Monica discussed her hobby of riding a Harley since she was 14 years old in this interview. Monica has given us safety tips while riding a bike on the road. She loves exploring culture while on the go. She believes that Harley-Davidson riders must have an attitude.
As a result, riding any motorcycle with safety gear is critical, as is adhering to the traffic code. Monica also shed some light on the most common mistakes that bike riders make on the road. Before making any further delay, let’s read the interview.
Interview with Monica (Maldita)
Tell me more about yourself, your day-to-day life, and your interests aside from riding.
Maldita: My name is Mònica, not Maldita, like many people make mistakes with the Instagram name. I live in Spain, in the city of Barcelona. I love nature, animals, especially cats, and traveling. Whenever I can and have the opportunity, I try to travel and discover different cultures.
When did you find a passion for motor biking? I see you have a large collection of Harley Davidson motorcycles. Which bike is your favorite?
Maldita: I have been riding motorcycles since I was 14 years old. My parents bought me a scooter to go to school, and since then, I can say that I have ridden a motorcycle almost every day of my life. I always say that my motorcycle is my leg; I can’t live without it. In reality, I only have one Harley motorcycle, which is the Harley Davidson Iron883 model, and what I do is change the color cover so it always looks like a different motorcycle. I also have two motorcycles for my daily life to drive around the city Apart from my Harley, I have a predilection for triumphs.
Could you please walk us through in detail that memorable day when you got your first dream motorcycle?
Maldita: If I’m honest, I’ve never gone to buy the motorcycle of my dreams. All the motorcycles I have owned have always come to me through different circumstances in life.
What is your most unforgettable motorcycle route memory? And what safety precautions do you take when driving a long distance?
Maldita: I really am not one for doing long routes. I like to drive the motorcycle on weekends and go for walks, enjoy the landscape and nature, I love summer sunsets, and enjoy going to restaurants to eat.
You must always be very well protected with clothing with appropriate protection and a helmet since the motorcycle is a very dangerous vehicle.
What is the essential gear that riders must have for the long journey?
Maldita: A good jumpsuit or clothing with protection and a full-face helmet.
Do you have any guidelines for Harley Davidson’s must have safety gear for riders?
Maldita: The Harley world has no guide, the Harley world is free style but always being very bad …hahaha , to ride a Harley, you have to have attitude and a lot of personality and style I think that not everyone can ride a Harley motorcycle style.
Which helmet would you recommend to riders for a safe journey if I wanted to choose the best helmet for Harley Davidson bikes?
Maldita: I would recommend a full-face helmet, which is the one that provides the most protection. Obviously, I have my favorite brands, but I won’t say them because they don’t pay me to advertise for them.
Do you believe that long-distance riders must maintain a healthy diet? If so, which diet do you follow on a regular basis, and why?
Maldita: Not at all! No need for diets! What you need above all is to have strong arms and legs to be able to move a motorcycle weighing 300 kilos.
If I am a beginner and want to buy a Harley, which bike would you recommend and why?
Maldita: The truth is that the person who wants a Harley Davidson motorcycle knows very clearly what model of motorcycle they want to buy, they are very special motorcycles, so you have to buy the motorcycle of your dreams.
What are the laws for motorcycle riders in your country? Do you believe that many riders will not follow them all?
Maldita: Well, you know in Spain there is a traffic code that must be followed, as I imagine it will be the same in all countries, so a good biker, I think, never follows the laws to the letter, and even less so if you ride a Harley.
When you ride a Harley, there are no laws, you are free, you feel great, you feel unique, and you feel that you can do what you want always with great care and with a lot of respect while driving on the road and respecting others.
How do you safely share the road with cars? Do you find it difficult on the roads?
Maldita: The truth is that I have been driving for many years since I was 14 years old and I drive every day so for me it is not difficult to drive on different roads, such as conventional roads or highways, it is true that when I drive on the highway.
I must always be very careful with trucks, since they are very big and heavy and many times they want to overtake and do not realize that you may be behind driving your motorcycle.
What are some common mistakes beginners make on the road? What are your guidelines for them?
Maldita: I think that one of the mistakes that people can make when they first get their motorcycle license is to buy a motorcycle with a lot of displacement. If you have never driven a motorcycle before, you should know that buying a motorcycle with a large displacement without having previous experience in driving and on the road is very dangerous, and I think that there are many motorcycle accidents due to these types of problems.
Because I think that the majority of people come forward and think that because they have obtained a driving license for a large motorcycle, they already know how to drive a motorcycle, and that is not the case to ride this type of motorcycle previously.
You must have had years of experience driving other types of motorcycles and driving in all types of situations since at any time there may be an unforeseen event, and you must know perfectly how to handle the motorcycle so that you can run the minimum possible risk of a fall.
Do you have a specific maintenance schedule for your motorcycle, and how do you manage it?
Maldita: I don’t have any specific schedule, but I do say that approximately every six months I take my motorcycle to my trusted workshop to have it inspected and made a bet. I think it is very important to have a workshop and a trusted mechanic who can advise you and explain the best procedures to carry out on your motorcycle for its best conservation.
If I am riding my motorcycle, how can I make it more visible to other drivers? Explain your best road safety strategy to me.
Maldita: There are different products or items of clothing, such as jackets or pants, that have built-in reflectors so that cars can see you more easily at night. You can also use reflective vests that give the driver very good visibility, so cars can see us with better visibility.
