Featured Rider - Marissa Baecker A.K.A ( MotorcycGal )

This week’s featured rider is Marissa Baecker. Marissa is a professional photographer and moto blogger.

I have been riding on and off since I was a child. My parents owned a Yamaha dealership when I was growing up. I took a break from riding while my children were young and returned when they approached graduation from high school.

I owned a Harley-Davidson Softail before I became a journalist. As a motorcycle journalist, I am always riding a different bike and so I sold my Harley and have not purchased another motorcycle. I have no limits when it comes to testing bikes. Whether it is a big cruiser, a cafe racer, an adventure model, a sport tour machine, a super sport race bike, a scooter or even a dirt bike, IÕl l ride it. I even spend time on quads, snowmobiles and side by sides and yes, I have ridden the Can Am Spyder.

I do not own my own bike at this time. After having tried so many different rides, it would be difficult to choose just one. Each style has its own unique personality and experience. You almost need one to suit every mood. I do favor the adventure models. You can not go wrong with a Suzuki V-Strom 650 or 1000 but most recently the KTM 1290 Super Duke GT ranks at the top of my list. As for the other styles.

My favorites are:

Cruisers: Triumph Thunderbird LT and the Indian Chief

Super Sport: Kawasaki ZX-6R and BMWS1000RR

Standard Sport: Kawasaki Ninja1000 and Suzuki GSX-S1000F

Sport Tour: BMW R1200RT

Cafe Racer: Triumph Bonneville - they are just too much fun.

Scooter: Vespa - it's a classic.

Growing up around motorcycles made riding a bike second nature. I live in an area of British Columbia that offers some of the most spectacular riding around. As riding is my work, I plan very little as one phone call can change the plan entirely if I receive an invitation to a new motorcycle model press launch.

As a friend of mine said recently, If it has two wheels and a motor - it's good.

My dream bike . . . would probably be a KTM adventure. My body snaps on to a KTM, whether or it is sport, duke or adventure, like a piece of Lego. I fit perfectly. I feel I am the bike when I ride KTM.

I ride according to the conditions. Sometimes that means aggressive, other times conservative. It just depends on my surroundings.

I have no regrets about choosing a motorcycle lifestyle. I like that I continually learn new things.

I would suggest track training or a track school that offers high speed braking and cornering. I think learning the parameters of a motorcycle from the professionals is a good skill to have in your motorcycle toolbox.

Hmmm, this is a tough one. Overall, I think it is inconsiderate to ride unprotected. Most riders will tell you It's our choice what we wear. What most riders don't think about is that the choice we make for ourselves, doesn't just affect us. If we go down, there will be an endless number of people, who we do not currently know, that will affected by our choice and it could change their lives forever. For instance, if we go down unprotected - we will be a bloody mess and those first on the scene will have that image imprinted in their brain for life - possibly cause post traumatic stress. We won't be affected because we will probably be dead. We accept that possibility each and every time we ride. I think, as riders, we owe a duty to the general public to keep our skin, insides, blood, bones etc. contained in protective wear so that those first on the scene don't have to witness the gore of an accident or visualize a bloody death over and over in their mind. Not only that, our chances of survival dramatically increase with protective gear. I say these comments from experience of waking up on a highway to a hovering helicopter and an endless amount of panicked voices all trying to do their best to save me. One woman from the scene even contacted me through the internet, called me and was crying on the phone saying she thought she had just witnessed someone die and I was wearing protective gear (which the ER Trauma team credits to saving my life) and I walked away with a stitched up leg and concussion. I think riders should think about that before they choose to ride unprotected. Is it really just YOUR choice?

I don't foresee stopping riding at all. Perhaps slowing down, or changing riding style as I age but I think motorcycles will always be a part of my life.

I have gone down both on the street and in the dirt. You can read that story and many other motorcycle tales.

My bucket list - aside from riding spectacular destinations -

A week with Keith Code and California Superbike School

MotoGP race circuit in Europe

Attend another International Six Days Enduro competition

Take a one year riding sabbatical and just go wherever the road takes me

Get a Bonneville with a sidecar so I can ride with my dog

Interview and spend the day riding with Keanu Reeves - he's an intriguing fellow

Become the tour photographer for RUSH and ride between tour stops with Neil Peart

Produce a nationwide motorcycle show geared toward ladies (and the guys that ride with them)