When I lived in Australia, I used to hate going to motorcycle shows.

Summertime motorcycle shows would be set up in a large hangar where the temperature hovered around a million degrees.

Parking was a nightmare, and you’d have to leave your bike miles away at the edge of a massive parking lot.
Then you’d trudge for half an hour in your leathers and boots under a blazing sun, back to the hangar.

On this delightfully sweaty trek, you’d try to ignore the circling packs of suspicious, aggressive policemen just itching to make an arrest.

Finally, you’d arrive at the hangar door: scowling, sunburned, and panting.

And the fun just kept on coming…

Seen one vintage motorcycle, you’ve seen them all, right?

Oh, that’s hilarious.
It’s pure delusion.

Because a vintage motorcycle is a wonderful thing.

It’s unique.
It’s individual.

Old motorbikes have character.
They have a soul.

And old motorbikes are devastatingly beautiful…

OK, I’ll admit it: I may be just a tiny bit obsessed with motorcycle tanks.

Of course, there are already plenty of cool things to look at on a bike.
You want to check out the motor, the exhaust system, the shocks, the bars…

There’s a lot going on.

And because I’ve been riding on the back of bikes for 25 years, I always take a second look at a motorcycle’s passenger seat, too.

There’s wonderful distraction everywhere.
But I have to say for me, motorcycle tanks are the Main Event.

They’re always the focal point of a bike.
They really reflect a bike’s identity, and unique style.

Maybe I should go see a therapist about my obsession with motorcycle tanks.
Come to think about it, talking about them for hours in group therapy would be a lot of fun.

But in the meantime, here’s a peek at some of my favorite motorcycle tanks.

It’s HARD to find amazing motorcycle clothing for women, isn’t it?

For a start, it’s often uglier than a mule’s backside.
You won’t catch me wearing plastic clown pants in public.
(Or in private, actually!)

But ugliness is only part of the problem.

Motorcycle clothing for women is often super uncomfortable, as well!

It’s too tight here…
It’s too baggy there…

The fabric scratches around your neck.
The socks make your feet smell like a teenage boy’s gym bag.

It doesn’t have to be this way…

There’s a fine art to biker dating.

It really helps if you don’t see the motorcycle as The Enemy.

Because that’s the path to more arguments than you ever dreamed you could fit into an average week.

Bikers love their motorcycles with a fierce, burning passion.
That’s just the way it is.

The motorcycle is a non-negotiable presence in their lives.

Don’t believe me?

Just try any of these comments, and watch the sparks fly.