Rider Profile - Sabina Moed
Bina Moed discovered her knack for selling motorcycles when she was asked to help Cycle City at a motorcycle show. Her husband, Rob, a firefighter in Oakville and also a licensed mechanic, began working part time for Cycle City in 2000 and they needed extra help in their booth. Initially, she thought it was a joke but when she realized they were serious, she immediately researched all she could about Yamaha and Suzuki bikes. Excited and expecting to only sell a couple of bikes, she soon found out that this was something she not only enjoyed, but something she excelled in.
Bina started riding 27 years ago in 1980. “I always say that this was back in the day when women were looked at like they had three eyes or something however this did not stop me whatsoever. I've always loved motorcycles and said that when I got old enough I was going to get a bike and get my licence. So I did. ” That same year she got married - to her best friend since age 9 - and both she and her husband got their licences. Her first bike was a heavy 1978 Honda CB550, Four – heavier than the bike she rides today.
Being in sales at Cycle City , she's had the opportunity to ride pretty much every Suzuki and Yamaha made in the last seven years, as well as other brands from their used bike department. then some. “Sometimes you feel like a kid in a candy shop and I have to honestly say that there are some really fantastic Yamaha's and Suzuki's out there. I almost wish that I could own more than just one bike.” Her personal favourite is the Suzuki 1400 Intruder or the Boulevard S83 as it is known as today and is the bike she personally owns. “It's got all the power I want yet not the usually associated weight or size that a bike this big normally has. With its low riding seat, sleek looks and weighing in at only 545lbs, it's manageable enough for any gal or guy who wants power and beauty without weight. There is really no maintenance other than your regular oil changes and that's what most riders are looking for. A load and go bike with no worries.”
Her favourite rides are on the secondary routes or back country roads. She loves to call up a few friends and say "Hey let's go for a ride today and see where the road will take us." You love it so much, who cares where you go, as long as you do it on the bike. Most of the time we end up going down to Niagara Falls or up to Collingwood or Elmira or St. Jacobs for the day. We are very fortunate that we don't have to go very far to escape the chaos of the city.
Unlike many lucky riders she sells to, she has not yet had the opportunity to take a week or two and ride the distance. Raising a family of three children and working fulltime to help put them through school has been a priority. However, that may be about to change. Bina and Rob are hoping to take a trip to BC to visit family. Their children and significant others are hoping to get their licenses “ we may have our own gang to ride out with. In the mean time, taking trips here and there and up north to our cottage, Parry Sound way are pretty much my favourite experiences.”
What keeps her riding? “There really are no specific words to describe the feeling that one gets when they are out there on the open roads on two wheels hearing the sound of that engine shifting and maybe those pipes. Some may describe it as a sweet sickness, one that you never want to get rid of. For me, it's a form of stress relief and excitement. I love the feel of the wind blowing around me. There is a certain feeling of freedom you have on a bike that you cannot experience in a vehicle. It truly brings back the kid in you every time you get out and ride.“