Wrench
Wench
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About the Wrench Wench
Four Years on Two Wheels
"After 9-11 I couldn't afford a whole
car any more. So I just bought a driver's side."
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2001 * 2002 *
2003 *
2004 *
2005 * 2006 *
2007 *
An
artist,
educator,
musician, and
irrepressible tinkerer who had been dubbed the "Wrench Wench" for her
plumbing skills, Leilehua's first motorcycle was a 1984 450cc Honda
Nighthawk purchased on August 8, 2001 at 40,000 miles.
Originally planned as a fun hobby, after 9-11, the doughty little bike became Leilehua's sole source of mechanized transportation when her business collapsed in the aftermath. The Wrench Wench - with the help of talented friends - kept that 450 on the road for another 70,000 miles.
After purchasing her bike, Leilehua soon realized that there was virtually no information on the Internet geared toward the woman rider. Leilehua is proud to be among the early women "riding" on-line. In addition to creating the Wrench-Wench women's motorcycling website in June of 2002, she and Sasha Mullins were the first hosts of About Women in Motorcycling, a forum created by former AboutMotorcycles.com guide Walt Kern.
In addition to the dearth of good solid information for women, there was even less clothing available for a middle-aged conservative woman on two wheels. Sure, there was lots of stuff for size 4 hardbodies. Most of it determinedly showing off attributes a professional woman would rather reserve for private moments at home. And as for serious protective gear? Mostly fashion leather. Things have changed a bunch since then, and Leilehua is proud to have been part of that change.
With money in short
supply, Leilehua took her eclectic assortment of skills and created the
Wrench Wench website. A blog of sorts - before there were blogs - she
uploaded her diary hoping that her experiences in learning to ride and
live with a motorbike would be useful to other women.
As she developed different lines of clothing, she uploaded photos of them, as well. Her most popular were hand-painted items (Leilehua is an artist of some repute) made from recycled and reconstructed denim garments. She re-enforced the seams and added leather, graphite cloth, and other protection where experience had taught her a woman is likely to have skin meet the road. Comfort, and safety were high priority items in design, followed by not looking like a piece of fender fluff. Not that looking like fender fluff is bad - it's just that it is nice to be able to CHOOSE!
Today, there are a number of lines of leathers and other gear for women, so Leilehua has put away her sewing machine.
In
the months following 9-11, Leilehua patched together an income from her
sewing, handy-woman service, working as a night watchman, welding, and
yard work - while playing music for tips to fill the Nighthawk's tank so
she could get to her various jobs.
The
various island bikers quickly began to recognize "that girl with the red
hair and black bike" as they saw her frequenting Hawai`i's roads with
various garden tools, cans of paint, chain saws, guitars, and other
paraphernalia bungied to the accommodating little Honda. It wasn't
really designed to be a lawn tractor, but a 450 cc engine can drag a lot
more mulch than a 45 year old woman!
Eventually, the economy turned around and Leilehua was able to resume her more peaceful life as an artist and educator in Hawaiian culture and arts.
But the Wrench Wench still lives. Leilehua continues her love of tinkering and motorcycles, and combines them with her art. So it is offered here on a variety of products designed with the woman rider in mind.
Wrench Wench also continues to offer helpful advice, as well as humor, to beginning riders, and any others who want it. Please enjoy the following links:
Wrench Wench Shopping - Clothing and gift items for the woman rider and other motorcyclists.
Wrench Wench Forum - Eclectic fix-it forum could use more people asking questions!
Wrenching - Hula and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. An eclectic assortment of tips and philosophy.
Hawai`i / Pacific Motorcycle Forum - For those who love Hawai`i and the Pacific Region
Leilehua's On-Line Diary - Sadly out of date, but she's working on it
Links - Assorted sites and forums
Music and Poetry - Her artistry includes her guitar. Check out Leilehua's music.
Reviews by Leilehua - Motorcycles and Other Things
Rides We Have Ridden - Some beautiful places in our islands
Posters - Modern, avant-guarde, retro, if you like motorcycle art, you'll find something great here!
Monkey Wrench - Strange but true stories of Motorcycling
E nihi ka hele,
mai ho`opa`a.
Travel Gently, Arrive in Strength
Other Web Pages by Leilehua
Major changes have recently been made to the structure of this site. Please be patient as we bring it back on line. If you find any broken links or other problems, please e-mail Webmistress Leilehua Yuen Mahalo.