After over a year long hiatus (thanks covid) we’re back with the VC monthly moto meet up! Come get involved!
Read MoreCAMP VC x HONDA - RACHAEL SHERLOCK - 1983 CB100
Next up in our coming to Camp VC we've got Rachael Sherlock of Nefarious skate crew & her rad little CB100. One of the most friendly lovely ladies we know Rachael has been skateboarding for years & is involved with some incredible Skateboarding charities & organisations such as Skate Pal teaching skateboarding to all genders & age groups everywhere from London to Palestine to skate. We're stoked to have her with us all weekend teaching on the VANS skate ramp with the other Nefarious girls so go say hi when you get to site!
Name: Rachael Sherlock
Where are you from & where do you live now?
Grew up in the West Country (Clevedon to be exact) and now living in London
Whats your profession?
I'm a Senior Studio Technician at ITV Daytime (not sure why they call it daytime because it's definitely the morning shows!)
When did you get involved with Nefarious?
This summer will be three years since I joined Nefarious. I decided to start skating again and went to a girls night by myself and met a few of them that had just decided to start a group for girls wanting to hang out and learn to skate.
Skating has taken you to some pretty incredible places, wheres the most amazing place you've ever skated?
I really love Palestine and all the work that SkatePAL and Charlie (the founder) does out there. Being able to volunteer and skate with the kids has changed my outlook on life. I'm repeatedly inspired by the resilience and positive attitude of all the kids and families I've met out in Palestine, despite the challenging circumstances they live under due to military occupation.
You seem to really love teaching skating as you've been involved with so many rad projects & initiatives teaching all over the place. Which projects have you been involved with?
As well as being involved with SkatePAL I run a monthly 'skate dates' every second Sunday of the month in Victoria Park. It's promoted through a friends company called Urban Hippie Collective and is a community project aimed at getting more people (all ages and gender) involved in skateboarding. I also like to keep in touch with the Women in Board and Action Sports as they host some fantastic events with inspirational women speakers.
Do you have any good advice for anyone wanting to start learning how to skate?
Social media is so big these days. Check out videos on Instagram and Youtube and follow the things you like, watch tutorials and just get a board and give it a go! If you're lacking in confidence start near your house, up and down your drive way or find some friends to go to the skatepark with. Lots of indoor parks like House of Vans even run mini Skate Schools now, on the weekends and school holidays. If you're in London and feeling too old for Skate School then come along to Skate Dates at Victoria Park! More info at www.UrbanHippieCollective.com
So you just started riding motorcycles in the last year! What made you want to start riding?
When I was younger we had a BMX track near our house and I'd often wish my BMX was a motocross bike- sad I know! But my mum hated the idea so the closest I ever got was riding a friends mini moto or chicken chaser around a field. Then a couple of years ago I went to Thailand and managed to hire a little 125cc to take me through the winding rainforest roads that lead to a place called Pai. I was pretty hooked after this trip and got my geared CBT the minute I got back and started saving for a Mutt Motorcycle. After almost a year of saving I was almost ready to buy when I saw a Honda CB100 on the VC or The Bike Shop instagram page and fell in love. I think I bombarded them with lots of messages so they'd know that when they're ready to sell I was serious about buying and had the money already saved!
What made you go for a Honda CB?
I really like the cafe racer style to it. It's also a good size for me (a tiny person). When I went to collect it, a few people had commented on how I was the perfect size for it and I didn't really realise until my friend escorted me home alongside his massive Triumph just how tiny me and my bike are. I think if the bike was any bigger then I'd struggle. I'm not really keen on bigger bikes but I have passed my theory and will take my full test this year, but I'm only really looking forward to taking off my L plates that cramp my style, not get a bigger bike!
How long have you owned your Honda?
A year this summer ?!? (I should probably check this because my insurance will run out...)
What the best and worst thing about riding in London? Any tips for anyone who is apprehensive to ride in such a busy city?
The traffic is horrendous and for the first few months I was a bit afraid to weave through it (although my bike is so small it's perfect for sneaking through gaps of stationary cars!) That's now the best thing about riding through London, that rush hour doesn't really apply to you if you're sneaky enough. But you also have to be so careful. Lots of cars have almost hit me by pulling out and into my lane and I once even got right up next to a woman's window and she still was oblivious. If someone is pulling out of a junction I often slow down a bit and assume they've not seen me, and even if I get solid eye contact with the driver I'm still cautious.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out riding or wanting to?
