Latest / JUSTRIDE Podcast / She Couldn’t Find The Right Motorcycle Jacket…So She Made One - Linda-Jean Belvedere | JUSTRIDE Ep.9

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She Couldn’t Find The Right Motorcycle Jacket…So She Made One - Linda-Jean Belvedere | JUSTRIDE Ep.9 · JUSTRIDE Podcast

• Main Admin: So we've already done an hour. We are live. We are live. We are live. Okay. So welcome back to Just Ride, where we talk all things motorcycling, the good, the bad and everything in between. A little bit of emphasis there, wasn't it? Today's guests bring to a slightly different angle to the show. She's a long life rider who started out riding with her dad, went on to work with Honda. See how I had a bit of a dramatic pause there. And is now the founder of her own motorcycling clothing brand focused on bringing more style, comfort, and proper design into women's gear. She's a self-confessed Ducati-ista. I nearly said that. know, yeah. She rides her monster and has taken on everything from alpine road trips to building a business in an industry that's still very much male-dominated. Linda, Jane Belvedere, welcome to Just Ride. Fantastic. Welcome to the show, Linda. And just just so we know, whereabouts are you actually in the world at the moment? Linda Belvedere: So currently I do live in Windsor, so England. Yes, not in the big house, no. But I am originally from Switzerland and I moved over about 10 years ago. Main Admin: ⁓ is that in the big castle? Is that the big castle? Fantastic, fantastic. And for those people who haven't seen you and seen the brand, at the moment we'll talk about the brand a little bit later on, but how did you go from riding bikes with your dad to launching your own motorcycle clothing brand? How did that all come about? Linda Belvedere: It has been quite a long journey and it hasn't always been mapped out or the sort of thing where you hop on the bike and you think the day after, I'm going to just launch my own brand. No, it was almost like a long process. ⁓ So the brand has officially launched two years ago. Yeah, almost two years ago at the end of April. But when I first started, I actually started with a man's jacket. So that's the first jacket my parents bought me when I was 16 riding my scooter. It was a man's jacket, which I rarely wore because it didn't, it wasn't just nice. No, it did fit, but it wasn't nice. So I rather used a different jacket. That was a bit more my style. And then what happened then in between? Well, I ended up working for Honda, like you said. Main Admin: didn't fit. Right. Linda Belvedere: ⁓ The clothing wasn't really, it didn't ever bother me that much. I knew it wasn't ideal, but it wasn't really something that I would think, yeah, it would be nice to have something nicer. It's only in recent years that this thought started to crystallize. And then my mom took her license in 2021, sort of midlife crisis type of thing. And yeah. ⁓ Main Admin: Right. We've all been there. Still there. Linda Belvedere: And then I said, well, you know, it's a big investment between the license, the bike and the gear. So for the gear, just take my things to start it, because I have accumulated quite a bit over the years. And then when you pass the license and everything, then you just take your time to go and do your own shopping. And that's when we realized that actual motorcycle clothing is Main Admin: Yeah. Linda Belvedere: less adaptable. ⁓ So we do swap casual clothing. That's not a problem. ⁓ But motorcycle clothing, because of the way they are cut or the fitting, you like, ⁓ and the material, two people that have the same size but are proportionate differently, it might not fit. And we have exactly that. We have the same size, but different proportions. Main Admin: Right. Got you. Linda Belvedere: So that's when then it really started to ⁓ sort of work up his little hamster in my brain was like, OK, this is just not right. It's like there must be something that we can do. And the traditional brands like the big, the big known brands, Alpine, Stardines and so on, they do all have a ladies range, but it's just not necessarily what we want because we are not all a fan of pink. Main Admin: Got you. Linda Belvedere: We don't all want gear that is fully patched with reflective stuff and zippers everywhere and all of that. ⁓ So I thought that there is a gap in the market and then things just happened in the life that I got the chance to actually do something myself. Main Admin: Yeah. Yeah. ⁓ yeah. That's fantastic, thanks for giving us back. When you say we, ⁓ do you ride with lots of women and did you all kind of collectively come together and go, right, we need to do something about this? Linda Belvedere: ⁓ No, not directly, but I do have a few women motorcycle riders in my friend entourage. So I did speak with all of them and I also asked them for ⁓ inputs for the jackets. So the first product, ⁓ the first real product that really came to market is a jacket. ⁓ And it's not my jacket, it's a collective effort because I did ask during the prototyping. ⁓ Main Admin: Yeah. Awesome. Linda Belvedere: What do you think? What about this? I went to woman in Motto last year with the prototype and I got a few real great feedbacks, which I thought they are so great. I need to email the company that is helping me produce because we were in production and say, is it possible to add these things? And they said, yes, yes, this is possible. So we did implement the feedback that I just got from real. Main Admin: you Excellent. Linda Belvedere: women riders so yeah it's that's why I say we. Main Admin: Yeah. And just just for the people sorry that they're listening on the podcast and not watching on YouTube. Do you want to just describe what you mean in terms of what you did differently? Do want to kind of describe if those people are not watching this? Linda Belvedere: Yeah, sure. ⁓ Well, they can go on the website, on my website to see how it looks because there are plenty. But what I did differently is, first of all, it's made by a woman who is also a rider and it comes from my personal need. So that's I would say is already maybe something different to to the traditional brands who are mainly ⁓ Main Admin: which we will have lots of links to. Linda Belvedere: man working there, man designer. ⁓ yeah, that's the first thing. And then I just added some little features. So, OK, the fitting is one side, but I add a little features that maybe come from the skiing gear or something. I thought, ⁓ let's use we have so much space on the back. Let's use it for extra storage. ⁓ And the few ideas came from my my trip in the Houdaig-Honsalp. Main Admin: Right, interesting. Nice. Linda Belvedere: I know that was a long time ago, but I did remember the storage capacity. It's very limited. exactly. some people, I mean, I saw on that journey, I saw a of people with the GS 1200. I saw a Goldwyn, I think they even had the trailer. Main Admin: to life. I think we all share that really to be honest. Where do put things? ⁓ Hmm. Linda Belvedere: