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MOTOGIRL

FAST THOUGHTS FROM JESSICA LEE

Sunday November 30th, 2008
News That Has Sparked My Interest
With the motorcycle racing season over and the riding season winding down, most of us are left to wonder what we will do until the snow stops falling or until, get ready for it - March when Bike Week kicks off a new year. During these tough months I keep sane by reading up on all of the juicy motorcycle gossip. I figured this time around I would start sharing what I’ve heard with all of you.

One thing that has been on my mind and I’m sure has driven you crazy as well is the situation between the Daytona Motorsports Group (formerly AMA superbike) and the factory backed race teams. For those of you who didn’t know, a lot of the factory teams were not too happy to say the least about DMG’s new spec rules for road racing and have threatened to pull out of the 2009 season. I’ve heard things about Factory Honda not racing in the USA next year at all; that means no motocross or road racing. I don’t think the legendary Dayonta Supercross by Honda would be the same with out well you know... Honda. Suzuki and Kawasaki are pulling out of next season as well. All 3 believe the specs for the new series are not what they expected from DMG/AMA. As for Yamaha, from what I have heard they will be going racing in 2009 with Ben Bostrom and Josh Hayes riding for them.It seems like the main goal of DMG was to keep everyone on the same level so could the US Superbike series be privateer dominated or will Ben Bostrom and Josh Hayes stomp all the other competition? What would happen if the only top factory team was Yamaha?

As this so called “revolt” takes place in US road racing, it makes me curious as to what all of the younger privateers trying to catch a spot on a factory team will do. If there are no bigger teams, they will have to try for a World Superbike spot if they havent already. Joshua Day is one of those young privateers who has already given racing everything he’s got and at only 19 he was offered a chance to race the world superstock 600 class at Donington in early September. After placing a respectable 14th place in his first ever european race he showed that he had what it takes. At his 3rd world superstock race he impressed everyone with a 5th place finish. There is no word yet as to who he’ll be racing for or what he will be racing in 2009 but be sure to keep a look out for him next season. Josh could be a huge threat across the pond!

Atleast we know that if all else fails here in the US, we have another series to follow along with World Superbike; MotoGP. One changed that surprised me was hearing about Nicky Hayden switching to Ducati. My family has a deep passion for the italian company so hearing that my favorite GP rider would be riding for Ducati put a huge smile on my face. To top it off, Nicky wasn’t looking to shabby during testing.The Ducati might just be the bike he needs to get closer to winning another championship!

As for myself, I will be doing select Florida Trail Riders (FTR) harescrambles and doing a couple of different races around the country. Right now I have been very focused in getting my fitness to the perfect level to be able to perform at my best on the track. I have a shoulder injury that is slowly healing and after dislocating it a few times before my season started I realized I needed a little bit more rehab time. At my first harescramble, I crashed out during practice, chipping my elbow and injuring my knee. Injuries are always the worst part of racing but we just have to work to overcome them! Look for some great results from me next season!



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Saturday August 30th, 2008
A look inside the Red Bull Rookie's Cup Lounge
It’s every young racer’s fantasy to become a factory rider one day but for kids who are in their teens (13-16) that fantasy could become a as close to a reality as it gets by signing up for the Red Bull Rookies Cup. This year would be the first year that the series has come to the USA and believe me, they have one great set up for these young riders.

I heard about the Rookies Cup last season but never got the chance to actually see it until now. If you haven’t heard of it yet here’s the deal- Red Bull and KTM put together a road racing series that now travels all over the world the all the major tracks. The rookies are from all over the world and are all on 125cc two stroke machines; each one set up exactly the same. Red Bull is giving some very lucky (and fast) teenagers to get the chance to travel the world and race motorcycles in a race for the cup.

One thing that is so special about it is that Red Bull realizes that racing is a family sport. Each rider’s family is invited to come out to the races and the only thing they have to pay for is travel and helmet fees for their child. Red Bull even set up a million dollar lounge overlooking the paddock for the riders and their families to relax in between sessions. No one else is allowed to enter it but I was lucky enough to get a tour (and a free Red Bull...oh ya!) I got a chance to see what it felt like being a big shot for a change!