The monthly meetings at The Bike Shed in London are good. Lots of friendly women and faces to give advice about places to take your CBT and get you hyped. They can also recommend good starter bikes and ensure you don't get ripped off.
So you'll be one of the ladies we've got lined up to teach on the Vans X Nefarious mini ramp at Camp VC! What have you guys got lined up for us?
Get ready for leg day because if you're new to skateboarding then we'll most likely start with some simple pumping in the ramp! Would be cool to get some people dropping in for the first time too!
What are you looking forward to most at CAMP VC?
Skating, drinking and having a go on some different bikes if people trust me enough! (before beer is consumed obviously) haha
VC TEAM TALKS X AYANO HIROSAKA
Read our latest VC Team Talk conversation with the awesome chopper builder tearing up the beaches of Japan - Ayano Hirosaka
Read MoreVC X DOCKLANDS RIDERS DIRT DAY
Yesterday we held the first VC X DOCKLANDS RIDERS DIRT DAY over at Docklands riders, East London & man was it a blast.
A huge thanks to Docklands Riders & to everyone involved for coming down & making it a great one.....Maaaaaaan I'm aching today.
Cant wait for the next one!
GLAMOUR MAGAZINE 2016
Thinking of coming to CAMP VC & want to know more about what its gonna be like heres a flash back to our last years Babe Ride Out UK event written by the lovely Lindsey Kelk for Glamour magazine!
VC TEAM TALKS X BROOKE BETANCOURT
Check out the latest VC Team Talk with BMX rider & motorcycle ripper Brooke Betancourt
Read MoreVC TEAM TALKS X JOSIE MILLARD
VC Team Talk with the trailblazing UK based skateboarder Josie Millard
Read MoreDICE X VC PARTY- BUILT MAGAZINE
BUILDS - MANON HACHE & HER HONDA CB125 CHOPPER
Over the coming weeks we'll be featuring some bikes & builds we love from all over the world & the women who ride, design & build them. First up is absolute mega babe Manon Hache & her incredible Honda 125cc custom chopper.
Ever since she popped up on our instagram feed (thanks to the ever amazing Dice Magazine who's next issue she'll be gracing the pages of next month with her chop) we've been pretty obsessed with the awesome bike she built with her dad & brother at home in Belgium. With another build already on the go for this winter (this time a 79' Harley Ironhead) we had a chat to her all about her first bike build & her ideas behind it, chopper shit & her dream road trip.
Enjoy! x
GEMMA: So where are you from?
MANON : I'm a 24 years old girl from Mons, Belgium, EU. My dad is Belgian and my mom is Italian from Sardinia.
G: How did you first get into bikes?
M: My dad and my brother run a garage. They work on cars and bikes, mostly on Harleys and choppers. That's where my love for choppers comes from.
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"I spent my all days with him learning and helping him in the garage. That's the best part of building a bike- the memories and hours spent in the garage together"
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My Honda is my first bike. I decided to start with a 125 to be comfortable on the road beforebuying a Harley. When I bought it, I knew I wanted to build a chopper: A Tall sissy bar, ape bars, super tall fishtail pipes and colour would be orange. Those are the first things I was sure about. My brother @mauro__hache always has good advice - he decided about the line of the bike, also the seat was his idea, fender too, and he also did the all paint. He's the master of paint of this house! My dad did everything else, by hand: The sissy bar, pipes & the electrics. The ape bars are from a good friend of ours @alexdew. Apart from that everything was made with old parts we had at home. My dad disassembled and rebuild everything. I spent my all days with him learning and helping him in the garage. That's the best part of building a bike- the memories and hours spent in the garage togheter. I'll say it's really the result of our 3 minds. Dad, Mauro and I made my dream lil bike come true. Now I've got an original 1979 Iron head which we're staring to build this winter. Fun time again!
G: How long did it take to build from start to finish?
M: We just did it when dad had a bit of free time in the garage so we didn't work on it everyday. We started like 6 months ago.
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" That's the funny thing. Your bike ends up looking like you and your personality. The end of 60s - 70s is my favourite era for just about everything i'd say."
