Newby to Kiwi Biker from France (marigami)

[marigami]

Hi everybody,

As I am very involved in biking in France and like it I kept wondering how it was for bikers in New Zealand, first of all because I'd so like to come over!
I am a she-biker (first and foremost I DO apolozise, english is not my mother tongue so please be kind with me) and at the moment I owns 2 bikes, used to have 3 but had to sell one, needed money!
Here in France it is not so easy to be a trus biker, even more as a girl and, above all, a tiny girl : see I am not 5 feet and it was difficult to find bikes for me.
But I managed, I currently have a zephit 750 and a 400 bandit.
I have my driving licence since 2000 but I've been interested in bikes for more than 20 years as my father was a biker as my brother and my sister's friends.
I do not have car at all neither car driving licence.
I've got to know about the kiwi bikeers and will be glad to tell you more about the french bikers.
Hope you will help and tell me.
See you.

[Paul in NZ]

Welcome... Don't wory about your english, its better than our french... besides, using words like She-Biker is just unbearably cute..... Bound to get the attention of the dateless and desperate...

[YellowDog]

Hey Marigami,

Your English is already better than most on here and also if you try too hard with getting your English right, we won't be able to imagine a sexy French accent whilst reading.

Welcome to KB.

[marigami]

Thank you for your warm welcome.
And I feel terribly sorry for my mistakes as I reread my post, oops, I think my fingers got all mixed up and I typed too quickly !
And she-bikers, uhhh wasn't it the right word ?
I have the feeling that in the future I will keep on making a fool of myself with my odd words...
So I think you have understood that I have a Zephyr, not a zephit (shame on me...).
Now it is 8.30 pm in France, making my dinner.
And I do not mind getting contacts, uhh I mean I will be happy to write and know more about NZ and bikers and so.
And I am going to read more thread on the forums in order to know what are the proper words for all the part of the bike in english.
I already know for brake (that's the "freins", do not say the s) and gear and saddlebag but I learnt today pillion, which we translate in french as "passager" or "sac de sable" (SDS) which means the person which can give you grip enough for your bike but not too heavy to keep the speed and balance on.
Needless to say that, as a petite, I can't really have a good pillion, I mean no heavy male at least (that will be the end for the dateless I think)! But I hae always been called good pillion myself!
I always dreaded to have a heavy pillion and the bike goes up down (arghh what is the word for this, you know as if the back of the bike is much more heavy than the front so the top is getting up like, like uhh like....I don't know.
But sometimes having a man with me can be very useful espcially when I need someone to lift my bike or when I am tired, men can be useful sometimes

[Mom]

Welcome to KB. The best things come in little packages

[Quasi]

Bonjour Marigami and welcome to KB. Its a lovely place where you are going to meet all sorts of interesting and unusual people, and maybe even a few "she bikers". You have capitivated us already with your interesting translations

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Thank you for your warm welcome.
And I feel terribly sorry for my mistakes as I reread my post, oops, I think my fingers got all mixed up and I typed too quickly !
And she-bikers, uhhh wasn't it the right word ?
I have the feeling that in the future I will keep on making a fool of myself with my odd words...
So I think you have understood that I have a Zephyr, not a zephit (shame on me...).
Now it is 8.30 pm in France, making my dinner.
And I do not mind getting contacts, uhh I mean I will be happy to write and know more about NZ and bikers and so.
And I am going to read more thread on the forums in order to know what are the proper words for all the part of the bike in english.
I already know for brake (that's the "freins", do not say the s) and gear and saddlebag but I learnt today pillion, which we translate in french as "passager" or "sac de sable" (SDS) which means the person which can give you grip enough for your bike but not too heavy to keep the speed and balance on.
Needless to say that, as a petite, I can't really have a good pillion, I mean no heavy male at least (that will be the end for the dateless I think)! But I hae always been called good pillion myself!
I always dreaded to have a heavy pillion and the bike goes up down (arghh what is the word for this, you know as if the back of the bike is much more heavy than the front so the top is getting up like, like uhh like....I don't know.
But sometimes having a man with me can be very useful espcially when I need someone to lift my bike or when I am tired, men can be useful sometimes

Having a to heavy pillion on the back can unstable the bike, as there is more weight on the back than over the front, this means the bike is very light in the steering (thats not a good thing). Pillion and rider have to have a bit of trust with each other...