So these guys, have the bags and the top case and everything. I just didn't. So it's like, OK, during the day, you also sweat. So you need enough change underneath the layers. But then you have the evening. You need casual clothing. You maybe need a little handbag. ⁓ If it's cooler, you need a little jacket that comes with you. But where do you put all of that? Well, you actually have a motorcycle jacket. So. Main Admin: Thank Hmm. Interesting. I often need, yeah, I often need space for my handbag. Yeah, yeah. do. it's a small handbag. It's a small handbag. If I could suggest, we made a joke, but we do have little bags on our bikes. Tail bags. Yeah, tail bags for things like cameras and all the rest. So if you can maybe design something for men as well, which has got pockets for... Linda Belvedere: You do, More pockets. Main Admin: you know, cameras, batteries, the charging cables, the charging packs, it's kind of the all the camera accessories we have to carry is and the microphones it is a nightmare. Because you want to be streamlined, you don't have to carry backpacks because the backpacks tend to then be a little bit cumbersome you get hot. Whereas like trying to find something that still looks quite stylish. My trouble is though, the more pockets I have, lose the loose. I'm like, which pocket did I put the key in? Linda Belvedere: Yeah. Ha ha ha ha! Main Admin: You have a key. Oh, yeah. Can I ask a question, Linda? So, mean, you know, we as guys, we've got a lot of choice and there's lots of brands and lots of choice. So we can go to any of the big motorcycle accessory shops and pick up all sorts of different things, different brands, which all fit slightly differently. But like you said, there's a few manufacturers that may be doing ladies clothing, but it may just be a reduction in the size of the actual garment as opposed to being specially fitted for ladies. So how do you go about deciding what materials to use and what you know leather textile or anything like that and then you've already mentioned about trying to accommodate the ladies form to make it comfortable to ride in and wear all day long. Linda Belvedere: Yeah, it's an excellent question. And there are a handful of manufacturers that only do for ladies. There is actually one in England as well. And she's just celebrating 10 years this year. So it means there is really a need for it in terms of what material to choose. That's purely on the well, textile versus leather, that's purely on the. personal preference. I don't really like leather. So that was an easy thing. It's like, okay, we start with textile because it's no point me creating something that I wouldn't wear. So that's the one thing. And then what sort of textile that is fairly simple when you are a startup, you want to produce small quantities. So you need to find a supplier that allows you to have very little minimum order quantities. So if you go into the fancy textile types like Cordura, Gortex, all of that, it's not possible because they will require that you order a minimum of, I don't know, 400 square meters of fabric, which means you have to produce 500 or 1000 jackets, which I could A, not afford to do and B, what do I do because Main Admin: Yeah. Hmm. Yeah. Linda Belvedere: I'm a startup early stage. What if no one wants my product? Then I'm sitting on all of that stock. So ⁓ that again, reduced the choice of what sort of material I could use. Main Admin: Brilliant question. Linda, I've got a question then. So obviously when you're producing your garments for, obviously for the ladies, is it done on an order base where they'll see something on your website and then obviously once they get the right fit and stuff, is it made to order or do you have bulk order, which obviously what you was just talking about? So how does your process work for your items? Linda Belvedere: And so I do have stock. So I produced 100 units ⁓ in different sizes from excess to for Excel in two different colors, but when the red, which is the signature color of the brand and black because black is the most sold color and exactly universal. ⁓ So people can go on the Web site and they can order and they receive it within a week. If we are talking about the UK. Main Admin: Yeah. You're the first. Linda Belvedere: Because made on order, I guess that's almost then you go into the measure made, which is a different price category and it just takes much longer. yes. Main Admin: Yeah. Great. That makes sense. So just go and bash it. It's great. that's why we want to understand everyone, our listeners and the viewers to understand is that, I mean, the journey from a startup and I've been in a startup before and it is frightening. It really is frightening because there's a lot of pressure on lots of things in terms of running the business, looking at cashflow, looking at all those things. How, how, Linda Belvedere: I hope. Main Admin: How have you kind of thought, right, this is the time, I'm going to do this. How do you kind of get going and something like that when you're looking at the of closing you're doing? How did you get into it? Linda Belvedere: ⁓ It was sort of internal family agreement. things just aligned, let's say the star aligned in a way that we could decide, OK, this is either now or never. We see how it goes. So I feel quite lucky and privileged that I can I can do this. But you still have to have the courage to do it and to sort of ⁓ say no. Main Admin: Thank Nice. Brilliant. Yeah. Linda Belvedere: to the financial comfort of getting a nice paycheck every month because actually you are spending all the money and I'm still waiting for it to come back in. So yes. ⁓ Main Admin: Thank Yes. Yes. Yeah, we feel your pain. We feel you can we've been there. And it is. I think when you've got such a good idea and again, we've had a Maya was on the podcast. We've not we've not launched the podcast. But again, she was talking about the the problem with choice. And I think that the more ⁓ you know, more female riders that we speak to, which is growing, which is great to see more and more women coming into motorcycling. It's Linda Belvedere: Yes, Main Admin: It's been increasing over the years, but I think recently, in recent years, you look at the stats, it is now starting to surge, which is fantastic, which is great news for you, Linda, to be fair, because I think for you, it's about getting that, it's getting that message out there, isn't it? And why you are unique and, you know, yes, in terms of women who want that extra choice of style, fit, depending on their size, obviously, I think that's, ⁓ I think it's fantastic. And I think, yeah, we're seeing... I said more and more women come into it, how do you get that kind of exposure? I think that's one of the always the critical things, isn't it? Right, now I'm live, I've got stock. How do I get that message out? How do you tackle that? Linda Belvedere: It's an interesting question and I had a completely different view when I started two years ago to what my view or my strategies for this