Fast Babes Featured Rider: @carlytwowheels
Name: Carly Kendall
Instagram: @ carlytwowheels
Carly is based in Northwest Tennessee and can often be spotted ripping around in her orange helmet! She is planning an International Female Ride Day event at the dealership she works at (69 Motorsports.) and trying to rally some girls to ride together. If you are local to her, shoot her a message - she’d love to link up!
Where did you grow up and where do you currently reside?
I grew up in the suburbs of Memphis, TN, and I currently live in rural northwest TN.
How did you initially get involved with motorcycles?
I fell in love with motorcycles by accident, actually. No one in my family rode or had anything to do with motorcycles. If anything, my parents looked down on bikers as reckless and dangerous. I don't think I had even seen a motorcycle up close until I was in my twenties. In 2019 my life and my relationship went through a rough patch, and I essentially had a midlife crisis (quarter-life-crisis?). I was feeling reckless and motivated to try something new, so I decided to buy a little motorcycle and sign up for the rider's course. I really enjoyed the challenge of learning something new, something that is unique for a tiny young woman with no moto background. I passed the class, despite dropping the student bike four times the first day. I started riding my little 250cc beater around town and quickly became addicted to the confidence it gave me. From there everything just snowballed, and here I am.
When did you get your first bike and what was it?
I found my first motorcycle on Facebook Marketplace in February 2019. It was a 2007 Honda Rebel 250 that had been ridden a handful of times, wrecked, and parked outside for years. It was a $900 bucket of rust, dents, and dry-rot, but it ran and that's all I needed. I remember sitting on it thinking, "holy CRAP, this thing is HUGE! How am I supposed to control this thing?"
What do you currently ride and why?
I just recently bought and currently ride a 2020 HD Low Rider S. From the beginning I had been drawn to Harleys / cruisers and the idea of roadtripping on a bike, as well as the camaraderie of the Harley community. The large majority of bikers in my area are Harley riders, so that was a natural decision. I live in a very rural area, so city-riding on a zippy little bike just doesn't exist here. The FXLRS had been my dream bike ever since I first saw it. I love the classic cruiser styling, blacked-out engine parts, and powerful highway engine in a comfortable, compact frame.
What is your happiest memory that involves motorcycles?
There have been a handful of moments on my bike where I was so happy I was in tears, and most of them involve riding with other women. Like I said, I got into riding completely on my own and my first two years as a rider were very lonely, then COVID-19 shut down all meetups and events. I was desperately searching for that famous biker community that I just couldn't seem to find. I turned to social media to at least have some digital community, which ended up being my saving grace.
My first specific happy memory was at last year's 2021 International Female Ride Day in Clarksville, TN. I woke up before dawn to go ride almost three hours one way, to meet up and ride with a bunch of strangers. I was immediately welcomed by nearly 30 other women riders like I was family, getting hugged and chatting excitedly about bikes and gear (which I had NEVER done in my two years of riding). When we pulled out of the parking lot in formation, I was near the back and was watching the pack of powerful women in front of me, and that's when the happy tears hit me. All these lonely miles, failed meetups, and disappointments had led me to this point, and I was overwhelmed with emotion. I had FINALLY found my people.
A second happy memory was riding with my moto role model Staci Wilt in Wyoming. A similar story to the first one, and I had just gotten home from another failed no-show bike meetup, and I was frustrated to the point of tears. I was scrolling through instagram and saw an ad for the Devilstone Run in Wyoming, hosted by Go Fast Don't Die. I said "fuck it," I'll go. I figured the Go Fast people would be cool, and if not, I would at least be riding in my favorite part of the country. Turns out the Go Fast folks are, in fact, SUPER COOL, and I got to meet so many awesome people at the event. One was Staci Wilt, who was one of the first women I'd ever seen travel long distances completely by herself. I wouldn't have even considered riding alone all the way to Wyoming if it wasn't for badass women like her. After I had a major fangirl moment and introduced myself to her, she and I rode together to the next stop. I was hit with another wall of emotion, one of those happy tears, "I can't believe this is actually happening" wildly happy moments. Riding through epically beautiful Wyoming, following one of my idols, on our way to go party with my 100 new moto buddies. How lucky am I?
Outside of motorcycles, tell us a little about yourself?
I'm a 28-year-old graphic designer / social media chick for my local powersports dealership, Interstate 69 Motorsports. I'm married to my amazingly supportive husband Thomas, who has been by my side through my whole motorcycle journey. Thomas doesn't ride (yet), but he saw that I had an interest and encouraged me to pursue the riding course and attend events. He and I have always been avid outdoorsmen and travelers, going camping, kayaking, roadtripping, hiking, etc. We've driven to dozens of National Parks and camped out of our truck along the way. Before bikes, I was a big-time horsey girl, volunteered at a horse rescue, and I still own a horse.
How have you become a more confident rider? Things you’ve done to help you gain confidence?
Riding a bike PERIOD makes me feel like a badass, so there's that! I spent the first two years riding alone, so I was really able to hone in my riding style and "ride my own ride" without outside pressure. I rode a lot of backroads and would intentionally pick routes that would test my skills. Now that I have riding friends, they help me push my comfort levels and become a better, more confident rider. Riding with others is also a great opportunity to encourage each other and lift each other up. Some of my most confidence-boosting moments have been small comments from my friends. Things like "you and I have the same riding style," "I saw you scrape your peg in that curve, that was badass!" "You handle that big bike like a boss!" I've seen what a difference that compliments have made for me, so I'm always making an effort to encourage and support other new riders.
What is your dream trip/bucket list ride(s)?
My husband and I have daydreamed about renting bikes and riding around Alaska, so if that ever happens, that'd be dope. Honestly, if Thomas ever gets really into riding, any riding trip with him would be awesome. I really want to go to Sturgis at least once. We've driven the Beartooth Pass and Going-to-the-Sun Road in our truck, but I'd love to be able to go back on a bike.
How do you think motorcycles have changed your life?
Oh my gosh, in almost every single way. I mean, I still have the same husband and live in the same place, but motorcycles made me change my career, my social life, my free time, all of it for the better. When I knew I wanted to shift my career to this industry, I reached out to my local powersports dealership and to my surprise they hired me. They said out all the resumes they see every day, I stood out because I put my motorcycle endorsement on my resume.
Do you have any upcoming motorcycle trips/rides planned?
Heck yeah I do! You'll find me at Tennessee Motorcycles and Music Revival in May, the Devilstone Run again in September, and maybe Bikes Blues and BBQ in Arkansas this October. I've been put in charge of organizing an IFRD event at my dealership (pray for me), and my biker coworkers want to do a weekend trip this spring to the Smokies and Tail of the Dragon.
