We caught up with Compliance Officer Victoria, 32, who lives in a market town in North Yorkshire with her rather nice collection of motorcycles…
So, Victoria, what do you own?
“I’ve got a 2018 Royal Enfield Himalayan, a 1997 Suzuki GS500e and a 1997 Harley Davidson Sportster 883. Something for most occasions!”
Enjoy everything More Bikes by reading the monthly newspaper, Read FREE Online.
What got you into motorcycling?
“I have been into motorcycling since I was born. There are numerous pictures of me as a baby in nappies sitting on my dad’s bikes… everything from a CanAm Bombardier to a Yamaha FZ750! I had a Honda Melody at 14, then progressed to a Piaggio NRG (being the only girl at school to arrive on a moped), then upgraded to a Yamaha SR125 which was my pride and joy. When I grew out of that, I got the Harley, and my collection has increased from there. Currently looking for an enduro bike and a BMW F650 so that I can take part in the GS Trophy next year (I was a volunteer this year).”
How long have you been riding, where do you like to go and who with?
“I’ve been riding for 18 yers now. I love trail riding with my boyfriend Sam, an off road motorcycling instructor who rode from Scotland to Cameroon in the late 90s. We’ve ridden trails in North Yorkshire, the Peak District and Wales so far this year, and should COVID allow, we will be trail riding in Portugal and Morocco in November.
However, I also love road riding alone; the sense of freedom is immense and stopping at bike cafes solo means its so much easier to meet and chat to new, like-minded people. I’ve been to plenty of bike festivals alone and love nothing more than rocking up, pitching the tent and chatting to others doing the same. It feels like you’re part of the best club in the world.”
Victoria’s two-wheel bucket list
“My ultimate dream is to ride off into the sunset with no plan other than to just see and experience as much as I can – countries, cultures, people, food etc. To begin with, I’d head east, and I’d move on when I felt ready.
No time or money constraints, a bike and the open road… that’s the dream!
In preparation for that trip (it will happen in some form!), I am improving my off road skills and plan to take part in the BMW GS Trophy next year. I also plan to take part in an enduro as soon as I can. Now that I’ve started riding off road, I’m hooked!
Ultimately, I want to feel as though I could be as self-reliant as possible when it came to the big trip – from a mechanical point of view as well as having the skills and fitness level for it to be possible.
No biker’s bucket list would be complete without a trip to the Isle of Man for the TT, so that’s high up there, too. Is there any greater thrill (other than being on the bike yourself) than watching bikes scream past at eye-watering speeds?!
Another addition to the list is to take part in a flat track experience; as soon as there is any availability, I’ll be there!”
Tell us what your hobbies / interests are outside of motorcycling, and anything else you’d like to add!
“I love anything and everything on two wheels. I’m hugely into mountain biking and ride my eMTB as often as I can, in all weathers and conditions! I’ve also just bought a BMX, partially to try to convince myself that I’m still young and with it, but mainly just for the fun and to improve my MTB skills. It’s much harder than it looks!
I love all motorsport – spectating in person is so thrilling. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the people – the atmosphere is electric. I love it.
Another passion of mine is the great outdoors and everything that comes with it, which goes hand in hand with my love of motorcycling, mountain biking and travel. I love nature, camping, wildlife, hiking… just to be amongst nature is a real pleasure. Especially in summer!
Travel and food are also massive interests of mine; I’ve been lucky to visit many countries and taste lots of unusual foods (the strangest so far probably being a cricket salad in Vietnam), but there is still so much more I’d like to discover.
Combining all of the above is my love of writing. I have written various articles and pieces for the Armchair Adventure Festival recently, and I write for pleasure too. I’ve written for Land Rover Owner magazine in the past (I used to own a Defender 90), I’ve had articles published in local newspapers, and I’ve written and translated lots of technical documents for work (I am a fluent French speaker). I’m thrilled to have spotted this opportunity, as I’m currently looking for a way to get into the motorcycling industry and combine my love of bikes and writing – I’m hoping this could be the start of something exciting!”
Victoria is certainly an interesting character with some awesome bikes and hobbies. We reckon you’ll be hearing more from her very soon!
Advert
Enjoy everything More Bikes by reading the MoreBikes monthly newspaper. Click here to subscribe, or Read FREE Online.