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G: So what made you go for this model of bike & what made you go for a chopper style rebuild?
M: Choppers are my favorite style of bike. My first influences about choppers was definitely from my brother and my Dad. I start to get into it a few years ago then really wanted to start my own project. I'm always searching for vintage pictures of choppers. I'll say I had my idea of my dream bike in my head before to start the project, but when it came to real life, it's even better than what originally I had in my mind. I was the happiest girl in the world when the bike was finished, and I am still.
To me if you own a chopper, you can make your bike very personal. That's the funny thing. Your bike ends up looking like you and your personality. The end of 60s - 70s is my favourite era for just about everything i'd say. Choppers, music, fashion, furniture, style, womens liberation. I was born too late!
G: Whats your dream bike?
M: I've got a little preference for Panheads. But I'm pretty sure i'll own a knuckle too one day.
G: If you could go on any dream motorcycle trip where would it be?
M: I'd like to travel America on a bike. I will one day. I'd love to be lost in the mountains in the middle of nowhere and thinking: damn, i'm at the other side of the world and I'm so happy and free. We did a lot of EU bikes shows this year so it was an amazing summer. I love meeting new people who have the same interest. I can't wait for next summer!
G: Favourite thing to wear when you ride?
M: My everyday to go outfit: flares with a band or printed t-shirts from small businesses . Also my vegan leather jacket customised by pins and patches from small business too. My favorites brands for the coolest t-shirts or the best vintage custom are places like @Shopbadrevival @Shopthecreatures @Shophellbound @Backbite_ @Velvetcaveclothing @Bornabadseed and so many others....Go girls!
G: Favourite helmet?
M: My Biltwell Gringo full face. Ride safe!
G: Tell us about your business - Le rendez-vous vintage!
M: Le rendezvous vintage is my vintage shop that I opened 2 years ago. It's my dream job! I need freedom in my life. I could never wake up every day & do something I'm not happy with. I wake up with a smile everyday thinking how lucky I am to be an indenpendant women who loves her life and work.
Go follow Manon on instagram HERE & checkout her vintage store Le Rendez- vous Vintage on facebook HERE
A big thanks to Manon & Dylan Mura! Go see more from Dyan on insta HERE
MY FIRST SUMMER ON A MOTORCYCLE - GEORGIA SHERLOCK
Loving all the people that you can see taking their first steps to 2 wheeled adventures lately! Your first summer riding is something that stays with you for sure... Whether it’s full of roadside breakdowns, stalling and running out of petrol or friendships, road trips and ride outs it’s something you don't forget in a hurry.
Our good friend the lovely Georgia Sherlock just started riding this summer, so we asked her to write all about her tips, road trips, CBT stuff and her first summer on 2 wheels.
Thanks G!
x
GEORGIA:
This summer I made the massively excited but mildly apprehensive step into the world of motorcycles. At first glance it seemed like an exclusive world, dangerous and arguably aggressive but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Not only have I learnt a new skill, but Ive also managed to meet some amazing people, all of us connected by an engine and two wheels.
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"Whether it’s to clear your head, meet some mates, or just a way to spend your time, the experience is incomparable".
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So what made me want to start riding? When I was little my dad had a bike (he still does) and I always kinda thought he looked quite badass. He also used to race cars so anything with an engine makes sense to me (sort of). By no means am I a mechanic but it isn't a totally alien world in some ways. I must have been about 10 when I had my first memory of being on a bike was clinging onto my dad and his very ugly Triumph Tiger.
So, with a wobbly start and a couple of very helpful spins around a car park with the lovely Gemma of VC London, I got my act together and managed to pass my CBT in torrential rain with a bunch of aspiring Deliveroo drivers. The prospect of getting on a motorised, two- wheeled machine with minimal practise was a pretty nerve wracking thought but for anyone interested in the idea please don’t be deterred - you can all do it with yer eyes closed! My main advice would be to take it on a scooter, these are automatic and only 50cc. Get legal and then get your ass on a geared bike, there’s no rush with these things but the most important thing is that you can legally cruise the roads!
