I live in Witney, Oxfordshire. I am a theatre nurse at the John Radcliffe Hospital and over time I have developed my career and as one can imagine, I have seen a lot of life pass through the theatre wards!
My interest in motorbikes started while I was living in London. At the age of 17 I bought a white second hand Honda CB175. In the day it was possible to ride it with L plates and I had a great deal of fun on it in around the area where I lived.
Life, men and a family came along and it meant there was a very large gap between my first and second bike.
Through marriage I moved to Witney and to get in and out to the Radcliffe hospital I soon realised the cheapest way was going to be on a motorbike. So I rekindled my interest in two wheels and went backwards and did my CBT, this time on a Suzuki SN125 and then two years later in 2014, took my full licence on a Kawasaki GPZ 500 which I kept for three years.
I was beginning to get a bit more adventurous and progressed on to a BMW F800 GTSE.
I did a great tour of Snowdonia on this and one day had one of those moments when I saw a BMW R1200 GS and thought, I like it and two months ago I bought a factory lowered GS, meaning I was not tippy toe all the time.
My two daughters also have motorbikes, one on a Honda CB500 and the younger one is just starting with Honda 125.
I came to know the BMW club in a roundabout way, through Meetup actually. I am a member of a local walking Meetup group and on Meetup I saw there was a BMW motorbike group so I signed up and came across James O’Shea. There was a slow riding event offered that I joined in which was very helpful and James suggested I should join the BMW Oxford Section to take advantage of club ride outs and social meetings, so here I am. I joined about 12 months ago.
Recently I was part of a very good Club ride to Mottisfont, National Trust property. What a beautiful garden and the roses were magnificent along with gorgeous Pionnes.
When I join in club rides I find I am the only women amongst the guys but there is, as always with bikers, lots of support and enthusiasm to have fun and get the most out of the ride and bike. I love the freedom a bike gives one and recognise there is always more to learn about biking, reading the road and advancing ones riding skills.
The rain and cold are not my favourite sides of biking but I have good biking gear and may invest in an electric heated vest to get that ‘toasty’ feeling.
If money were no object, I would love to fly out to New Zealand and hire a GS and ride the North and South Islands.
While not on the GS or in the theatre wards at the John Radcliffe, I have developed a passion for bee keeping and have two hives that give me great pleasure. I have been keeping bees for about five years now and there is always something new to learn as each season is slightly different.
Happy and safe riding to you all, Rowena.