Oh welcome to the site, sorry about my bad english and it is my first language... (there is a lot of good info on this site, and alot more bullshit so be warry of that )

I have the feeling that in the future I will keep on making a fool of myself with my odd words...

There a lot of people on here do worse... (at time even me)

"She biker" made me laugh (in a good way) it wasn't wrong terminoligy, but probably not quiet right either, female biker...

[sels1]

Bonjour! Welcome to KB.

And I feel terribly sorry for my mistakes as I reread my post, :

Dont worry, you are easier to understand than some people on here!

[marigami]

I do agree with you as for the trust between biker and ones pillion, that's the most important this relationship.
And she-biker, well shame on me (blushing everywhere...).
I mean that I am a girl and a biker!
And I feel this is so very unfair as I think here in NZ you can still find easily 200 and even 400.
I can't tell how difficult it have been for me to find my 400 Bandit, we do not even have 200 around anymore or only kind of vintage bikes as are my zephyr and bandit (I mean for the french they are).
So either you are tall (well taller than me, but THIS is an easy thing...) either you do not have bike at all, or only 125, and with limited speed.
Arrghh
And sorry what does mean the steering?
i like mecanics too as my bikes being quite "old" I must very often do the maintenance myself or with the help of friends.
I have so much questions to ask but I don't know where I could post them and well I do feel now a bit shy, to make the first step in a thread...
But I do like the mecanics forum, it is very interesting.

[naphazoline]

Welcome onboard KiwiBiker Marigami.

Great to have more international bikers,and more she-bikers too.

[BiK3RChiK]

Hi marigami, Welcome to Kiwibiker. Don't be shy! It's always good to see another biker chick...

[marigami]

Well thanks again.
But I did already post some messages, yes I did it !
And I would like to introduce you to our french built and created bikes which I am very proud of!
But I don't know whether it will interest someone and where to post that thread.
They are just... beautiful ohhhhh I so wished I could be taller to be able to have one (and to have much more money too as they are expensive but really worth it!).
May I ask the admin whether and wher to post this ? I don't know.

[CookMySock]

Marigami, if you would like to come here for a biker holiday them you must!

NZ is really great place to ride, and you will see Kiwis are very helpful. It will be easy for you to buy a bike and sell it when you are finished with it.

You could reply and post pictures in this thread if you choose. There is no problem with that.

Steve

[marigami]

Marigami, if you would like to come here for a biker holiday them you must

Steve

How I whish I could but for the time being noway for me !
But I do hope I will.
The problem will be to find a bike low enough for me to actually ride it !!

So here are some links and pictures of our fabulous french made bikes, called VOXAN.
Here is the wikipedia link (although the french one is more complete).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voxan

And some pictures :

http://www.voxan.com/voxan/gamme.asp

You can have the technicals by clicking on each bike.

I actually fall in love with the Cafe Racer. Sorry I do not know how to actually insert the picture...oops !
Those bikes are beautiful, I did ride them all ..while I was at a show but of course never will be able to ride them in real sigh !
They are quite expensive but, to make comparison, say they are a bit like Triumph range, and Triumph are very good bikes.
We are few in France to really know and like them but very enjying them and they are really recognized as being very good bikes.
The only thing is that we are so used to japanese and german bikes than getting in between is not an easy thing.
Well and there have been an other previous french made bike, called BFG.
It was actually made with the engine of ...a car, a french car.
So here it is : http://www.motoplanete.com/BFG/BFG.php

Engine was 1300 and I can tell you that they are very solid and useful bikes, one of my friend has one and a side car (ehh is that the right word by the way?).

Those are the most recent french made bikes.
Of course there have been others french made bikes famous during from the 30's to the end of the 50's.
And bikers are still using them, I mean the ones that are passionates about them.
This is true they are great.
They are "vintage" bikes.

[dogsnbikes]

Welcome Marigami......your fit right in here.. I use to see alot of bikes in Marseille in the early 90's around the old port outside cafe's alot like what you see here now,

Have fun here