For my first bike I chose a Yamaha SR 125. I wanted something older and of more vintage style so I trawled through millions of eBay listings and stumbled across the bike I now own. Luckily the woman selling wasn’t quite aware of the market and the bike was an absolute steal. The appeal of something older was the idea of customising it and the vision of a little cafe racer, however, that’s yet to happen (but in the pipeline). After getting my bike I just rode and rode and rode, everywhere, anywhere, nowhere. It didn’t matter the occasion, or why, the liberating feeling of being sat on a motorcycle trumps any other. Whether it’s to clear your head, meet some mates, or just a way to spend your time, the experience is incomparable.
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Despite what people might think you can do some serious mileage on a 125 as I did this summer. From Kent to London - Wales and all through the Brecon Beacons, I’ve made some pretty amazing memories in my first summer on two wheels.
A ride out to Kent with a motley crew - It was a Sunday, the sun was shining. Rachel Billings and I fancied a BBQ and a river to swim in so a group of about 10 of us rode on down. We cruised along some picturesque A-roads and tried to delay the inevitable Sunday blues as much as humanly possible. We all managed to avoid swallowing rat shit from the dodgy looking river, however we did not manage to avoid partial nudity from some of the guys…
"Asides from the ride itself taking a healthy 10 hours for many of us it was our first time out on the country roads"
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Babes Ride Out UK, Wales - Friday 5th August, a group of brave and perhaps slightly mad motorcyclists met at The Bike Shed in Shoreditch. The sun was shining and coffee and croissants were being consumed as we prepared to embark on our ride to Wales for Babes Ride Out UK. Asides from the ride itself taking a healthy 10 hours, for many of us it was our first time out on the country roads; hearing your bike, smelling the fresh air and absorbing the scenery was a blessing and the freedom we felt was like no other. When we eventually arrived we were greeted by a group of some of the most awesome women I’ve ever met. Asides from the cold beer and relief of climbing off our bikes, my overwhelming sense of respect for these ladies was very real. It takes a lot of courage and confidence to organise such an amazing event, the girls behind VC London are carving the way for women in a traditionally male world and bringing Babes Ride Out to the UK is just the beginning of a very long legacy.
IMAGE BY THE COSTA SISTERS
"We arrived in the pissing rain but our spirits weren't dampened."
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The Trip Out, Bedfordshire - Summer was coming to a close but there was time for one final hoorah as a bunch of us descended upon a farm in Bedfordshire. The ride up there was quick and easy… proves what a little practise and experience can do to your riding (confidence had grown since the 10 hour adventure to Wales). We arrived in the pissing rain but our spirits were not dampened. Cracking a beer, ditching the bike and watching the sun go down surrounded by a spectacular array of choppers was certainly a pleasant experience. With a well stocked bar, live music and awesome people there was very little to complain about. Differently to other events this was less about riding and more about displaying. The variety of motorcycles encountered in one weekend was an entire experience in itself and as a newbie to the scene it was quite a spectacle…
TRIP OUT IMAGES FROM SUBSCULPTURES BY JONNY WILSON
So, at the end of my first summer riding my best advice to anyone wanting to get on two wheels would be to just do it. If you’re interested and the idea of a bike gets the heart racing then book a CBT and get legal. It would be a lie to say the CBT wasn’t nerve-wracking but take it easy and take your time, anyone can do it and once the certificate is in your hands jump on a bike asap. A big car park, industrial estate or quiet country road, as long as you have space and someone with experience and patience to guide you through the gears and getting your balance you’ll be cruising about in no time.
Anyway enough from me but all I’ll finish on is the totally positive outcome of my fairly impulsive choice to hop on a motorbike. It’s a decision I’ll never regret and if you love it the rest comes naturally.
G x
IMAGE: HEIDI ZUMBRUN
BABES RIDE OUT UK VIDEO BY THE COSTA SISTERS
Missing the summer so bloody much ....But then the very talented Costa sisters send you a reminder that makes you feel next summers worth waiting for .... And believe us , it is! 😉
A massive thanks to the Costa Sisters for the awesome video.
Enjoy! x
ALLS GOOD IN THE HOOD....
DTL X GEMMA HARRISON OF VC LONDON
DtL: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and the VC Collective?
Gemma: My name is Gemma Harrison and I run VC LONDON, a motorcycle collective made up of myself, and my friends Mai & Namin. There is also a network of other riders who we’ve taught to ride or have met through a shared passion for motorcycles, skating/whatever else we get up to. It’s not a club or a gang.. in fact its very non-definitive. We like it that way as it encompasses many things from events and The Shop Customs (our shared motor workshop and studio) to the VCC clothing line. Basically it’s just us having fun!