year. So ⁓ there are several channels, I would say the traditional marketing mix in this case. So I do have social media presence, ⁓ Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. Main Admin: Hmm. Linda Belvedere: Facebook, I don't know if I'm really good at it, but you have to be there. So you just you try things and see what works and what doesn't. I also try to to go to as many motorcycle events or trade shows as possible whenever possible with my own stand, because that's much better. But otherwise, I just go as a guest and have a look what's happening and see if I can meet people. podcast like yours. So thank you very much for having accepted my my LinkedIn messaging. And what else? I also partner with retail shops, specialized retail shops. So I do have three retailers in Europe. And this year, I'm sort of focusing on the English market. So a couple of weeks ago, I went to a ladies ride out organized by the Velocic Club in Hitching. Main Admin: Yeah, it's a pleasure. ⁓ Right. Linda Belvedere: And Richard was really nice and he said, after the ride out, you present yourself. So this just putting myself out there in any possible way and talking with people. ⁓ That's, guess, the best way of doing it. Yes. Main Admin: Yeah. Yeah, well, hopefully, sorry, hopefully we can help with that because a good friend of the show, his wife is now running a Ducati owners group. So Stu and yeah, and Suey, ⁓ who both work at the Ducati store up in Newcastle, in the castle, it's Baldwin, isn't it? So I'm sure they'll be interested because they'll be watching the show when it it goes out and they'll be interested to learn more about you and Linda Belvedere: Ooh. Mm. Main Admin: Again, if we can help with that, you know, I mean, there's lots of, there's lots of UK based writing groups, certainly women groups that are going out. And I think you just need to look at how you tap into those. I'm sure that, you know, again, there's anybody that's watching this now can suggest something in the comments of where it might be an idea for you to then tap into, then the power of YouTube, obviously in social media and our community is let's get this, try and get your brand out there. Cause I think so far what you've told us. great story and what you're doing obviously is going to fit well, pardon the pun, within the motorcycle clothing certainly for women. Yeah, so forgive me, was messing around with my iPad there because I've just subscribed to your channel on Instagram and I was keen to have a look at some of the items there as well so I can see there, so lj underscore moto fashion, so I've just subscribed to that and I can see some of the garments that are there. Linda Belvedere: Thank you. Main Admin: because ⁓ my wife will be in the market for some clothing at some point. Andy's about to pick up a new motorcycle and we were talking about it last night weren't we? We were yeah and having spoken to some other female riders recently who also talk about my wife's not very tall. She's five foot one or you know five foot one my wife and they seem to get pushed towards children's clothing area. Or as you've already described that the garments will be beautifully made by some fabulous manufacturers, but they just look quite baggy and when ladies wear them, they don't look particularly attractive. And I suppose it's more to how the lady feels while she's wearing it. They want to the part. They want to look, you know, they want to look feminine as opposed to just being, yeah. Linda Belvedere: Yes. Yes, and I guess it helps with, you know, riding is riding a bike is not as straightforward as riding a car. So there is a bit of the element of you have to get ready and everything. And if you are not in the right mindset, then you're going to have a terrible ride out. So the cloning aspect, but that's for men and women. If you don't feel comfortable. First of all, if you don't feel it's fitting properly, and then if you look in the mirror and you don't even look what you see, like what you see, then it's just, it's... We do, we do. Main Admin: Yeah. And we all want to look good. We all want to. want to. For the men, they have that option. There is a lot of brands out there, whether it's casual or leathers or textiles. There's loads out there for men. when you go to, well, we've known because we've obviously been in the stores and I've looked for my wife as well. When you go down the aisle for the women, it's there's not much, like you've said, there's not much to choose from. And most of the stuff they got. I just look a bit baggy in that. don't really find it. It doesn't suit me. And then it just puts them off riding or being a million. I think you've hit the nail on the head there about, you know, how you feel when you go out because we've just bought some new kit. Tom's just bought his first full Alpine. Well, in fact, I've got it for his birthday, but an Alpine leather set. And we were hurling down the Helmsley TT. on the roads we ride. And we do ride other roads. We just love that road. And Tom, you could tell Tom just fell. Linda Belvedere: you Main Admin: The way he was riding, we pulled over and we took some pictures and stuff and he was like, look at me. You could tell he felt good. And I think that's a really important part of riding is that, know, yes, we have to, we're all about wearing the protective clothing and we've just got some leathers and we do wear textiles because we ride all year round. The textiles, I think I look awful in textiles. Yeah, I agree. But it's, well, I've got to use it it's probably going to rain, you know, and you just think, well, you know. But I think that putting the leathers on and how you feel when you ride. Linda Belvedere: you Main Admin: You know, it adds to the, I think to the enjoyment of going out there and finding the best twisties. Well, I think that's, you've hit on a really important point there. Linda Belvedere: And the comfort as well, because if you wear gear that is too tight ⁓ and or too loose and you keep having air and it's just fluttering everywhere or I don't know, it just doesn't feel comfortable and you go on a long ride out. It's going to tire you even more because you have this constant pressure or. ⁓ Yeah, so I went. Recently on a five hour. Main Admin: Hmm. Yeah. Linda Belvedere: ride out, not in one go, but over the whole day, it was five hours, it was cold, it was foggy, it was drizzly, weather, basically. But I, yes, UK. But I just, I felt so comfortable, I felt, and I'm not saying it because it's my jacket and I have to do great advertising, but I did try various. Main Admin: UK? Sounds like Northern UK, sounds like the North of England. Linda Belvedere: kept over the past 22 years and I never felt this comfortable. So ⁓ it does make a massive difference ⁓ on your riding, like you said. Main Admin: Hmm. Yeah. Can I ask the question around the protection in the garments? So I know there's obviously different grades of, know, AAA, AA, and I can see on your Instagram page as well, you're talking about AA. Is it only