Sue Diaz Home: Elburn IL (55 miles due west of Chicago) Age: 37 Profession: Researcher for a global consulting firm Marital status: Married to Sweet Jon, 3+ years Years of riding: 10 First bike: Suzuki Savage Total bikes: A dozen or so Current bikes: 1971 R75/5, 1996 R1100RS, 1999 Yamaha TTR250 (dirt), 2001 Ducati ST2
	Photo by Shaun Sartin

What does a former librarian do when she lets down her hair? She becomes Super LD Rider! Sue says it is hard to remember what she did for fun before motorcycles. In 1991, after always wanting to ride a motorcycle, she took the MSF class. It wasn’t long until she out grew the 650 Suzuki with a need for another cylinder or 2 when the cc’s and miles started increasing. Even though Sue loves taking road trips with husband Jon, she is a lover of riding solo and long distances. A comforting thought for her is knowing that either coast is accessible within a day (east) or 2 (west). 

One of her first long trips was on a Yamaha Virago from Chicago to Sturgis and around Montana. Another loop covered a total of 6000 miles from Chicago to San Jose to Seattle. 2400 of those miles done in 50 hours (which puts her in the Iron Butt category.)

This is one amazing woman. Not only did she ride a KZ400 through Chicago's rain and sleet and snow for a whole year, but she completed a track event on a Yamaha Virago. (How many body parts did you scrape off girl?). While in Wyoming on her Virago, she successfully dealt with a carburetor problem in 100° temperatures. And if Sue's name rings a bell it might be because she became famous with her popular website touting her electric vest recipe which she used to make a plug-in vest to conquer the cold during the years of year-round riding.

Sue and Jon met through a friend and the internet. She said "It was a very significant moment when we discovered, during our courtship, that our riding styles matched, that each other's companionship on the road greatly enhanced our enjoyment of the trip. "I do" followed soon after."

In 1996, she bought her first BMW, a K75S that she proceeded to ride the wheels off of. The R11RS came along in 1996 and never before has a bike been so loved by a girl. The apple of her eye, though, is her R75/5, the only bike in the garage that is called by name: Geezer. For a few years, she put equal mileage on all 3 of these bikes, averaging around 30k a year.

Then came the dream job in downtown Chicago, which presently sucks her life dry of time and energy. 'Sucks' is the operative word. Sue says, "I'm calling it a chapter and will someday leave the career fast lane to return to the true and only fast lane of moto-happiness."

The Ducati? Well, change is good, right? Bought in September, Sue managed to put a quick 7500 miles on it before Thanksgiving, thanks to unseasonably warm weather. She loves this bike. When the Ducati fling is over someday, there probably is an R1150RS in her future.

photo by Shaun Sartin

Blessings in life:

• a caring Jon who makes her world feel more secure and joyful than she ever realized possible;
• a Mom who worries, prays, but still shares her enthusiasm for riding (she even likes hopping on the pillion);
• a faith that all things work together for good;
• a comfortable home and big garage;
• too many more to list.

Sue’s advice to women contemplating getting into motorcycling: "Don’t think about it too long – just do it." She suggests trying different types of riding and bikes and not let anyone talk you into or out of anything. Riding in the dirt gives you a feel for different types of surfaces you may encounter on the road at one time or another. A type of "seat of the pants" training.

For women in particular, riding a bike can be an emancipation, a time for emotional healing and a wonderful way to build confidence in oneself and one’s abilities. (Especially if like Sue you can do a little wrenching and tune-ups on the side of the road.)