DtL: When/how did you first discover your passion for motorcycles?
Gemma: I was a latecomer to motorcycles by a lot of people’s standards. I’m not someone who started riding when they were 3 years old or anything like that. I grew up mostly around cars as my dad restored classic cars – but I suppose the roots of something maybe started there…
My husband bought a small motorcycle with our wedding money 6 years ago which quickly got passed down to me. From there I started to learn about mechanics and building bikes and I thought I would try and find other women who also shared this passion (it wasn’t easy at that stage as there weren’t many women into the same type of custom bikes as I was getting into back then). After meeting VCC co-founder Namin Cho through work, and Mai through her then-boyfriend who was into bikes, we started to ask ourselves why there weren’t more women into what we were into in the UK. We also travelled to Joshua Tree for the Babes Ride Out event last year (an event where 1000 women ride out to camp and party in the desert every year) and saw how many women in the US were getting into motorcycles. We thought if there wasn’t a scene already here in the UK then we would help grow it! We put out a post on Instagram asking if any women wanted to learn to ride and we had a huge response, so it all just went quite organically from there for the VC.
IMAGE: JAMES GRANT
DtL: How do you find being a female in an industry that is heavily dominated by males? Have you ever experienced prejudice/stereotypes/sexism because of attitudes towards your gender?
Gemma: The motorcycle world is actually really supportive of women in my experience, just as it’s supportive of everyone. It’s a great community. The only bad experience I’ve had was very recently after almost 6 years of riding; I was on my 66′ Triumph Chopper and a guy on a scooter stopped alongside me at some traffic lights. He leaned across and said he liked my bike. I thanked him and looked away…he then went on to tell me that I should obviously be riding his scooter and really he should be riding my bike, me being a woman and all! Luckily the lights changed and I left him for dust…so it obviously still exists but that’s honestly the only time I’ve ever encountered it. It’s a very small, old fashioned demographic that believe motorcycles belong strictly in a man’s world.
At the workshop we share in London (The Shop Customs) we work in a really mixed environment; both girls and guys work there and we support one another and share our skills. We never feel like our gender separates us – that’s something we really believe in and try to instil in others – I’m not just a woman who rides; I’m just another rider, irrespective of my sex.
IMAGE: JAMES GRANT
DtL: Our research revealed that 35% of teenage girls believe their gender will have a negative impact on their career. What advice would you give to young girls who want to pursue a hobby or career in an area which is largely male-dominated?
Gemma: Growing up, I was never the kind of girl who wore much make up, I’m not the shy and retiring type and I constantly have a colourful array of bruises all over me from whatever I’ve been doing that day. I’m not exactly what you’d call a ‘shrinking violet’, but on the other hand I can still be feminine when I want to be. Having this personality means everyone around me (my husband, my family and friends ) have always accepted and encouraged me to pursue anything I've wanted to do, whether they its considered masculine or feminine. I hate labelling people and personalities and I don’t believe in stuff like the “tomboy” pigeonhole. I’ve always had quite a dominant personality; it wasn’t until after years of being labelled ‘bossy’ by every school report, that I realised that boys were never called bossy! Qualities like that in men don’t seem to be frowned upon….in fact they are encouraged and referred to as ‘leadership qualities’! That’s when I started to accept that I am who I am and it’s done wonders for me in my career, and also what I do at VC. Having a strong personality means I can use my confidence to support and encourage others.
The world is changing; women can do absolutely anything they want to do. I’ve never felt held back by being a woman and neither should anyone else.
BABES RIDE OUT UK BY THE COSTA SISTERS
SAT AT THE SHOP, LOOKING OUT OF THE WINDOW AT THE BUSY LONDON TRAFFIC OUTSIDE & FEELING THE BLUES 3 WEEKS AFTER BABES RIDE OUT UK & THEN AN EMAIL DROPS INTO YOUR INBOX FROM THE VERY TALENTED COSTA SISTERS THAT TRANSPORTS YOU RIGHT BACK TO THERE .....