AA or the protection you're putting in the garments? are you doing everything? Linda Belvedere: Thanks. And so the whole there is a differentiation between the protectors. So the arm orbits and the whole. Piece of clothing, so the jacket as a whole has been certified AA. ⁓ But the protection, so the shoulder elbow and back protectors, which are included, they are level two, which is the highest rating. ⁓ So they're on the protections that two levels, level one and level two. Main Admin: Yeah. And is that in all of your garments? Linda Belvedere: I only have one jacket for now. So yes. So yes, in all of them, yes. Main Admin: yeah, yeah. Yeah. So you go for maximum comfort, maximum protection, which is what you don't really get with some manufacturers, because you can buy the different levels and the lower levels are just expensive as the higher levels. So Linda, you're focusing on jackets at the moment. What's your dreams and ambitions for the future? Linda Belvedere: Two colors, yes. Yes. Great question. Well, my dream or my vision is to have, of course, complete range of ⁓ clothing that includes trousers. It includes maybe a summer jacket with the little holes in it. Gloves, maybe ⁓ no helmets. That's a completely different thing from a certification point of view. The ones that do it, they do it really well. ⁓ Main Admin: How many products are you hoping to launch? Yeah. Linda Belvedere: And my ultimate dream is to become the number one ⁓ clothing brand worldwide for women. So that's like my ultimate goal, yes. Main Admin: That's a good dream. We absolutely absolutely. That is something to aim for. How about boots Linda? Do you fancy designing your own boots? Linda Belvedere: Boots, I guess it's another challenging one because we have so many different feet and then you put the ankle in and you put the top of the leg, I don't know, maybe co-branding with someone who does it already. Like same with the helmets, maybe co-branding is limited edition range. ⁓ That could be possible. Yes. Main Admin: Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah. When you do men's, when you start on the men's stuff. ⁓ Linda Belvedere: You know, funny enough, when I showed my prototype last year at a few events in Switzerland as well and the UK, there were some events that were mixed and I had a few men coming ⁓ to look what it was because they never saw my brand and so they looked at it and they said, ⁓ my God, can you do this for us as well? So maybe there is a potential in there. Yeah, maybe. Main Admin: I'm interested in because you've mentioned before, well obviously when we were talking before, that you've ridden across the Alps and now you're riding in the UK. I mean come on, which is best? It's got to be the UK, innit? Linda Belvedere: Of course. mean, pothole dancing can be quite entertaining. Main Admin: It's a sport. It's a sport. you know it was a sport? It's an expensive sport, Linda Belvedere: No, I mean, I've because because I grew up and I learned to ride in the Alps. It's just I do miss it terribly. It's my favorite place to Yes. And I can ride without a sat nav there because the Alps helped me or the mountain. They helped me. How you say navigate in England? Main Admin: Yeah. Navigate. Linda Belvedere: I just can't, I get lost. So I need a sat nav. can't, exactly. Yeah, that's true. And you have, you can go from A to B and you can have like five different routes that take you from A to B. So I will never memorize the one route where maybe Switzerland or when you do an Alpine road, it's a bit. Main Admin: That's because you can't see the mountains, it's cloudy. He needs to come to the north. Yeah. Linda Belvedere: smaller so you only have one road that takes you from A to B so it's easier to remember where to go. Main Admin: Maybe we need to create some kind of app that gives you a choice of probably the best route. That's a little bit of a plug for what's coming later on, we'll talk about that tonight. It's about you tonight. Yeah, no, think, our first show, I tried to get to the Alps last year and got as far as Germany. then even though it was, pardon, pardon, bad and bad, I can never get it right. Linda Belvedere: Yes. Main Admin: And we were supposed to go up and do the whole three passes and we were going to stay in one of the hotels and then the snow, even though was September, closed it and there was, remember, there was a ride at Stranded and I was like, but I've come all this way and we had to come back. So we went over to Maastricht, stayed there one night and then on thing on Monday, we rode all the way home, 712 miles in one sitting, which was awful. Linda Belvedere: ⁓ yes. ⁓ yes. Main Admin: And I was like, yeah, but I was that close. I was that close. We were going to stay in, is it Spies and Spires in Switzerland? We were going to stay there. We had a hotel book. God, you're butchering the languages. My languages and my pronunciation. And your geography. And my geography is terrible, Linda. I'm a good navigator. I'm a good navigator. I think it's that way. It could be that way. What is the one thing I wanted to do? Because what you're describing there, I'd look at the videos and the alpine routes and the passes and Linda Belvedere: . Okay. Yeah. Yeah. ⁓ Main Admin: So close. So if you're going to go back, if you're going to go back, can you let us know? Because I'm sure we all want to come to Europe. We want to go and do the passes. So you've run for that. Linda Belvedere: Well, let's do it because my bike is back in Switzerland. She didn't quite agree with the misty weather over here. So I brought her back home. ⁓ Main Admin: ⁓ Tell us about the bike then, tell us about the bike, what do you currently ride? Linda Belvedere: So I ride a Ducati Monster 620 from 2004. So it's an older lady. No ABS, which is fine. And no technology. It's just, and she does work fine. She runs fine. She slept outdoors most of her life and is not complaining. that's quite, I'm quite lucky, I guess. ⁓ But. Main Admin: I don't and I'll Thank Is it red? Linda Belvedere: No, it was it used to be matte black because when they came out they they were matte black and my dad was really nice and he secretly repainted it in white pearl and the chassis is red, Ducati red and the writing is Ducati red and a few years later they started making that as a serial colouring option. Main Admin: Nothing. Yeah, so that was the the 2004 model Yeah, well the really early ones. So yeah, they were great. Okay Yeah, yeah, yeah, they definitely don't like the wet weather. Yeah, definitely don't like down there night ⁓ Linda Belvedere: Yes. Yeah, I think it's second generation possible. Yes. So. No, no, no. When when when I brought her back four years ago, she went straight to my mechanic that I know since ages and he told me, you know what I found under the tank? No mold. Oh. OK. Main Admin: Bye bye. so how did you how did you get into bikes? You know, what what what sort of sparked that passion for motorcycling in the first place? Linda Belvedere: I guess it's my dad. He was a