Pia Lindberg

Posted in Denmark | 2 comments

 

Hi Pia, can you introduce yourself?
I am a married mother with two boys. I own an independent business together with my husband in Tømrermester Lindberg, a carpentry. I am an editor for the club magazine for the Triumph Owners Club of Denmark, and I am very engaged in that. I meet a lot of people through that job as an editor, and I thoroughly enjoy attending the English motorcycle meet-ups.

What made you want to ride motorcycles?
That was through my husband who took a driver’s license and I sat behind him on the motorcycle, I thought it was fun.

What is your first memory involving motorcycles?
I think it was when my husband came home with his first MZ, and I should try to ride it. It was winter and the roads were cold and slippery, so it was a rather exiting first trip I had.

What bike did you first start on and why?
It was a Honda 400 Four. It fitted me well, and it wasn’t very expensive.

Describe your current motorcycle and what you like about it.
I ride two motorcycles, an old one and a new one. That has the advantage that I can take the old one on meet-ups and other things nearby, while the new one is good for long trips. The old one is a Triumph Speed Twin from 1954, and the new one is a Triumph Speed Four from 2006. I like them both, the old one because I think its super cool, and the new one because it’s reliable and comfortable to ride.

Do you have a motorcycling achievement that you’re proud of?
Nah, but I’m happy to meet all the nice people, I meet on a meet-up.

Have you done any long distance road trips?
I have never taken a very long trip on motorcycle. Denmark is a small country, and I have never been in another country on bike yet. Just because Denmark is a small country doesn’t mean it’s boring. You get to see a lot of different landscapes on a trip lasting a few hours. You can come from the tip of Denmark, Skagen, to the north, all the way to the German border in the south in six hours.

Do you have any motorcycling heroes?
Yes, Tania Søndergård Stage that drag-races. She has as the only woman in the north won trophies on the Japanese models.

What’s your favorite motorcycling story?
The best story is from the summer in 2013, where my husband and I was on MC holiday different places in Denmark. It was so nice, the weather was perfect and we rode about 3000 km around in the small country. We actually brought a plant in a pot with us on the tank on my husband’s MC, and we cared for it and took pictures with it underway.

Do you do maintenance and repairs on your bike?
I don’t repair my do maintenance on my own bike. I leave that to my husband and my son.

Do you have any advice for people who want to get into motorcycling?
Buy a bike you like and feel safe with. Give it some throttle, and come to some meet-ups.
 

RIDING IN DENMARK

If I were to visit you and we went riding for one morning, where would you take me? :)
If someone visited me, I would recommend we took a trip to Mols. First to Rønde, then Kalø Slotsruin. Then Knebel and on to Sletterhage. From there to Grenå and of the small roads through Lyngby and Kærby home. [Link 1 Link 2]

What’s the best part about riding in your country?
The best part about driving in Denmark is the varied landscape. We have a lot of coast and nice beaches where you can swim. Denmark is a small country and you can see that when you drive around. You don’t need to ride very long before you get a new beautiful view of nature, and we have lot of cozy towns, that you come through.

If a motorcyclist from another country visited your country, what are the top rides you would recommend?
I would greatly recommend Djursland where I’m from. There are a lot of little roads, and there happens a lot of motorcycle-related things in my local area. South-Fyn is also a nice place to ride, because there is a lot of good turns and very beautiful and cozy. If you like the coast, then I can recommend riding along the coast of Jylland, especially the west coast is interesting. [Link 1 Link 2 Link 3]

What are the best months for riding there?
The best months are May, June, July and August, because it’s summer. In May and June, the fields in Denmark are very beautiful with flowering rape and beech trees, and it’s a very pretty sight. If you take a trip through a blooming beech forest, it’s like the light is light-green.

The worst months are November, December, January and February, because it’s winter and the roads has most probable been salted.

How does the topography of the place you live affect the kind of motorcycling you choose to do?
In Denmark, there are good asphalt roads, and safety is a high priority, so all motorcycles can drive here.

Is it safe to ride at night where you live?
Yes, very safe. There are good roads and reflecting strips on the road. In the cities there is lights, so there is no problem with riding at night. 

Is there a local motorcycling event that you try and attend regularly?
Yes, Mosten Træf in Allingåbro (The first weekend in June), Britannia Rally in Rødkærsbro (The second weekend in August) and the yearly opening of MC Campen. All of them are motorcycle meet-ups.

How do the police treat motorcyclists?
The police treat motorcyclists well, actually better than the car drivers. If you meet a police officer on MC, the you greet him, and he always waves back. 

Can you describe the motorcycle license test?
You go to a driving teacher where you first ride on a track, and later on the street. You participate in theory education, and have to succeed in both a theory exam, as well as a practice exam.

Are any motorcycle related sports popular where you live and do women actively participate in them?
Yes a lot of races, both drag race and road race. There are women that join in the races, but not there is not as many women as men.

What is the traffic like and how does it affect motorcycle riding?
The traffic goes smoothly for the most part, but in the summertime there can be some queues on the motorway, then you will have to maybe go through the smaller roads. Then there isn’t much of a problem.

How do car drivers treat motorcycle riders on the road?
Car drivers has a tendency to overlook motorcycles in an intersection, so you will have to be a little extra careful if a car is waiting to get on the road you are on, and assure that you are seen. But other than that, then they treat the motorcycle people well.

Is motorcycle theft a problem or do you not care too much about it?
I don’t think it’s a big problem.

How are women motorcycle riders treated by most people and by male motorcyclists?
Generally they get treated well just as all other people. They might be cared for a bit more by male motorcyclists. The men will happily help if there are problems, and they think it’s a bit more fun when there are women in the meet-ups. A lot of clubs with icons on their backs don’t allow women to get an icon on their backs. Women are allowed to the parties, but they don’t get an icon.

Do you have access to high quality motorcycling gear in your part of the world?
Yes, there are a lot of motorcycle shops scattered all around the country.

Do female and male motorcyclists have the same amount of freedom to pursue motorcycling activities?
Yes, there is no difference.

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