HAILING FROM CARDIFF, JUST HALF AN HOUR FROM THE BABES RIDE OUT UK SITE, THE COSTA SISTERS CAUGHT THE VIBE PERFECTLY WITH LOTS OF MOTOS, SMILES & FRIENDS NEW & OLD IN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SETTING YOU COULD IMAGINE.
YOU NEVER KNOW THERE MIGHT EVEN BE A VIDEO ON THE WAY SOON ;) STAY TUNED...
STAFF BABES RACHEL & SOPHIE
THE BEST CHASE VAN IN THE WORLD
SAMI GRAYSTONE OF THE MEATHOOK
805 BEERS READY & WAITING AFTER THE LONG RIDE FROM LONDON!
JODIE DEVANEY & AUDREY
THE 125 CREW ARRIVE...
RIDE OUT
THE 125 CREW ROLLING INTO BRECON
GOOD TIMES ,GOOD FRIENDS, 2 WHEELS
A MASSIVE THANKS TO STANCE SOCKS & RED WING !
A MASSIVE THANKS TO THE AMAZING COSTA SISTERS FOR THE BEAUTIFUL IMAGES & A HUGE THANKS TO ANYA & ASHMORE OF BABES RIDE OUT, ALL THE US TEAM, ALL THE INCREDIBLE BRANDS & SPONSORS WE HAD SUPPORTING THE EVENT & EVERYONE ,FROM OUR AMAZING STAFF BABES TO THE RAD PEOPLE WHO CAME AND PARTIED WITH US. YOU MADE IT A WEEKEND WE'LL DEFINITELY NEVER FORGET.
WE'VE GOT SOME BIG PLANS ALREADY IN THE WORKS FOR 2017 AT VC & WE CANT WAIT TO SHARE THEM WITH YOU ALL ;)
VC x
GO FOLLOW THE COSTA SISTERS ON INSTAGRAM HERE & CHECK OUT THEIR OTHER WORK ON THEIR WEBSITE
WAS IT ALL A DREAM? ......
VANS X VC LONDON HEAD TO WALES FOR BABES RIDE OUT UK BY VIVIANA GOMEZ- MORALES.
Dreamy blue skies, green fields, perfect sunsets, babes & the sound of motos everywhere.. That was Babes Ride Out UK & Vivi Gomez captured that weekend perfectly... Dream on dreamers.........
To read the full article on the VANS WEBSITE click HERE!
ALL IMAGES BY VIVIANNA GOMEZ- MORALES
Our heros...... The 125cc crew !!
IMAGE : GEORGIA SHERLOCK
Round at Rebekahs boyfriend Chris's moto workshop one day, whilst Rebecka was working on her new 125cc Honda CG build, we got to talking about the impending Babe Ride Out UK event ... " You could put your bikes in the back of a van & drive them there if you don't want to ride all that way on a 125cc" I said. "No way! I want to ride there!" said Rebecka. It's not called Babes RIDE out for nothing.... And ride out they did. A mix of 125cc (and few bigger ones too) motorcycles with riders both seasoned & literally just passed their CBTs braved the journey all the way to Wales, starting off on the morning of Friday the 5th August from The Bike Shed in east London.
They arrived tired with some sore bums but with some stories they'll remember forever & a new group of moto friends. Leader of the pack Georgia Sherlock wrote all about their adventure... Hats off to this ballsy band of nut cases!! You're our heros!
Friday 5th August, a group of brave and perhaps slightly mad motorcyclists met at The Bike Shed in Shoreditch. The sun was shining and coffee and croissants were being consumed as we prepared to embark on our ride to Wales for Babes Ride Out UK.......
When the lovely Gemma Harrison, co-founder of VC London heard we were thinking of organising a 125cc ride out to the Brecon Beacons she was all for it! She organised us a free breakfast with the wonderful people at The Bike Shed and sent us on our way; little did we know what was to come…
The ride itself took us 10 hours but what an awesome 10 hours they were. We cruised through London and almost made it to Oxford before our first stop. For many of us it was our first time out on the country roads; hearing your bike, smelling the fresh air and absorbing the scenery was a blessing and the freedom we felt was like no other. Drama struck when Katy and her pocket rocket (Honda cg125) broke down but thanks to her organisation skills and know-how following the Sailor Jerry ride last month, she had arranged for a support van with our honorary mechanics Siobhan and Von Leadfoot who saved the day.