biker since early age, even before he could even get the license, the thing you shouldn't do, but anyway, you do. ⁓ His brothers were bikers as well. So he transmitted me this passion. But when I, when I was born, he stopped riding. I guess many parents do that. It just didn't feel right. so he stopped my mom, stopped being a pillion. Main Admin: Yeah. Yeah. Linda Belvedere: And then he started again when I was, I guess, a teenager and he would take all bikes home, fiddle around with them over the weekend. I would help him and then we go on a test ride or we just go to open door events and just test whatever we could test. I nearly fell off once because he accelerated a bit too fast. And and where I was living or where we were living at the time, Main Admin: Okay. Hahaha. Linda Belvedere: there was public transport, but at a certain time in the late afternoon, that was your last bus home. So you had to get your own vehicle because the parents, they just couldn't be bothered to keep picking you up and bringing you at a certain time. So that was the only way was doing the scooter 50cc license at the age of 16, which I did. And I had this. Main Admin: Okay. Thank Linda Belvedere: specific model in mind. So I did my shop around a year before and I thought, OK, but now how do I get to pay this? So I did the gap here. I went to work to put the money aside so I could actually buy my beautiful red Aprilia with the beige saddle. So was really elegant. Yes, exactly. And then. When I was at college, the janitor of that college, he had a Ducati, a black one, a monster. So I saw it every day. I is just a really beautiful bike. It sounds nice. And one day I will have one, one day. And then, and then that day came and I bought it. So yes. Main Admin: Thank Nice. Fantastic. So did your father ride Ducati as well or did he ride a different manufacturer? Linda Belvedere: ⁓ What did he write? So when I was born, he was on the Moto Guzzi California. ⁓ Yes. ⁓ And then ⁓ what did he get? I think he got the Honda, the old police bikes Honda that used to be ⁓ a police bike. And so he bought it second hand. That was a Honda. Main Admin: Italian. There's a theme here. There is a theme. ⁓ The Pan-Europeans. ⁓ Linda Belvedere: The big thing, I don't remember the model name, ⁓ Pan European. No, that was not Italian. Then what else did he brought home? He brought home a Honda Bordeaux that we sort of fixed together. So that was an old sort of classic bike by now. ⁓ Main Admin: Yeah, Pan-European Zeus. That was the biggest motorcycle in the year. But definitely not Italian at that No. Linda Belvedere: And then he started with Ducati. So, and I don't remember everything he had because he's sort of a compulsive buyer. Main Admin: Sounds like he had a lot of them. Linda Belvedere: Yeah, but yeah, so that's what was the question again? What what did he write? Yes, exactly. So a bit of everything, but mainly Ducati. Yeah. Main Admin: What did he want to do? Yeah, what motorcycles did he And is that, that, because that passion's obviously staid with you now in terms of you mentioned your bike hasn't come with it to the UK. What are you riding in the UK at the moment? Linda Belvedere: Well, she did, but I brought her back. But at the moment, ⁓ I ride my husband's Honda Hornet CB750. that's quite, yes, it's 2020 free range, I think. Yes. So it's nice, nice, nice and easy and almost a bit too easy. Like you don't really have to put the effort in, you know. Main Admin: All right. Okay, next bank. What the newer ones? Yeah. Yeah. Nice, Yeah. Hmm. Yeah, so living in Windsor, do you ride into into London City, London Town? Not sure. No, you haven't. ⁓ Linda Belvedere: No, Main Admin: You mentioned when you were talking about your motorcycle being in Switzerland, you mentioned she. Does she have a name? Linda Belvedere: Yes. The old lady. Main Admin: See, it's not just me. I guess we were talking about DNA and bikes and somebody on the table does but we won't. It's me by the way. So my first bike was called Millie and my Kawasaki is now called Foxy and there's an old story behind that but I'm not going to wish it on here. Linda Belvedere: you ⁓ what's your bike's name then? Hahaha. Main Admin: Maybe we can share that story. After Mr. Gems gave you under the bussy of the night. Well, you know, you know. Can I ask a question about ⁓ Switzerland and riding in Switzerland? I've never ever been, but I hear that there are some quite strict rules in Switzerland about about transport in Switzerland. I don't know if it's to do with noise and pollution, exhausts, things like that. don't know. And I'm just thinking about the Ducati being a 2004. Linda Belvedere: Hahaha. Main Admin: to make a lovely noise. Linda Belvedere: Yeah, but don't go ahead. Sorry. Main Admin: No, no, go ahead, go ahead. Linda Belvedere: ⁓ But she's within the allowance, decibel allowance. Yes, I don't have aftermarkets exhaust kit. Main Admin: Yeah, so it's still got the waffles and everything in the exhaust and not being changed anyway. It's still a standard motorcycle in that respect. Thank you. Because that's one thing we've always said, you know, we've toyed with putting aftermarket exhausts on and very loud exhausts. Toyed? You did. All right, we might have done, we might have done that. My chest was rattling behind these two because of the noise and Tom had one. Linda Belvedere: you you Main Admin: But the thing is we said actually if we if we take it to the the continent there we we know there will be some countries that yeah it's it's just you can't do it you can't do it so sometimes the noise of the exhaust and that actually puts you off as well you get the point it sounds good but then if you're doing like three or four hundred miles you're like please put a mute button on it Linda Belvedere: Mmm. ⁓ Well, there are some exhausts that have a little button. think that you can open and close the flaps. So yeah, but they are illegal in Switzerland, just so you know. Main Admin: Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, Linda Belvedere: Mm-hmm. ⁓ I guess what I like, yes, is the freedom, the fact that it's just you, your thoughts, ⁓ and you feel all the elements. So if it's colder, you feel that, if it's warmer, you feel that, where in the car you are always protected. Even if you have a convertible, it's not the same. And the community, I just, I think it's a brilliant community. There is a lot of talk about Main Admin: Hmm. Linda Belvedere: women being accepted as motorcycle riders. There is a lot of things that have been said that I agree with, but I personally never really felt to not be welcomed. So I always felt it's a very welcoming community between men and women. ⁓ And for me as an expert in the country, I don't know. Main Admin: Yeah. Linda Belvedere: not having an office job where I can actually meet people. I don't really do a team sport either, so I do running, which is very much a loaner thing. ⁓ It's really difficult to meet people ⁓ that have sort of similar interests or maybe even make friends. So I