Staci Wilt: V-Twin

Name: Staci Wilt // @staciwilt

Bike: 2015 Harley-Davidson Dyna LowRider, 2003 Harley-Davidson Sportster

TBR: What first got you into the idea of wanting to ride?

Staci: Man, thats complicated. When I was a kid, there was a family of three boys that all raced motocross that lived down the street from me. I’d watch ‘em rip through the dirt trails behind the neighborhood, just straight envious of them haha.

And then that Motocrossed Disney movie came out and I was completely obsessed with the idea of riding dirtbikes. My parents refused to let me get a dirt bike, claiming they “weren’t for girls.” I asked for a dirt bike for my birthday/Christmas once, and I got a Ricky Carmichael remote control toy instead of a bike. That’s when I realized it just wasn’t ever going to happen. Haha! Such a bummer.

15 or so years go by, I'm in college, and I’m sitting in the hallway of the Business School at Texas State, watching drag racing videos of my friends back home in Houston on my computer. This dude who had been creeping on my computer screen finally leaned over and asked if I’d be interested in working for a Harley Dealership. “Like, the motorcycles? I don't know much about them but sure!”

A few months go by and Harley introduces the FortyEight Sportster. I was obsessed. I didn’t even know the different between a Sportster or Dyna at the time but I knew I wanted that bike.

School was out of the summer. I moved home to Houston, broke up with my boyfriend of 3 years, and met a dude that rode a Harley shortly after. He picked me up one night on the bike, told me to hold on, and raced across a lake bridge as fast as he could pin it.

I can still remember him asking if it scared me and me telling him, “No. But now I totally wanna ride my own.” He wasn’t too stoked on that. But we’re still friends to this day. Hahaha.

6 years and 140,000+ Miles of riding motorcycles on the street and I still haven’t ridden a dirtbike. It’s been at the top of the to-do list as of late.

When and why did you start riding?

Staci: I don’t really know why I started riding, other than I just wanted to. I had wanted to ride a motorcycle my entire life. And that dream of riding some sort of two wheeled machine came back to me after I saw that 48 for the first time.

Going on a few rides with that dude probably helped stir up that bug as well. Let’s all just be honest here, hahaha.

So shortly after that trip across the bridge that night I started saving every penny I could.

About a year after that, in May of 2011, I bought my first bike (2011 HD Forty-Eight) and took the MSF course.

Favorite destination?

Staci: Top 5 areas to ride (In no particular order): Black Hills (SD), Texas Hill Country, Yosemite National Park, Smoky Mountains, Arizona.

What is your dream bike?

Staci: Ugh…this question gives me a headache every time. Can I just have them all? Haha.

Funniest / craziest remark anyone has ever made about you being a female rider:

Staci: So…I don’t really know how to go the speed limit…and cops love to pull me over. Their reactions are probably the most amusing. “You rode this, from [insert somewhere 1,000 mies away here]?! By yourself?! You feel safe being out here alone?!”

A border patrol agent in New Mexico was in shock when I pulled up to the checkpoint on I10 alone at midnight once. I don't know why, people being in shock cracks me up though.

A guy in college once asked if the vibrations from the motor felt better for me because I was a girl. I lost it. I don't think i’ve ever laughed that hard at a question about being a girl and riding motorcycles. That was a good one.

Any words of wisdom for ladies looking to get into riding?

Staci: If you want to do something, do it. Don’t let someone tell you that you can’t because you’re a woman. That’s silly. Yes, you’re smaller. And yes, you’re probably going to need help pushing your bike around from time to time, but that’s what friends are for!

I took the MSF course provided by a Harley dealership prior to actually knowing how to ride, so I was fresh meat on the riding course. I think there’s TONS to learn from these courses and if you listen to your instructor and learn from their coaching, you’ll be just fine.

Also, if you can ride the bikes in the course, you can ride anything. I think I killed the bike more in the course that day than I have in the past six years I’ve been on the road. Point being: Take the course. It’s worth every penny.

Your boyfriend, his friends, and your gal pals probably all have bad habits, and you’ll pick those up if you learn directly from them initially.

What are some of your other hobbies and passions?

Staci: I've always really enjoyed photography. It's been rad the last few years being able to combine both Motorcycles and Photos into some freelance work and have it published.

Definitely honored to be able to work with as many people as I have in the short amount of time I've been back in the photo game. (I sold all my camera equipment in college to build a motorcycle. I just started shooting again about 2 years ago after a 5+ year hiatus.)