By the time we got to Oxford it was lunchtime. The service station didn’t know what had hit them when twelve lovely ladies and their equally lovely bikes rolled in. We ate and dreamt of cold beer but we still had a long way to go! With Katy’s bike back up and running we were soon on the road again, cruising through winding lanes and enjoying the rolling hills of the Cotswolds.
VIDEO: DAVID HARTLEY AT INCOMING CHAOS
Eventually, we arrived in Cheltenham and the Welsh border felt within touching distance. Unfortunately, at this point, Rebecka and her custom built Honda ran into a few minor problems, so the decision was made to chuck it in the van. It’s important to mention that Rebecka had only been riding her bike for 3 days before the trip so massive respect goes out to her (I wouldn’t have got that far!).
Having stocked up on snacks, cigarettes and avoided the temptation of beer, we hit the road again and powered our way to the Welsh border. As the sun was setting and the breeze turning colder, the sense of achievement began to set in. A massive amount of team work was shown by all and I’d particularly like to thank Jennie who held us together from the back, picking up anyone with problems and generally supporting the group - you were ace!
Come 7pm we’d crossed the border and were climbing the Welsh hills, I think it’s fair to say we were all stunned by the landscape. It was the only part of the trip where we actually enjoyed getting stuck in traffic purely so we could appreciate the break-taking surroundings. We spent just over an hour tackling the Welsh bends, when eventually we arrived.
IMAGE : GEORGIA SHERLOCK
We were greeted by a group of some of the most awesome women I’ve met. Asides from the cold beer and relief of climbing off our bikes my overwhelming sense of respect for these ladies was very real. It takes a lot of courage and confidence to organise such an amazing event, the masterminds behind VC London are carving the way for women in a traditionally male world and bringing Babes Ride Out to the UK is just the beginning of a very long legacy.
Thank you Gemma, Mai, Namin and everyone else involved! Until next time!
Georgia x
IMAGE : GEORGIA SHERLOCK
VC’S GEMMA HARRISON TALKS BABES RIDE OUT UK x VANS
The latest partner to jump on board for the Babes Ride Out UK debut is legendary footwear brand, Vans. A firm favourite of the VC, the London ladies rarely have anything else on their feet.
Celebrating their 50th anniversary earlier this year, Vans has a long tradition of supporting sports, art and music events that embody the brand’s ‘Off the Wall’ mentality. Enabling creative expression is at the heart of everything they do…and they make pretty rad shoes too!!
Gemma Harrison is one VC chick who rocks the Vans sidestripe on a daily basis…
Tell us about yourself:
My name is Gemma Harrison & I run the VC. I'm 31 years old & I live in east London but I'm originally a Yorkshire lass from Leeds. I work as a luxury womenswear designer alongside running the mess that is the VC & I also design VCC with one of the fellow VC founders Namin Cho.... In a nutshell :)
VC’S GEMMA HARRISON TALKS BABES RIDE OUT UK x VANS
The latest partner to jump on board for the Babes Ride Out UK debut is legendary footwear brand, Vans. A firm favourite of the VC, the London ladies rarely have anything else on their feet.
Do you remember your first pair of Vans?
I can't remember how old I must have been but I was pretty young. It was a pair of old skools in black... I wore them until they literally fell off my feet.
What connects you to the Vans brand?
For me the lifestyle aspect of Vans has always been the thing. It just seems to fit with how we live our lives here in London with the VC & The Shop. It’s all just bikes, friends, hanging out & having a damn good time whether that’s with motorbikes or whatever we do.
What does Vans stand for to you?
People doing cool shit.
Favourite style / pair of Vans?
A pair of black Sk8-hi ... I think people are pretty shocked to ever see me without a pair of these permanently glued to my feet & my leather jacket on. ha h
VC’S GEMMA HARRISON TALKS BABES RIDE OUT UK x VANS
01/08/2016 f Vans United Kingdom
Vans joins the first ever Babes Ride Out UK presented by VC London August 5-7th 2016 in beautiful Merthyr Tydfil located near South Wales
VC’S GEMMA HARRISON TALKS BABES RIDE OUT UK x VANS
The latest partner to jump on board for the Babes Ride Out UK debut is legendary footwear brand, Vans. A firm favourite of the VC, the London ladies rarely have anything else on their feet.