started last year to join some bike nights in Berkshire. There is a WhatsApp group of ladies only. I met two lovely lady scenes. So it's a way as well to create friendship and I like this ⁓ also. Main Admin: Yeah, there are still some barriers aren't there to or perceived barriers to getting into motorcycles, particularly for women. What do you think those barriers are currently? Linda Belvedere: I think it's a mix. It's a mix of barrier. ⁓ Probably because the average women's size is shorter than men, there is definitely that element of the size of the bike. Although I've seen guys, short guys riding Africa twins and just running next to it and hopping on it like easy peasy. it's it shouldn't be a blocker and you can lower them, but probably at the beginning is a blocker. Main Admin: Hopefully, yes. Hopefully, Linda Belvedere: ⁓ the fact that we don't feel represented. So you look at advertising, bike advertising, you look at aftermarket advertising, there's not many women represented. So naturally women maybe don't even think that they could ride a bike themselves because they don't see themselves. ⁓ There is, I have experienced that a couple of times that you enter a showroom You are completely ignored. Even though you might have 20,000 pounds to spend there, but if you are ignored, you're not going to. Main Admin: interesting. You do know that when you walk into the next showroom, now they're going to say, ⁓ hello there, Linda. on. It ⁓ will be a June County showroom. ⁓ And there's also obviously the proper clothing of which maybe we need somebody and an entrepreneur to create a clothing brand. That could be you. Linda Belvedere: Yeah exactly, give me your money! Yes. Exactly. Well, the clothing is definitely an aspect as well. There could be a blockage. ⁓ There are just so many things like people do make the comparison with ⁓ other jobs where there are more female representation rather than men representation. ⁓ They are just so. So many, how can I say, different elements that make that to this day, we still have less women riding. But if we all talk about it and we acknowledge that it could be better, I'm not saying that there is an issue, but we can do better. And also from an industry point of view, if we want to keep growing, if the brands want to keep selling, looking at the average current customer age, Main Admin: Yeah. Linda Belvedere: We are talking about older men. They represent the majority of the customer. They may be going to buy one more bike and then they stop riding. we need to, as the industry, as a collective, we need to address the younger riders and we need to address all the genders because otherwise sales are not going to happen anyway. So, yeah. Main Admin: It's interesting to see on platforms like YouTube that there appears to be a lot of ⁓ female adventure riders that are picking up and they're vlogging their trips around the world. And then equally there are some influences in the UK which are doing... you know, things like their own maintenance and doing clips about their own maintenance, doing product reviews of motorcycles, doing product reviews of clothing. It's really quite refreshing to see because it isn't gray haired old men like me that are just the predominantly the people that doing those things on the platform itself. So that is a refreshing thing that we are seeing coming through. But from a motorcycle industry really got it right for women. How would it look in five to 10 years time? Linda Belvedere: I hope that A, we have more female riders of all age ⁓ and B, I hope that we are better represented in as working ⁓ people working within the industry that can be in management position, engineers, whatever, that we are more represented in the motor sports as well because it's only since Main Admin: Yeah. Linda Belvedere: last year that we have a women's category in how you call it like MotoGP World Championship. Exactly. So ⁓ there is some work there to do as well. And just that we are represented as equals like this year, not 2025. So last year I had the opportunity to go to EICMA like the Mecca for motorcyclists, right? Main Admin: Yeah, real super bikes. Yes. Great show. Yeah, Linda Belvedere: I had a little stand there, so I was there the full six days. one thing that sort of shocked me was ⁓ they still a lot of stand, a lot of bike manufacturers and aftermarket manufacturers still had the night, the pretty ladies on the stand. But that's fine. You can have when I used to work at Honda, we call them product boys and product girls. So they are there to explain the product because Main Admin: Wow. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Linda Belvedere: You can't always ask the dealer to come and help or the headquarter staff. So you hire external people for that. And they were dressed normally, but at EICMA. And I don't know if that's really just Italy that is still a bit on a different wave than everyone else. You had these ladies, really beautiful ladies in their super tight latex things with Main Admin: Yeah. Linda Belvedere: zips very open and then you think, okay, what they don't add, I'm sorry to say they don't add any value. And some people would even ask, excuse me, can you move because I want to take a picture of the bike on its own. So. Main Admin: Yeah. Yeah, think that shocked me. was in Angmer a couple of, two, three years ago, doing some work here with European project. And that actually did surprise me because we used to exhibit Motorcycle Live in the Excel and the MCN show was in London for, I mean, since 2013. I mean, we did every year and there was really none of that. And that surprised me when I went, because you're right, there was just... girls laid over the bikes and it was a bit strange. They're to it, but for us here, we're like, is quite a little bit uncomfortable actually to a certain degree. I'm not saying that there weren't beautiful ladies, but there was that such a big difference between the UK shows and how they represented. ⁓ Linda Belvedere: Yes, and that doesn't help for. giving the seriousness of women in motorcycling because people then associate it to the pretty lady or the umbrella girls on the pit lane, for example. That's how we are associated. Yeah, you're just good to keep the umbrella. Well, no, actually, I can ride myself. So ⁓ that that also would be nice if they would stop doing that. And I'm sure that these. Main Admin: you Linda Belvedere: pretty ladies who are probably students and work for a modeling agency that can find loads of other jobs. But yeah, it would be nice to or at least have the equivalent for men. I wouldn't mind, you know. Main Admin: Maybe they were just waiting for Linda Jean Belvedere jacket to go over the top of there. Maybe that's what they were waiting for. So before we get, we're going to ask some of the quick fire questions of what we normally do, because I think it's been fantastic to talk to you tonight. For anybody that's listening, certainly on the podcast, do want to give us your website address, your Instagram, where