With video games, foose ball, unlimited Red Bull, great food and a wonderful view of Road Atlanta it’s practically heaven on earth! This place really makes you feel like a MotoGP star. It is a two story building with comfortable couch areas and great tables to sit down for a good meal. For the racers it is a place to chill with their families and friends. They can play video games and get hyped up on energy drinks!

Here are a few pictures of the lounge... I bet you were there!












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Monday November 26th, 2007
Gear That Will Outlast Even The Toughest Of Riders



Life is oh so tough being a motocross diva in a world of sweaty ugly guys but Fly Racing makes it so much easier. With their 2008 Women’s gear line up you can show off your stylish but tough racer chick attitude. Fly’s gear is bright, comfortable, and fits perfectly. It also has a few things that make it different from any other. Seeing Fly’s gear was love at first site.



Fly Racing is a fairly young gear company but they are steadily making waves and putting hits on big names like Fox Racing or Troy Lee Designs. Infact, one of Fly’s designers came from TLD. I’ve never really taken a look at Fly gear but after visiting their headquarters in Boise, Idaho and seeing just how cool this stuff really is, I knew I had to try it out.



Fly didn’t have a women’s line until now. With Fox, Thor, and Answer all ahead of them some might think it would be hard to jump right in but not for this company. Fly realized that women riders are definitely not like the guys. We like to show femininity and style in everything we do. Plus we want it to fit right and want our gear to be as safe as possible.

Down here in Florida it’s perfect riding weather. So, I went riding yesterday wearing Fly Gear instead of my normal Fox Racing jersey, pants, and gloves. As soon as I slipped the pants on I knew there was something different about it. It actually fit perfectly, and that’s a surprise because I’m petite (5 ft. and 90 lbs). The pants weren’t too long or baggy. I also liked that they had a zipper and button in the front opposed to some of the other waist closures. Not only that but I had plenty of movement in them. As far as the jersey goes, it was the most comfortable yet tough jersey I’ve ever worn. Even Fly’s gloves fit my small hands great comfortably and were tough. Fly Racing's womens gear comes in either pink or blue.

I like to ride hard so gear that is tough means a lot and after riding through about 12 miles of whoops going as fast as I could the gear held up! I’ve worn other gear that starts to wear out around the knees when you grip the bike with your legs. That’s not good but Fly’s gear held up through it all. In total yesterday I rode about 20 to 25 miles at full speed. The gear kept me cool and allowed a lot of movement. The gloves didn’t tear or cause me to have blisters. From now on, I think I will only be wearing Fly Racing. I’m definitely convinced that they have some of the best gear out there. Lets just say the gear held up even though I didn’t!

(As you can see the gear held up...but I didnt)



Hopefully, you’re convinced now too because trust me on this ladies, you’ll love this gear. It’ll add a little pizzazz to your riding style and may cause you to get a few looks while you fly by! You can easily purchase Fly Gear from you're local bike shop that works with Western Powersports or you can go online to flyracing.com for more info!







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Tuesday May 22nd, 2007
Dedication, Passion, and Drive...That's racing!
I love watching a racer who gives 100% each time they grab hold of the handlebars and twists a throttle. Motorcycle racing takes dedication, dedication, and dedication. In order to be the best you have to train like a champion; you have to spend days on end at the track testing your limits and expanding your skill level. Most racers who are on their “A” game all of the time have spent many hours each week preparing for every event. We all know that even if you spent everyday of your life training, come race day you still might make mistakes.

That is exactly what happens to every single rider but the difference between a great rider and an “ok” rider is that when the great rider crashes he/she will get right back up and fight for a podium spot. That right there will prove who is emotionally and physically dedicated. I had to say something about this because it has always amazed me how a rider who is passionate about the sport will race even while injured! Actually, that’s perfectly normal in our sport and that’s just another way dedication shows through.

This past Saturday I raced at one of our local tracks. The race was part of the FL MX Magazine Moto-X series. Although it is just amateur motocross the many hours each racer puts into their bikes, practicing, and preparing their gear is displayed through clean dirt bikes (oxymoron?), perfectly organized gear, confident riding styles and smiling parents. Even after practicing for a while a rider will still have pre-race jitters and that can also cause mess ups during the event. That is what happened to me, I had been training at this one track week after week but for some reason I was so nervous. When I lined up on the starting line for the first moto there were angry butterflies in my stomach; huge angry butterflies. It is super hard to explain the feeling of being on the starting line. Sitting on your bike and seeing the 30 second board go up is a crazy feeling. It’s all about being nervous but super excited and the rush of adrenaline when the gate drops is something that only a racer can understand.

