Hey there — I’m Kat. I always click on the ‘About’ page too 🙃. There’s something fun about finding out who’s really behind the website, isn’t there?
So here goes… deep breath… this is my story.
From Pillion to Nervous Rider to Touring Europe
I never meant to be a biker.
For years, I was perfectly happy on the back of my husband’s bike. We explored all over the UK — Scotland, Wales, and even Jersey (where I was born) and I never once considered riding my own.
But, as kids do, our daughter grew up. Eventually, she wanted to come with us… which meant I lost my seat. 😳
Suddenly, my options were:
- Learn to ride my own motorcycle
- Or miss out on the adventures
Spoiler: I got my licence.
I went through Direct Access, learnt on a Bandit, bought a Bandit, and that should have been the start of me feeling like a proper ‘biker’.
Except I didn’t.
Being a nervous rider (and quitting)
My first year as a rider was rough. I felt overwhelmed, underconfident, and I just couldn’t relax on the bike. I scared myself several times, not helped by an idiot biker who decided to overtake me whilst I was overtaking a lorry. It scared the crap out of me.
Not long after, I stopped riding altogether. I still continued to own and pay for a bike… but I never actually rode the thing. I just looked at it and felt a weird mix between failure and guilt. You can watch the whole sad story here:
If you enjoyed that video and would like to see more of our adventures, you can subscribe to our Youtube Channel here
Trying Again (and Falling in Love with Touring)
In 2017, everything changed. My husband bought a Triumph Scrambler and I was intrigued. It was totally different to the Bandit and looked so fun to ride. So I bought one too.
And this time? I loved it.
Turns out, my first bike just hadn’t been right for me. Once I had a bike that felt more comfortable, I started to relax. Ride at my own pace. Enjoy the views.
That’s when I realised how much I LOVE motorcycle touring. Whilst going fast is fun, I love to explore on two wheels. You feel so much more connected to the places you ride through.
From there, we started venturing further, exploring much of Europe on our bikes.
Motorcycle Touring- phase 1
Our initial plan was to ride around Europe as much as possible, staying in hotels or B&Bs. That lasted until we tried doing it with a teenager and realised two rooms + long bike days + hotels who don’t ‘like bikers’ = stressful and expensive.
One day, we happened to ride past a motorhome towing 2 motorbikes on a trailer — and something clicked. Why not buy a motorhome, tow the bikes (and avoid the long boring motorway bit), and have a comfy base to explore each area from?
So that’s what we did.
We toured Europe, home-schooled our daughter, and eventually I quit my job as an air traffic controller so we could travel full-time.
Track Days
One of the things I realised when touring in the Pyrenees was I wanted to get better at cornering at speed. Not to show off, but so that I had confidence in my motorcycle when I accidently went into a hairpin too fast.
So I decided to do a track day. And then another one. And another one.
I ended up trading the Scrambler for a Kawasaki ZX6R (which I also turned purple!) and I really enjoyed the track days, even though I knew I wasn’t very far from reaching the end of my ability- especially when I was pushed up into the Intermediate group!
In the end, I learnt a LOT from doing them, but it’s not where my motorcycling happiness is found, so I’ve sold the track bike and now ride a Kawasaki 1000 SX, which is BRILLIANT for touring.
Life Now
Isn’t it funny how life changes.
Since starting this website, I’m now divorced, our daughter’s all grown up (and studying law at University!), and I now explore with my new partner Adam, who loves motorcycle touring as much as I do!
I stopped riding for a while during the seperation, mainly because it was something my ex-husband and I did together, and I wasn’t sure if I was confident enough to go off on my own.
Then, on a holiday to Tenerife with Adam, we hired mopeds to go exploring on. (Funny side note; at the moped shop, the guy automatically spoke to Adam and openly called him the ‘more experienced rider’, even though Adam hadn’t ridden a motorcycle in 17 years!)
It reminded me how much fun just being on two wheels is – no pressure, no high speeds, just adventure. (Even if you’re snobby about mopeds, I highly recommend hiring one on holiday- they’re so much fun!)