people can get involved? Linda Belvedere: Yeah, maybe. Maybe. Main Admin: Find out a bit more about your follow your subscribe and and really if they want to ask you any particular questions I think it'd be great that if people do this is female listeners out there, you know And there's also a lot of writing groups that we can point you in the right direction But do you want to give us those those kind of ⁓ addresses for people? Linda Belvedere: Yeah, sure. So the website is ljmotofashion.com, all attached. The Instagram is very similar. It's lj, the lowest score, MOTOFASHION. ⁓ If anyone has questions, wants just to contact me, they can either DM me on Instagram or send me an email to hello at ljmotofashion.com. ⁓ Main Admin: All right. Excellent. Linda Belvedere: or yeah, that's all LinkedIn. I'm on LinkedIn with my own name. I'm my personal name, Linda Belvedere. So I'm happy to connect on LinkedIn as well. yeah. Main Admin: Yeah. I you're very active on LinkedIn because you must follow all the same motorcycle groups. It's great. I mean, I love LinkedIn for certainly for the motorcycle kind of marketplace and the industry because it is very, very well represented. I think that people do get involved and discuss stuff and there's lots of really positive things going on with the Linda Belvedere: Yeah. Main Admin: They're looking at the tests and everything here in the UK and I think we're getting it, we can start to see some change. I think it's been coming for some time, but I do see that, that people do engage and they're quite passionate about sharing their opinions and you're there literally every day. It is fantastic. Linda Belvedere: Well, it's part of my job. So every day I take a few minutes to just go through the LinkedIn and see, is there anything interesting also to find inspiration? Because like you, you have to also always think about content. So you have to get inspiration from different places. Main Admin: And I really do. We really do. I appreciate the support you've given for just ride so far. It's really fantastic to see that because we, you know, we're like you, we've started. Seven months ago, we've just started introducing just ride. mean, we've only this is our seventh podcast. think we're a bit rusty, Linda, a bit of a special time to think, to get into it. I we it's weird when we talk on the bikes, we talk completely differently. The only one we're dead relaxed. But soon as you put these on and we've got cameras. Linda Belvedere: you ⁓ yeah. Main Admin: It just, you know, but we do just like talking about motorcycles. We kind of want to, I think for this, us, is learn about what's going on out there, you know, and again, I get really appreciate you getting in touch and seeing what you're doing is fantastic. And the more and more people that we're speaking to at the moment is there is this incredible need. And I think we should all represent and all work together to kind of get that out there because at the end of the day, we're trying to make a bit of a difference. Linda Belvedere: Yes. Main Admin: You know, and I think that's what, when we saw obviously your support for us and when we started looking at what you're doing, it was like, you've got to come on because you've got such a great story to tell. think you're doing fantastic, definitely. Linda Belvedere: Well, thank you. I appreciate that. Main Admin: No, seriously. Round of applause. of applause. We'd really like people, encourage people. So the viewers and listeners, please go and link in with Linda, Jean Belvedere's pages. So please do that. But we're coming to the point where we've got a couple of quick fire questions. And don't worry, I call them quick fire, but I always go off on a tangent. So don't worry. OK. And I think I know the answer to the first question, but I'm going to give it a go anyway. If money was no object, which bike would you buy? Linda Belvedere: ⁓ Well, first of all, is one ⁓ maybe I will buy multiple ones, but then you have a storage issue as well. ⁓ But if I just have to stick to one, my dream would be MV Agusta Brutale. I have not tried it, so I don't even know how it rides, what the feeling is, but I just I think it's a beautiful bike. Main Admin: You We'll be dropping some clips in of the bike actually ⁓ when the edits have completed. yes, the pipes, I the pipes. Look at that. And would that be... Yeah, that is a big thing. And I'm sure that would be Italian again, wouldn't it? There's definitely a theme going on here. And I keep making fun about this Italian again. We all love the Italian motorbikes. Linda Belvedere: Yeah. ⁓ you're looking at it now on the screen. ⁓ It is, it is. You Main Admin: We all love them. We just can't afford them. Not yet. So, talking about motorcycling, who was your motorcycling hero? Linda Belvedere: Exactly. That's a very good question. I don't really have one particular hero. think anyone that decides that they want to go through the line of passing the test, buying the bike that they like and just enjoying riding is a hero because it takes the effort. takes, you know, you have to, it's an investment as well between the insurance, the bike itself, the gear. ⁓ And then you need to have the time as well, unless you use it for commuting. But if you just use it as a leisure leisurely activity, you need to find the time as well. anyone who actually does that is a hero. But maybe ⁓ maybe there is one hero, but she's also my muse a bit and my greatest customer and brand ambassador. And that's my mom. ⁓ Main Admin: Fantastic. To your mom. Do you to give her a name? Linda Belvedere: Her name is Laura. she so she was a pillion for her most of her life. And like I said, at the beginning of the podcast, she decided to, well, you know what I can do it myself. I can find myself. So she did. And now she rides Kawasaki Z650. Main Admin: Good, good, good friends. Wow. So do you all, I mean, we're getting off the questions here, but do you all get the chance to ride together then or? Linda Belvedere: No, my dad actually stopped riding for health reasons. ⁓ And that was our biggest dream is can we actually get to ride together at some point? that. Yeah, or a Kanem three wheeler, then he can ride himself. But yeah, no, we didn't get and because I'm not in Switzerland all the time and between work and thing, it just didn't happen yet. Main Admin: You need a sidecar. You need to get a sidecar. ⁓ That's a shame. I suspect, Linda, I know the answer to the next question as well. favorite place to ride your bike? Linda Belvedere: Yeah. I'm Well, of course, of course, England, like we said before. Main Admin: It's the Alps. Although you do need to, you do need to come up the north of England. You can get a chance to come up and come up to stay sort of locally here. We need to take and show you some of the fantastic roads that we've got over in the air. The Peterstree, the lakes, the lakes, North Yorkshire, North Yorkshire. We've got it all. Linda Belvedere: ⁓ yeah. Main Admin: But we've got... They're not mountains, but they're quite high