Want to get into motorcycling but don’t know where to start?
Getting into motorcycling as a woman isn’t always easy - especially if none of your mates ride.
The barriers to entry for women getting into biking are greater than for men, but more and more of us really want to learn to ride. Moto Workshop was founded on the idea that by building community and sharing knowledge, we can help women overcome these barriers.
Based in West London, we’re a small team of women riders, instructors and bike nuts who are part of the VC London collective. We already run not-for-profit rideouts and social events as well as volunteering at Camp VC, a women only motorcycle and outdoor adventure weekend in Wales.
For 2023, we are going to be organising monthly evening community workshops for novice riders, focussing on what you need to do to make your moto ambitions into reality. We’ll cover stuff like how to prepare for your CBT, what gear you need and how to buy, insure and look after a bike.
We'll also be running workshop skills evenings to help you understand your bike, how to look after it and make it yours by adding accessories, customisations and much more. This is a totally informal session where we will share skills and give women the opportunity to have a go at getting hands-on in a safe, supportive environment. We're not professional mechanics, but between us, we've got decades of experience maintaining, modifying and messing with bikes that we want to share with our community.
SESSIONS
MOTO INTRO
It all begins with an idea. You want to ride, but you’ve got so many questions.
This monthly session aims to demystify the whole process for the bike-curious. We’ll show you what you need to do, from having your first try out on a bike or scooter, to buying the helmet and kit you need, to booking lessons, a CBT and maybe even buying a bike of your own. We’ll talk about:
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Riding gear and safety
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Machine controls and basic operation
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How to approach CBT training provider selection
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Mechanical systems overview
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Daily and weekly moto checks
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Motorcycle security
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How to buy a second hand motorcycle
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Insurance and tax
120 mins | £25* (including a beer & pizza after)
WORKSHOP SKILLS
Owning a bike isn’t like owning a car. Even new bikes take a bit of looking after and although you can pay a mechanic to do a lot of what you need, most of us choose to do at least some of the work on our own bikes.
This isn’t a moto mechanics class, it’s more about coming along, seeing and talking about a particular activity, sharing skills and then getting hands-on and having a go. We’ll run different sessions each month and you can come to any that interest you. Planned subjects include:
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Learning to clean, lube and adjust your chain
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Building a moto tool kit
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Packing for a moto adventure and how to pack luggage on your bike safely
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How to clean a bike and do your weekly checks
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Tyres - basic checks and repairing tubeless tyres using a puncture repair kit
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Doing an oil change
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Basic moto electrics/soldering/using a multimeter
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Making an aluminium bracket
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Brakes and how to maintain them
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How to fit heated grips, add heated gear or other electrical accessories
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Battery health, maintenance, replacement and swap out
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Introduction to welding
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Basic upholstery - how to recover a seat
120 mins | £30* (including a beer & pizza after)
* Suggested donation to cover running costs, insurance, materials and refreshments.
Meet the Team
OUR WORKSHOP
Based in West London, five minutes walk from the Central Line, we'd love to invite you to come and visit our little workshop
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