I encouraged Adam to get another motorcycle, and now we explore together. It’s strange going from the less-experienced rider to the most-experienced in our relationship, but I try not to lord it over him (too much! 😉)
We have so many exciting plans for the future, including trips around Europe, the UK and possibly even the US and Canada when time allows (he has a ‘real’ job so we need to work around his holiday time.’
Why ‘Biker Girl Life’?
When I started this site, I wrestled with the name for ages.
The motorcycle world can feel pretty male-dominated and intimidating— especially if you’re a woman just starting out. As a new rider, I struggled to find anyone like me- a new/ nervous girl on a bike, experiencing the same feelings of self-doubt and under-confidence.
So I created this website to be a voice for other women or new riders- someone others could look at and say ‘if SHE can do it, so can I!’
But let’s be real for a moment…
There are a lot of assumptions, labels, and “oh, you have own bike?” moments to deal with when you’re a girl who rides a motorcycle.
I’ve been called everything from biker chick to moto lady to biker babe — and honestly, I don’t mind any of them (thanks, I think?)
What I do mind is the ridiculous idea that female bikers have to be sexy or edgy or half-naked.
So, whilst I do have some tattoos, wear makeup and dye my hair (shhh!), you won’t ever see me on a bike in a short skirt or heels. This is a space that’s welcoming, real, and relatable — not some over-filtered, bikini-on-a-bike nonsense.
Biker Girl Life isn’t about looking cool.
It’s about feeling confident, growing as a rider, and embracing the joy of discovering the world on two wheels.
This is where I share my experiences and stories to help other riders (especially women and new bikers) feel confident, inspired, and excited for the next motorcycle ride, whatever that may be.
Also yes, it’s mostly fuelled by caramel lattes.
But why “girl” if you ride with a guy?
Did you know only around 10% of UK bikers are female? In the US, it’s about 15%. We’re still very much a minority. And there are even fewer women openly talking about what that experience is like.
Plus, women riders face a whole different set of challenges to men— not just the physical stuff like finding leathers that fit boobs and hips or moving the damn thing— but the attitudes, comments, and the constant surprise when people realise you actually ride your own.
So, whilst I often tour with my partner Adam, I created Biker Girl Life to share the experience of being a girl with a motorbike.
To share my stories, struggles, tips, fails, and epic moments.
To connect with other riders (whatever your gender).
And to help more women feel like yes, you absolutely do belong here. Whether you just want to pootle (totally a word) on a Sunday to the local biker cafe, or you’re planning a round the world adventure (so jealous), we can all support and encourage each other.
Quickfire Questions
Here are some answers to frequently asked questions:
What motorcycle do you ride? Kawasaki 1000SX
What was your first motorcycle? Suzuki Bandit 650. She was pretty but wrong for me in every way
Where are you based? Hampshire, UK but I am often found travelling Europe in a motorhome (you can check out my motorhoming website (Wandering Bird) here if you’re interested)
How tall are you? 5’11 (about 180cm). Don’t ask me how much I weigh- I’ll lie.
How old are you? I stopped counting at 35. That was a few years ago 😉
Do you still do track days?
Not anymore — I loved them for a time, but now it’s all about the open road, new places, and touring freedom.
Favourite place you’ve ridden? This is possibly the hardest question! Norway was epic. I love Scotland. The Italian Dolomites and German Black Forest were breathtaking and riding around Monaco on part of the GP circuit was epic. Sooo… all of it?
What gear do you use? Ok, here we go:
- Normal riding jacket: Held
- Helmet: Custom painted Shoei GT Air (and I have a GT Air 2 for track days)
- Gloves: Dianese
- Boots: Alpinestars
- Track day leathers: Held 2 piece
What dog do you have? Mac is a working cocker spaniel, born in 2018. He loves bike rides and travels in a doggy backpack now he’s outgrown his puppy bike box. Sadly, he’s too heavy for me, so I hope to get him another top box made so he can come on more motorcycle adventures with us.
Where can we connect?
Yay, I’d love to connect with you too. The best way to stay connected is by joining our email list at the bottom of the page.
You can also find me on Instagram and Facebook.
I also share our stories and adventures on Youtube- please do come and say hi on a recent video.
If there are any questions you have which I haven’t answered, please feel free to ask!
Wherever you are, whatever you ride, stay safe out there.
Kat x