Image: Mikey Revolt
Next up on our roll call is the amazing Ashmore Ellis- Co- founder of Babes Ride Out & all round inspiring bad ass lady. We first met at Babes Ride Out 3 in LA last year where we had an absolute blast. We can't wait to tear it up with her in less than 2 weeks in wales!!!!!
Ashmore Ellis ( @ashmore )
Age: 33
Job:
Copy Chief at Stance Socks & co-founder of Babes Ride Out
Riding from:
I am riding from London with the ladies of VC and currently deciding if I will be on a Triumph Tiger XRX, Thruxton R or a Street Twin. We do not get much rain in southern California so I want to go with something with an incredible braking system that can slice into curves effortlessly.
Current ride?
Back home I have a XL1200s aka a sportster. It’s been modified to be the ultimate camp machine. Every detail was thought out on this bike. My measurements were taken and used to adjust seat, height, controls, everything…
How did you get into Motorcycles:
I never thought it was for me until I moved to California 10 years ago. Bikes were everywhere, the weather was perfect, and scenic routes were endless. It took me awhile but I ended up buying a Yamaha XS350. It was from the 70’s and pristine until I dropped it a few times. I was terrified of it. I thought it was heavy and unpredictable etc. etc. I look back now and can’t believe that I ever was so timid about that bike at first. After all it’s a glorified moped but never the less, I was scared so I signed up for the safety class. That class was incredible and ultimately saved me from giving up. I learned where my hands were supposed to go and where they weren’t supposed to go. I learned what a clutch was and how brakes worked. I even learned which side of the bike I was supposed to get on and off from. YES!! That was how little I knew when I started. The rest was history.
Best road trip you've ever been on?
I have different moments from different trips that are my favorite. One of the best trips I have ever been on is with Corinne Lan Franco aka my Road Dog. We rode Yellowstone and for the first half of the trip, it was just her and I until we met up with the Biltwell crew. We laughed the entire way, stopped at every waterfall, ate so many snacks, and had one of the best times just enjoying nature and the fact that we were alive and in this incredible moment in time together. EDR was also one of my favorite trips. It felt pretty cool to ride down to Mexico with 500 other motorcyclists. Everyone seemed aware of each other and always stopped to help one another if a bike looked out of commission. Some people’s bikes did end up on the trailer but when they got to the camp, 3-5 mechanics on the trip had all the bikes rolling within an hour (for free) so the riders could enjoy the rest of their trip…to me that is real motorcycling.
Looking forward to most at Babes in the UK:
This year is the first year the Babes Ride Out event space has left California so to do an event in another country is mind melting to us. I never thought in my wildest dreams we would get to work with ladies such as the VC London, women who share the same ethos and want to create a space for women to feel 100% welcome and comfortable. I am already losing sleep on how incredible the riding is going to be. The route maps are just insane, the location is perfect, the partnerships couldn’t be better but the most significant thing I am looking forward to is meeting all the women who are coming out to the event! There are so many different bikes, ages, and personalities that come to these events and for one weekend, we are all present in the moment, doing something together and that is some powerful stuff.
IMAGE: COURTESY OF SKULL CANDY (ASHMORE- LEFT & ANYA- RIGHT)