Power, Freedom On A Bike

Motorcycle Rally Features Seminars For Women Riders

Gil Johnson, instructor for Harley-Davidson’s Rider’s Edge motorcycle safety program, speaks Wednesday during a riders seminar geared toward women at the Baum Motorcycle Village as a part of Bikes, Blues & BBQ in Fayetteville.
Gil Johnson, instructor for Harley-Davidson’s Rider’s Edge motorcycle safety program, speaks Wednesday during a riders seminar geared toward women at the Baum Motorcycle Village as a part of Bikes, Blues & BBQ in Fayetteville.

The Lineup

Bikes, Blues & BBQ

The annual motorcycle rally runs today through Saturday at three venues in Fayetteville. Rally headquarters is in front of the Walton Arts Center on Dickson Street. Complete schedules of events and music are available at nwaonline.com.

Today

Events

1 p.m.: Stunt Team Exhibition, Baum Stadium/Tyson Track

2:30 p.m.: Stunt Team Exhibition, Dickson Street Beer Garden

7-9 p.m.: Harley Owners Group members only party, The Rogue

7:30 p.m.: Hambone Express Pig Races, Washington County Fairgrounds

10 p.m.: Miss BBB semifinal competition, Jose’s Restaurant

Beer Gardens

Dickson Street: Noon-11:30 p.m.

Baum Stadium/Tyson Track: Noon-9 p.m.

Fairgrounds/BB&BBQ Saloon: 3 p.m. - midnight

Music

Main Stage

Parking lot at the corner of Dickson Street and West Avenue

3 p.m.: Left of Center

4:30 p.m.: Night Train

6 p.m.: The Odds

8 p.m.: Big ’Uns

10 p.m.: Trick Bag

10 p.m.: Nace Brothers

Saloon Stage

Washington County Fairgrounds

8 p.m.: E & The Boys

10 p.m.: Trick Bag

Transportation

4 p.m. - midnight: A shuttle will run from the fairgrounds to Dickson Street. It will leave the fairgrounds on the hour and Dickson Street on the half hour. Fare: $5 one way, $8 round trip.

5 p.m. - midnight: The Arkansas/Missouri Railroad passenger train will depart Dickson Street on the hour and Baum Stadium on the half hour. Fare: $2 each way.

Source: bikesbluesandbbq.com

— As a child, Nancy Hutson thought every motorcycle came with a “a hot guy.”

She said her only exposure to Harley-Davidsons came from watching Elvis Presley movies.

It wasn’t until 1986, while she was working for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, that Hutson sat on her first motorcycle.

“I was organizing rides with Harley-Davidson when this guy asked me if I’d ever been on a motorcycle before,” she said. “As soon as I got on I thought, ‘This is pretty cool. I feel kind of powerful.’ It was a feeling I had never experienced.”

Hutson said she married a biker and now owns Cycle Connection of Harley-Davidson in Joplin, Mo.

The 52-year-old was among three speakers Wednesday at a seminar hosted by Harley-Davidson at Baum Motorcycle Village. The village is on the parking lots of Baum Stadium and the Tyson Track Center off Razorback Road. It is one of three venues for this year’s Bikes, Blues & BBQ motorcyle rally.

The seminars are aimed at current and prospective women riders. Topics include ride preparation, bike maintenance, bike selection and safety rules.

Lloyd Vanover of the Arkansas State Police Highway Patrol Division spoke about the importance of safety on the road.

“The biggest hazards for motorcycles are cars,” he said. “My job is to make sure cars watch out, but motorcyclists can also do a lot to be more visible.”

Vanover said bikers should be familiar with proper headlight use and they should never flash their lights at oncoming traffic.

One of the most common safety concerns in Arkansas is speeding on winding roads.

“When approaching a curve or an intersection, slow down and just enjoy the ride,” he said.

Gill Johnson, a safety instructor for Harley-Davidson, said beginning and experienced bikers should always conduct pre-ride inspections.

Begin by checking the tires for pebbles and cracks. Then the controls, lights, fluid levels and bike stand. He said motorcycle owners should always conduct routine maintenance to keep their bikes in safe, working condition.

Johnson explained the necessity of the right kinds of apparel, eye wear, gloves, helmets, boots and how to pack a bike.

“You need to pay attention to where you store things,” he said. “If you have too much weight up high, it can take away from your steering and control.”

Johnson said every biker should practice before they ride. He said riding a bike should be as natural as “breathing” and it shouldn’t require much thought.

“If a car pulls out in front of you, your response should be automatic,” he said. “You shouldn’t have to think about the clutch. For me, motorcycling is a poor man’s meditation. There’s a zen to it because you don’t think about anything else.”

Hutson said she no longer associates motorcycles with men. Instead, she associates them with power, freedom and nature.

“I’ve been through some of the most beautiful, scenic places you can imagine,” she said. “You can’t get any closer to nature than that. It sets the stage for a sense of freedom you can’t get anywhere else and it stays in your blood.”

Natasha Tiritilli of Fayetteville said she’s accustom to riding on the back of her husband’s motorcycle.

After listening to Hutson, she’s considering taking the driver’s seat of her own motorcycle.

“I thought it was interesting to see a girl’s perspective,” she said. “I’m still a bit leery, but I think my husband and I will talk more about it.”

At A Glance

Listen Up Ladies

Harley-Davidson will host free educational seminars during Bikes, Blues & BBQ geared to women at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. today, Friday and Saturday at Baum Motorcycle Village in Fayetteville.

Source: Staff Reports

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