Meet Ansley Jean Roberts
Meet Ansley, a Marketing assistant at Harley-Davidson (@hdofscottsdale) and GO AZ Motorcycles (@goazmotorcycles). When she's not marketing bikes, she's a horticulturist, kayaker, yogi, climber, archer, baker, singer, songwriter, and guitarist. If her hobbies don't make her stand out her perseverance does. To most people biking is an expensive hobby, and this expense can stop them from starting, but Ansley used her determination to find a low budget way of getting started, proving that nearly every obstacle can be conquered.
What bike do you ride?
I ride a 2016 Honda Rebel 250 right now and I’m saving up for something bigger (hopefully soon).
Why did you choose this bike?
I chose this bike because it was light, inexpensive, and I felt comfortable on it while I was learning. I wish I had started out with something a little larger because I can’t really go on the highway on this bike and all I want to do is go on a weekend trips.
What inspired you to get your license?
I’ve been bike packing and commuting almost exclusively by bicycle for almost ten years now – I always wanted a motorcycle and figured it would expand my road tripping to new horizons.
What were your biggest challenges
The biggest challenge for a while was not having access to training living in a remote mountain town and not having any friends who ride. It seemed really expensive at the time too and I already had so many hobbies.
How tall are you?
1,57 m / 5.2 feet
What do you enjoy about biking?
I love cruising around town and feeling the breeze! I also like learning about the mechanics of a pretty simple machine – it’s empowering! Most of all, I love the community aspect of riding. I also feel like I’ve come back to myself in a lot of ways by riding a motorcycle.
Are you the only biker in your family?
Yes! No-one else in my family rides.
What advice would you give to people who want to start?
If you want to learn how to ride, do it! Take a class, get a bike, and just go ride! It doesn’t have to be expensive, I got a scholarship for a Basic Rider Course from Arizona Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Foundation (AMSAF) and I found a great budget starter bike.