Being nervous is normal but I’ve learned it definitely isn’t the best thing because when you’re nervous, you start having weird thoughts. Thoughts about crashing or getting hurt run through you’re head. On Saturday I let my nerves basically control me and I ended up having one of the most embarrassing starts! I did a huge wheelie then my left hand came off the handlebars, and it threw me on the ground. I hit a guy next to me and took him out but thankfully my bike was still running, I got back up and won the moto! I really do not know what was going through my mind that made me rev my bike too much. After the race I was super embarrassed but was also laughing like crazy. I told my friends I should have got back up and threw my hands in the air and said “tah-da welcome to the show” but oh well I’m glad I made it somewhat interesting. I came home that night with the hardware (trophy) and a pretty sweet bruise on my arm. As of now I am 2nd in the series points so wish me luck!

Racing motocross has given me a lot of confidence and pride. I know I’m part of something very cool and I have goals for myself. It makes me strive to do my best in everything. It is kind of funny but through racing I have figured out what I’m made of. I know, I know… you probably don’t want to hear all this mushy kind of talk but hey it’s the truth! For example both my big crash in January and then my hilarious crash on Saturday made me push myself to get back up. It reminds me of the song “Stand” by Rascal Flatts. Listen to the lyrics of that song and it will definitely remind you of how racing goes.

Well, besides motocross I am so excited about MotoGP this season. I wonder if Nicky Hayden can keep the crown or what if Casey Stoner grabs it? He has been super fast. The Ducatis are doing great at pulling out of the straight aways and in a few races Valentino Rossi has had trouble catching up to Stoner! In the AMA I am amazed at how many red flags there has been in the supersport class this season;pretty crazy!

I hope you enjoyed reading about my thoughts this week. It is finally summer and my parents just bought a new 2 seater turbo charged Honda jet ski. I have been practically sleeping on that thing! So, I’m going to go ride it then eat dinner and tonight the new season of my favorite show Rob and Big on MTV starts tonight! It is hilarious…if you get a chance, watch it! I garuntee you will laugh! =)

As always,
Live. Laugh.Love.
Ride like there's no tomorrow.

P.S- Here are some pictures I found from my friends and I in CA for my birthday a little while ago for the Anaheim 1 supercross, and a few others I thought were pretty cool!







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Tuesday April 17th, 2007
Bikes, Bikes, and more Bikes! My life the past few months.
Guess what, I won my first race back from being out injured for 3 months! I am so happy to finally be back on a bike. My friends say I’m crazy to be racing again after getting a bad concussion, memory loss, and a broken wrist but if you love something than you will never quit. At least, that’s what I believe anyways. Besides winning the race there are a few other things I have been thinking about lately.

[

In Florida we have a “no helmet law” which means you don’t have to wear a helmet if you don’t want to. I think it is pretty silly because I can’t imagine hitting the pavement at 50 mph without a helmet but then again the state isn’t responsible for you. I know of a local guy who rode around a parking lot at 10 mph, did a wheelie, and hit a curb with his head. He died that day in the hospital after being airlifted from the scene. If he didn’t die I don’t even want to imagine his headache the next day. With my little jumping accident I was wearing a Troy Lee Designs Helmet which I later learned was not the best out there. Although it was more than 300 dollars, I paid for the paint job not the safety. With my concussion, I lost my memory for 2 days, got knocked out, and didn’t even know who I was! All I remember is getting out of bed a day or two after it happened feeling like someone had put an axe in my brain. I could not keep anything down for about 3 days, I couldn’t ride in a car for 2 months without taking prescription strength motion sickness pills, and I am still not myself. My reaction times are still slower than normal, and I can’t remember some things. People do not realize just how bad life is with a brain injury. After 3 months, I still have trouble trying to concentrate on one thing for a while without getting a headache, I still want to fall asleep at 3:00 in the afternoon and I cannot eat as much as I used to. The really weird thing is since the concussion I have been burping more than normal! Ok, so everyone burps like a little kid sometimes but I seemed to have a problem controlling it now! How embarrassing right! My dad was saying how a friend of his had the same exact problem after a bad concussion and it went away after a while. Your brain really does control everything and it is really odd what happens when it gets messed up. As a high school student, I have a lot of hectic work to do and ever since the concussion it has been so much harder for me to get it done. I even have trouble on tests because it is hard for me to focus and remember the information. From firsthand experience my advice to you would be always wear a good helmet and try to avoid concussions!

