Women and Motorcycles - Featuring Donna Maguire

Donna Maguire

Donna Maguire is a beautiful, bubbly mother of 5 children, 10 grand kids and has been riding motorcycles for 15 years.

So why did Donna start riding her own bike? “I was tired of being on the back of a bike, waiting for someone to take me for a ride. So instead of being on the back, I was in control.“ Her brother rides and her husband is an ice racer as well as a street rider with the same bike as hers. “The day I went to pick up my 1600, I thought OMG what have I done? Did I bite off more than I can chew? It’s all about respect. You have to respect the throttle.”

“I started riding in 2004 - before my kids were born. They would just say, ‘There goes Mom. She’s doing something crazy again’. If you asked them now, they love it. My daughter wants to ride and the grand kids love being on the bike.“ Her bikes have included a 1981 650 Yamaha Maxim, a 1600 Yamaha, and now a Yamaha Road Star 1700.

Every rider has that “AH” moment where they understand why riding is more than transportation. I asked Donna when hers was. “I never knew the whole concept of Wind Therapy until I started riding. Ten years into riding, I loved it. It’s freedom, it’s the smells in the air, the things you see and the roads that you wouldn’t normally go down. But it wasn’t until my mom got sick with cancer, and my head was congested with worry and concern for her. A friend said I needed to go for a ride. I thought, no I can’t because my head isn’t in a good space. But it was amazing! Because when I was riding I wasn’t thinking about anything else but riding and the freedom. That cleared out the space in my head. It was a couple of hours that I thought about nothing but riding. That was when I realized what Wind Therapy was.”

Donna started a Club called Classy Sassy Riders in 2009. “The Club went on a hiatus because back then women riders weren’t as prevalent as they are today. Last summer I started it up again.”

She also heads up Desiree’s Angels Charity Ride in Peterborough. “We just had first annual ride this summer. It was amazing! I was blown away! We had over 100 people come out. We have two charities – Victim Services and Peterborough Crossroads Women’s Shelter. We raised $1500 for each charity.” www.desireesride.com Crossroads Shelter has a special meaning for Donna. She stayed there after her first marriage broke up. She

Donna with her husband, Martin

understands how important this women’s shelter is to help women out of bad situations.

Follow Donna on Facebook www.facebook.com/donna.harper.75457 Classy Sassy Riders www.facebook.com/groups/125893119935/ Desirees ride Peterborough Chapter www.facebook.com/peterboroughdesride/