Celebrating their 50th anniversary earlier this year, Vans has a long tradition of supporting sports, art and music events that embody the brand’s ‘Off the Wall’ mentality. Enabling creative expression is at the heart of everything they do…and they make pretty rad shoes too!!
Gemma Harrison is one VC chick who rocks the Vans sidestripe on a daily basis…
Tell us about yourself:
My name is Gemma Harrison & I run the VC. I'm 31 years old & I live in east London but I'm originally a Yorkshire lass from Leeds. I work as a luxury womenswear designer alongside running the mess that is the VC & I also design VCC with one of the fellow VC founders Namin Cho.... In a nutshell :)
Do you remember your first pair of Vans?
I can't remember how old I must have been but I was pretty young. It was a pair of old skools in black... I wore them until they literally fell off my feet.
What connects you to the Vans brand?
For me the lifestyle aspect of Vans has always been the thing. It just seems to fit with how we live our lives here in London with the VC & The Shop. It’s all just bikes, friends, hanging out & having a damn good time whether that’s with motorbikes or whatever we do.
What does Vans stand for to you?
People doing cool shit.
Favourite style / pair of Vans?
A pair of black Sk8-hi ... I think people are pretty shocked to ever see me without a pair of these permanently glued to my feet & my leather jacket on. ha ha
What’s the history of VC London & what you do?
The best way to describe it is maybe a collective as there are so many things that go on under the VC name. Although there are 3 of us that sort of founded VC (myself , Namin & Mai) it really started as a bunch of friends hanging out at The Shop (the workshop we share with @five_customs & @frictionmoto ), fixing bikes, learning together how to wrench & maintain them. We just got drunk together one night & gave it a name (well actually someone else bestowed the name on us ... ha) & that’s where it all started.
We made an instagram there & then & I just used it as a way to document what we were getting up to. I later put a post out on instagram asking if other women wanted to give motorcycles a try then we could help them out as we felt it would be a good way to get the scene here in the UK to grow on the same scale as the US after we visited Babes Ride Out 3 in J-Tree last year. We got such a huge response and now we’ve ridden all over together, organised ride outs, flat track days in collab with the DTRA, events & parties. It sounds like a lot but to be honest it all stays focused around a few mates having a good time together & living our lives around motorbikes.
What does the BRO event coming to the UK mean to you & what are you most looking forward to?
Seeing all the months of hard work come together & getting together all these rad women from all over the world that I've been speaking to over the last year to finally put some faces to names is going to be pretty awesome! Its always been really important for me to grow the UK community of riders as when I went to Babes Ride Out in the US last year I couldn't believe how incredible the scene was over there & immediately wanted to have that same vibe at an event in the UK..... Also seeing Slowcoaches & Zealous Doxy play live is pretty high on my list.
ALL IMAGES BY JAMES A GRANT
VC X THE EVENING STANDARD - MORE WOMEN ON THE OPEN ROAD
Stoked to see this article in the Evening Standard after the lovely Liz Conner came down to take her first try at riding recently!
Click the link to see our chat with her about all about starting riding, presenting the first Babes Ride Out UK this year & launching our label VCC!
Weeew!
TO read the full article & interview click HERE
#MYSTORYUK - BBC X VC
Totally stoked to be involved with the instagram project #MYSTORYUK.
The project & exhibition celebrates inspiring visual story telling by women all over the world & how they use Instagram to share it all. From mommas to models, skaters to shepherdesses, activists to artists they got us all together to celebrate!
We had a great night meeting so many amazing women, getting completely wasted, hearing the lovely Lauren Laverne announce "Motorcycles, good times and not giving a shit" to the entire room, teaming up with all girl skate crew Nefarious crew ( our new girl crush ) & skating through the exhibition space sealing both our reputations as the complete reprobates of the event....
Shout out to Frankie, Marieka, Michelle, Charlotte, Lauren & all the ladies that made it happen! x
INTERNATIONAL WOMENS RIDE DAY - VC LONDON RIDE OUT
PIC: ALEX GRANT
We had a rad time at The Shop Customs for International Female rider day yesterday.
Thanks to all the badass ladies who came down! Think this will be the first of many summer ride outs!
Thanks to Alex Grant for the shots!
