Our very own Jeannie W. shares her experience renting with Twisted Road. She also tells us about riding the city streets of the Twin Cities vs. the sunny Keys of Florida.  

Tell us about your riding experience. How long have you been riding, and how many bikes have you owned? How did you first become interested in riding?

I’ve always wanted to ride, I remember wanting a motorcycle license immediately after I got my driver’s license, thereafter it became a life goal. I’ve been riding for 5 years or so, I’ve owned 2 bikes, my current bike being a Triumph Street Twin…so as of now my heart belongs to Triumph.

Have you taken any long moto trips? Tell us about them - where did you go, where did you stay, who did you ride with? 

My first trip was solo. I flew down to Miami, rented a Triumph through Twisted Road and island hopped the Keys for a week and a half. Seven Mile Bridge was an epic experience. I had great weather all around and the bike was perfect. I stayed in a few different spots—Gilbert’s in Key Largo the first night—a great little resort on the water, I believe it was the first turn off in Key Largo. The next night I stayed on a sailboat in Stock Island... it was in a busy area of the marina and it wasn’t secure at all. As a female traveling alone with only a backpack and a bike, I slept with one eye open holding a fishing spear. I ended up at Havana Cabana after that; they had Churro o’clock (all you can eat fresh, hot churros) everyday poolside. I spent the rest of my time biking the keys, bumming on the beaches and enjoying a slower-paced island life doing whatever I wanted, whenever I felt like it. I also took a solo weekend trip to San Antonio, Texas, where I also rented a motorcycle through Twisted Road, a little Yamaha. This was a little getaway during the big dip in airfares.

I’m currently back in the Keys for another island hopping adventure. I’m on a 2018 Triumph Bonneville T120 and my guy is on a 2018 Ducati Scrambler. Both of the guys we rented from on Twisted Road were really great; very welcoming and even offered us a place to crash if we wanted. We took off with light sprinkles that cleared up along the way. Once we hit the last few bridges to Key West, the rain came with 20 mph winds—I’ll never forget that! I was a little nervous, glad I had someone with me this time around. Trust in your abilities and ride within (or maybe just past) your comfort zone. We’ve been staying at the Kimpton Hotel on Truman. These are little awesome bungalows and rooms near Duval St. The hotel has been great to us during COVID. We’ve hit a few spots where there’s some coastal flooding, and the bikes handled it fine. The trip has been great. I can’t imagine a more awesome way to spend my 38th birthday.

Tell us some more about you - where do you live? What kind of work do you do? 

I live in Saint Paul, Minnesota. I work in HR for municipal government, I’m a licensed tattoo artist at Dinkytown Tattoo (by appointment only), and have been begging Austin at Twisted Road for a job. So I guess you could say I have 2 careers and a 3rd in the making. Oh, I’m also in college finishing a degree.

What are your hobbies - what do you enjoy doing when you're not riding? 

I guess my hobbies are making money. I’m all about side hustles. I’m a painter, tattooer, and designer. I spend a lot of time working on home remodel projects and home repairs for my old 1894 Saint Paul home. When I burn out from being too driven and busy, I play video games, usually in the winter. I’m looking forward to the PS5.

Tell us about your experiences with Twisted Road - as either an owner, as a rider, or both. What do you enjoy most about being part of our community? 

My experiences as a renter with Twisted Road have always been great. I’ve had to cancel a bike and have had one I couldn’t rent (I tried for a last minute rental after some weather cleared up in a Colorado trip, can’t expect someone to be ready at the drop of a hat to rent out their bike). Both Nick and Austin have been amazing to me, the experience has always been personal and I’ve always been able to connect with someone if I have a question. I love the company and enjoy the networking and connections I’ve made with the bike community. The selection of bikes gets better all the time and the range of prices is solid.

What are your favorite rides near your hometown? 

I love city riding. I love zipping around Downtown Minneapolis and Downtown St. Paul. There’s literally danger at every stoplight. Keeps me alert and in the moment. Shepherd Road is probably one of my favorite strips in St. Paul. I’m working on a Moto Cream Crawl for next summer (ice cream crawl), stay tuned for that.

Last question - where do you hope to ride one day? 

I would love to ride through South America, and see the temples and ruins, but as a female who loves to travel solo it’s not always the safest. I had plans to travel to Australia this November to ride and possibly February as well (for the Sheila’s Shakedown). I’m hoping to get out that way soon when things open up. Death Valley is also high on my list. Ok, well really, where don't I want to ride?!

We know that our community of riders, owners, and moto-enthusiasts are the best source of input on local events, roads, routes, restaurants, landmarks, gear, and all things moto.

Share your story with the Twisted Road community
Email us at [email protected]

You could be featured on our blog and score some Twisted Road gear!