Shari is featured in the Respect Every Ride campaign. She rides an MV Agusta Dragster.
What's the story behind your bike and what do you love about it?
I went to an MV Agusta Dragster experience day and after a 25-minute ride on a quiet country road, I couldn’t stop smiling. Stylish, responsive, nimble and fun!
I already owned a sports bike so the different look and riding style of the Dragster appealed. A few weeks after geeking out, I introduced my new Dragster to the other Italians in my garage.
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I’m captivated with the way MV Agusta infuses Italian passion into every little detail of its bikes. Take the wheels for example: the level of engineering involved in creating tubeless offset spoke wheels on a single-sided swing arm is mind-boggling and probably didn’t make commercial sense, but MV found a way and they’re a beauty to behold. The pillion pegs sit up under the seat when not in use and are so well disguised, other riders often react like I performed a magic trick when I fold them down.
Though Dragsters roll out of the factory looking like a handsome man in a bespoke Prada suit, at heart they’re 100 per cent street thugs, willing to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty. When I took my Dragster to the race track to fully explore what "a blend of raw power, technology and design" can do, it didn’t disappoint – I ran out of daring long before it ran out of performance. I love my Dragster because it’s an impeccably behaved thug that’s just waiting for the opportunity to thrill me.
Tell us the history of your motorcycling passion?
The Auckland traffic inspired me to start commuting on two wheels and I chose a 50cc Vespa because it wasn’t a real motorbike so would be safer (yeah right).
I enjoyed it so much my full motorbike licence and bigger Vespas soon followed. A chance invitation to watch a colleague race their classic sidecar led me to becoming a track marshal for motorbike racing, which naturally led to me buying my own motorbikes.
How did you get involved with the Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency ad campaign?
I was simply at the right place at the right time. I decided to apply because I’m passionate about riding and my lifestyle revolves around motorbikes and Vespas, on the road or racetrack. It was also very important to me that women were represented and "normalised" in the campaign.
Where does your perfect ride take you, and do you change the way you approach your favourite road?
I think bikers spend their whole lives in pursuit of the perfect ride! One of my current favourites is a loop from Taupo encompassing graceful sweeping curves through National Park, the panoramic countryside along Old Taupo Road, and a discrete logging road with sharp twisty corners – though sometimes sprinkled with gravel.
I find the mix invigorating and on a good day my entire mind, body and spirit blend with my bike, the road, and surroundings – it’s blissful.
I choose to always ride focused and mindful because conditions are never static and complacency can be fatal. Wandering stock, impromptu road repairs, and other road users can throw an extraordinary challenge into your path with little warning or regard for the life-changing consequences.
In your eyes, what makes a good bike rider?
Most good bike riders are habitual defensive riders, always looking into the distance ahead and thinking about the road users around them. Great bike riders know there is always more they can learn and/or fine-tune and regularly attend training to strive for their highest technical ability.
Focus, awareness and technical skills are the keys to returning home safely and ultimately enjoying every ride.
What message would you offer yourself on your first year of riding?
Basic handling skills are just an introduction and you will enjoy your riding far more with regular, ongoing training such as the Ride Forever courses, combined with lots of practice. Learn the safest positions to ride within your lane under various conditions like rain, peak-hour traffic and poor visibility. Skills like emergency braking and evasive manoeuvres are essential and you will thank your trainer and your guardian angel the day you need to use them in real life.
Even think about a track day or track-based training. They’re a controlled environment with no buses, power poles, slippery road markings, or manhole covers and everyone is travelling in the same direction. This makes them the perfect place to hone cornering techniques, without speed restrictions, in a safe manner.