This got me reflecting on my own journey as a rider. I can pinpoint three key experiences that significantly boosted my confidence:
1) Riding solo around Australia.
2) Learning how to ride on sand.
3) Finding stretchy motorbike pants that actually fit.
At 5'1" (154cm) with a 24" inseam, I had long given up on finding pants that were short enough without the knees becoming shin pads. I could even complete multi-day tours without ever needing to put my right foot down, as there is no chance I could tiptoe on both sides of my bike. So I often leave it relaxed [like in the photo] to stretch.
When I first started Flying Solo Gear Co, I used to feel overwhelmed by questions about our prices. I’d try to explain the R&D costs, postage fees, import duties, and exchange rates, but I always felt like my words never cut through to the person asking. Over the years, I have met the most incredible people through the brand. Some have become friends for life. As it turns out, not everyone is searching for the lowest price, and there are other aspects that people value in motorcycle gear.
After an entire 8 years of daily commute without any proper riding pants (and exposing both kneecaps in a hit-and-run), a small company based in the UK launched women's motorcycle leggings that came in Petite length. I hadn't realised how much I was missing out on. My confidence grew 10x that summer, because:
I could reach the ground so much easier I rode more relaxed because I felt safer I wasn’t battling excess fabric in the wrong placesI was putting tens of thousands of km under my belt because I could spend all day riding in them.
It's not just the pants, either. Gear that is safe, comfortable, and flattering has never truly existed for women before, at least not on a grand scale, and suddenly there was. I had been a genuine MotoGirl advocate for about 6 years prior to starting Peak Moto.
These days, there are increasingly more choices appearing on the market. There is even an entire worldwide Facebook group that is solely dedicated to discussing women's motorcycle gear. It's a movement that Peak Moto aims to be at the forefront of, because I will never take that feeling of finding the perfect gear for granted, and I want other female-identifying riders to experience that feeling too.
We know our prices may not compete with bigger stores, but our focus isn’t on getting the attention of people who are just keen on the lowest price. We aim to be fairly priced while still supporting female-owned and lead companies that:
Make people do the happy dance when they come out of our change rooms Invest in expensive safety testing, with the badge to show for it (Fully CE rated garments; not just containing CE rated armour) Put an emphasis on size-inclusive female gear Include diverse models on their websites Are continuously innovating their products with original designsThese are the companies that are driving positive change in our riding community.
At the end of the day, there is space for motorcycle gear companies to co-exist with different value propositions. Different customers will support different businesses based on if their needs are being met and if their values are aligned. The other companies should keep doing their thing, and we'll keep doing ours.
If you have feedback on how we can improve, you can reach me directly at amanda@peakmotogear.com.au.