hills. Linda Belvedere: Yeah, so it's well, you have a bit of a bend and a bit of a climb and the descent. Yeah. And no, so it's it is the Alps. just I think I don't like straight road. I like the fact that you have to do the bends and to put a bit of an effort in and that you can get to the top and you have a massive smile. So I like that. But to be honest. Main Admin: Lots of pens. Wow. Linda Belvedere: we went last year hiking in Wales and I thought hmm we need to come back here but with the bikes because the roads are nice no potholes I don't know what you do there guys but it's really it's good ah I see Main Admin: 100%. Check all the money off the English. We love Wales. We do love Wales. We haven't been this year, we're not going this year, we've got other players we're going, but we're hoping to get back to Wales next year. So if we're going to go Wales next year, we'll give you yes, because there's a big fan of the show, she's from Northern Wales, she's asking us to come down, so I think we should have a big, big ride out in Wales next year. Linda Belvedere: Let me know. Yeah, please. Maybe, ⁓ And I had the privilege a few years ago, when was that? 2018 actually, to go to the TT. But I had the privilege to actually ride around the TT when the road was closed. And that was really nice to do the whole, the circuit, know, that was nice, nice roads. Main Admin: ⁓ yes. ⁓ Now you're sure enough. Did they close it just for you? Are you that famous already? And I just want to say, the last question I'm going to ask, it's what's your favorite accessory to buy? Linda Belvedere: Yes, of course I am. Main Admin: but I just wanted to comment about the lovely helmet that's over your shoulder. read my mind. So you've got a lovely, and it must be the R.I. helmet that's also, yes. ⁓ look at that. It's just beautiful. And I saw that on your socials as well. When I was looking at... ⁓ wow. ⁓ Linda Belvedere: That's actually not mine, that's my husband's one that I bought for him. Mine is this one. Main Admin: Still an hour, right? ⁓ wow. Still very nice. Linda Belvedere: It's still an R.I. But if anyone hears and is volunteered to sort of support my brand, I desperately need a new helmet because it's broken. Main Admin: Yes. Please, please, R.I. could you give us all a new helmet? Just a quick question for all the people that might be listening. What size are you, Linda? Yeah, what size helmet? Linda Belvedere: Exactly. helmet size. It's an excess. Main Admin: Excess small. Okay, so anybody watching this and listening to this right, drop it in the comments, DM her, get her address, send her a new helmet. They should appreciate that. if that's not Linda, if you can't do that, I will if they can repair it for you because you do the servicing on the helmets. So that little bit of event on the front can be repaired. Just to let you know. Yeah, we're not bothered by that, Linda. We want a new helmet. We want a new helmet. Linda Belvedere: Yes. Exactly. Yes. ⁓ that's good to know. That's good to know. Exactly. It's too old. Main Admin: Yeah. Yeah. And if, if Linda's getting one, please, can I have one as well? Linda Belvedere: Yeah, I mean, you do social media content, I do social media content. So in exchange, we do a bit of advertising for them. So, you know. Main Admin: Yes, exactly. Thank you so much, Linda. Thank you. We're going to wrap it up there. If that's okay with you, Linda, I we could talk all night long, but we appreciate your... ⁓ we're not going to wrap it up yourself because we do need to say, please like, subscribe and if like... And follow us. And follow us. Yeah, get that in as well. Because we always forget to do that. So apologies, Linda, as Andrew's wrapping up there. And actually it'd be really good if you've, you know... Linda Belvedere: It's all right. Main Admin: got some comments to make tonight. We love reading your comments in the in the chat and we'll try and respond to as many as possible. Yeah, so certainly if you have a problem trying to find some good choice for female clothing or if you if your partner as your wife or your girlfriend has that problem as well as getting into riding then then absolutely drop those comments and get in touch with Linda. I think you see a website. Yeah, the website. DM you're on Insta. think that's, I really, really hope this absolutely takes off for you, Linda. I think you're coming at it in the right way. We love people who get out there and actually go for it and make something and have got that ambition to be number one. I think that's a fantastic thing and we definitely love that. And do you know what the only disappointing thing is? I love your t-shirt, but I don't think it will suit me. Linda Belvedere: We can arrange that. It's not an issue. Main Admin: Linda, you go into the mail market, I'm very happy to model for you. Linda Belvedere: Okay, okay. I keep it in mind. No, but if I may just add a tiny little bit. ⁓ If, and this is a message to any ladies who will be, who are watching the YouTube. ⁓ If you have any desire in terms of clothing, motorcycle clothing, it can be trousers, it can be jacket features that you would love to have in your gear, but either you cannot find or, I don't know, doesn't exist yet, then please, please let me know because I can only make something that is really made for us all if I get the input of as many female writers as possible. Main Admin: Fantastic. We love that. love that. Yeah. and now my wife will see this and, and I'm sure she's got some thoughts on that because yeah, as we've already mentioned, she doesn't particularly like some of the items that are available to her and her shape and her size. So yeah, she'll see this. So she may be in touch. you very much for coming on the podcast tonight. Lynn. It's been fantastic to listen to you, to your journey and we wish you every success and, Linda Belvedere: That's good. Main Admin: We can't wait for the invite to, obviously the Alps, but I think a bit more realistic, North Wales. We'll do a ride out of Wales. If you are thinking of coming up here, if there's any work you need to do up here, get in touch with us. We'll take you out on some of the most fantastic roads that Northern Lingland has to offer. I'm sure you'll enjoy that, but do keep in touch and thanks again. Linda Belvedere: But thanks to you. Thanks to you all for the opportunity and for the lovely chat. It's really, it's only my second podcast, but it was a really nice experience. Main Admin: and Yeah. Do you know what? genuinely, generally, if we can, if we can help you, we will, because, you know, the industry is a great industry and people will support people. It's getting, making those connections. And that's why I was keen to kind of hear your story, because, you you don't know who's going to be listening to this at some point, whether it's, you know, when it comes out or later down the line. But there are lots of... those groups out there that just don't know where to go and get female clothing. So if we can help in any way, generally we will.