... Look, for every 100,000 little boys who want to race and are encouraged/supported, you might find one Ben Spies. If the ratio of girls to boys in this situation is 1/10,000... well you see what I mean.

[Rsv1000R]

When the deer ran out in front of us and we crashed, I would have to say time slowed, I was fully aware while trying to "solve" my problem, right up to the point where I presume the bike fell over, as I don't remember anything from that point until I recall my face hitting the pavement. I don't know if that "gap" was only an instant, or if it was longer. But I know I didn't panic, I was clear headed, hyper aware.

What I'm wondering is, for the women who've been in similar circumstances, how did they react?

I wonder if in those instances men and women think/reach differently? Which could explain why women end up being slower, as they get into the same area of imminent danger do they back down, or hold their ground?