On a happier note, during these past few months I have done more than riding and crashing. I went with my parents and a few guys from their company up to the Dealer Show in Indianapolis, Indiana where I worked the Techmounts booth. I got to see so many new riding goodies! In March I also went with some friends to the Daytona Supercross and 200. This year my friend Josh Day was racing the 200 and got 9th place which is very good for a young privateer! So, congratulations again to Josh!

[

While I was in Indy, I made friends with the people from Ariete an Italian company that makes grips and goggles. They actually gave me two pairs of goggles and new lenses as a gift! Grazie! So, far I would definitely recommend their goggles. They are especially great for women because they are smaller, lighter, and come in cool colors (even a glamorous sparkly design). Best of all, they are tough! The super cool people that make the Shock Spot R also gave me one of their very smart indicators that tells you if your helmet has a had a impact strong enough to consider buying a new helmet. I have not put it on my new helmet just yet but I will very soon. Speaking of helmets, my new helmet is a Shark brand. I first heard about these helmets when I was at Road Atlanta the year that Miguel Duhamel had just switched from Shoei to Shark. Shark Helmets have a European safety rating which is higher than in the USA and they have a special inside that allows the helmet to take more of a shock than your brain in an accident. So far, I love the helmet. I have not worn it very much since buying it last month but it is very comfortable and light.
Well, hope you like the little update on what I have been up to! Pretty soon I will let you all know more about the Shock Spot and Shark Helmets! Now I am off to finish some homework and get my gear together to go to motocross practice. So, now get off your toosh and ride!



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Thursday April 5th, 2007
Girls in racing
Dirt, sweat, injuries, gas, motors, adrenaline, and speed; these are all are part of the wonderful world of racing so you wouldn't think that this would be a sport a girl would want to get into right? Wrong! More and more women each day are taking part in the sport that gets you hooked from the first time you twist a throttle. Not only are women riding but they are racing against the boys, becoming team wrenches, and living life as influential industry leaders.

My nickname is "Motogirl" and believe me it fits me well. I am one of the few girls around my town who prefer a muddy motocross track over the local boutique. I dream of maybe being one of the first women to win a Supercross and I fantasize about racing the elite MotoGP circuit. A big bore four-stroke and the smell of race gas are two significant things I could not live without. My CRF 150 F, CRF 50 pit bike, CR 85 R expert and my flowery Metropolitan moped get more attention than anything else; they are like my 4 little kids. When I get hurt riding, I think it's cool and so do my friends because who doesn’t want to say they landed wrong on that double or lost it in the rhythm section?



By now you have probably realized that my life consists of sleeping, eating, and riding. I know I am not the only girl who likes being girly but can also kick some bootie on the track. There is nothing wrong with being pretty and feminine but also being able to do something more masculine at the same time. I always get irritated when I meet another girl at a race somewhere who says they don't want to ride because it's stupid but they don't know anything about the sport or have never tried to ride. I hate being at a race and seeing girls who are on the edge of wearing nothing to try to get all of the guys to stare. That's not what our sport is about.

The fact is riding isn't stupid nor is it less feminine than going shopping; don't men shop to? Riding is something that has been perceived as a male dominated sport and very few women want to be a part of something that isn't somewhat of a trend. So as a woman you should not want to be like every other woman. If your trying to impress a guy by riding your in it for the wrong thing. Ride because you have a passion for it.

If you have been thinking about going to MMI or your local motorcycle mechanics school? Go do it! Maybe you have wanted to start up a dealership or motorcycle related website; go for it! Life is about taking chances and making it what you want it to be. Being part of the motorcycle industry as a woman is definitely a way to do so.

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THE AUTHOR


Jessica "Motogirl" Lee is a 34 year old motocross racer and journalist. Born into a family of motorcycle enthusiasts and industry insiders, she has been riding and nurturing a passion for motorcycles from the age of four.

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