I also am a huge health nut. Prior to shattering my wrist on a camping trip a few years back, I was an avid weightlifter. You'd find me in the gym 5-6 days a week doing insane OLY workouts.

Its taken a while for my wrist to heal since I've had a few surgeries on it, but I'm finally starting to get it rehabbed and I'm finally back in the gym throwing weights around.

When you aren’t on the road, what are you usually up to?

Staci: Probably sleeping if I get the chance. Haha! When I'm on the road I'm going 200mph non stop--riding 500 mile days, hanging with friends, living life...it catches up to you after a while.

I also bartend in my free time to stack road trip cash. I definitely enjoy the socialization aspect of it and education opportunity behind crafting cocktails and beer...who knew alcohol was so gnarly?! Cocktails are like little chemistry experiments, its rad getting to see what spirits pair with what foods, other spirits, etc.

If I'm not doing either of those two things though, I'm hanging with my friends. Anyone that knows me knows that my friends hold a huge priority in my life and I try to make as much time for them as possible.

And, if all of those things aren't on my agenda, I'm probably hiding at home, working on freelance projects, which takes up the majority of my free time if I'm not asleep.

Any particular thing (or things) that inspire you in your every day life?

Staci: My friends inspire the hell out of me. So many of them are doing rad things, chasing their dreams so to speak, and it pushes me to do more with my life day in and day out.

Many people who follow you probably guess that you are an extrovert. After all, you share your riding adventures on social media! Would you say that on a personal level you are more extroverted, or introverted?

Staci: Ya know, I think I'm definitely more introverted than people would expect. I'm definitely the last person you'll ever find singing karaoke at a bar, no matter how many beers I've had--it actually terrifies me. Hah!

I absolutely love having alone time too. I like to socialize and hang with my friends but I also need to be left alone a lot more than people would probably expect from me. Side note: to anyone who reads this, don't be afraid to say what's up.

I swear I'm nice, regardless of how socially awkward I like to be sometimes!

One fun fact your followers don’t know about you!

Staci: My favorite color is Lime green/Kawasaki Green. It always has been since I was a kid.

A quote you live by:

Staci: Not even joking...I had a customer come into a Vans store I was working at in high school that looked at and debated buying a few t-shirts as she was checking out. After a few seconds, she said, "F*k it, you only live once. I'll take all of 'em," and for some reason I never forgot that scenario. So now, anytime I debate over an opportunity, I always take it if I can. YOLO is a real thing, y'all. Haha.

What is your next destination?

Staci: I'm all over the place!!! My life for the next 2.5 months: I head to NorCal this week, then I head back to Texas for 3 weeks, then jump on my sporty and rip out to Baja for a chopper run, then fly home, jump on my Dyna and ride to Sturgis for some freelance projects, then by late June I'm back in Cali for Born Free. I'm livin' life for sure this year. See y'all on the road!

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Jan Aragon: Metric

Name: Jan Aragon // @sicjan

Bike: 2005-2006 Kawasaki 636, 2009-2012 Kawasaki ZX6R  

When and why did you start riding?

Jan: I started riding in 2011. My first bike was a 2007 GSXR 600. I bought  my first bike after  a bad break up with a boyfriend at the time.  I thought I needed something to do on the weekends; a new hobby to occupy my time.   

What first got you into the idea of wanting to ride?

Jan: I was traveling in New York  for Valentines Day with my beautiful boyfriend at the time and a girl went by on a black bike.  She looked full of empowerment and strength on that bike. I said out loud "Oh my god that is a girl riding that bike. I have never seen a girl ride a street bike before, I want one when I get back to San Diego. I want to learn how to ride like that girl, I had no idea girls could ride a bike that size. I thought those were heavy!"

My boyfriend looked at me and said "No way!!! Bikes are way  too dangerous and immature, and you need to be more responsible with your safety. You can't ride a bike, you are way too clumsy".

When our relationship ended later on that year I went straight to craigslist and bought the first black bike I found! The End. 

Favorite destination?

Jan: My favorite destination on my bike has to be Mazatlan Sinaloa Legendaria Semana de la Moto, beautiful beach and over 20,000 bikes from all over the country.   

What is your dream bike?

Jan: My dream bike is my bike. I custom my stunt bikes to fit me and the way I ride.  I like to be one with my bikes, and my bikes are perfect for me.

