Emese Melicher

Posted in Hungary | 0 comments

 

Please introduce yourself. I’m from Hungary but I I’ve been living in Berlin since 2010. Job brought me here, but I don’t mind. It’s a nice city, a big metropolis and I learned another language. I work for a real estate agency.

My whole family was driving, grandpa, godfather and my two brothers. I guess it has come with blood.

What is your first memory involving motorcycles? My brother was was doing Speedway for a long time since he was 14. I found it very exciting, although I was a little girl. At the time I wanted to be the first female racer in this category, but it was too late for me.

What bike did you first start on? I started on a small 50cc Romet. At this time, my father was working in a driving school and there I practiced a lot on this bike. At age 14 I got my first license for this kind of small bike.

Describe your current motorcycle. Ohh it is a new thing, I just bought my Kawasaki Z 1000 SX last Month. A girl from Estonia has a same bike and when I saw it last year, it was love at first sight. I tried it, what is feel like to drive and the love was even bigger. It is very easy to drive, tough it is a heavy bike with its 240 kg. Very strong bike 139 HP, very comfortable seat position and what is for me very important, I can put my bags on it when I go on my long tours.

Do you have a motorcycling achievement that you take pride in? My very first long distance tour to England alone! I was supposed to drive with a girl from Berlin, but she injured herself the day before our tour. It was raining like hell, but I had to leave the city, because the next day I had a ferry from Rotterdam to England and I could not missed that. I drove with a map I prepared before and I didn’t get lost at all. It was 2,700 km there and back, I know it is not a lot, but as my first trip alone was an absolute challenge for me.

Have you done any long distance road trips? Since 2010 I do it every year longer tours, England, Austria, Switzerland, Poland and of course between Berlin – Budapest few times… There is no favourite tour; I just simply love them all.

It’s always a challenge, fun and adventure to make such long tours.

Tell us a good story from riding? In this case I would like to tell a story that is not connected directly to motorcycling, but to motor bikers. When I moved from Budapest to Berlin in 2010, I didn’t have a flat yet and I needed to find accommodation for 1 month until my other flat will be ready.

I was already searching for female motorbike clubs at the time and I found the WOW (Women on Wheels Female bike club in Berlin). So I asked the Lady I was in contact with, if she can help me on this issue, like any kind of website or somebody she know, etc… And she goes…., “yes I can help you, we are traveling to Japan for 1 Month and perhaps you can use our flat.” We didn’t even know each other’s, we’ve never met before and she has offered her flat for me. This is something I’ll never forget, it also proves that bikers keep together, helping others on different levels, we are a big international Family. :)

Do you have any motorcycling heroes? Good question, I think on the number one position is my Brother, then Valentino Rossi from Moto GP.

RIDING IN HUNGARY

If I were to visit you and we went riding for one morning, where would you take me? I would take you to Tihany, a village on the northern shore of Lake Balaton on the Tihany Peninsula. Tihany is basically a half island, laying on the Lake Balaton – the largest lake in central Europe. The little towns and villages on the way there are interesting. We could also do one more stop at another lake: Velencei tó. The view from Tihany is breath taking. Beside its “echo”, it is also a well known wine region. [Link to Route]

If a motorcyclist from another country visited your country, what are the top rides you would recommend? I think everybody has their own favourite in the country. I love the mountains Bükk close to the city I grew up, northeast part of Hungary: link.

Much of the area is included in the Bükk National Park.

What are the best months for riding there? We have four seasons in Hungary and obviously the cold months are not really recommended for riding. From March until October-November you can ride there. In my opinion when the season starts you have to be very careful. There are many accidents, because after the “Winter Sleep” the car drivers are not used to us bikers. On the other hand, a lot of biker is careless, they forget that the concrete is cold, the tires are not sticking to that, and you need longer break distance for example.

Is it safe to ride at night where you live? Yes absolute, even better then on the day time, because of less car driver.

Are there any motorcycle specific laws? Yes, we can use the bus lanes and at the red light we are allowed to drive forward between the standing cars.

Are motorcyclists discriminated against in any way?
Yes, I think car drivers don’t like that we are generally faster and that we can easily drive through in any traffic. Seriously somehow most people have an opinion, that we are bed people, almost like criminals, don’t know why…

How do the police treat motorcyclists?
I would say yes, if everything is in order, you have your exhaust system according to the requirements, you have good tires, good gears and you drive safe, the headlight is on, you cannot have a problem with police.

Can you describe the motorcycle license test? I thought it will be easy after having a driver’s license for car, but not! But compared to do a car license is absolutely not harder. Maybe it’s a little bit stricter, they require more, because it’s a dangerous operation.

Are any motorcycle related sports popular where you live and do women actively participate in them? Yes, the Speed ladies Cup is for Women, but there is many race on the Hungaroring even for men, but women can participate. The Formula 1 has also a race there every year in August.

What is the traffic like and how does it affect motorcycle riding? The traffic is crazy in Budapest especially in the rush hours, nobody is courteous and the braver comes through.

How do car drivers treat motorcycle riders on the road? I think there are different kind of people and at the end I’m a car driver too… Some of them are absolutely polite, they make place for us on the road and just simply like us. But some of them hates us, I guess… These kind would never stop to help you on the highway, when you have problem…

Is motorcycle theft a problem? Ohh yesss, it is a very big problem, you never know from where your bike will be stolen. A bike can never be on a safe place! I have at least 3 locks on it with alarm, staying in underground parking place, but without cameras and guards.

How are women motorcycle riders treated by most people and by male motorcyclists? These days we are similar, we have everything to ride a bike like men, although some thinks that we should stay at home in the kitchen.

Do you have access to high quality motorcycling gear in your part of the world? Yes I do have access, but the good ones cost a lot, I personally have a cheap one, but maybe I’ll change it this year. What I don’t like, when drivers are wearing only T-short, no boots, no gloves…, ridiculous and irresponsible! Good gear can save your life!

Do female and male motorcyclists have the same amount of freedom to pursue motorcycling activities?
Of course, maybe the only thing is when we have to go to toilet, we are in trouble and in the meanwhile men can do everywhere. :) This is the only one disadvantage in my opinion.

 

EMESE RECOMMMENDS

Books: What If I Had Never Tried It: The Autobiography of Valentino Rossi
Movies: Wild Hogs
Magazine: Motorrevü – Hungarian magazine
Web forums: www.sportmotor.hu
Professional Motorcyclist: Valentino Rossi
Female Motorcyclist: Our new hope: Viktoria Kiss