“It was almost like I was doing something illegal,” says Liatt Condie-Potter of manning her own road bike for the first time. “I felt alive.” Condie-Potter belongs to a tight-knit group of local lady bikers who have a passion for road trips and leather.
Potter and friend Caryl Wilson first started riding together about a decade ago. Soon after, they started inviting other lady bikers to join them. They’ve gained at least eight more riders since then. “We just keep bringing in more girls when we need somebody,” says Wilson.
Twins Samantha McArthur and Mandy Crapo are part of the gang who can often be found at Chester’s Harley Davidson on Utah Avenue. Speaking of twins, Wilson has a twin sister Cheryl Sikes who often rides along too. Together they started a company called Wild Instincts, which offers leather gear for the stylish rider.
It’s not just the act of straddling a bike and hitting the open road on two wheels that keep the Wild Instincts Riders going full throttle, it’s the camaraderie and life-long friendships that are a truly rewarding part of the whole experience.
“I love to ride with the girls,” says Condie-Potter. “There’s something about it and we have a ball together.”
However, they had to become “endorsed” riders before they could legally hit the road alone. This is required of all who hope to ride Idaho’s highways on anything from a scooter to a Harley, says John Barsness, commercial driver’s license specialist at the Idaho Department of Transportation in Boise. Wilson, Condie-Potter, McArthur and Crapo all chose to enroll in an Idaho STAR course to earn their endorsements. They agree it was the most important thing they’ve done to better their riding skills and keep themselves safe out on the road. “My husband took it at the same time, but he doesn’t ride that much so I had to find some girlfriends to ride with,” says Wilson.
Perhaps the best thing about living in the Idaho Falls area is the closeness of our city to the rural hot spots of the mountains. To say these women have taken advantage of the opportunity to explore is an understatement.
“We go to Jackson, we go to Stanley, over to McCall, we go to Soda Springs and sit in the hot pools,” says Wilson. “One of the prettiest rides is up to Island Park around Hebgen Lake—that’s a beautiful day ride.”
In fact, Wilson and Sikes rode their Harley-Davidson Fat Boys to Sturgis in 2011. “It was very empowering,” says Wilson. “Just the two of us taking off, just what you could carry in your saddlebags. We had a blast.” This was the sisters’ first big road trip.
Crapo agrees being a biker chick is liberating. “Being a single mom, you’re stressed out all the time, you’ve got to work and everything—it’s the best stress reliever, like ever,” she says.
These women often ride solo, but riding together brings an extra element of fun. Crapo says “people are curious” when they travel as a group and pull over for a break. “They want to come talk to you to see why you got started and when.”
Condie-Potter recalls a recent road trip with the girls when they stopped at a restaurant for lunch. “We pull up in the parking lot and there’s people just kind of checking us out,” she says. “We take our helmets off and they’re going ‘Oh my gosh it’s a bunch of chicks!”’ She enjoys chatting with the crowds and the enthusiasm she gets from onlookers.
The confidence to brave the road alone hasn’t always been there for Condie-Potter. In fact, she started out on the back of her husband’s bike. “I learned a lot while I was on the back,” she says. She rode this way for a few years before the timing felt right to step off and accept the challenge of riding solo.
“You make mistakes sometimes, but you pick your bike up and learn you don’t go so fast around that corner where there’s gravel,” says Condie-Potter. “You learn while you ride.”
McArthur also started out riding with her husband, who went on frequent overnighters with his family. Once she started riding on her own, she admits there were a few challenges at first.
“You’re riding along on a paved road and it turns into dirt—that’s fun. You kind of freak out for a second and just realize you have to slow down,” she says. Now that she’s logged thousands of miles on her bike, she’s gained the confidence needed to handle the longer rides. McArthur recently took a joyride to Glacier National Park. “We went about 400 miles a day and that was a lot, but it was so much fun."
Even though the gang has been riding together for several years, they still feel every ride is different and risky. Anyone who has been on a bike will tell you the importance of knowing your surroundings and the rules of the road. “Definitely watch out for other drivers, they don’t watch out for you,” says Crapo. “There’s been a few times where I’ve had to swerve out of the way.”
Condie-Potter says even though she’s taken the STAR course, she still struggles with trusting herself on the road. She’s learned to drive on the defense. “You have to assume somebody’s going to run you over because you can’t always trust people in cars,” she says.
McArthur believes the longer rides have given her valuable practice and the experience she needs to feel safer.
“I would just encourage women to get out there and ride,” she says. I think a lot of women just sit behind with their husbands and I think they’re missing out on so much, because it’s much more fun if you’re in control of the bike.”
Idaho STAR Courses
The STAR acronym stands for Skills Training Advantage for Riders. The Idaho STAR program offers motorcycle safety courses for riders of every level and is a good resource for those looking to get an endorsement. Enroll in a course to gain the knowledge and skills needed to safely ride Idaho’s roadways. Register for classes starting in March and April of 2013 by visiting www.idahostar.org.
Wild Instincts Gear
Wearable leather art with a Rock n’Roll vibe
Not only should road bikers sport leather to protect themselves from road hazards and natural elements, it’s valuable because it protects the rider’s skin from making direct contact with the road in the event of a crash.
Lady Bikers and twin sisters Caryl Wilson and Cheryl Sikes design and wear their own leather gear. Their business, Wild Instincts, may be just a few years old—but enthusiasm for their exotic-looking apparel has become contagious. Their leather gear has become so popular locally that they’re looking to expand their business into more states this year. Wilson says Wild Instincts started because they “loved rock n’roll motorcycle stuff” and couldn’t find any they liked.
Wild Instincts offers three main vests, half chaps and loop bags, as well as custom items upon request. These items are available in fallow deer hides, elk hides, fox, beaver and bobcat fur. Why not accent your gear with stingray and crocodile skins too?
They’ll be happy to oblige.
“The most popular vest we make is the vintage vest and we ride in these all summer,” says Wilson.
Since many riders don’t like to wear full chaps in the summertime heat, the half chaps have also been wildly popular because they protect the knee and lower leg. “If you crashed, that would take the heat of it,” she says.
And the loop bags? These are a smart alternative to a purse. They hook onto your belt loops and can store what fellow rider Samantha McArthur calls “the essentials”—your phone, lip gloss, and money.
Wild Instincts gear is sold locally at Chester's Grand Teton Harley Davidson in Idaho Falls. Find additional items online at www.wildinstincts.net or visit Wild Instincts’ eBay and Etsy stores.