Funniest / craziest remark anyone has ever made about you being a female rider: 

Jan: #TopBiker was kind of funny. I also have been called the Queen of stunt parts since i sell thousands of dollars of stunt parts a year to people trying to get into the sport and custom build their stunt bikes - I thought that one was kind of neat.  I felt proud.   

Any words of wisdom for ladies looking to get into riding?

Jan: "If at first you don't succeed, don't worry, fix your pony tail and try again"

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Nicole: Offroad

Name: Nicole

Bike: 2017 Kawasaki KX100, Previous: Yamaha TTR125

When and why did you start riding? 

Nicole: I am still a total newbie to the riding world! I started dirt biking in November 2016. My wonderful fiance got me a used Yamaha TTR125 to learn on and out to the desert we went. Needless to say, I was immediately hooked.

I rode my TTR almost every weekend for about two months before upgrading to my KX.

What first got you into the idea of wanting to ride?

Nicole: I have ALWAYS loved motorcycles, but coming from a family of doctors it was always instilled in me that they are dangerous. Then I met someone who rode dirt bikes and (luckily) wanted to teach me. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to get the awesome experience of riding a motorcycle without the traffic element.

While I still stick to dirt, I do love riding long, flat roads in the desert and treating them like my own personal highway :)

Favorite destination?

Nicole: I am still expanding my horizons, but currently I really love Silver Lakes and Frazier Park. My dream would be to go ride some good forestry trails.

What is your dream bike?

Nicole: I LOVE my Kawasaki, but I also want a KTM so badly! Being 5’1’’ has me really limited, though. Fingers crossed they bring their 105 two-stroke back to the US someday!

Funniest / craziest remark anyone has ever made about you being a female rider:

Nicole: I think I am too new for this one to really affect me. Usually when people feign shock that I ride it is because they know me.

I am a total scaredy cat and worry wart, so people don’t pin me as the type who would be adventurous enough to ride dirt bikes.

Any words of wisdom for ladies looking to get into riding?

Nicole: If it’s something you have a strong desire for, do it! In my case, I never learned to ride a dirt bike because no one in my family rode, and I didn’t know of anyone in my friend circle who rode.

After I started riding and posting about it to Instagram, I realized I actually knew quite a few people who rode dirt bikes (DOH) so ask around! You might be surprised how many of your friends ride / used to ride who could potentially teach you.

If you don’t want to commit to a brand new bike (yeah, thousands of dollars to get into a new sport is quite the financial commitment) then by all means, CRAIGSLIST. Bring a bike-knowledgable friend to make sure you are getting something that runs and won’t fall apart, but there is no shame in starting on a used bike and working your way up to something bigger/better.

What are some of your other hobbies and passions?

Nicole: Other hobbies and passions include: my dogs, taking them out for walks, dog beach trips, or just relaxing with them at home take up a lot of my time.

Makeup and skincare (yes, I am a girly girl).

I have also recently gotten really into mountain biking! One of the great things about living in So Cal (in addition to the amazing weather) is there are TONS of mountain bike trails here.

When you aren’t riding, what are you usually up to?

Nicole: See above :)

Any particular thing (or things) that inspire you in your every day life?

Nicole: My fiance, our dogs, my family and friends, books, nature… It is is easy to get absorbed in the trivialities of every day life (trust me, I do it more often than I should), but when you look around and really think about it, there are inspiring things all around us.

Many people who follow you probably guess that you are an extrovert. After all, you share your riding adventures on social media! Would you say that on a personal level you are more extroverted, or introverted?

Nicole: Ah alas, I am just a girl who rides :) No social media following. I am a pretty private person and I am WAY too new at riding to push what I do on social media anyways.

I would say I am more introverted because I am very shy around new people. But my good friends will probably tell you I'm an extrovert!

One fun fact your followers don’t know about you!

Nicole: Again, no followers. But I suppose a fun fact for those who assume “she rides, she must be adventurous” is that I am a huge scaredy cat. Though I grow more and more brave anytime I hit the trail (dirt bike or mountain bike).

A quote you live by:

Nicole: Ahhhh this is a hard one! My mom always says "life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you choose to react." Of course, when things get tough this isn't the EASIEST thing to live by, but it is definitely something I strive to live by.

I am also a firm believer in the saying "actions speak louder than words". 

What is your next destination?

Nicole: Most definitely the desert. It is almost the end of red sticker season :( So I have to get in as many rides as I can before May hits.

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