Holly Richardson and Corrina Milner, the girls behind ‘All About Holly’ and ‘Free Bird Moto’ blogs, dreamt up the idea for a women’s ride-out over a glass of wine a few months ago, and when pro photography outfit Bike Shoot got in touch to offer up their skills, the trio made plans for a Saturday afternoon adventure in London. We sent Charlie McKay and Amy Miles along to join the group.
Words by Amy Miles. Photos by Charlie McKay
“My aim was to inspire others to have a go and not to be daunted by getting to grips with their own bike… if I can do it, anyone can” explains Holly when I ask her why she first started her social media-based blog. The ‘How To’ Youtube tutorials became a thing once she had the itch to customise her Harley Sportster back in 2016, and her following has been growing ever since.
Corrina has just launched her Facebook page under the nickname ‘Free Bird’ with the instagram freebirdmoto and she’s using her background in events to organise get-togethers and find out the stories of other female riders’ journeys.
So, a few Saturdays ago, we all met at the Bike Shed Motorcycle Club in Shoreditch for a bite to eat and a chat before heading out to Leake Street for a photo op (you’ll recognise the graffitied tunnel if you made it down to the Assembly chopper show back in July or have ever been to House Of Vans before).
With only a little bit of promotion, the girls managed a killer turn out with more than 20 bikers (including Holly’s dog Arty as a pillion in his Pet Palace) riding through the city together. The day was about putting the spotlight on women riders, but Holly and Corrina were keen to have the event open to all genders and abilities, from those who were just curious to experienced riders with 20 years under their belts, so it was the perfect chance to catch up with familiar faces and make new friends.
There’s something so cool about rides like this - not even because it’s mostly women on bikes, but because everyone’s doing what they love and getting to know each other at the same time.
“The moment we rode over Westminster Bridge, with that November sunshine sparkling on the Thames, as the girls stretched out in front of me is a feeling I won't forget easily,” says Corrina.
“I think it’s so important to inspire other girls to ride if you’re in a position to do so,” Holly tells me afterwards, “there are so many women who would have put themselves off, thinking they wouldn’t be able to or the bike would be too hard to handle, but it’s such an amazing way to travel and I hate to think people’s doubts would put them off.”
This is exactly why it’s so important to organise more events and meetups - let’s encourage more women to ride and welcome them into our community. Add them to your group chats, plan trips, offer advice and celebrate each other's achievements, whether that’s passing their full licence or signing up for a basic training course.
The Bike Shed is online here and on instagram https://www.instagram.com/bikeshedmc/
